Chichén Itzá 3-day itinerary

Enter at 8am for the golden morning light on El Castillo — the 30-metre stepped pyramid that dominates the site. Each of its four sides has 91 steps plus one platform, totalling 365 — one for each day of the solar year. Walk the Great Ball Court where carved reliefs depict decapitated players, the Tzompantli (skull rack platform), and the Platform of Eagles and Jaguars. The scale and precision of Maya engineering is staggering for a civilisation without metal tools or wheels.

Explore the Temple of the Warriors — a massive stepped pyramid fronted by a forest of carved columns depicting warriors, eagles, and serpents. Walk to the Sacred Cenote (800m path) where the Maya made offerings including gold, jade, and human sacrifices to Chaac. The cenote is 60 metres across and 27 metres deep with dark green water — eerie and powerful. The southern section has the Observatory (El Caracol) — a round tower used for astronomical observations of Venus.

Cool off at Cenote Ik Kil (MXN 300, 3km from site) — the famous vine-draped cenote with a swimming area 26 metres below ground level. Then drive to Valladolid for the evening. Walk the colourful streets, sit in the main plaza, and eat at a restaurant overlooking the Convent of San Bernardino. Try sopa de lima (lime soup, MXN 40–60) and cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork, MXN 60–80) — Yucatecan classics. Stay overnight in Valladolid.

Drive to Cenote Suytun (MXN 200, 15 min from Valladolid) — a cathedral-like cavern where a single beam of sunlight pierces through the ceiling and illuminates a stone platform in the centre of the pool. The water is chest-deep and crystal clear. Continue to Cenote X'Kekén (Dzitnup, MXN 125) — an underground cenote inside a cave with stalactites hanging above turquoise water. The swimming is surreal — cool freshwater in ancient limestone chambers.

Swim at Cenote Samulá (MXN 125, adjacent to X'Kekén) — another cave cenote with tree roots hanging from the ceiling into the water, lit by a natural skylight. The three cenotes together offer completely different cenote experiences — open, semi-open, and underground. Return to Valladolid for lunch at Lonchería El Pocito for tortas and cochinita pibil (MXN 30–50) or Hostería del Marqués on the plaza for refined Yucatecan cuisine (MXN 120–200).

Explore Valladolid in the cool evening air. The Convent of San Bernardino de Siena (built 1552) is beautifully lit at night and has a cenote in its grounds. Walk the Calzada de los Frailes — a colonial street with art galleries, mezcal bars, and boutique shops. Dinner at Yerbabuena del Sisal for creative Yucatecan-fusion dishes (MXN 100–180) or street food at the evening market near the plaza. Buy marquesitas from a cart — chocolate and cheese filled crepes for MXN 25.

Drive 30 minutes north to Ek Balam (MXN 531) — a less-visited Maya site where you can still climb the main pyramid. The Acropolis is 32 metres tall with remarkably preserved stucco sculptures of winged figures and jaguar mouths. From the top, the view extends over unbroken jungle canopy to the horizon — you can see the pyramid of Cobá in the distance. The site has a fraction of Chichén Itzá's crowds and the climbing experience is unforgettable.

Walk or bike (MXN 50 rental) 1.5km from Ek Balam to Cenote Xcanche (MXN 200) — a beautiful open cenote run by the local Maya community. Rappel 12 metres down to the water (MXN 200 extra) or take the wooden staircase. Zip-line across the cenote (MXN 150) for an adrenaline rush. The community-run operation means your money goes directly to the village. Lunch at the cenote's restaurant for traditional Maya food (MXN 60–100).

Return to Valladolid for a farewell meal. Sit in the central plaza one last time with a marquesita and a cold cerveza. If departing to Cancún, the ADO bus takes 2.5 hours (MXN 200–250). If heading to Mérida, ADO runs in 2 hours (MXN 200). Or stay another night — Valladolid rewards slow travel. The Yucatán's combination of Maya ruins, cenotes, and colonial towns is unlike anywhere else in the Americas.