Equatorial Countercurrent

If you can rend yourself away from the sand and blue water of Cancun for a day on your vacation, an excursion to one of the Yucatan's myriad archeological sites might be in order. Most of the tourist buses and charter trips make it to Chichen Itza or Tulum; but the peninsula is full of other sites equally impressive but less visited. One of these is Ek Balam, located west of Cancun in the peninsular interior.

To get to Ek Balam, take the cuota (toll) highway 180D west out of Cancun. You can take the old highway 180 also toward Valladolid, but this will take much longer as it passes through villages and is full of the notorious topes, the bane of the Mexican driver and rental car. You will pay the toll at the Quintana Roo-Yucatan state border crossing each way, which is about 70 pesos. The road is straight and relatively uncrowded; however, there is little in the way of services and no gas stations between Cancun and Valladolid, so plan accordingly. There is a Pemex station south of the freeway on 295 north of Valladolid. You may want to fill up here on your way back.

At highway 295 head north (going south here will take you to Valladolid). After passing through the town of Temozon, you will come to a well-marked paved road going east with a sign indicating Ek Balam. In 4 kilometers you come to a 4-way intersection. Go straight here, and you will come to the parking lot. (Going left will take you to the towns of Ek Balam and Actuncoh.) Admission is about 24 pesos.

The principal structure is on the north side of the complex. You can climb up the stairs, and enjoy the incredible view of the Yucatan peninsula spread around you. To the north, notice the ruins which have not been excavated or restored yet. On the way up the stairs, notice the remarkably intricate artwork surrounding the passageway entrance on the left. Yes, those are meant to be teeth surrounding the passageway! The public is not currently allowed entrance here, but archeological work is being conducted to decipher the symbolism found therein. Wander around the site, climb up the other buildings, and read the informational panels scattered about. While other sites on the Yucatan get more tourist traffic, Ek Balam is the one where some of the most important work on Yucatecan Mayan archeology is currently taking place.