Choose which Mayan ruins you would like to visit. Do you want to visit ruins that are close to popular destinations like Cancun? Or do you want to visit less-crowded ruins that are harder to reach? With the Mayan ruins scattered across five different countries, choose the places where you would like to visit the most.
Book a flight. Purchase plane tickets to the city that is located closest to the ruins you want to visit. Sites like Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Uxmal are within driving distance of Cancun. To reach Tikal and Caracol, you should fly into San Ignacio, Belize. To reach Copal, fly into San Pedro Sula in Honduras. To reach Altun Ha in Belize, fly into Belize City.
Book a tour. The simplest way to reach the Mayan ruins is to book a tour with a renowned tour group. Visiting the ruins with a tour group is convenient, because it will provide a tour guide and transportation to the site. Oftentimes, your hotel's travel desk can make arrangements for you to join a group. If your hotel doesn't provide this service, then visit a local travel agency instead. You may also want to book your tour online before your trip.
Rent a car. While tour groups are convenient, you may want to visit the ruins on your own without a schedule looming over your head. Popular sites like Chichen Itza and Tulum are a 2 to 3 hour drive from Cancun, and you can easily rent a vehicle at an airport car rental. For remote sites like Caracol, you should rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle, since the roads to these ruins are unpaved.
Book a boat. If you want to see the rarely visited Yaxchilan ruins in Mexico, you will have to travel by boat. The best way to arrange transportation to Yaxchilan is by booking a tour in nearby Palenque (another Mayan site).
