Gale in KY
18th October 2006, 02:19 PM
My favorite ruins are not well known, and when you visit you may find you are the only visitor in the entire place..but it adds to the mystical experience of visiting a Maya sacred site. Muyil is a very different experience from Coba, Tulum or Chichen Itza.
About 10 miles south of Tulum on 307 you will find the small village of Chunyaxche, and the Muyil Archealogical site. Muyil sits on the inland side of Muyil Lagoon. It is a small site, but is distinctive. Pyramids have rounded edges, and there is a feminine influence in the stella that is found here. A wide sacbe road runs from the ruins to the lagoon. You can follow the path thru the ruins grounds down to the lagoon, arrrange for a boat there to take you to other ruins sites along the lagoon and canals of the Sian Kaan. There are a variety of birds and other wildlife to be found here. It is thought that Muyil dates back to 300BC.
Although the pyramid at Muyil sustained some hurricane damage during Gilbert and was not climbable when I was there, it is still a most amazing site to visit if you are interested at all in the Mayan Culture. There was a lone security guard there when I arrived early one morning...he spoke english and was able to give me the background on the site before I explored it on my own, and was a very interesting gentleman to speak with. There is also an observation deck that gives you some spectacular views of the laguna and jungle. Take bug spray and water, there are no services at the jungle site.
http://www.travelwithmea.com/photogallery/images/d_ruins.jpg
About 10 miles south of Tulum on 307 you will find the small village of Chunyaxche, and the Muyil Archealogical site. Muyil sits on the inland side of Muyil Lagoon. It is a small site, but is distinctive. Pyramids have rounded edges, and there is a feminine influence in the stella that is found here. A wide sacbe road runs from the ruins to the lagoon. You can follow the path thru the ruins grounds down to the lagoon, arrrange for a boat there to take you to other ruins sites along the lagoon and canals of the Sian Kaan. There are a variety of birds and other wildlife to be found here. It is thought that Muyil dates back to 300BC.
Although the pyramid at Muyil sustained some hurricane damage during Gilbert and was not climbable when I was there, it is still a most amazing site to visit if you are interested at all in the Mayan Culture. There was a lone security guard there when I arrived early one morning...he spoke english and was able to give me the background on the site before I explored it on my own, and was a very interesting gentleman to speak with. There is also an observation deck that gives you some spectacular views of the laguna and jungle. Take bug spray and water, there are no services at the jungle site.
http://www.travelwithmea.com/photogallery/images/d_ruins.jpg