"Alan S" wrote in message
news:sskm73lhfek6is07h8kjcei62mrltgpp68@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:35:37 -0700, "Technobarbarian"
> wrote:
> I was considering staying in Valladolid or district, using
> Cancun simply as an airport and radiating from there.
The distances are such that you'll spend too much time travelling back
and forth if you try to use any one place as a base. Valladolid works fine
for Chichen Itza and Ek Balam. Depending on your route and timing Piste
might work better for Chichen. You can get good deals on local craft items
from the Mayan ladies who set up on the main square in Valladolid. There's a
cenote there that you might find interesting. I also like the small
traditional mercado in Valladolid.
If you can handle it the Balanchanche cave near Chichen Itza is also
interesting. It was used for ceremonial purposes by Chichen's central Mexico
rulers. The ceremonial objects are in place where they were found. There's
no ventilation and the air gets thin toward the back of the cave. It's not
horribly physical, but there is a spot without stairs where there's a rope
to help climb a short distance. They have a recorded narration in several
different languages, but I wouldn't worry about which language is playing
when you get there because it's not really informative.
I also suggest going past the ruins of Ek Balam a short distance to the
modern village. The traditional houses there add an element to what the
archaeological sites must have looked like.
Mayapan is another site to consider visiting in that area. It's
interesting because it still has some small sections of decorated stucco
remaining.
On the coast south of Playa del Carmen, Akumal is another site to
consider visiting. It's smaller and pretty low key, but there are a couple
of surviving murals. It has the advantage that it's on your route to Tulum.
Inland a bit from Tulum Coba is probably the only major site in the area I
haven't mentioned. It's a great place for a nature walk, but I don't
consider the ruins all that interesting.
TB
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