What you see
El Castillo (Kukulkan pyramid) — 30m high, 365 steps (one per day of the year), the equinox shadow forms a serpent descending the staircase. Great Ball Court — largest in Mesoamerica, 168m long. Sacred Cenote — sacrificial well, 27m deep. Temple of the Warriors with the Chac Mool statue. Walking the site: 3 hours minimum.
Full-day logistics
Pickup 7 AM from your resort. 2.5 hr drive west to Yucatán interior. 9:30 AM arrival at the site. 12:30 PM lunch (most tours include). Optional cenote stop on the return (Ik Kil cenote is closest). 7 PM back at resort. Wear closed shoes, hat, reef-safe sunscreen, bring water — site has no shade.
“Chichén Itzá is a full-day commitment from the coast — but it's also the only Mayan site that delivers the scale postcards promised.”
Climbing the pyramid?
No — closed to climbing since 2006. You can walk around the base only. Don't book any tour that promises pyramid climbing — they're scams. The view from the base is the experience.
