From Maya to Inca: Cobà ruins, Choo-ha cenote

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Cobà ruins, Choo-ha cenote

The following day, Monday 6th May, we travelled to see the ruins of the Mayan city of Cobà, a largely unexcavated site containing stone and plaster roads (Mayan: sacbe) and temple pyramids, the highest of which is about 42 metres. It can still be climbed to the top, which is in a way a shame, but allows you to see the surroundings from above, particularly the flatness of the Yucatan peninsula with only the temples protruding. Cobà was one of the largest Mayan cities and had strong links with cities of the Maya civilisation in Guatemala. It was abandoned at a similar time to Tulum during the Spanish conquest of the peninsula.

Ten minutes from Coba is the cenote Choo-ha, which is an underground cavern filled with water. We were very lucky in that it was empty when we arrived. The water is said to have therapeutic qualities and in any case, it is so relaxing it's hard to get out. I also overcame a life-long fear in this cenote and jumped off a platform 5/6 ( I like to think 7) metres above the water!

temple pyramid

la iglesia

me at top of pyramid

diving board

Choo-ha cenote

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Interesting facts

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