Help for Chichen Itza Tours

[easyrider]

We met some people that took the Chiche itza tour at the pool area of the VDP Cancun and were told that it was interesting but a very exhausting 13 hour day. One lady was in tears.

We drove to the Tulum Ruins today. It took less than 2 hours to get there, goofed around for 3 hours and 2 hours back. This was a long day but interesting.

We plan to stay the night at Chichen Itza sometime during this trip.

 

[lizhecht]

Been there 3 times

We went in March and April, Its hot! They run out of water for sale, the lunch included in the tour at the hotel is a buffet and ok. We bought once through Thomas Moore, and once through E-plus. Either way I think you end up using the same or similar bus companies.
You are picked up at your hotel, they take you down to a central location where the ferry leaves for Isla Mujeres to board the bus.
Then they take you to Chichen Itza and provide you with an English speaking guide. Which I highly recommend even if you go on your own.
On the way home they stop at a Mayan village and /or a gift shop. Highly unnecessary as most of the items are for sale at CI or in the hotel district.
Then you have to stop at all the different hotels along the strip to drop every one on the bus off. The entire day is from around 6am till 10pm due to Bus stops.

When we drove we took the toll road out and local back, mainly because we couldn't find the on ramp to the toll road from Valladolid. The check point (to cross the state line) is a little intimidating and the tolls are very high. The difference in cost is negligible between tour and doing it alone given that you need to rent a car and pay the tolls and your entrance admission, lunch and guide at Chichen. If you have a large group or can get one together, I highly recommend a private van.

We also stopped at a Cenote on the way back, which made the entire drive worth it. I might drive again only if I were staying over night.
You can no longer climb the main pyramid (castle) at Chichen, but you can at Coba.
Take a look into a trip to Coba, the drive is easier, as you don't have to cross the state checkpoint, and the tours are shorter.

 

[pjrose]

We met some people that took the Chiche itza tour at the pool area of the VDP Cancun and were told that it was interesting but a very exhausting 13 hour day. One lady was in tears.

We drove to the Tulum Ruins today. It took less than 2 hours to get there, goofed around for 3 hours and 2 hours back. This was a long day but interesting.

We plan to stay the night at Chichen Itza sometime during this trip.

We went in March and April, Its hot! They run out of water for sale, the lunch included in the tour at the hotel is a buffet and ok. We bought once through Thomas Moore, and once through E-plus. Either way I think you end up using the same or similar bus companies.
You are picked up at your hotel, they take you down to a central location where the ferry leaves for Isla Mujeres to board the bus.
Then they take you to Chichen Itza and provide you with an English speaking guide. Which I highly recommend even if you go on your own.
On the way home they stop at a Mayan village and /or a gift shop. Highly unnecessary as most of the items are for sale at CI or in the hotel district.
Then you have to stop at all the different hotels along the strip to drop every one on the bus off. The entire day is from around 6am till 10pm due to Bus stops.

When we drove we took the toll road out and local back, mainly because we couldn't find the on ramp to the toll road from Valladolid. The check point (to cross the state line) is a little intimidating and the tolls are very high. The difference in cost is negligible between tour and doing it alone given that you need to rent a car and pay the tolls and your entrance admission, lunch and guide at Chichen. If you have a large group or can get one together, I highly recommend a private van.

We also stopped at a Cenote on the way back, which made the entire drive worth it. I might drive again only if I were staying over night.
You can no longer climb the main pyramid (castle) at Chichen, but you can at Coba.
Take a look into a trip to Coba, the drive is easier, as you don't have to cross the state checkpoint, and the tours are shorter.

Easy, I think I was in tears after the exhausting bus trip and late late return. All I wanted to do was walk straight into the pool, clothes and all. Thousands of people do just fine, but it is too much for some.

I second LizHecht's info and advice

 

[easyrider]

So our plan is to drive to Chichen Itza on the local road and see the sites. We plan to leave VDP at 10 - 11 am and check in to the Mayaland Hotel this Sunday. This is the start of the lunar new year and year of the Dragon.

The start of the lunar new year 2012 includes the star Algol in the constellation Perseus as the brightest star in the sky. There are 3 stars that make up Algol that represent the 3 mudusa like sisters with snake hair. Algol is called the demon star. In the Tetrabiblos, the 2nd century astrological text of the Alexandrian astronomer Ptolemy, Algol is referred to as "the Gorgon of Perseus" and associated with death by decapitation, a theme which mirrors the myth of the hero Perseu's victory over the snake-headed Gorgon Medusa. Historically, the star has received a strong association with bloody violence across a wide variety of cultures