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The ruins – When you first arrive in Chichen Itza,
head over to the big pyramid, El Castillo, (also called Kukulkan's
Pyramid) in "New Chichen." You can climb to the top for a fabulous
view of the ruins and scrubby jungle in the distance. |
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Note: It's 91 steps, 180 ft. to the top, with a rope to assist
you going up or down. At the base of the pyramid, a posted sign says "No
children under 10 years old allowed up." Younger kids can make it to the
top, and will enjoy being on top of the world, but you should decide what's
best for your family members. |
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 Other
highlights of the "New Chichen" ruins are the huge Ball Court and Cenote Sagrado, the "sacred well." The Maya tossed people, gold
and precious items as sacrifices to the Mayan gods into the cenote. Don't
miss three rows of skulls carved in the stone on the Tzompantli,
the "wall of skulls" platform. (Heads of dead enemies were displayed on
the platform). All those columns in the Temple of Warriors are a great place to run around. |
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In
"Old Chichen," check out the Caracol, the observatory. The Maya made
amazingly accurate astronomical calculations using sight lines from the
door and windows on the Caracol. The little cells and passageways in the Nunnery Quadrangle are another place to run in and out. |
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Mayan
house – Don't miss this re-creation of a Mayan family home. The
mud walls are painted red, the roof is thatched, the floor is dirt. A Mayan
house was simply furnished with clay pottery cooking pots and mats to sleep
on. |
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The Visitor's Center has a good video presentation on Mayan culture and
a model of the Chichen Itza complex overall. You can also buy souvenirs,
such as your child's name in Mayan hieroglyphics. |
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There
is a Sound and Light show in the evening. Being out under the stars
with El Castillo and the Ball Court all lit up is impressive, but my kids
found the narration uninteresting, even with simultaneous English translation. |
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Horseback riding tours are available around Chichen Itza. A great
way to see the jungly landscape. |
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Cenote Ik Kil – If your kids are good swimmers,
go for a swim in the Cenote Ik Kil, the "sacred blue well."
Stairs leading down to the water make it easy to climb in and out. The water
is incredibly clear – bring your snorkels. |
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Balankanche Caves – The Yucatan Peninsula sits
on a limestone plain. As water seeps through the limestone, caves are formed
with stalactites and stalagmites. The Balankanche Caves were used by the
Maya to make ceremonial offerings to the rain god. The highlight of the
cave tour is a huge cavern with an enormous stalagmite in the middle, like
a pillar reaching to the ceiling. Mayan ceramic ceremonial objects are arranged
around the stalagmite. The trail through the cave is wide, but be prepared
for warm temperatures. |
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Hilarious
adventures of the Time Warp Trio, Fred, Joe and Sam, as they are
warped to the Maya ball court at Chichen Itza. When the High Priest
of Chichen Itza ("Chicken Pizza") declares the boys a
sacrifice to the harvest, it's time for the trio to play ball. (Easy
reader)
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Eveningstar
Macaw defies the evil influence of the Mayan high priest, Great
Skull Zero. After the high priest sacrifices her brother, she herself
is thrown into the sacred well, but survives and returns with a
message from the gods. (Chapter book)
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Pictorial history
of the Maya, from the great civilization to European conquest and
the Maya today, plus fun facts about the ancient Maya – flat
foreheads and large noses were beautiful, cacao beans were used
as money, jade was highly prized. (Picture book)
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In his dreams, Mario flies with the flamingos to Chichen Itza, explores the rivers and jungle around the Mayan ruins, listening to the sounds of howler monkeys, jaguars and macaws.
(Picture book)
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(More children's
books on other Mexico pages) |
