Cancún

Cancún makes a convenient starting point, since its international airport has numerous planes arriving daily from other Mexican cities, the United States, Canada, and Europe. It’s hard to believe that only a few years ago there was practically nothing here except long stretches of deserted, white-sand beaches studded with coconut palms. Only an adventuresome few found this hidden paradise until the government, wanting to lure more tourists to Mexico, developed Cancún into a planned resort. Since then, the government has created other tourist destinations, but none have come close to being such a tremendous success. If your flight arrives late in the day, or if you prefer to relax on the beach before starting out, spend a few days in Cancún. The best hotels are not in the town but line a narrow, 22-kilometer spit of land that wraps around a large lagoon. Here you find an endless row of hotels stretching along the beach. Most of them offer an “all-inclusive package,” which includes your airfare (usually a charter flight), your room, your meals, and sometimes even drinks. Most of the hotels are huge high-rises (several with over a thousand rooms) but, by and large, they are of attractive design and high-quality construction. Modern hotels, fast-food restaurants, golf courses, trendy bars, and shopping malls dull the cultural shock of leaving home. If you prefer a more intimate, Mexican ambiance, yet want to be close to Cancún, consider staying at Isla Mujeres, a delightful small island about half-an-hour’s boat ride off the coast. If this option interests you, ask about the boat schedule when making your hotel reservations. After picking up your rental car, continue on to Chichén Itzá. It takes about two hours for the 200-kilometer drive via an excellent highway, the 180. The exit to Chichén Itzá is well marked, and it is just a few minutes from the highway to the town. We highly recommend two hotels here, the Hotel Mayaland and the Hacienda Chichén. Each has its own personality; each is exceptional. Both are snuggled right next to the ruins, so you can walk from your hotel to the entrance in minutes.If you arrive at your hotel in the afternoon, plan to attend the Sound and Light program that is performed each evening (go early to get a good seat). You can rent earphones that translate what you are hearing into English at the ticket counter. These frequently don’t work very well but this is no great problem as the story is really self-explanatory. As dusk settles into darkness, the temples are gently illuminated, one by one, and the saga unfolds. One of the stories told is of the decline of this powerful city, which, according to legend, began when the city’s emperor stole, the beautiful bride-to-be of his greatest rival, on their wedding day, who retaliated by laying siege to Chichén Itzá.You will not only enjoy the ambiance of your hotel, but its convenience to the ruins. Chichén Itzá is one of the Yucatán’s most popular archaeological sites and attracts hordes of tourists. Being so conveniently close, you can be the first one at the gate in the morning and be able to enjoy the site at its finest in the cool of the morning when the soft light is best for photography—before many people arrive. We suggest you spend several hours exploring the site; then, during the heat of the day, return to your hotel for lunch and perhaps a nap by the pool. In the afternoon, as the shadows lengthen, walk again through the site on your own for a final viewing and wonderful photographs. You will probably be lured to climb up and down many of the pyramids and, even if you don’t, you will be walking a lot since the site stretches over almost 10 square kilometers, so wear comfortable shoes. To increase your enjoyment, we suggest you hire a guide. They are available at the gate as you enter, or else your hotel can arrange one for you.