Day or weekend excursions from Playa Del Carmen

The Mayans' extraordinary architectural and cultural accomplishments rival those of the world's other great civilizations, and Mayan history is inseparable from that of the New World. They had a precise calendar and written language, plotted the movements of the planets, and mastered pottery and weaving. Our cultural and archaeological odyssey will take us to the finest Mayan ruins along the Yucatan.

Their civilization existed for hundreds of years, from around 100 A.D. until the arrival of the Spaniards, and seems to have been devoted for the most part to the building of strange architectural forms whose function appears to have been ceremonial, and developed a sophisticated hieroglyphic script.

Their art was no less highly developed, and remains most clearly preserved in the carvings on their altars and the stelae (historical monuments), which they fashioned out of limestone every twenty years.

The Mayan civilization appears to have had its first home in Guatemala, where there are more than 1,000 classified Mayan sites. The classical period of the Mayan Empire came to an end in about 900 A.D., when many of the cities in Guatemala were abandoned, and there was a migration towards Mexico and the Yucatan peninsula.

The landscapes of this region are extremely varied and frequently very beautiful. The highlands are sunny, warm by day but pleasantly cool and invigorating at night. Most of the Yucatan peninsula is low-lying, tangled scrub in the north, dense jungle in the wetter south. This is the area where the famous Mayan sites are found. The coast of the Yucatan has some fine beaches, and the heat here is tempered by the winds of the Caribbean.

Day trips
Hike and explore the jungles of Coba! Do a biking tour and dare a skip-line flight over a ceremonial hole. This and more awaits you on our Coba Extreme Tour. Swim in the clear water of a cenote, prepare tortillas with a Mexican family, climb the pyramids of Coba and much much more. Do the Yucatan Express and visit Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, Aldea Maya, Valladolid and a cenote! Climb the startling pyramids and dive into the mysterious world of the Maya.

Two Day tours
Enjoy a two day tour to the beautiful and enchanting city of Merida and surroundings. This enchanting town was founded by the Spaniard Francisco de Montejo who dismantled all the pyramids and used the huge stones as the foundation for the the Catherdral of San Idelfonso.

Chichén Itzá

Chichén Itzá is undoubtedly the place to visit if you’re stopping by Playa del Carmen. One of the Yucatán Peninsula’s most prized historical and cultural site, Chichén Itzá tells of times gone by when the Maya’s ruled the Mexican Valley. Impressive ruins, such as the famous pyramid, often referred to as the castle, el Castillo, don’t offer simply awesome constructions for one to behold, rather they also offer a challenge, as climbing to the top is no easy feat. The view from the top is truly breathtaking and lets one get a gist of what living here thousands of years ago must have felt like. Get a look at the dense, green jungle from new heights. Besides the main pyramid, enjoy numerous other constructions, many of them partially restored while others are draped with lush vines. Guided tours are available for those interested in an accurate historical recount of the area.

Tulúm

A village situated on the Mexican coast, Tulúm is also an archaeological site situated a little further north of the actual pueblo (village) itself. Along with Chichén Itzá, it is part of the Yucatan peninsula’s Mayan heritage and also contains ruins of thousand year old buildings. Much smaller and less impressive than Chichén Itzá, it may be a good idea to visit Tulúm before going to Chichén Itzá, to avoid disappointment. A nice outing, a visit to Tulúm will have you go past a Hotel Zone, close to the beautiful beaches, from which you will be able to access the Sian Ka’an biosphere.

Cozumel Island

This island, which lies exactly across from Playa del Carmen can be seen from the opposite shore and is Mexico’s largest island. The island’s biggest attractions are the diving and snorkeling sites. There is a lot of shopping to do here as Cozumel is a stop-over for many cruises. The stores and restaurants in the island’s town, San Miguel, is aimed mainly at an American-style public, so places such as The Hard Rock Café and other franchises can be found here. The ferry service between Cozumel and Playa runs every hour, with each trip lasting around 30 minutes. Fees are around 15 USD for a round trip.