How to Visit the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya, Mexico

The Chacchoben Mayan Ruins are the fascinating remains of an ancient city near Costa Maya, Mexico. It's one of the best Maya ruins in Mexico you can visit. The Chacchoben Archaeological Area (Zona Arqueológica de Chacchoben) is about an hour from Puerto Costa Maya (Mahahual), 40 minutes from Bacalar, two hours from Tulum, and an hour from Chetumal and the Belize border.

Generally speaking, Maya ruins are the remains of archaeological sites of the advanced Mayan civilization from approximately 1300 BCE to 1200 CE. There are many Maya ruins all over Central America throughout Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and more. One of my favourite archaeological sites is Tikal in Guatemala.

In this travel blog post, I'm going to show you why you need to visit the Chacchoben Mayan ruins, tell you a little more about its history, and provide information that will help you plan your trip.

A Brief History of Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

The ancient archaeological site of Chacchoben was first settled around 200 BCE, and its buildings date to 700 CE. Its name is Mayan for "Place of the Red Corn" or "Land of the Red Corn", and it is the largest and most visited Maya ruins in Costa Maya. Though the ruins are mostly unexcavated, the Chacchoben Mayan ruins continue to be excavated to this date. Those areas are off limits to the public.

The Chacchoben ruins are the largest Pre-Columbian cities found in the Los Lagos region. It was a ceremonial center with many important rituals taking place at Chacchoben temples. It was an ancient place of Mayan pilgrimage, even after the downfall of the Maya civilization.

After the site was abandoned, it became overgrown and covered with trees and vegetation for hundreds of years. In 1942, a Maya man rediscovered the ruins and decided to settle at the ruin mounds with his family. This site became inhabited by this local family and became the location for their home and farm.

While these ancient Mayan ruins were briefly detailed in a letter in 1962, it wasn't until 1972 that they were reported to the Mexican government by an archaeologist. The American archaeologist, Dr. Peter Harrison, stumbled upon Chacchoben when surveying the land from a helicopter.

Dr. Harrison was working with the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto at the time and created the first maps of Chacchoben. He also met the Mayan family living at the site, and eventually they were appointed as the site's Honorary Guard.

Between 1994 and 2002, the site was closed to the public as it was being restored. Nowadays, you can visit expansive plazas, three excavated pyramids, and a large stela (stone slab) at the base of the largest pyramid with Mayan hieroglyphic inscriptions.

Visiting the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

The Chacchoben Mayan ruins are the largest Maya settlement south of Quintana Roo. Excavated in the late 90s and early 2000s, it's one of the more recently discovered Mayan sites that's being excavated to this day. The pyramids have a unique curved style, one of five types of Mayan architecture known as the Peten style of architecture.

On a Chacchoben Mayan ruins tour, you'll learn so much interesting history from your tour guide on the way. They'll tell you more about the pyramids and buildings, and will help you visualize what Chacchoben looked like many centuries ago.

Structures and Buildings

There are several structures and buildings at this ancient Maya site. While you won't be able to climb to the top of any pyramids, you will be able to climb a few steps on some of the buildings. It's very obvious where you can climb and where you cannot, and your tour guide will also make this very clear.

Temple 24

You'll start your tour at the spacious Plaza B and a large step pyramid called Temple 24. The Maya people created these pyramids out of stone layers and concrete by combining limestone, clay, stones and water. This pyramid contains inner chambers, though visitors cannot go inside. You can climb the first few steps at the bottom of Temple 24 for photos.

Temple 1 and Gran Basamento

After a short walk from Temple 24, we came across a large set of stairs. As we climbed up those steps, Temple 1, the largest pyramid at the Chacchoben Maya ruins, came into view. This pyramid is 42 feet tall, rising high over the jungle canopy.

Gran Basamento, the platform in front of Temple 1, was Chacchoben's ritual heart where many ceremonies were performed. During the equinox in the spring and the fall each year, the sun aligns with Temple 1 and 24.

Temple 2: Temple of the Vessels

Right next door to Temple 1 lies the Temple of the Vessels. The cups, bowls and plates that were used in ceremonies at Gran Basamento were stored in the Temple of the Vessels. At the back of this temple, there is a small area with a thatched roof.

This thatched shelter was added later to protect the original red paint that remains on small original fragments of plaster. The stucco walls were painted red to represent life and the rebirth of the sun everyday.

Great Plaza

After visiting Temple 1 and the Temple of the Vessels, we took a walk through the jungle. This was a wide, relatively flat dirt path between tall trees and plants. Eventually, we stopped at the Great Plaza.

The ruins here were mostly covered in vegetation, though there were some small stone stairs and remains of buildings. This was once the city's center, marketplace, trading hub, and residences for prominent members of society.

Nature and Wildlife

Your journey to the Chacchoben Mayan ruins take you to a lush jungle that's teeming with wildlife. There are massive mahogany trees, zapote trees and white cedars. As we wandered on our tour of Chacchoben, I was in awe of the towering trees and lush greenery everywhere we looked.

You'll also hear the brilliant sounds of nature as you explore the ancient village of Chacchoben. The residents of the jungle include peccaries (similar to pigs), deer, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, armadillos, gray foxes, toucans, songbirds, and the Melipona bee (the "stingless bee").

Deeper into the jungle, you may even be able to spot jaguar and puma. During our trip to Chacchoben on a mid-December morning, we didn't spot any animals or wildlife of any kind. There were likely too many people walking around at the time, though I found that the tour guides did a good job of keeping their groups apart and limiting over-crowding.

Shopping Area at Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

There is a small area with shops at Chacchoben featuring souvenirs, trinkets, and snacks. The locals have their own stands selling their own products. Some of these are locally made, some are brought in from other areas of Mexico, and some are made in China.

You can only pay in cash here (US dollars or Mexican pesos are accepted). You can try to haggle and bargain for better prices. From my personal experiences, I didn't have much success in bartering at the Chacchoben shopping area. I bought a little Mayan pyramid from a shop, though the shop owner would not budge on her prices.

Plan Your Trip to Chacchoben Archaeological Site

I highly suggest visiting the Chacchoben Mayan ruins, especially if you love historic sites and nature. It's one of the best tours from Costa Maya, Mexico. A trip to Chacchoben is perfect for those who can walk a little over 2km during the tour. We saw young children on our trip who appeared to enjoy visiting the ruins.

Chacchoben is likely the most accessible Mayan ruin site. While the site is located in a jungle setting, the paths are relatively level and many rocks are moved aside. If you are visiting during the dry season and have some help, it shouldn't be a problem to push a wheelchair or stroller at Chacchoben. During rainy season and when the ground is muddy, the site is no longer wheelchair accessible as it becomes too difficult to navigate across the mucky and slippery terrain.

One other small thing to note: you can use your phone or camera to take pictures and video here. However, the use of video cameras costs an additional $5 to be paid at the front desk (professional or handheld video cameras). You can take pictures with a DSLR camera at no extra charge, and you can take video with your smartphone.

Taking a Chacchoben Maya Ruins Tour

I highly recommend booking a Chacchoben Mayan Ruins tour rather than visiting independently on your own. The tour guides offer a wealth of information, so you will have a more enriched and educational experience. The tour generally includes transportation as well, so you won't need to worry about renting a car.

There are two tours that I highly recommend. The first tour is a half day tour to Chacchoben. You'll embark on a sightseeing excursion of Chacchoben, including transportation from Costa Maya. This is the perfect excursion to take from a cruise ship or day trip from Mahahual. Book your tour here.

There's another full day tour that incorporates the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins. On this tour, you'll visit Chacchoben and also embark on a trip to the Bacalar lagoon. You can relax, swim or go kayaking. This trip also includes lunch. It's about six hours long, making it another ideal cruise ship excursion or full day tour. Book your tour here.

Visiting Without a Tour

If you decide to visit the Chacchoben archeological site independently, they are open daily from 8:00am to 5:00pm. The last entry is at 4:30pm. You'll want to give yourself at least a couple of hours to fully explore the site. Admission is 65 pesos and parking charges are extra.

If you are interested in visiting on your own and need to rent a car, I suggest using my favourite car rental service, Discover Cars. You can compare car rental prices to find the best rates. Rent a car from Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum.

Visiting From a Cruise Ship

Visiting this monumental architecture is one of the best Costa Mayan excursions. If Costa Maya is one of your ports of call on a cruise ship, I highly recommend visiting the Chacchoben Mayan ruins. It's one of the best things to do from the Costa Maya port.

Cruise ships will likely offer an excursion to Chacchoben directly through the cruise lines themselves. You'll likely travel with a very large group on a big air-conditioned bus. While this can be a convenient choice, it's often better to book an excursion outside of the cruise ship.

First, you'll get a much better price if you don't book with the cruise ship. With all cruise ship excursions, the cruise line will take an additional cut of the profits. Next, it's more likely that you'll be able to take a small group tour when you book an independent tour. You'll visit with a smaller group, it will be easier to hear your tour guide when he or she is speaking, and you'll have more access to your guide for questions.

In summary, it's a better idea to book this half day trip to Chacchoben or this full day trip to Chacchoben and Bacalar in advance than to book the one through the cruise ship. Knowing you are traveling from a cruise ship, they'll get you back to the cruise port on time. The drive to Chacchoben is on a flat highway road, and there's never any issues with traffic.

When to Visit the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

The best time of year to visit the Chacchoben Mayan Ruins is during the dry season, from November to April. Visit in the early morning or late afternoon for fewer crowds. In the early mornings, you will have the best chance to see spider monkeys and colourful birds.

The Chacchoben Mayan Ruins are open all year long, daily from 8:00am - 5:00pm (last entry at 4:30pm). However, during the rainy season (between May and October), some ruins may be off limits or covered for their protection in the wet weather. With that said, this tourist attraction operates rain or shine. If you're travelling to Costa Maya between May and October, it's worth checking in advance to ensure the site is fully open.

If you're looking for alternatives to Chacchoben, both Dzibanche and Kohunlich are located about two hours from Costa Maya / Mahahual. These Maya sites are less visited than Chacchoben with fewer crowds. I haven't managed to visit either Dzibanche or Kohunlich yet, so you'll have to let me know how you enjoy them.

What to Bring and What to Wear

It's important to bring comfortable walking shoes, such as sneakers or hiking shoes. You will be walking around the ancient Maya site and the terrain may be uneven at times. Don't wear flip flops or sandals. You will be climbing up uneven surfaces and narrow stairs where you'll need to watch your step. Also, it can get muddy and even a little slippery as you walk through the jungle.

Bring sunscreen. While you will be beneath some trees and shade, the Maya ruins are out in the open. If you are visiting during the rainy season, there will be mosquitoes. It's a good idea to bring bug repellent, although we didn't have an issue with bugs in the middle of December. Lastly, don't forget to bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chacchoben

Have more questions? After recently visiting the Chacchoben Mayan ruins in person, I'll try my best to answer your questions here. If you have any others, please feel free to ask them in the comments section below.

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