Historic Mayan ruins have been one thing that has all the time fascinated me, and I lastly had the chance to see them myself.
Whereas making ready for a cruise on Radiance of the Seas, I knew that I wished to see Mayan ruins in the course of the ship’s stops at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
Kohunlich is certainly one of many historical Mayan ruins close to Costa Maya, within the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico.
These ruins, particularly, date again to the late class interval of Mayan civilization, roughly between the seventh and 10 centuries CE.
Seeing them whereas touring on a cruise ship appeared a lot simpler than a land journey, as a result of a land journey would have required far more in depth planning, from buying worldwide flights to discovering high quality lodging to renting transportation to the Mayan break websites.
Nevertheless, on my cruise, it was a simple one-day cease at Costa Maya that took me straight to see these once-in-a-lifetime historical ruins.
Kohunlich is thought for its spectacular structure, together with pyramids, temples, plazas, and plenty of well-preserved buildings.
Particularly, essentially the most well-known constructing is the Temple of Masks, which encompasses a row of enormous masks on the entrance face of the temple.
At present, Kohunlich is a well-liked vacationer attraction, and it was one of many least expensive Mayan break shore excursions that was provided on this cruise. It was $101.99, together with transportation, snacks, water, and lunch.
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My good friend, who joined me on the cruise, bought the tour with me, and we each beamed with pleasure to see these historical constructions.
When our ship arrived in Costa Maya, the tour began vivid and early within the morning. Though the shore tour was listed as starting at 8:30 A.M., we needed to meet our group at 8:00 A.M.
After displaying our tickets, we acquired stickers with particular numbers in order that we might all collect collectively as a gaggle. They referred to as our numbers one after the other after they had been prepared for us to disembark.
The crew members guided us to the gangway on deck 2, and we might disembark the ship.
After we exited the cruise port, we walked down the pier and had been instantly guided into traces for our explicit tour.
In entrance of those traces, three males danced and performed drums in conventional Mayan costumes. Cruisers might additionally go up and take footage with them!
This was a unique shore tour expertise for me, as there have been many individuals all lined up in sections. Though Radiance of the Seas was the one ship within the port, there gave the impression to be a big crowd of individuals round us.
Nevertheless, the port was well-organized, and our tour information discovered us by the sticker numbers we positioned on our shirts. She referred to as us ahead when it was time to enter the bus.
There, we met our guides and bus driver, and so they gave us some snacks and water.
Then we hopped onto the bus and settled in for the 2-hour drive.
Whereas we drove, our tour information, Kitzia, acquired on the microphone, launched herself, and instructed us tales in regards to the space.
Kitzia herself was half Mayan and even taught us some phrases in Maya, a useless language, however nonetheless discovered conversationally.
The drive was about two and a half hours with site visitors, however the surroundings was fascinating as we handed just a few cities.
The principle city close to the port of Costa Maya is Mahahual, which is true subsequent door, however a putting distinction from the touristy port city we initially noticed.
After passing by means of the city of Mahahual, it was evident that the Port of Costa Maya is a vacationer attraction somewhat than an genuine Mexican city.
Because the bus trip progressed, we drove additional into the jungle and even handed a nature-preserved swamp, very similar to Florida’s Everglades.
There was a toilet positioned on the bus, but it surely didn’t have any operating water, so I discovered myself wishing I had remembered to convey hand sanitizer.
After we lastly arrived on the archaeological web site, the bus went down a small, one-lane street to get into the realm.
After we arrived, our tour information tell us that the realm was being transformed and the doorway to the location was stuffed with development gear.
They had been clearing out extra of the jungle to make method for an even bigger web site, half of a big authorities venture the place they’re including a prepare to go to many Mayan ruins.
This improvement will do lots for Mexico‘s tourism and make it simpler to get between Mayan archaeological websites.
Nevertheless, after we had been visiting, it meant that there have been solely portapotties and largely mud on the entrance to the rooms.
Learn extra: Final Mexico Cruise Information
We walked in and began taking footage. We needed to make sure you not take any movies as a result of the park expenses an additional charge for any movies or “skilled filming”. Our tour information merely mentioned that video can be prohibited and the group might be kicked out if caught filming.
As we stood in the course of the pastures, our information stopped and instructed us just a little extra in regards to the buildings that we had been seeing: dormitories, a palace, and afterward, we approached the temple and ballgame courtroom.
We had been in a position to stroll proper up onto the buildings and discover the ruins ourselves.
I used to be amazed understanding that we had been strolling on thousand-year-old constructions that had been constructed by individuals on this very location.
One of many bigger constructions was a former palace, the place we might stroll up the steps and stand on the second stage. After all, we needed to be cautious as the sides had been crumbling, but it surely was nonetheless very stable. Many of the buildings had been manufactured from limestone and had giant large steps.
Kitzia tell us that the steps had been bigger as a result of it’s important to maintain wanting down if you’re strolling on them, making the individuals bow right down to the gods as they entered.
After exploring these buildings, we walked just a little additional up the pasture and into the jungle. There we noticed the primary constructing and attraction of Kohunlich: the Temple of Masks.
Though there are a number of theories about what this constructing was for, most sources state that it is a temple to the solar God.
Because the Mayans had a really correct astrological calendar, this temple helped to mark the seasons with the motion of the solar at its corners.
It additionally options a number of masks on the aspect of the constructing, faces carved into the construction. These masks are big and remarkably effectively preserved, and we might see them clearly even from the primary stage.
Past the archeological wonders, I all the time noticed many pure wonders at this ruins web site, such succulent vines.
And, though I did not see them, I heard howler monkeys shrieking!
I appreciated that the hike across the web site wasn’t too strenuous: individuals of all ages might be part of.
I overheard an aged couple saying that they had been grateful they had been in a position to take part on this unimaginable expertise. Though we might stroll up onto the buildings, there was no requirement to, and we might additionally keep on the flat pasture to easily lookup on the constructions.
It did get scorching, particularly in the course of the day, however our guides had been constant in passing out water and discovering locations to face within the shade. Folks might additionally stroll proper again to the bus at any time in the event that they wanted to.
After our hike across the web site, everybody piled again into the bus, and we rode again to the cruise port.
We acquired again round 3:30 P.M., making the complete journey about 6 hours in complete. Whereas it was an extended day, I believe it required much less in depth journey planning than if I had deliberate to do that by myself as a part of a land journey.
Total, it was a exceptional expertise and a once-in-a-lifetime alternative to see thousand-year-old constructions.
And, better of all, we might stroll proper again onto the cruise ship when it was over, able to expertise journey at our subsequent vacation spot.
