Gloobrs

Recently, two of my pals and I decided to meet in Playa del Carmen for a guys’ getaway.

While most of our days were spent exploring ancient Mayan ruin sites and local cenotes, one friend was anxious to book a tour to dive with the bull sharks. Although we know Playa del Carmen well, there were too many places that we had only heard about, but never actually visited.

An excursion like this may be a once in a lifetime experience, so having the ability to customize your itinerary can be priceless, not to mention the added bonus of comfort.

So we went on a mission to discover for ourselves, some of the history and unbelievable beauty we had only read about or seen in pictures. Not long after our arrival, we hired a driver to take us on our first adventure. He suggested two options: a tour of Chichen Itza and the other, Coba. In the end, we had the time and decided to do both! My goal for writing this article is to provide key factors with an in depth comparison of the two, to help other travelers choose the best excursion that would best meet their expectations.

Chichen Itza is the most famous ruin in Mexico, generating thousands of daily visitors. Being included in the list of UNESCO Heritage sites, Chichen Itza and its famous El Castillo temple deserve a visit. I had understood after hearing from visitors and locals alike, that the crowds, heat, and excessive souvenir peddlers take away from the experience. The historic Mayan city was still something I had to see for myself.

Both tours were private and lasted approximately 10 – 11 hours from pick-up to drop-off. We were a small group and decided to go with a private van service so that we’d have the freedom to customize if we felt the need to do so. The large buses, or shared tours, do not allow for this. They adhere to a strict schedule and when the time is up at one stop, it’s time to go, no matter how much you try to coax the guide for more time.