Coba Ruins

20.49062, -87.73247

The ancient Mayan ruins at Coba are perhaps more humble than Chichen Itza or the Tulum ruins. However, this is still an important Mayan site with fewer crowds and an extra hint of the mystery surrounding the ruins before they were excavated. Walking along the paths, you’ll notice “hills” in the jungle, which ware actually un-excavated buildings.

At the end of 2022, the cost to park a car is 60 Mexican pesos ($3). The price to enter is 100 pesos ($5 USD) per person. Pay cash at the entrance.

Links

Map of the ruins posted at the entrance

Our walking path, about 4.25 miles total

The bicycle rental shack is just past the entrance. Tour guides offering their services shout to passerby in hopes of gaining your employ: “Viewing the sites without a guide is like watching TV on mute!”

This was a court for a team game played with a ball, now known as “pitz“.

Presumably this hoop was an important part of the game.

Cool trees line the walkways.

Some kind of symbol that was carved on a stone in the ground at one end of the court.

If walking does not suit you, rent bikes or get “chauffeured” on a bike-driven cart. Most of the trails can be biked, but the actual sites are off-limits to bikes. This appears to be a no-DMX bike sign specifically.

The paths between ruin buildings are pleasant and flat.

Large stone obelisks or tablets are found throughout the ruins. Unfortunately, the carvings are hard to see, but the hints of intricate designs are still appreciable. This placard shows the original design. We overheard an amusing American tourist exclaim, “he’s always stepping on people!” Try comparing the original to the recreation.

Trees grow from the tops of stone structures, an indication that until excavation these buildings were indistinguishable from the surrounding jungle.

Nohoch Mul peeks through the clearing in the trees.

A large circular structure near the pyramid. Not as tall, but impressively round and well preserved.

Nohoch Mul pyramid, composed of 100+ steps. Unfortunately, as of 2022 it seems the temple stairs are closed to tourists. Walking to the top used to be possible, but the stairs are now roped off, and the safety rope no longer hangs bisecting the step to the top as before.

After Ruins Restaurant: Ki-Hanal

A reasonably priced restaurant at the entrance to the Coba ruins. Food quality was perfectly fine for a lunch stop. Cash only when we visited. We tried the veggie and chicken enchiladas. Both were perfectly acceptable, and nobody got sick, which is always a win!