Which Mayan Ruins?

We are first time cruisers and my husband is very interested in seeing some Mayan Ruins.

Our cruise offers tours to the following...which would you recommend?

Uxmal

Chichen Itza

Dzibilchaltun

Each set of ruins has its advantages and disadvantages.

Chichen Itza is about a two hour drive away. CI is an iconic place, but it is heavily touristed (it is two hours from Cancun) and the vendors are inside the boundaries of the park. The vendors can be a hassle.

Uxmal is just as spectacular as CI. Uxmal is a slightly closer to Progreso than CI, and you can climb on some of the ruins. You cannot climb on any of the ruins at CI. The vendors at Uxmal have to remain outside the park boundaries. You cannot climb on the biggest ruin, the Temple of the Magician.

Dzibilchaltún is about a 20 minute drive from Progreso. It is not as big as Uxmal or CI You can climb on the ruins, although you cannot enter the Temple of the Seven Dolls. There is a very good small museum near the entrance covering the time span from the pre-Columbian eras to the early 20th century hacienda days. There is a very nice open air fresh water cenote for swimming. DZ is the only site where you can swim. The only vendors are in the entrance complex. While not as big as Uxmal and CI, DZ's big advantage is its closeness to Progreso. Autoprogeso, the local bus company, has tours to all three places. Enjoy.

We have been to Chichen Izta and Uxmal. The are both fascinating in their own unique way.

It's hard to recommend one over the other since we enjoyed both. They say pictures are worth a thousand words so you may be interested in seeing some. My wife made slide shows for her website with pictures she took of both sites. I'll insert links below and let the pictures do the talking. After you see them, you may be better able to make a decision.

The slideshows will automatically start when you click on the links, but you can also go through the pictures one at a time by clicking on the "thumbnails."

Chitchen Itza Mayan Ruins

Uxmal Mayan Ruins

Merry Christmas and happy cruising!

Uxmal is great.,

We enjoyed Uxmal when we were there last summer; Dzib is also nice is you want a ruin that is closer to port.