Things to do in Tinum

2026 Americas 50 - Best Things to Do

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is an ancient Maya city ruin located in eastern Yucatan, Mexico, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the heart of the site is the Kukulkan Pyramid, with approximately 91 steps on each of its four sides, which, together with the top platform, total 365 steps, corresponding to the number of days in a year and reflecting the Maya's precise astronomical calendar. Around the spring and fall equinoxes each year, at sunset, sunlight casts a winding serpent-shaped shadow on the pyramid's steps, as if the feathered serpent god Kukulkan were slowly descending the stairs, and this wonder, a clever combination of architecture and astronomy, attracts large numbers of visitors who make special trips to see it every year. The site also contains a massive ancient ball court, the Plaza of a Thousand Columns, the Temple of the Warriors, and the Wall of Skulls. The stone walls of the ball court are carved with reliefs of players, and the Plaza of a Thousand Columns consists of densely arranged stone columns that once supported a huge colonnade roof. The site also includes a sacred well, a natural limestone sinkhole, where the Maya once held sacrificial ceremonies and threw offerings into the well; today, visitors can pause by the well and take in this ancient and mysterious history.

No. 7 of Best Things to Do in Mexico

Ik Kil Cenote

Ik Kil Cenote is located on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, not far from Chichen Itza, and is a naturally formed open-air cenote. "Ik Kil" means "place of the wind" in the Mayan language; it was considered a sacred site in ancient Mayan civilization and was once an important location for Mayan sacrificial rituals. Cenoteopening is nearly circular with a diameter of approx. 60 m. The surrounding stone walls extend almost vertically downward, with a drop of approx. 26 m from the ground to the water surface, and the water is approx. 40 m deep. The stone walls are covered with lush green vegetation, and long vines hang from the edge of the opening down to the water. When looking up from the water, sunlight streams in through the circular opening, making the vines look like a green waterfall suspended in the air. Follow a hand-carved stone staircase down to the water. There are nearly 100 steps. Once you reach the water, you can swim in the clear freshwater. The cenote features a diving platform for visitors to experience cliff diving. Black catfish swim in the water, adding a touch of wild charm to this natural pool.

No. 16 of Best Things to Do in Mexico

Warriors' Temple

Warriors' Temple is located in Mexico at Chichen Itza. It was built following the model of the temple in Tula, the Toltec capital, and incorporates Mayan architectural techniques, making it even more magnificent than the original. The entire temple is a stone structure atop a stepped pyramid. It contains many columns, which are exquisitely carved with images of Toltec warriors. At the top of the stairs, leading to the temple entrance, stands a Chacmool altar statue.

Selected for Best Things to Do in Mexico

Mil Columnas

Mil Columnas is an iconic view in the core visiting area of the ruins. It is an open, quadrilateral square, with rows of stone columns standing densely: although it is named 'Thousand Columns,' there are far fewer than 1,000 columns remaining, but the column array, stretching over 100m, is still impressive in scale. Archaeological research generally suggests that these stone columns once supported the roof of a massive hall, and after the roof collapsed, only the forest of columns remained. Walking among them feels like passing through a stone forest. Traces of colored stucco are still visible on the columns, showing that this colonnade was far more vibrant in the past than it is today. The east side of the square is adjacent to the Temple of the Warriors, and among the columns surrounding and extending from the temple, many are carved on all four sides with reliefs of warriors, priests, and captives, as well as patterns depicting the Feathered Serpent, revealing a strong emphasis on military and Feathered Serpent beliefs. To the south of the square is the building complex known as the Market, and some believe the entire area was once a large ancient gathering and trading place. Not far to the north is theGreat Ball Court, which can be visited together with this site.

El Castillo

El CastilloLocated in the southern part of the city, it was excavated in 1922 from beneath 8m of volcanic lava. This is an ancient pyramid temple in the Americas, with a height of 20m, a base diameter of 135m, and a top diameter of 70m. The structure is composed of 4 different stacked conical frustums.

El Caracol

No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Valladolid

Valladolid

Valladolidis located in the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, situated right between Merida and Cancun. Founded in 1543, this small city was built by the Spanish on the site of the former Maya city-state of Zaci. Today, the old town still spreads out from Francisco Canton Rosado Park, and with its well-preserved colorful colonial houses and cobblestone streets, the city is compact enough to explore on foot. The city's combination of colonial architecture and cenotes is highly distinctive. The park was originally the site of a Maya pyramid, the stones of which were later dismantled to build the adjacent San Servacio Church. Follow the colorful houses along Calzada de los Frailes to the end, where you will find the 16th-century Convent of San Bernardino de Siena, which preserves Franciscan-era murals and hides a cenote in its garden. If you enjoy folk art, the private residence known as Casa de los Venados displays thousands of pieces of Mexican folk art and is well worth a visit.

Cenote Saamal

Located near Valladolid on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Cenote Saamal is a picturesque cenote that attracts many visitors. This cenote is famous for its clear, blue-green waters and surrounding natural beauty, making it an ideal spot to experience the unique geological landscape of the Yucatan Peninsula. The waters of Cenote Saamal are surrounded by high limestone walls, and sunlight streaming through the opening above creates enchanting light and shadow effects on the water. Visitors can swim here to enjoy the cool waters or relax on the shore and admire the surrounding natural scenery. For the convenience of visitors, shower facilities and changing rooms are available on-site. Cenote Saamal is easily accessible from downtown Valladolid, and visitors can choose to drive or take a taxi. Visitors are advised to bring swimwear, towels, and sunscreen, and to keep the environment clean. Due to the depth of the water, please be mindful of safety when swimming.

La Iglesia

Chichen Itza Cathedral is located in the Chichen Itza Ruins Park, next to the Nuns, and is one of the oldest buildings in Chichen Itza. The whole church is sacred and solemn, decorated with exquisite rain god masks, and various animal sculptures such as armadillos, crabs, snails and turtles.

Cenote Suytun

Cenote Suytunis located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, situated on the outskirts of Valladolid, and is an underground cavern-style cenote with a skylight in the cave ceiling. Stalactites hang from the cave walls, and the dim light reflects off the tranquil underground spring, creating a spacious, cathedral-like atmosphere. The cenote water is clear and stays cool year-round. You can walk along the path to the center of the stone platform for photos, jump right in for a swim, or simply float on your back to relax. As you walk down the path into the cave, you will see a circular stone platform standing in the clear water in the center, with a narrow walkway extending from the cave wall to the center of the platform. Around midday, sunlight streams directly down through the opening in the cave ceiling, landing on the platform like a spotlight. This scene makes it one of the most recognizable cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula and a popular spot for photos on social media.