Exploring the History of the Yucatan

While many believe that the Yucatan Peninsula is strictly a place for fun and frolicking, the area has deep roots in the past. Ancient Maya ruins dot the landscape and peek from beneath jungle foliage, while echoes of the ancient civilization's grandeur can be seen everywhere from the language of the local people to their dress, customs and the amazing expedition trips that set out to uncover archaeological treasures.

When the Spaniards first arrived in the Yucatan, they found a mighty empire. The Maya ruled a vast area that stretched throughout Central America. Though the civilization fell in the face of the invading Europeans, they left behind an incredible wealth of relics and ruins that are ripe for exploring. From the amazing grandeur of Chichen Itza to the spectacular beauty of Izamal and Uxmal, you'll find a wondrous amount of ruins waiting to be explored.

Exploring Chichen Itza offers you the opportunity to see the height of Maya architectural beauty and skill. While exploring the ruins, you will notice the gradual change in building style, from the Puuc style, which is shared with Uxmal to the culmination of architecture in the Maya Toltec style, which was their crowning achievement. Chichen Itza offers you hours of enjoyment, viewing the amazing ruins and studying the ancient relics and stone carvings that cavort across the pitted stone.

The beautiful city of Izamal offers you more opportunities for exploration and wonder. This ancient city is still inhabited by descendants of the Maya, though the population is only around 15,000 today. From Izamal, there are two very large ruins to be explored, as well as many that still lie buried under the jungle growth. Izamal means "Yellow City," most probably because the buildings are almost all painted in a yellow color. From the city proper, you can begin your tour of the Great Pyramid, where you will find that it is dedicated to the god Kinick Kak Mo. From that point, you can explore another great temple, this one dedicated to Ppap Hol Chak.

Dominated by the Puuc building style, amazing Uxmal towers over the surrounding area. This is one of the most beautifully preserved and magnificently built of the Mayan cities, rivaled only by a handful. At the height of Uxmal's power, it dominated the Yucatan with rival Chichen Itza. Explore the amazing ruins and view some of the most amazing spectacles. The Governor's Palace boasts the longest facades in Mesoamerica; the Adivino is an unusually fine pyramid, with a strange oval shape. A large ball court dedicated by King Chan Chak K'ak'nal-Ahau and the Nunnery Quadrangle round out some of the most popular buildings in the amazing ruins.

There is an amazing wealth of ruins to discover and history to uncover in the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula. You can take the trip of a lifetime to this beautiful area, explore the ruins and walk through hidden rooms. Experience the thrill of archaeology and uncover the fascinating history of the Yucatan.