Stories My Suitcase Could Tell

  • Home
  • About
    • FAQ
  • Destinations
  • Experiences
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Work With Me

Climbing an Ancient Mayan Temple in Coba, Mexico

July 14, 2016 By Katie MacLeod 4 Comments

Mayan temple at Coba, Mexico

I was already halfway up when I realised I had made a mistake.

I couldn’t do it.

From ground level, the ruined Mayan temple at Coba, in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, didn’t seem that high.  From halfway up – the first point at which I paused from climbing on my hands and knees to survey the view – it felt high. Too high. One awkward foot movement, and I would be tumbling down hundreds of ancient stone steps.

At over 130 feet, the Nohoch Mul pyramid at Coba is the highest in the Mexican Mayan world, so my nerves were well founded.  It would have been used as a temple during the height of Mayan presence in this area (from 400 – 1100 A.D.), and is one of the few Mayan structures you’re allowed to get up, close, and personal with in this part of Mexico.

Preparing to climb the Mayan temple at Coba

Mayan temple steps at Coba

Located in the jungle, the ancient city of Coba is now largely overgrown by trees and vines, so much so that the temple, ball courts, and assorted ruins seem to loom out of nowhere as you trudge (or bike) the hot, white paths through the trees.

Even these paved paths are an example of Mayan engineering prowess, wide avenues of limestone known as ‘sacbe’ that connected Coba to other Mayan cities – some as far as 60 miles away.

Roads at Coba, Mexico

Mayan ruins in the Coba jungle

Archaeologists believe Coba was an important trade link between the coastal cities and inland centres, which may explain the roads, but no-one knows for sure.

What use would a culture that didn’t utilise the wheel have for such carefully thought out roadways? The mind boggles.

Visitors can hire bikes to cycle these sacbes, but Mr. Stories My Suitcase Could Tell and I opted to make our way on foot, as some areas were closed off to bikes (and I wanted to conserve my energy for the climb to come).  We were glad of it, despite the heat, as walking allowed us to pay more attention to the wildlife en route to Nohoch Mul: the butterflies, the birds, and the lizards sleuthing their way up tree trunks.

“Don’t look back! That’s the worst thing to do,” a fellow tourist smiled at me, making her way in the opposite direction, while clinging to the thick rope that hung down the worn centre steps. I was still paused halfway up the pyramid, regretting my decision to tackle the Mayan temple.  “Just keep going until you get to the top.”

Although steep, it’s not an exceptionally difficult climb. There are physical steps to climb, even if centuries of foot traffic (and sacrifices) have worn some of them down, leaving them shiny and slippery underfoot.  There’s also the aforementioned rope, for nervous climbers to grab onto in a flash of fear (or cling onto for dear life the entire time, like yours truly).

But of course, in the end, I could do it.

Looking out over the Coba jungle

Climbing down the Coba Ruins

It was a strange feeling, to stand atop this ruined temple and look out across nothing but forest and jungle to the horizon, knowing that in its heyday, Coba was one of the largest cities in the Mayan world, stretching as far as 50 miles, and home to some 50,000 people.

Even stranger was the knowledge that where we stood was very likely the location of human sacrifices; I remembered my primary school lessons on Mayan history, and was most definitely creeped out at the thought of some poor soul being offered up to the Mayan gods, whom the Maya believed were especially vengeful.

A strong breeze brought my thoughts from the past to the present, and reminded me of the height I was at.  What goes up must come down – and what I hadn’t bargained on was the climb down being more difficult than the steep climb up.

My willpower had won.

My knees were weak when I reached ground level – from nerves, exhaustion, or dehydration, I’m not sure – but my willpower had won out. I had done it! I had climbed the Coba ruins, and experienced a small slice of history, following in the literal footsteps of a long gone civilization.

For that reason alone, climbing to the top of the ancient Mayan temple was more than worth it – just as the smiling fellow tourist had assured me it would be.

At the top of Coba ruins, Mexico

I was more than a little bit excited to make it to the top of the ruin!

____________________

NEED TO KNOW

Why should I visit?  Coba is less well-known than the Mayan cities of Chichen Itza and Tulum, so if you visit early in the day you’ll avoid any crowds.  Plus, the big draw here is that visitors can still climb the Mayan temple, unlike many others in the region. (Despite my fear of open heights, this is what made Coba my favourite of the Mayan sites we visited!)

How do I get there?  While there are some tour companies that operate scheduled trips to Coba, the most convenient option is to hire a car and drive there yourself (or have your travel partner drive there for you – thanks, Mr Stories My Suitcase Could Tell!). Coba is 45 minutes from the coastal city of Tulum, one and a half hours from Playa del Carmen, and two hours from Cancun.

How much does it cost?  Entry to the site is about $4 each, or 60-70 Mexican pesos.  Bring cash to buy bottled water too – it gets hot! If you’re driving there, there’s also a small parking fee, but it was minimal (about 15-20 pesos).

____________________

Have you ever visited Coba or a Mayan temple in Mexico? Would you like to? Let me know in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you!

___________________ 

Want to read more?

How To Spend A Weekend on Mexico’s Riviera Maya

Our Weekend in Mexico: A Travel Video

____________________

Related

« A Blog Announcement and A Giveaway!
A Day on the Isle of Barra: A Travel Video »

Comments

  1. Nina Stadtflaneur says

    July 15, 2016 at 3:07 pm

    Well done! I’m scared of heights – this does frighten me, but good to know that you could do it!

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      July 16, 2016 at 9:48 am

      Thanks Nina! I’m not scared of all heights, just ‘open’ ones – the situations where a wrong move could see a big fall! – so I was nervous, but glad I made it to the top 🙂

      Reply
  2. Emma Hart | Paper Planes and Caramel Waffles says

    August 7, 2016 at 3:53 pm

    Oh my goodness, that does look steep. And high! I remember feeling like that when I walked up the steps at Monkey Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. I felt like one wrong step was going to send me toppling to the ground so I hung onto the rail for dear life! It’s good to know about this place though and to see that there is a temple that you can get physical contact with and almost experience a small part of what those who have been part of its past have experienced.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      August 10, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      I was like that here too – clinging onto the rope for dear life! That must have been an amazing experience in Kathmandu 🙂 The fact that this one of the few temples in Mexico that you can get properly close to is one of the reasons I loved it (even though I can understand why the more popular ones need protection!).

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HELLO!

I'm Katie, an expat Scot in the States, and the journalist behind Stories My Suitcase Could Tell, the travel blog which inspires you to explore the world. Read More…

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Best Travel Blog 2014

As seen in…

Get the latest stories in the newsletter!

Stories My Suitcase Could Tell Newsletter

Your guide to visiting

Outer Hebrides Guide

People are reading…

Tartan Week 2018: A Scottish Celebration with a Difference
Where to Shop in New York City: 5 Favourite Neighbourhoods
21 Must-Have Travel Experiences in the Outer Hebrides
About

Currently in

Dreaming of

Behind the scenes of…

Copyright © 2018 · Stories My Suitcase Could Tell