No matter how beautiful our vacation destination is, we always follow a ‘Leave the Resort!’ philosophy to seek out the rich culture and stories a country has to share, whether it be through their culinary, architectural, or natural wonders. Below is a little guide detailing all you need to know to leave your resort and take the best day trip to Chichen Itza from Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, or Tulum.
If you have a little extra time, be sure to drive along country roads through the small villages along the way, stopping and visit the crafts and farmer’s markets. There are gems just waiting to be discovered that can change your perspective of a destination and how you see the world.
Chichen Itza is an expansive collection of Mayan ruins in the Yucatán, Mexico, dating back to 600 A.D. We spent the day exploring this ancient Mayan society. We could spend hours just walking around the base of the impressive the step pyramid, El Castillo, and appreciating the detailed stone carvings at the Great temple of Warriors. With this much history, having a guide or guidebook can really help you understand the symbolism and significance behind the architecture.
Visiting Chichen Itza is an easy day trip from Cancun and the surrounding areas, but to help make the most of your visit we’ve outlined our top tips to know before you go.
Temple of the Warriors
El Castillo
Getting There
- Set the alarm and head out early! The Chichen Itza ruins open at 8am ~ and is located in the central standard time zone, which is conveniently 1 hour behind Cancun time only half of the year, so double check your time zones. It’s recommended to be a few minutes early if you really want to beat the crowds. If traveling in a group, once you arrive have one person park while the another gets in line at the ticket booth.
- To give you an idea of the crowds, every year over 1.4 million people visit the Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins; a UNSECO World Heritage site and a New Seven Wonder of the World.
- If you’re driving from Cancun, it’s a two and a half hour (200km / 125mi) drive on the toll highway. From Playa Del Carmen, Chichen Itza is a comparable (180km / 111mi). There are two tolls for a standard car in each direction $67pesos and $267pesos ($632pesos return trip ~ 2017). Fill up with gas before you go and be sure stay within the speed limits.
- Sails & Spices Note: There is plenty of highway patrol, so the route is quite safe. Even so, at dawn and dusk some industrious folks have been known to fake a vehicle breakdown or flat tire to lure in a tourist or two and relieve them of a few dollars. Don’t bother to stop, local authorities can assist any drivers that have broken down.
- If an early morning wake up call while on vacation isn’t your idea of a good time you can also spend the night near the ruins, like in the bungalows at The Lodge, and take a leisurely 10 minute walk over in the morning.
El Castillo Serpent
El Castillo
Mesoamerican ballgame
What to Bring to Chichen Itza
- Your camera! The ruins make for stunning photos, particularly at sunrise. Many of Mexico’s top attractions do not allow tripods, monopods, or any “filming” without a government permit. As long as your camera is handheld, you’ll be fine.
- Chichen Itza is a sprawling site with limited shade. On a sunny day remember to bring lots of water, your hat, and sunscreen! There aren’t any hills to climb, but as the site is large it’s best to wear some good walking shoes.
- There is so much history behind the ruins that having a guidebook or hiring a guide will help paint a vivid picture of the ancient city. Guides may be hired at the front entrance though prices will vary.
- On site vendors sell all manners of high quality artisan souvenirs including masks, pottery and jewelry so bring cash if you want bring some handmade crafts back with you. An ATM is located just outside the main gate.
Nearby Attractions
After a day of walking in the hot sun, stop for a refreshing swim at one of the nearby cenotes on the way back to your hotel. Two recommendations are Cenote Il Kil or Cenote Samula, and both are on the google map below.
Continue Exploring Mexico’s Tastes and Sites
Explore more of Mexico’s great culture! Catch a sunrise at the incredible sea-side ruins of Tulum, explore local Mexican cuisine at the Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center, or reminisce on a trip for your taste buds with one of our favorite Mexican recipes:
- Visiting The Ancient Ruins of Tulum
- The Ritz-Carlton Cancun’s Culinary Center
- Vegan Ceviche Recipe
- Squash Tacos with Homemade Tortillas Recipe
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Tulum is a small beach town in the Mayan Riviera along Mexico’s Caribbean Coast. Tulum’s main attraction is the beautiful ancient Mayan ruins that are set high up on the cliff, towering against a backdrop of turquoise Caribbean Sea and palm leaves.
These are the only Mayan ruins in Mexico that boast a spectacular ocean view and considering they are so well preserved the Tulum ruins are an absolute must-visit on your trip to eastern Mexico.
Tulum’s Mayan Ruins – Hours & Costs
For the best experience, and to beat both the heat and the crowds, plan on going early in the morning when the Tulum ruins first open. Not only will there be less people throughout the ruins but as the site is east-facing you can catch a beautiful sunrise. For photography buffs, make note that the site is very strict about collecting the tripod/monopod fee and will not allow them in without the supplementary ticket.
- 6:30am to 8:00am Early Access – $220 pesos
- 8:00am to 5:00pm Regular Hours – $64 pesos
- 4:30pm to 6:30pm Late Access – $220 pesos
- Tripod or Video Camera permit – $30 pesos
- Parking – $120 pesos average.
- Guide – $600 pesos average.
Hours and prices listed may change. These were accurate as of January 2017.
How to Get There
To get to the ruins you can drive, take a bus, join a tour, or even stay the night in Tulum. Driving was our preference, and GPS directions made it very easy to get to the entrance of the Tulum Ruins and find a parking space.
- Driving from Cancun – 1 hour & 40 min drive
- Driving from Playa Del Carmen – 50 min
When you arrive there are several parking areas (some are out front of industrious businesses that cordon them off and collect a small fee), along with lots of souvenir stores and a few restaurants. Through the gate it is a 1-mile / 1.6km walk along a jungle-lined street to get to the entrance and ticket booth for the Tulum Mayan Ruins. There an option to ride a small train from the parking area to the gate if you don’t feel like walking, but its hours of operation vary and it likely won’t be running in time for an early-bird arrival.
To capture Tulum’s picture-perfect postcard shot for yourself, the 3 best photo opportunities are along the cliff path, overlooking the water around the Castillo watchtower. Head there first if you are trying to catch the view without the crowds!
See the map at the end of the post to find the best Tulum photo locations & more recommendations for your visit.
Don’t Forget
- Wear your bathing suit so you can go for a swim at the beautiful beach
- Bring lots of water & sunscreen or a hat to prevent dehydration in the hot sun.
- There are limited/no food facilities on site. If you intend to stay a while, pack-in and pack-out your snacks.
Tulum Vegetarian & Vegan Friendly Food
Once you have finished exploring Tulum’s Mayan ruins, it’s time for lunch! Here are some Tulum vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants near the ruins for you to enjoy.
- Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-10pm.
- Healthy vegetarian and vegan dishes & fresh juices in a casual atmosphere.
- Open Thursday to Tuesday, 8am-3pm & 5pm-11pm.
- Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free. Organic brunch menu, fresh juices and Thai dinners.
- Open Monday to Saturday, 12pm-12am
- Vegan and Vegetarian Pizzas
- Open Tuesday – Sunday, 1pm-10pm.
- Vegan, organic tacos with outdoor seating under the palm trees.
Nearby Swimming Cenotes
Famous for a reason, there are some great cenotes located around Tulum. If you are in the area, make a visit to these unique underground fresh-water pools! There is usually a small access fee to get in, masks and fins available to rent, and a locker to place your things.
Some of the most popular cenotes near Tulum are:
- El Gran Cenote | One of the most popular cenotes with very clear water.
- Doz Ojos Cenote | Two cenotes linked together by underground caverns, popular with divers
- The Cenote Azul & Cenote Cristalino | Above-water cenotes, located close together, with clear waters great for swimming.
Tulum’s beautiful views and incredible Mayan ruins are a must-visit day trip for anyone visiting Cancun or Playa Del Carmen. Did you just visit and have a great tip to share? Let us know in the comments below!
]]>This winter we took a sunny escape to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula to enjoy the sandy white beaches and impressive archeological ruins throughout the region.
We were set on learning the secret to making fresh corn tortillas, how to mix up a tasty margarita, and try some authentic Mexican dishes, but as you know, finding an accommodating vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free cooking class can be a challenge.
The Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center
In our search we found The Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center in Cancun, which offers a range of experiences for vegetarian or vegan food lovers. You can choose from hands-on cooking classes, a guided mercado tour, Chef’s Table tasting with wine pairings, or a tequila tasting night.
We love hand-on cooking experiences and seeing local cultures so we signed up for the Deluxe Chef’s Experience & Mercado Tour. After meeting at the Ritz-Carlton, Chef Manning took us into town to visit a local market, before heading back to the Culinary Center to don our aprons and learn some new Mexican recipes.
Mercado 23
Mercado 23 is known as the ‘local’s market’ and gives a real look into daily life in Mexico. The market is filled with fruit and vegetable stalls, bags of spices, potions, chilies, and even party supplies like piñatas.
By far our favorite stall was the tortilleria. In a small, scorching hot, store front they mix together Masa flour with salt and water to make corn tortilla dough which is flattened and cooked in a tortilla assembly machine. We need one of those! Meeting the people who worked in the shop and tasting warm tortillas rolled up with a sprinkle of salt was a delicious trip highlight.
Chef Manning guided us around with plenty of time to see the sights of Marcado 23, but we were also on a mission to find the ingredients for our cooking class. As we sampled pieces of tropical mamey sapote fruit, searched for local honey, and watched in fascination as they removed the spines off cactus, Chef Manning told us he keeps the menus flexible so he can adjust to what is being sold at market that day.
After a ride back to The Ritz-Carlton Cancun we were ready to start cooking…
The Culinary Center
Walking into the Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center we were greeted by the huge open kitchen and a breezy ocean view. The Culinary Center is set up with everything you could need… a huge knife collection, Viking appliances, personal work stations, and (our favorite) the support of a team of Ritz-Carlton sous-chefs!
First thing’s first, Chef Manning showed us how to make a classic Margarita. While squeezing fresh limes, we chatted about different types of tequilas and mezcals, as well as the hype around the worm or scorpion in the bottle.
That first sip of Margarita was fresh and zesty with the perfect amount of salt! Chef Manning also mixed together a second margarita tres capas, with a bit of holiday flair, demonstrating his creativity towards modern Mexican cuisine.
We settled right in feeling quite at home in the luxurious kitchen. Soon we were mastering homemade tortillas in the tortilla press, chopping ingredients for the spicy vegan ceviche, and toasting pumpkin seeds for a potent chili hot sauce, all while nibbling on fresh corn tortilla chips and creamy guacamole.
Chef Manning was so knowledgeable about everything, giving us many tips along the way about how to make different varieties of guacamole, or what to look out for at home when you are choosing a dried chili peppers. {Read more in our interview, Meet the Chef: Ryan Manning}
We had so much fun cooking up a storm and enjoying margaritas and guacamole, but we felt most spoiled when Chef Manning invited us to sit down for lunch. Course after course of vegetarian and vegan Mexican dishes were brought out. Some we had helped prepare, others Chef Manning showcased himself, though each was thoughtfully paired with delicious Mexican wines, showing off the flavors and ingredients of regional Mexican cuisines.
The 5 Course Meal
We started with some street food inspired appetizers called antojitos, ‘little cravings’. Second, a flavorful vegan ceviche made of the freshest avocados, oranges, mangoes, jicama, and a spicy lime marinade called Aguachile.
Next we enjoyed a rich vegetarian tortilla soup. A beautifully flavored tomato broth was delicately poured over the garnishes and crispy tortilla strips, allowing the flavors to mingle with each spoonful.
Dessert was a wonderful treat of homemade fluffy Mexican donuts, mamey sapote fruit, and local artisan anise-infused honey. Truly decedent, it was a delicious way to taste the exotic fruit we had sampled road-side at the market earlier.
To finish with a hit of holiday flair, Chef served a mamey sapote ice-cream served with traditional Mexican Christmas cakes. Traditionally on January 6th, Three King’s Day, these cakes are shared among friends and family. A small baby doll is hidden in one of the cakes, and the person who finds the doll is chosen to cook tamales for the whole family!
What an incredible experience! As we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves, we quizzed Chef Manning on all of the tips he could share to help us bring the experience of traditional Mexican cooking back home with us.
Chef Manning’s Tips – Mexican Cooking Utensils
Chef Manning shared with us some of his favorite utensils in the kitchen to cook homemade Mexican food:
- Citrus Juicer – Great for making Margaritas and getting every last drop of juice out of limes
- Microplane Grater – Use this to zest limes, chocolate, nutmeg or hard cheeses.
- Soap Stone or Volcanic Rock Molcajete – A traditional mortar and pestle, excellent for guacamole or mole sauces.
- Cast Iron Tortilla Press – Tortillas are never going to taste the same once you’ve made fresh corn tortillas.
Vegan Ceviche Recipe
A very special thanks to Chef Manning who agreed to share his recipe for a spicy vegan ceviche with us! Easy & flavorful this is sure to impress and would make a great starter to your next Mexican meal.
Final Words
We really enjoyed our day visiting the markets, and experiencing Mexican cuisines at The Ritz-Carlton Culinary Center. Chef Manning made us feel right at home, graciously sharing his knowledge and giving us an appreciation for Mexican cuisine, its ingredients, and techniques.
A visit to Cancun Mexico would not be complete without a visit to the The Culinary Center for a vegan, vegetarian or even gluten free cooking class… especially when right outside your kitchen window lies this absolutely stunning seascape.
We’d love to hear your stories about your favorite cooking classes while traveling. Share them in the comments!
~ Thanks to The Ritz-Carlton Cancun for hosting us ~
Visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/mexico/cancun to learn more.
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