If there is one single thing you do on a trip to Cancun, let it be a tour of Chichen Itza. One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, this Mayan archaeological site is one of the most impressive ancient ruins you will ever visit.
The sheer size of it is enough to impress, with archaeologists believing it once housed around 35,000 people — that’s massive for a 10th-century city! But the wonders of Chichen Itza go beyond its size and into the deep knowledge of astronomy that the Mayans possessed.
For instance, the site’s main structure, The Castle, has 365 steps, one for each day of the year. The structure is built in such a way that, during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun forms shadows on the stairs — which end with two large serpent heads — in a way that makes it seem as if a giant snake were slithering down the pyramid. In parts of the complex, a clap bounces off the structures to create a sound similar to a quetzal, a bird of mythical importance in Mayan cosmogony.
Suffice it to say: It’s worth going to Cancun just to see Chicken Itza with your own eyes.
