Cobá Archaeological Site

Information

It is a Mayan archaeological site in the state of Quintana Roo, placed in the locality of Cobá.

To get there, there are buses coming from Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum that leave at the village. If you go by car, the roads linking Cobá to these three localities are completely paved.

At the entrance to the archaeological zone there is a large car park, where those who leave a private vehicle have to pay. Then there is the entrance to the ruins, where an entrance fee is charged.

Once in the archaeological area of Cobá, at the entrance there are many people offering guide services and/or bicycle rentals. It is normal to find many tourists, who arrive in large numbers from 10 a.m. onwards. The area is large, with structures distributed in distant sectors. That is why it is advisable to dedicate at least one morning if you want to see everything.

The main attraction is the 42 metre high Nohoch Mull Pyramid, which is the tallest pyramid in the entire Riviera Maya, which when I was there they allowed to climb up it. There are many other important structures such as the Temple of the Frescoes (in Spanish 'Templo de los Frescos'), the Xaibé, the Ball Court (Juego de Pelota) etc. You can also see stelae, which are large sculpted stones where the Mayas recorded events.

About this Mayan city, there is evidence of settlements from 100 BC or even earlier. Then came a period of development where it grew and controlled the commercial routes of the area, which lasted until 1000 AD. Afterwards, its power began to decline.