While you are in Chichen Itza you have to go to Pyramid of Kukulcan also known as The Castle, this place is great to visit during the spring equinox beacause the sunlight creates a shadow image of a plumed serpent going down the pyramid’s stairs, this natural phenomenon occurs each year in Chichen Itza and it is visited by hundreds of mexican people and tourists too. After visiting The Castle you can go to the Juego de Pelota (Ball game), the Snail or Observatory. Chichen Itza is a big and beautiful place to visit, was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

 About Sinkhole, Chichen Itza has the Sacred sinkhole (Cenote Sagrado) it was used to do offering to Chaac (mayan rain god) so in the bottom there can be found jewelry and young women bones.

ACTIVITIES AT CHICHEN ITZA
 
Ecotourism and Adventure
  – Ecotourism

 Knowledge and cultura
- Archaeology
- Party
- Gastronomy
- Museums
- Arts
- Handicraft 
 
 
Hobby
-Shopping
- Recreation
- Night Show
- Sports
- Night Life 
 
 

PLACES TO VISIT

 Firstable you have to visit Chichen Itza, you can go by car. There you can enjoy the architecture and learn about the history of Chichen Itza by visiting the museum and the light and sound show. Then you can visit the Sacred Sinkhole and later (about 6km ahead) you will find The Balamkanche Caverns, this place was an old Mayan Ceremonial Center. At this place you can find the remains of countless offerings and an altar called the Throne of Balam.

If you continue by the 180 highway will find Valladolid, this is the second oldest city in Yucatan, you can’t forget to visit Candelaria, one of the most picturesque neighborhoods. Among the city’s most impressive edifices is the Ex-Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, San Gervasio Church, San Juan de Dios Temple and the Palacio Municipal. After Valladolid you can go to Ek Balam and Zaci Sinkhole, just some kilometers from Valladolid. Ek Balam is another archaeological zone which has 45 majestic constructions, among them the Ball Court and a beautiful arch encircled by two concentric stone walls. Cenote Zaci (Zaci Sinkhole), which has a natural pool and a unique restaurant. The colorful city is also full of leather and henequen goods, hammocks, rattan fabrics and stone sculptures.

 Another place near Chichen Itza is Izamal, this is a magical town because is an ancient Mayan Ceremonial Grounds, it is also known as the City of Three Cultures, at this place, seven pyramids were constructed. You can tour the gorgeous city in horse-drawn carriages, visiting the plazas, parks and historic suburbs. The Pyramid of Itzamatul is the second most important structure in Izamal. You can’t miss the show with the Voices and Magic of Izamal, which is a popular tourist attraction that explains Mayan cosmovision.

 If you are looking for crocodiles and pink flamingoes or mountain bike exploration you have to go to Lagartos River, El Cuyo and Las Coloradas.
SERVICES AND TOURISM

Chichen Itza is connected to Cancun and Merida by the highway 180. If you decide to go to Merida you can find bus lines Super Expreso and Autotransportes de Oriente (a second-class bus) both go to Merida-Chichen Itza. If you are traveling by air, you have to arrive to Merida first on airlines such as  Aerocaribe, Aeromexico, Aviacsa and Mexicana. 

Local Airport is located at Km 132.2 off the Merida-Cancun Highway, Kawua-Yucatan, in Chichen Itza. Phone number (985) 851-0408

Cancun International Airport is located off the Cancun-Tulum Highway. The airport has taxi and bus services to Cancun, the hotel zone and Playa del Carmen.

 Manuel Crescencio Rejon Airport is located at Km 4.5 off the Merida-Uman Highway. Phone number (999) 946-1340

 Bus Terminal is located on Calle 39, at Calle 46, in Valladolid.

INTERESTING AND EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

 Valladolid Tourism Office. (985) 856-1865

Emergency. 060

Red Cross. (985) 856-2413

Green Angels (emergency highway road service). 078

At Merida  you can visit the cathedral or you can go to  museums (such as the Yucatan Museum of Archaeology),  where you can visit the Canton Palace that is a beautiful and elegant building (from porfirian era). If you like the carriage, you can take a ride in a carriage down the Paseo Montejo, this main street has old mansions and great hotels.

Merida also have great food, some of the traditional dishes are the papadzules, panuchos, and of course the cochinita pibil. The papadzules consists of corn tortillas dipped in a sauce of pumpkin seeds, and filled with boiled eggs (on a taco) and finally bathed in a tomato sauce with habanero peppers and onions; the panuchos are small fried corn tortillas, which makes them a cut that puts a stew made from beans that are then fried, at last the cochinita pibil, is pork marinated in orange juice and served with beans and red onion.

 Just some minutes outside Merida you can find the henequen haciendas, you can also visit the sinkholes (cenotes) going to Ria Celestun which is a Biosphere Reserve and then you can see the habitat of hundreds of pink flamingoes.

If you like the archaeology don’t forget that near Merida is located Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Dibilchaltun which are greats places to visit.

ACTIVITIES AT MERIDA

 
Ecotourism and Adventure
- Scuba Diving
- Camping
- extreme sports
- Kayak
- Fishing
- Surfing

 Beach
- Beaches
 
Knowledge and cultura
- Archaeology
- Party
- Gastronomy
- Museums
- Arts
- Handicraft 

 Hobby
- Shopping
- Recreation
- Night Show
- Sports
- Night Live
 
 Premium
- Golf
- Shipping
- Spas 

PLACES TO VISIT

 At Merida you can visit some of the old seven arches, such as the San Juan arch to the west and the Dragones and el Puente arches, visiting this you can start a great tour by Merida.

Paseo Montejo is the most important avenue in Merida, you can find restaurants, shopping centers and more, all these in beautiful old buildings; if you walk along Paseo Montejo you will find the Memorial to the Homeland, this monument is to pay tribute to the Mayan Culture and fugures.

If you like art can look for the Juan Gamboa Guzman Gallery, this gallery has the work of various national and foreign artists . Near this gallery you can find the Tercera Orden Church and Saint Lucia this place is great on sundays to get all kinds of crafts and food stalls offer Yucatecan fare. In Saint Ana, you can see several public squares and churches. After that you can visit the Ateneo Peninsular and the Main Square, near is the Cathedral, the City Hall and the Mayab House of Crafts.

You can also see the central clock tower and if you enjoy art deco style have to see the eagles adorning the arches on the first floor. Going out of Merida you will find the Hacienda San Ildefonso Teya, an old Hacienda that now is a beautiful and comfortable hotel with gardens. Later you can go to Izamal, a magical town where you can find The Temple of Kinich Kak Moo (the Yucatan Peninsula’s largest pre-Hispanic construction). You can also visit the Ex Convento de San Antonio de Padua (this has the largest courtyard in Latin America and it is surround by arches).

Not so long from Merida it is Chichen Itza (archaeological zone) and  the town of Valladolid here you can buy all kinds of crafts in marketplaces, visit the San Gervasio Church, or admire the turquoise blue waters at sinkholes Zaci and Dzitnup.

SERVICES AND TOURISM

 If you are traveling by highway, Merida is connected to Campeche and Mexico by 180 highway. It is also link to Cancun by the same road. If you are traveling by bus Merida has the bus station with the service of ADO bus line. 

If you are traveling by air, Merida also has an International Airport with the service of : Aerocalifornia, Aerocaribe, Aeromaya, Aeromexico, American Airlines, Aviacsa and Mexicana. You can fly directly from Mexico City to Merida and other destinations.

As you can see Merida is one of the best-linked destinations in the country.

“Manuel Cresencio Rejon” Airport:  (999) 946-1340 or 946-1364

Bus Station: at 564 70th Street in the downtown area.

INTERESTING AND EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

 Tourism Secretariat  (999) 930-3760

 Red Cross (999) 924-9813

 Green Angels (emergency highway road service) 078

 Tourist Police (999) 983-1184

 Local Police  (999) 925-2555

Immigration  (999) 928-5823

Near Merida is located Valladolid and Izamal, Valladolid is a beautiful small town excelent to swimming or diving.  In the other hand, Izamal is a magical town where you can visit the Ex-Convent of San Antonio de Padua, which has a largest atrium.

In Yucatan you can also visit the Mayan archaeological zones, Yucatan has many of them, like Labna, Sayil, Uxmal, Kabah, Dzibilchaltun and of course Chichen Itza, it was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. At Chichen Itzá you can visit the Pyramid of Kukulcan (this is the famous pyramid where you can see every spring equinox the shadow of a plumed serpent going down on the pyramid’s stairs), the Ball Court and don’t forget to go to the Caracol which was an observatory.

If you want to enjoy the beautiful pink flamingoes you have to go to Celestun, it has hundreds of flamingoes. Another place to visit is Ria Lagartos, at this place you can kayaking.