Begin your day with hotel pickup from Playa del Carmen and head to Coba, located in northern Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula.
As you explore the ruins of this city built around five lakes within the dense jungle, you can’t help but feel a little like Indiana Jones. The majority of Coba’s 6,500 structures, covering roughly 43 square miles (70 square km), has not been excavated or restored. The largest pre-Columbian settlement of the Classic Period, 600 to 900 AD, Coba was believed to be home to 50,000 inhabitants. Archeological evidence suggests that Coba played a vital role in trade with other regional Mayan communities, especially with settlements along the Caribbean coast.
Spend approximately two hours wandering through Coba with a professional guide or investigating the ruins on your own. To cover more ground quickly, jump on a bicycle or a pedicab (own expense) and ride around the network of sacbe, wide white stone and plaster roads, stopping along the way to look at carved stone tablets and hieroglyphic texts.
Alternatively, head straight to Nohoch Mul, the tallest pyramid on the Yucatan Peninsula, soaring 140 feet (42 meters) above the rainforest floor. Make your way to the top and take in 360-degree views of lush green jungle.
Your amateur archeological exploration of Coba complete, it’s time to relax and enjoy an authentic Yucatecan lunch (provided) at a local restaurant. After lunch, stop at a Mayan village and interact with the native residents, who will share with you their culture, traditions and history.
Complete your day trip with a refreshing swim at a stunning cenote, a natural sinkhole of deep clear water, before being transported back to your hotel.