The Mayan Riviera is a stretch of coastline along the Yucatan peninsula known for its preponderance of ruins and ancient cities left by the Maya civilization. Travel Yucatan Tours offers three routes, each focused on a different area of the Mayan Riviera. The Chichen Itza tour is a day trip that departs from several major resorts in the Cancun area, driving first to Merida, the capital of Yucatan, and then on to Chichen Itza. The city was once the capital of the ancient Mayan empire and is home to the largest intact temple complex, the Temple of Kukulcan. Another route offered by Travel Yucatan is a nine-hour trip to Coba, a temple complex and sacred cenote, or water-cave, deep in the rainforest. This route focuses both on the ancient and living Mayan culture and is punctuated by a meal prepared by traditional Mayan women. The third route offered is an all-inclusive trek to Tulum and Xel-Ha, a Mayan ruin and aquatic, nature-oriented theme park on the Caribbean coast. Meals are offered at a choice of restaurants and all snorkeling gear and towels are provided.
Travel Yucatan Tours
800-348-9499
travelyucatan.com
There are hundreds of Mayan ruins throughout the countryside surrounding Cancun and it can be time-consuming to visit all of them solo. Magic Tours Cancun has a comprehensive, eight-day tour of the major and lesser-known ruins throughout the region, spending a full day at each site along the way. The tour takes in Palenque, Chichen-Itza, Campeche, Uxmal and Merida, with optional side-trips to Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres. The price of the tour includes meals, entry to certain attractions, accommodations, a bilingual guide and transportation to and from the sites.
Magic Tours Cancun
Calle Nogal
Cancun, Mexico
C.P. 77506
011-52-998-848-17-80
magictourscancun.com
Although the remains of the ancient Mayan empire are the biggest tourist draw in Yucatan, the influences of the Maya people has been felt in the area ever since and still exists today. Aerosaab Tours offers a tour of the countryside around Cancun, taking in both the ancient sites and colonial buildings dating from the end of the Mayan empire. The tour takes only one day, but guides visitors around Uxmal, which is considered to be the most purely Mayan temple in Yucatan, as well as the colonial city of Merida, which has a long history as a marketplace for the people, as well as being the capital and heart of modern Mayan society. The price of the tour includes a round-trip flight from Playa del Carmen and transportation to Uxmal, as well as meals, entrance fees to the sites, a guide and transportation to Merida. The tour is available for private charter, as well as large groups.
Aerosaab Tours
011-52-984-873-0804
aerosaab.com
There are numerous archaeological sites and small ruins around the hotel zone in Cancun. Guided tours seldom stop at these sites since some of them are off the beaten track, but the sites of La Duna, El Rey and El Meco are accessible from hotels along the beach in Cancun. La Duna stands on the property of the Sheraton Hotel and is a small stone structure that is believed to have been used to aid sea navigation by the ancient Mayans. El Rey stands within the city limits of Cancun and is the remnants of a small but well-developed town on the coast. El Meco was once a port for those traveling to Isla Mujeres, containing 14 structures including a temple that remains in relatively good condition. There are no guided tours to any of these sites since they stand within the city limits of Cancun, and all of them can be explored in under an hour.
