Cancun, Mexico: The Mayan Experience

It started on a whim. I happened to be surfing through my favorite travel site, Orbitz.com, when I came upon a deal, I could not let pass me by. I also had a $200-dollar discount and really that’s all the convincing I needed to take my first trip outside the United States in over 15 years. The destination I chose was Cancun, Mexico, where the sandy beaches are white, and the party culture is rife. Let’s not forget the mountains of history that the country has to offer. It’s one huge history lesson and I couldn’t wait to finally get on a plane and explore this new place. My travel partner and I chose this adorable boutique hotel called Oleo Playa Cancun. It is an all-inclusive hotel which I highly recommend. This place has extraordinary views of the ocean, the food was fantastic, and the service was more than we could have hoped for. A 5-star experience all around. Even the entrance of the hotel was exquisite!

So, we got to the hotel and we were basically treated like royalty. I can’t stress enough how wonderful the hospitality was while we were in this foreign country. I speak Spanish so my partner and I were so at ease the entire time. We honestly felt like millionaires with the way we were being catered too. It was amazing. If you decide to go to Cancun, don’t hesitate to visit this wonderful hotel. It’s rated 4 stars but honestly, I would give it a solid 5.

One of the main reasons why I chose Mexico as my choice of destination was because of the abundance of history that the country itself has. The Mayan culture is still present in everything that they do from the clothes that they weave to the music that they sing. It is a wonder walking amongst the ruins of an ancient civilization and seeing how their more modern ancestors have taken their history and woven it into their own stories. Cancun itself is situated in an area called Quintana Roo. It’s one of the main vacation spots for most travelers as there is an abundance of hotels to choose from and excursions to partake in. Ever wanted to swim with Dolphins? You can find that in Quitana Roo. Now, if you want to learn about the Mayan ruins and learn more about the ancient Mexican Culture? Then travel to the Yucatan Peninsula via excursions to Tulum and Chichen Itza. There are several more places you can go on full-day excursions to, but these two destinations were where I found myself escaping to.

My first excursion was to Tulum. It took us several hours after pick-up to actually arrive at our destination, but we were in very comfortable buses and the time wasn’t much of an issue. Once we got there, our travel guide broke us up into groups, Spanish speakers on one side, English on the other, French to the left and so on and so forth until everyone was with an appropriate guide for the history walk, we were about to go on. There is about a mile walk to reach our destination, and in the heat it can feel like too much, but once you reach your destination, it will all be worth it. The first thing I noticed was the breeze. What I didn’t know about Tulum was that it was basically a port city in ancient times. A place where ships docked, and trade negotiations occurred. It’s why the first thing you feel when you reach Tulum is the ocean breeze wash over you. The once bustling trade city is on a cliff facing the ocean. That alone will stop you in your tracks. And then you see what used to be buildings, some still with colored markings on them oddly preserved through the years. It’s a sight you would have a difficult time forgetting. Walking through this ancient port city is like stepping into an archaeological site. History is in abundance and your imagination transports you to a time unlike any other.

Our second excursion was a two-part event! We were up bright and early in order to catch our 6 am bus ride to see a Cenote and Chichen Itza. Mexico is known for its many Cenotes scattered across its country. A cenote is a sinkhole. In the case of Mexican cenotes, they are gigantic sinkholes that you can in most cases, walk down and explore. In my case, the one we visited was part of a private hacienda (living space), that offered tourists the opportunity to capture its vibrant beauty. Pictures don’t do them justice. This natural occurrence is one that needs to be seen to believed and the climb/walk down into the cenote needs to be experienced.

Our tour guides cautioned us on how to make our way down the cenote in the safest way possible, as the way down was a man-made staircase made out of wood. While sturdy, the floor was wet and slippery in certain spots. Once we made the climb down, it was all smiles. We were told that the cenote was 150 ft deep! That was scary and mind-boggling. Even with this bit of news, people still jumped right into the cenote and enjoyed some refreshingly cold water after a hot morning treck. Interesting to note was the fact that there was an ecosystem flourishing within the cenote. As people swam, there were little fishes swimming with them. Such a cool thing to see!

Our next and final stop was Chichen Itza. The temple of Kukulcan, which sits at the heart of Chichen Itza, is now considered one of the new wonders of the world and this ancient monument to the Mayan deity deserves that title. Our tour was about 2 hours long and was filled with so much information about the cultural site, that it’s almost difficult to remember but, we got the jist of it. The site was a bustling trade city which did business with neighboring tribes. It was also one of the largest in the area. The site was also known for its sacrifices. As scary as the word sacrifices sounds, the people of these cities found it to be a part of their duty. An ancient form of basketball was played with the winner having the great honor of being sacrificed to Kukulcan in the hopes of a prosperous harvest.

Astrology was a big part of the creation of the city as much of the monuments and buildings were aligned to the stars and planets. One fact we learned during our tour, was that when the sunset, a specific area of the temple of Kukulcan would shine. Many tourists and photographers take pictures of this moment during sundown as it is very breathtaking.

There were many more structures around the site that were truly amazing to see. You could literally spend hours just roaming the area and see something different at each turn. If you ever travel to Mexico, take the time to learn about the ancient culture and its people. You won't regret the knowledge gained from this experience. My trip lasted about 5 days and in that time frame, I got to make so many memories and learn so much about the Mexican and Mayan cultures, that I will always remember this experience. Now to wait for my next adventure!