Ruinas Chichén-Itzá Local Customs

We just came back from a wonderful journey to the Yucatan. We highly recommend to those wishing to have a great cultural experience and get involved with Maya traditions and ecological treasures, to check the many vacation packages offered by www.chichenservice.com, we were lucky to plan our trip with them, saved money and had the most amazing three days ever in Yucatan, a place we have traveled throughout the years. We booked a combo of packages and ended up enjoying fully our stay in Chichen Itza, an archaeological site we had first visited in a regular day-trip bus style visit (we hated it, too hot and crowded, not enough time to truly understand the temples' history etc.). This time we wanted to truly experience the Maya culture at its best. After such great trip (we stayed at Hacienda Chichen and had some great experiences at Yaxkin Spa) we wanted to share with those that plan to visit the site, our understanding that Chichen Itza is more than just a famous great pyramid called "el castillo". We don't recommend travelers just to "check it out for a few minutes" but actually visit the area. A day trip to Chichen Itza is very disappointing, but a full two or three days there is highly uplifting and magical.

The Mayan really make clothing with colourful designs. If you get a chance, get out of the usual tourist route and take a look around an authentic Mayan village. Be respectful of the villager's privacy and buy some of their goods if they're available. You'll be helping these villages economies and getting an idea of how these people really live. Note that this picture is of a village on the tourist trail and some poor monkey is chained in the yard. I didn't take pictures in the village I visited.

Most of these guys really know their stuff. Others can be complete lunatics. In general you will get much more out of your tour through a live guide because there are not many signs posted around the park telling you where to go and what you're looking at. Some guides give detailed historical perspectives of the Chichen Itza site and the Mayan people while others like to talk on about Earth coordinates, Nostradamus, Egyptian pyramids, and far-fetched mathematical equations. If you think your guide may be a little "out of it," find out what time you have to be back at your tour bus and then slowly slink away. Try and sneak in with a different tour group to see if their guide is any better. The reverse is also true; if history bores you and you'd rather get the "DaVinci Code" version, look for a conspiracy guide (they generally look less reserved and more animated).
You will also be expected to tip your guide at the end of the tour. If you came on a bus daytrip, this may be when they drop you off back at your hotel. There will be a basket at the front exit of the bus and the tip goes to the driver as well. $10 - $20 is a good tip for the entire day. If you only used a guide at the park, leave him $5 - $10 (more if there were very few people in his group).

WWW.TRAVELYUCATAN.COM
info about mayan road,with maps,transportation and archeological tips.

WWW.ECOYUC.COM
to prepare tours....bike,kayak,,underwater activities and speleology.

WWW.MEXONLINE.COM
choose "travel" link....:a lot of practical infos

When you leave the site you could be besieged by sellers. They are Maya people who try to sell their carving woods. They are not allowed to get near you, so you must go to them if you want to buy something.
And now you can see how the descendants of an ancient people which splendour you have just admired earn their living. Isn't it just a little sad thing?