The ruins of the Mayan temple complex located at Chacchoben are a wonderful, educational excursion for tourists to the area. One of the most popular excursions for cruise ship passengers docking at the port of Costa Maya, the ruins at Chacchoben make an excellent half-day trip.
History of Chacchoben Mayan Temple
Officially reported to the Mexican government in 1972, the ruins at Chacchoben derive their name from a nearby village. As the Maya people settled in the area around 200 BC, the structures at Chacchoben date back to around 700 AD. Forgotten for years, the area was settled in the 1940s by the Cohuo family, as they joined the number of farmers in the area. The temples were discovered by an American archaeologist, Dr. Peter Harrison, who noted the many rounded hills in the middle of the thick Mexican jungle. He recognized that these hills contained the ruins of a Mayan settlement which had been buried under the natural vegetation over a two thousand year period.
In 1994, the Mexican federal government’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) worked steadily at restoring the site beginning in 1994. The ruins at Chacchoben officially opened to the public in 2002.
Popular Excursion for Cruise Ship Passengers
One of the most popular ruins in Quintana Roo, Chacchoben is approximately an hour’s drive from the port of Costa Maya. The modern port and tourist mall at Costa Maya serves as the starting point for all cruise ship tours to Chacchoben. With several tour groups originating at Costa Maya's cruise ship terminal and arriving at the site around the same time of day, the paths are rarely crowded thanks to the circular looping pathways around the site. The archaeological complex is a fairly small site compared to the larger Mayan temples found in Chichen Itza and Tulum.
Mayan Temple Ruins at Chacchoben
The site contains two large pyramids which have been restored to their original height. There are also several smaller pyramids around the archaeological site, including the stone steps of crumbling pyramid foundations. Much of the area is shaded by the lush jungle surrounding the site thanks in part to the Cohuo family who left the area surrounding the ruins untouched. With palm trees, Spanish moss, orchids, and other plants, the jungle landscape provides a natural setting, undisturbed by modern development.
It is possible to see the trace of the original red paint on the side of one of the pyramid walls. With a canopy shading the pyramid from the sun, visitors can see trace amounts of colour on the stones. As well, there are several structures that are still buried by sand and vegetation around the site offering visitors a glimpse of what the site looked like when it was discovered in the 1970s.
The Chacchoben complex also includes a straw market with craftsmen selling their wares, restroom facilities, as well as a small café.
Rachel West - Rachel resides in Toronto, Ontario and works as an Online Merchandiser for Entertainment, writing about the latest DVDs and CDs for a high ...
