For countless religions and belief structures the difference between life and the mystical afterlife meant one thing, going underground. From the Greek version of Hades to the Christian version of Hell, all religions use the underworld as a place for the dead. The Mayans were no different, only their underworld now has a real starting point.

On the Yucatan Peninsula archeologists have discovered a series of underground corridors and temples. As they examined the underground tunnels further they discovered some of the areas were flooded to the point of needing scuba gear. One theorist has suggested that the underground passages were dug while filled with water the entire time, and required divers to hold their breath.

Judeo-Christian ideas of the apocalypse led to an easy interpretation of the Mayan vision of cosmic cycles and resulted in the alleged prophecies of the end of the world, reported the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

"When the Mayan writing began to be deciphered and was found that, among other things, meant the end of cycles, it became an easy interpretation from the perspective of the Western thought, linking this to an apocalyptic vision of the end of the world", say experts cited by INAH in a statement.

Chichen Itza is the largest and most famous Mayan site in the Yucatan Peninsula. Because of the sheer size and scope of the ruins, it’s best to have an idea of what you want to see when you arrive. Walking around randomly will only confuse your senses and perhaps make miss out on something you’d enjoy more. To help you figure out what are the most popular things to see at Chichen Itza, I’ve compiled a short guide.

There are 7 different ball courts at Chichen Itza; the grandest of them all is named the Great Ball Court. Archaeologists aren’t sure of the exact rules, but they have uncovered evidence that many of the players were sacrificed at the end of the game. If you want to have a truly rewarding visit to Chichen Itza, then a stop at the Great Ball Court is a must.

October can be described as one of the spookiest times of year. In most North Americans minds it brings about images of witches, pumpkins, and most of all candy. But south of the American border the time is celebrated in a much different manner. It’s called the Day of the Dead.

In Mexico the celebrations isn’t just one day, it last several. From October 28 to November 2nd. Many outsiders see the Day of the Dead as a strange embrace of death amongst an entire nation. In reality, it is a celebration of life, how precious it is, and how each life must eventually come to an end.

The ball court at Chichen Itza is one of the oldest known game courts in human history. The game is often referred to as Tiatchtli, and has been played since 1,000 B.C. Modern versions of the game are still played to this day by local populations, but the how the details of the game and how it was played by their ancient Mayan ancestors is still unknown.

Most people recognize the famous stone goals; this is actually a later addition to the game. The original version is even more mysterious than the late versions; seeing that we have no idea how they kept score before the stone hoop was added. The few rules we do know of belong to the time after a stone hoop was instituted. A single successful hoop could make a win, and being able to touch the ball to the vertical stone hoop scored individual points.

The Mayan people are, perhaps, best known for their awe-inspiring architecture, which ranged from magnificent, pyramid-shaped temples to simple homes for the commoners. Their style changed slightly over the generations, but never lost the mystique that surrounds these great buildings, hidden deep within the jungles of South and Central America.

Though all of the cities share the same basic style, their planning for each development was effected by such things as terrain and what building materials were available. The buildings that were set upon a layer of limestone, for example, became expansive municipalities. Other sites, built into the hills and mountains, used this to their advantage, building their towers and elaborate temples to soaring heights. All of the cities, however, were built with some of the same aspects.

If you plan on making a trip to Chichen Itza, then you’ll be sure to see many of the main attractions, such as the Great Ballcourt, El Castillo, and the Observatory. What you want to keep your eyes open for are the few little known ruins and sites that many pass up without notice. After all, the big things are easy to notice, it’s the little things that make their trip worth your wild.

The Red House is named this because of the flakes and scrapes of red paint that were found inside the structure. It was built on a high platform, and is pronounced Chichen Choob in the Mayan language. It is translated as "small holes" and most assume it points to the lime comb roof.