Zona Arqueológica de Ek Balam — Attraction in Yucatán

Ek Balam is the perfect place to visit after Chichen Itzá. It's quieter, more laid back, not as commercialized & you get to touch, feel, explore & truly experience the wonders of the Mayan people ❣️ Make sure you grab a local Mayan guide at the door, (it helps the local economy & their history is amazing 😍), so you can get the full story of Ek Balam & how it ties in with Chichen Itzá. These structures are unbelievably preserved & centuries old. Going inside the rooms & feeling the ancient energy of these people is almost overwhelming. The things the Mayan people accomplished without current technology is mind boggling. Climbing the pyramid is a must ❣️ After roaming around & checking out the entire site PLEASE go out to the parking lot & check out the little "cafe" in the far corner & enjoy an ice cold drink, fresh cooked, homemade Mayan cuisine & wonderful conversation with the chef❣️ A bit of knowledge of the Spanish language makes this a blast. Spanglish is more of a 2nd language to most of the Mayan people I was blessed to encounter than Spanish, you WILL learn some Mayan because they refuse to give up their native language & traditions - YEAH them❣️ I spent a wonderful hour enjoying the shade, soft cool breeze, cold water, great food & fantastic conversation. Then you must go back in & experience the cenote 💕 There's a zip line that goes all the way above the cenote, another 1 that is inside so you can drop off into the water, there's a couple of platforms to dive off into the water & a couple of ropes to swing into the water. All those stairs & walkways are in excellent condition with railings. Please know cenotes are SACRED so you MUST shower off prior to enjoying them, sweat is okay, but not man-made products ☺️. It's a mile walk to the cenote, they offer bicycles as part of the entrance fee & since I'm older they drove me down for a very small fee. Cenotes are magical for me & this 1 didn't disappoint. I will go back & experience the entirety of this magical place again, God willing. I believe once is enough of climbing the...

Making the trip out here is definitely worth it. Unlike Chichen-Itza, this place is not overrun by people trying to sell you things. We drove here from Cancun in early November 2020. There was only one other couple here so we had the opportunity to enjoy the site. I would definitely recommend the tour guide, very economical, very knowledgeable and available in English or Spanish. We were not able to climb the main structure due to Covid but they hope to have this opened up again early next year. We did get to climb the rest of the structures. Our guide offered to take pictures of us, he would recommend spots for us to stand to get a great pic.

As mentioned in other reviews, this place is located amongst the jungle so make sure that you pack your insect repellent. There is a small town on the way if case you want to grab some food. We did notice alot of woodworking shops in the town and some real nice pieces of furniture and decorations for sale. There were also alot of small restaurants on the main road and the plaza.

If you are driving here from the Cancun area, make sure you take the toll road. It is very well maintained and safe. You will need pesos to pay for the tolls, which were about $320 pesos. We took advantage of the opportunity and decided to stop at Valladolid for breakfast.

If you get lucky enough, you just might get a look at a jaguar or even a tiger. Our guide mentioned that some of the cir uses in thw surrounding areas had released some of the tigers when the use of animals was no longer allowed. Apparently they have been thriving in this area since. He mentioned that there is a high grass area that the locals are scared of entering because of the jaguars and tigers.

Overall, I highly recommend this place, specially if you have already been to Chichen-Itza. They also have a cenote on site that you can walk to, drive a bike...

I had an absolutely wonderful experience visiting the Maya village! My recent trip was filled with fascinating discoveries and memorable moments. The village truly exceeded my expectations, and I highly recommend paying it a visit.

One of the highlights of my trip was the informative and engaging guide who accompanied us throughout our visit. They shared a wealth of interesting information about the village, its rich history, and the Maya culture. Their knowledge and passion added depth and meaning to our exploration, making it an unforgettable experience.

The village itself was a treasure trove of local shops, offering a wide variety of unique souvenirs. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through these small local shops, each one filled with authentic handicrafts and traditional items. It was a fantastic opportunity to support local artisans and bring home meaningful mementos of our visit.

The charm of the village extended beyond the shops. The atmosphere was vibrant and welcoming, with friendly locals eager to share their culture and traditions. It was a delight to interact with them and learn more about their way of life. The genuine warmth and hospitality of the villagers made our visit truly special.

Overall, I cannot recommend this Maya village enough. The combination of fascinating information from our guide, the abundance of local shops for souvenir hunting, and the friendly atmosphere of the village made it a truly memorable experience. If you're looking for an authentic and enriching cultural encounter, this village is definitely...