Tel Code: 985
Altitude: 29 m, 98 ft
Pop: 4,000 (Town of Piste)
Postal Code: 97751
Archeological Zone Entrance Fee: MX$111/US$11 (includes Sound and Light show)
Other Things to Do
After visiting Chichén Itzá itself, spend a second day nearby, hiking through Balancanche Cave and then heading to Cenote Ik Kil for swimming and lunch.
Climate
Chichén Itzá has a humid subtropical climate with two distinct seasons: wet and dry. Temperatures range year-round from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit (21-32 Celsius). The dry season runs from November to May. The rainy season runs June through October and features daily afternoon downpours; the combination of extreme heat and high humidity can be overwhelming.
Getting to and away
By Car: Chichén Itzá is located about halfway between Cancun on Mérida and is served by both a free Highway 180 and the toll road (Carretera de Cuota) Highway 180D. From Cancun: The highway meanders 240 km on its way through many small towns and their many speed bumps. It will take about 4 hours to drive from Cancun to Chichén Itzá. Using the cuota from Cancun will cost about MX$225 and take between 2 ½ and 3 hours. After you pass Valladolid begin looking for the exit. From Mérida: The same toll road to Cancun also leads to Chichén Itzá. Drive 120km and take the Chichén Itzá/Piste. You will arrive in about 1 ½ hour. Once you get off the toll road in Piste drive into the town until you reach the T-intersection, where you will see the old church on your right. Turn left and you will reach Chichén Itzá in less than 5 minutes. From Valladolid: Take the free Highway 180 for the approximately ½ hour ride to Chichén Itzá. Be careful on this road – it's narrow, with vehicles making frequent stops and covered with axle-breaking speed bumps.
By Bus: Chichén Itzá is served by ADO, Oriente, and ATS with first and second class arrivals and departures for the cities of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Valladolid and Mérida. These buses all use the Chichén Itzá visitors center. Tickets can be purchased at the booth inside the Libreria Dante or on the bus. (More 2nd class buses serving the same cities depart from the Piste stations, so make sure you ask which station to use. Westbound buses stop at the west end of town and eastbound buses stop near the Hotel Piramide Inn.) Check the schedule when you arrive at the site because the departures are subject to change.
Valladolid: 18 departures daily, 5:54am to 5:35pm, 40 minutes, 1st class/MX$44, 2nd class/MX$20
Cancun: 13 departures daily, 5:54am to 5:35pm, 3 hrs 55 min, 1st class/MX$162, 2nd class/MX$108
Mérida: 2 departures daily, 2:20pm and 5:00pm 1 hr, 40 min. 1st class/MX$94. Or take any bus to Valladolid for connections to Mérida.
Playa del Carmen: 3 departures daily. 2nd class, 7:35am, 3 hrs 57 min, MX$112. 1st class, 2:35 and 4:30pm, 3 hrs, 30 min, MX$218.
Tulum: 4 departures daily. 2nd class, 7:35am, 2 hrs 51 min, MX$78.00. 1st class: 8:25am, 2:35pm, 4:30pm, 2 hrs 20 min, MX$118
Airport: The nearest airports to Chichén Itzá are in Cancun and Mérida. The local Chichén Itzá International Airport services private and charter flights only.
Getting around
It's an easy flat 1½ mile walk from Piste to Chichén Itzá but avoid the overwhelming midday sun. Taxis from Piste to the Chichén Itzá site cost MX$30 and to the Zona Hotelera, $70. The taxi stand is on the main square on the Calle 15 side. No collectivos service the ruins -- the taxi syndicate has a monopoly.
Safety
Travelers do not need to fear for their personal safety at Chichén Itzá or in the town of Piste. Use the lockers in the visitors' center to safeguard your belongings. If you walk into the woodsy areas surrounding the site, watch out for the usual jungle creatures, like snakes, scorpions and mosquitoes. If you run into a jaguar, alert the media because you will be the first person to see one here in years.
Services
The visitors center at the entrance to Chichén Itzá contains all the services a traveler would expect: money exchange, ATM, tourist information desk, bathrooms, lockers, post office, phone and internet. The center also contains a branch of Mérida's Librería Dante where you can buy fine books about Chichén Itzá. A convenient feature is the transportation desk where you can purchase bus tickets for ADO and Oriente buses, which leave hourly for Cancun, Mérida, Valladolid, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The closest hospital is in Valladolid.
Tour Operators
Many operators offer guided tours from Mérida and Cancun. Packages typically include hotel pickup and drop-off, transportation in air conditioned bus or van, service of a licensed guide in the language of your choice at the archeological zone and buffet lunch.
From Cancun: Gay Vacations provides first-class service and it doesn't matter if you are gay or straight. Price: US$70 per person. Contact Francesca Monarca, Retorno Galeana Lt 58, Mz 22, Smz 50, Col. San Angel, C.P. Cancun , Quintana Roo, 77533. Tel/Fax: + 52 (998) 251-0415, USA: (760) 946-7166, Email:
fm@gayvacations.com.mx. Website: www.gayvacations.com.mx
From Mérida: Mayan Ecotours offers round trip tours or can arrange continuing transportation to Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Prices: Adults and children above 11 years old: MX$375. Children 5-10 years old: MX$300. No charge for children under age four. Contact Mayan Ecotours:
Calle 80 No. 561 x 13-1, Col. Residencial Pensiones 6a. Etapa C.P. Mérida, Yucatán 97217. Tel: +52 (999) 987-3710
Cell: +52 044 (999) 243-1489 Email:
info@mayanecotours.com.
Website: www.mayanecotours.com
Tel Code: 985
Altitude: 29 m, 98 ft
Pop: 4,000 (Town of Piste)
Postal Code: 97751
Archeological Zone Entrance Fee: MX$111/US$11 (includes Sound and Light show)
Other Things to Do
After visiting Chichén Itzá itself, spend a second day nearby, hiking through Balancanche Cave and then heading to Cenote Ik Kil for swimming and lunch.
Climate
Chichén Itzá has a humid subtropical climate with two distinct seasons: wet and dry. Temperatures range year-round from 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit (21-32 Celsius). The dry season runs from November to May. The rainy season runs June through October and features daily afternoon downpours; the combination of extreme heat and high humidity can be overwhelming.
Getting to and away
By Car: Chichén Itzá is located about halfway between Cancun on Mérida and is served by both a free Highway 180 and the toll road (Carretera de Cuota) Highway 180D. From Cancun: The highway meanders 240 km on its way through many small towns and their many speed bumps. It will take about 4 hours to drive from Cancun to Chichén Itzá. Using the cuota from Cancun will cost about MX$225 and take between 2 ½ and 3 hours. After you pass Valladolid begin looking for the exit. From Mérida: The same toll road to Cancun also leads to Chichén Itzá. Drive 120km and take the Chichén Itzá/Piste. You will arrive in about 1 ½ hour. Once you get off the toll road in Piste drive into the town until you reach the T-intersection, where you will see the old church on your right. Turn left and you will reach Chichén Itzá in less than 5 minutes. From Valladolid: Take the free Highway 180 for the approximately ½ hour ride to Chichén Itzá. Be careful on this road – it's narrow, with vehicles making frequent stops and covered with axle-breaking speed bumps.
By Bus: Chichén Itzá is served by ADO, Oriente, and ATS with first and second class arrivals and departures for the cities of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Valladolid and Mérida. These buses all use the Chichén Itzá visitors center. Tickets can be purchased at the booth inside the Libreria Dante or on the bus. (More 2nd class buses serving the same cities depart from the Piste stations, so make sure you ask which station to use. Westbound buses stop at the west end of town and eastbound buses stop near the Hotel Piramide Inn.) Check the schedule when you arrive at the site because the departures are subject to change.
Valladolid: 18 departures daily, 5:54am to 5:35pm, 40 minutes, 1st class/MX$44, 2nd class/MX$20
Cancun: 13 departures daily, 5:54am to 5:35pm, 3 hrs 55 min, 1st class/MX$162, 2nd class/MX$108
Mérida: 2 departures daily, 2:20pm and 5:00pm 1 hr, 40 min. 1st class/MX$94. Or take any bus to Valladolid for connections to Mérida.
Playa del Carmen: 3 departures daily. 2nd class, 7:35am, 3 hrs 57 min, MX$112. 1st class, 2:35 and 4:30pm, 3 hrs, 30 min, MX$218.
Tulum: 4 departures daily. 2nd class, 7:35am, 2 hrs 51 min, MX$78.00. 1st class: 8:25am, 2:35pm, 4:30pm, 2 hrs 20 min, MX$118
Airport: The nearest airports to Chichén Itzá are in Cancun and Mérida. The local Chichén Itzá International Airport services private and charter flights only.
Getting around
It's an easy flat 1½ mile walk from Piste to Chichén Itzá but avoid the overwhelming midday sun. Taxis from Piste to the Chichén Itzá site cost MX$30 and to the Zona Hotelera, $70. The taxi stand is on the main square on the Calle 15 side. No collectivos service the ruins -- the taxi syndicate has a monopoly.
Safety
Travelers do not need to fear for their personal safety at Chichén Itzá or in the town of Piste. Use the lockers in the visitors' center to safeguard your belongings. If you walk into the woodsy areas surrounding the site, watch out for the usual jungle creatures, like snakes, scorpions and mosquitoes. If you run into a jaguar, alert the media because you will be the first person to see one here in years.
Services
The visitors center at the entrance to Chichén Itzá contains all the services a traveler would expect: money exchange, ATM, tourist information desk, bathrooms, lockers, post office, phone and internet. The center also contains a branch of Mérida's Librería Dante where you can buy fine books about Chichén Itzá. A convenient feature is the transportation desk where you can purchase bus tickets for ADO and Oriente buses, which leave hourly for Cancun, Mérida, Valladolid, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The closest hospital is in Valladolid.
Tour Operators
Many operators offer guided tours from Mérida and Cancun. Packages typically include hotel pickup and drop-off, transportation in air conditioned bus or van, service of a licensed guide in the language of your choice at the archeological zone and buffet lunch.
From Cancun: Gay Vacations provides first-class service and it doesn't matter if you are gay or straight. Price: US$70 per person. Contact Francesca Monarca, Retorno Galeana Lt 58, Mz 22, Smz 50, Col. San Angel, C.P. Cancun , Quintana Roo, 77533. Tel/Fax: + 52 (998) 251-0415, USA: (760) 946-7166, Email:
fm@gayvacations.com.mx. Website: www.gayvacations.com.mx
From Mérida: Mayan Ecotours offers round trip tours or can arrange continuing transportation to Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Prices: Adults and children above 11 years old: MX$375. Children 5-10 years old: MX$300. No charge for children under age four. Contact Mayan Ecotours:
Calle 80 No. 561 x 13-1, Col. Residencial Pensiones 6a. Etapa C.P. Mérida, Yucatán 97217. Tel: +52 (999) 987-3710
Cell: +52 044 (999) 243-1489 Email:
info@mayanecotours.com.
Website: www.mayanecotours.com
©
NileGuide
Planning a Trip
Getting There & Departing
By Plane -- Travel agents in the United States, Cancún, and Cozumel can arrange day trips from Cancún and Cozumel.
By Car -- Chichén Itzá is on old Hwy. 180 between Mérida and Cancún. The fastest way to get there from either city is to take the autopista (or cuota). The toll is 120 pesos from Mérida, 200 pesos from Cancún. Once you have exited the autopista, you will turn onto the road leading to the village of Pisté. Once in the village, you'll reach a T junction at Hwy. 180 and turn left to get to the ruins. The entrance to the ruins is well marked. If you stay on the highway for a few kilometers more, you'll come to the exit for the hotel zone at Km 121 (before you reach the turnoff, you'll pass the eastern entrance to the ruins, which is usually closed). Chichén is 1 1/2 hours from Mérida and 2 1/2 hours from Cancún. From Tulum, take the highway that leads to Cobá and Chemax. It connects to Hwy. 180 a bit east of Valladolid.
By Bus -- From Mérida, there are four first-class ADO buses per day. There are also a few first-class buses to Cancún and Playa that stop here. Otherwise, you can buy a second-class bus ticket to Valladolid and a first-class from there. If you want to take a day trip from Mérida or Cancún, go with a tour company.
Area Layout
The village of Pisté, where most of the budget hotels and restaurants are located, is about 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) to the west of the ruins. Public buses can drop you off here. And located on the old highway 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) east from the ruins is another budget hotel, the Dolores Alba. Situated at the ruins of Chichén Itzá are three luxury hotels.
Planning a Trip
Getting There & Departing
By Plane -- Travel agents in the United States, Cancún, and Cozumel can arrange day trips from Cancún and Cozumel.
By Car -- Chichén Itzá is on old Hwy. 180 between Mérida and Cancún. The fastest way to get there from either city is to take the autopista (or cuota). The toll is 120 pesos from Mérida, 200 pesos from Cancún. Once you have exited the autopista, you will turn onto the road leading to the village of Pisté. Once in the village, you'll reach a T junction at Hwy. 180 and turn left to get to the ruins. The entrance to the ruins is well marked. If you stay on the highway for a few kilometers more, you'll come to the exit for the hotel zone at Km 121 (before you reach the turnoff, you'll pass the eastern entrance to the ruins, which is usually closed). Chichén is 1 1/2 hours from Mérida and 2 1/2 hours from Cancún. From Tulum, take the highway that leads to Cobá and Chemax. It connects to Hwy. 180 a bit east of Valladolid.
By Bus -- From Mérida, there are four first-class ADO buses per day. There are also a few first-class buses to Cancún and Playa that stop here. Otherwise, you can buy a second-class bus ticket to Valladolid and a first-class from there. If you want to take a day trip from Mérida or Cancún, go with a tour company.
Area Layout
The village of Pisté, where most of the budget hotels and restaurants are located, is about 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) to the west of the ruins. Public buses can drop you off here. And located on the old highway 2.5km (1 1/2 miles) east from the ruins is another budget hotel, the Dolores Alba. Situated at the ruins of Chichén Itzá are three luxury hotels.
