Coba Archaeological Site

Coba Archaeological Site is a cultural site for the Mesoamerican city of Coba, which at one point had 50,000 inhabitants and existed at the intersection of stone causeways vital to travel in the ancient Mayan world.

The site contains several groups of temples, structures, and carved artwork over a wide area, 80 square kilometers, with researchers believing that the entire Coba area contains about 6,000 ruins. While only a limited number of the ruins are accessible to the public, the site offers three ways for visitors to get around. You can opt to walk, you can rent a bicycle (MX$50), or you can be carried in a pedal taxi (MX$75). Opting for some form of wheeled transportation will allow you to see more and get around far quicker.

Between the groupings are white stone roads utilized by Mayans for trade. These roads, called sacbe in Mayan, helped make Coba an important trading center. The city was settled in the first century, and flourished between AD 600 and 900 before slowly losing power to Chichén Itzá to the northwest, and becoming altogether abandoned when the Spanish ravaged the peninsula in the 1500s.

There are many spectacular ruins at the site, spread among the different groups. One of the most notable is the largest pyramid in Coba, Nohoch Mul, standing 42 meters tall, with visitors permitted to climb the stone steps to the top at their own risk.

Maps are available at the admission booth. Guides also gather outside and are available for hire. Coba Archaeological Site is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is MX$75 per person. Parking is an additional MX$50. There are shops, restaurants, and a zip line located along the parking area outside the gate.