Which Mayan Ruins Should You See in Mexico?

A vacation in Mexico summons images of white beaches, warm weather, and delicious, delicious tacos. But for those who want to add an educational field trip to their time abroad, Mexico is also the cradle of an ancient civilization known for building amazing pyramids and temples throughout the Yucatan peninsula. The Maya. 

The ruins left behind by the Maya after the Spanish conquest are numerous and impressive, with the most famous site, Chichén-Itzá, having been named one of the new 7 Wonders of the World in 2000. 

In our time in Mexico, we’ve taken a number of different field trips to ruins around the Yucatan, and have enjoyed the lessons in architecture and culture immensely. Here are some of our favorite Mayan field trips.

Before we get started, let’s talk a bit about staying safe while traveling.

My family has been incredibly lucky to have only needed doctors a handful of times throughout our travels. And the few times we have needed a doctor, it has always been relatively small things.

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Read my article on Travel Medical InsuranceRead more at SafetyWing (Affiliate Link)

Where we’ve been

Chichén-Itzá

These famous ruins have been on my list of places to see since I was a child. The fact that it made the “New 7 Wonders of the World” list is purely a bonus. Chichén-Itzá is a must for anyone looking to see Mayan ruins in the area. The ruins contain a massive Pok-a-Tok field (the Mayan ball game), temples dedicated to the warrior castes, an ancient observatory, and El Castillo, the pyramid in all the pictures. There’s a ton to see!

There were, however, large crowds and my kids didn’t like that they weren’t actually allowed to climb the ruins. Arriving early helps out a ton with the first problem, and the second is easily solved by taking a second field trip to another archeological site, like Ek Balam.

Ek Balam

For my family, this field trip was the most fun. The Ek Balam complex has the only pyramid in the area that we were allowed to climb, and the main temple is actually taller than El Castillo at Chichén-Itzá. Because these ruins are not known as well, they weren’t crowded at all, and we got some amazing shots of the empty ruins. The view from the top of the pyramid is spectacular!

Our kids absolutely loved climbing all over the rocks and walls that made up the complex, and they made sure to peek into each and every little space they could find. There were many.

If your kids are active explorers, I absolutely recommend making a stop at Ek Balam. 

Muyil

Muyil is another great choice for a family wanting to explore. The Muyil ruins are actually some of the oldest Mayan ruins in the Yucatan, dating back to 300 B.C. and predating Chichén-Itzá by hundreds of years. 

While the Muyil ruins were great, my kids loved the location more for its close ties to nature. We saw wild monkeys while we were there, and had the chance to climb a wooden observation tower that gave a dazzling view of the surrounding landscape. And though my family didn’t actually get in the water, there are also floating tours through the Sian Ka’an nature reserve that would be worth a look. 

The fact that it’s less than 30 minutes away from Tulum, instead of Chichén-Itzá’s 2 hours, also makes it a great choice for a field trip when you’re short on time.   

Coba

Chichén-Itzá is the most famous ruins complex in the area, and Muyil is the oldest. Taking up over 80km² (31mi²), Coba has the distinction of being the largest set of Mayan ruins in the area. 

In its heyday, Coba is estimated to have had more than 50,000 people living there. The complex is large enough that bike rentals and bike taxis are a popular method for getting around, and at only around $7 USD, they make a fun and inexpensive memory for the kids. Even without the kids, getting around via bike taxi can be a lot of fun

In the past, Coba has also been open to climbing their pyramids, but during our visit, that was not the case. It could be a temporary thing in response to the pandemic, or it could be a more permanent change as a way of protecting the ruins. Only time will tell. 

Where we haven’t been

Tulum

The Mayan ruins in Tulum are small but are very well known for being an absolutely beautiful place to take pictures. They are also some of the only ruins in the Yucatan located directly on the coast, meaning an educational field trip here could also transform into a beach day.

As with the other popular ruins, you should definitely get there early to beat the crowds and make the most of your trip. 

Xel-Ha

Xel-ha is another ruin located fairly close to Tulum. Not to be confused with the water park of the same name, Xel-ha is another of the oldest sites in the area, dating back to around the same time period as Muyil. It acted as a trading port between the Caribbean and the interior Mayan cities, and as such was a fairly important site. 

We got as far as the main gate for these ruins before finding out that they were closed for the season. If you do manage to make it inside, these ruins look like they would be a great choice for a day trip from Tulum or Playa del Carmen.

Uxmal

The Uxmal ruins proved to be too far for us to comfortably visit with our family, being around 4 hours away by taxi, but if you find yourself closer to Merida than we were, a field trip there is definitely worth a look! 

Uxmal has a large number of beautiful ruins, including the Pyramid of the Magician, and an absolutely huge set of ruins called the Governor’s Palace. It is considered one of the most important Mayan sites in the region.

The main structures in the Uxmal ruins are off-limits for climbing, but they do have a number of other ruins and pyramids that you can climb to get an excellent view of the whole archeological complex. 

From the relative obscurity of the Muyil ruins to the world-famous pyramid of Chichén-Itzá, the Mayans were masters of mathematics and architecture. Their buildings have lasted thousands of years, and are still impressing people around the world today. 

Whether you will only be in Mexico for a single day or have all the time you could want, these world-class ruins are well worth a visit. 

Which archeological field trips are you planning on adding to your itinerary? Let me know in the comments!