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The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is found in the South and Eastern regions of the country in the middle of the Caribbean ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It is a perfect location as the Yucatan Peninsula enjoys hot and humid weather conditions for the duration of the entire year.
The Yucatan Peninsula consists of three states, Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo. The region is an extremely popular tourist destination for it’s countless amounts of Mayan ruins and pyramids scattered all through the Yucatan Peninsula state. Most tourists will be amazed that a lot of the ancient practices and ways of life of the Mayan culture still continue to this day, for instance, traditional clothing as worn by the ancient Mayans are still being worn today and you will see most of the houses in these regions with roofs made from straw. Despite these persistent ancient traditions you can find countless world class resorts and hotels on the white sandy beaches all along the Caribbean coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula. When you find yourself in Mexico’s paradise, the Yucatan Peninsula, you really should visit Campeche, a famous and ancient city that has been fortified. Campeche has also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the areas that surround the city of Campeche you will find large amounts of various archeological areas that are well worth seeing. A short two hour trip to the west of Campeche you will find another city, Merida. In Merida the local food is exquisite and unlike any place else in Mexico. Tourists can also take a walk throughout Merida to see the many historical buildings located throughout the city. Close to there you might come across two places that were once very sacred to the ancient Mayans. They are Chichen Itza and Uxmal.
The popular tourist city of Cancun can be found in the Yucatan Peninsula state known as Quintana Roo. It is a lively city fulled with numerous high class hotels with a very vibrant night life. Also situated in the wonderful Mexican state of Quintana Roo is the exotic location of the Riviera Maya, a paradise that has no shortage of nature reserves and home to the world’s second biggest natural coral reef. The Yucatan Peninsula also has the Mexican tropical island, Cozumel.
Uxmal: The Mayan ruins of Uxmal are some of the very best Mayan ruins found on the Yucatan Peninsula. There is a Mayan pyramid known as the “pyramid of the magician”. What the Mayans used to do was build various pyramids over each other and the pyramid of the magician has 5 pyramids built on top of each other which makes it the largest and tallest pyramid in all of Mexico. Back in ancient times, Uxmal was also the biggest Mayan city in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Chichen Itza: The most visited Mayan ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula is the one in Chichen Itza. Almost 20 ancient Mayan buildings have been refurbished during the last couple of years. The biggest and tallest of all the pyramids here is the Kukulcan pyramid. From the top it gives you a breathtaking view of most of the Chichen Itza area. What makes this ancient Mayan pyramid so popular with tourists is that during two days of the year, the 21st of March and the 21st of September, when the sun sets, it creates a shadow resembling a snake that runs down the steps of the actual pyramid.
Muyil: The Muyil ruins can be found almost 30 kilometers to the south of a place called Pueblo of Tulum. These particular Mayan ruins are not visited by tourists too often but they are really impressive. The actual Mayan ruins are excavated in most parts but it’s still an ongoing process and there are vast amounts of jungle which encircles these pyramids. You will find a path which leads deep into the jungle to an observation point, the Mirador observation platform. Here you can have a breathtaking view of all the nearby areas.
Yaxchilan: The archaeological site known as Yaxchilan can be found far inside the tropical jungle of Chiapas. It has a number of Mayan ruins which are all situated along a river known as the Usumacinta. The most popular way to reach this place is by boat. There are well over 120 different Mayan sites located here.
Ek Balam: Ek Balam was created by the Mayans sometime during a period known as the Maya Classic Period. It consists of a main central pyramid, a pair of massive palaces, along with quite a few various other temples and structures. The actual archaeological area has not been 100% restored as of yet, nor is it as big as the Mayan sites found in other places such as Chichen Itza or even Uxmal. The Mayan ruins of Ek Balam is actually still currently going through restorations, however, it allows tourists a chance to witness the whole archaeological process which makes it both interesting and educational.
The Yucatan Peninsula has a very tropical climate and it is very hot and humid all year long which makes it ideal to visit during anytime of the year, however, when you find yourself on the Caribbean side of the Yucatan Peninsula in the middle of the rainy time of year, then it will usually rain each and every day, almost constantly. The rainy seasons are from October to January and then again from April through to July. The ideal time to see the Yucatan Peninsula would be during the month of September. September is the end of the summer season, therefore it won’t be as scorching hot and most parts will be a little less crowded. Prices in the region will also be lower as the summer peak season will be over.