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 Cancun © Mexican Tourist Board The peninsula is an area of great diversity, from tropical jungle and rainforest, flat and hot countryside dotted with Mayan villages, a superb coastline with popular resorts and islands, numerous archaeological sites, and colonial towns. Once distant and inaccessible, tourism has made determined advances especially around the major places of interest, to the Mayan sites of Chichén Itzá and Uxmal, and along the most visited stretch of the coast incorporating the 'party resort' of Cancún and the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres. These resorts and islands have become highly sought-after package tour destinations with renowned vacation facilities. The traditions, religious beliefs and ancient customs of today's Mayan culture are a natural part of the Yucatán's character, but large-scale tourism development has shifted many of the Mayan people to unwanted areas where they live in small settlements, scratching out an existence from their crops, and relying on the brazen publicity of the tourist brochures to endear them and their handicrafts to the tourist trade. Resorts See our separate guides to the following Yucatán Peninsula holiday resorts: Puerto Costa Maya, Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen Excursions Chichén Itzá The Mayan people are most well known for their advanced knowledge and brilliance regarding astrology, as well as for their incredible resilience. The stone remnants of their civilisation can be found spread throughout Mexico and Central America. Chichén Itzá, with its famous pyramids and temples, is the Yucatán's most visited ancient Mayan site, set in the jungle and said to have been inhabited for more than 2,000 years. It was the centre of political, economic and military power, and controlled trade in the region. The main attraction is the Pyramid of Kukulkán (the plumed serpent god), or El Castillo, a grand pyramid topped by a temple that dominates the site. Each side has a stairway and the top affords excellent views over the area. Inside the pyramid is a smaller pyramid, the inner sanctum, containing one of the greatest finds on the site, the brilliant red jaguar throne with jade spots, inlaid eyes and real jaguar teeth. During the spring and autumn equinoxes (21 March and 21 September) an exceptional spectacle occurs, lasting for a few hours, that leaves crowds open-mouthed with wonder as the rippling shadows form the illusion of a snake slithering down the staircase. The shadows seem attached to the great serpent's heads at the foot of the main stairway. Another building of interest is El Caracol (The Giant Conch Snail), an observatory with slits in the dome aligned with certain astronomical appearances at specific dates. On the far side of the site, reached by a causeway, is the Sacred Cenote, a huge natural well into which human sacrifices and other offerings were thrown to please the gods. Many other temples, platforms and an impressive ball court, are components of the ancient city, a site of enormous proportions, featuring many columns and intricate carvings, statues and reliefs.Transport: Bus services from Cancún or Playa del Carmen (2.5hrs by bus); Opening time: Daily from 8am to 5pm Events  Chichén Itzá © Cancun CVB Spring Equinox Equinoccio de la Primavera draws thousands of people from around the world to witness the shadow that seems to crawl down the El Castillo pyramid in the Chichén Itzá temple complex. The shadow represents the snake god, Kukulcan, and takes the form of a giant, slithering snake that slowly descends the stairs of the largest Mayan pyramid in the country. Sunlit triangles appear to work their way down the stairs, finally illuminating the snakehead at the bottom and forming the giant sunlit serpent.Venue: El Castillo, Chichen Itza; Date: 20 March 2010 |
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