Mayan Ruins Destinations
Tulum, or Tulu'um in the native Yucatec tongue, is a walled city that once served as an outpost for the city of Coba. Tulum is a fortress city, closed in with 39 ft protective walls. The outbuildings and the main structure of Tulum are relatively small, which is why archaeologists dismiss it as an important military post, but not a very considerable city. Archaeologists suppose that Tulum is a port city because of its obvious location in the coastal areas of the Xaman Ha. The most interesting thing about Tulum is that it survived 70 years after the Spanish colonization period, while the rest of the Mayan cities began to crumble. Later in the timeline, the diseases that the Spaniards brought with them caused the citizens of Tulum to become obsolete.
Coba
Coba is one of the larger cities of the ancient Maya civilization, named by the Spaniards who took control of the settlements a time after they landed ashore. The considerably large settlement is situated 90 km to the east of the Mayan site Chichen Itza, in the North of Quintana Roo. It faces the Caribbean Sea 40 km to the west. Located 44 km northwest of Tulum, Coba is a central settlement that is adjacent to most Mayan cities. It is said that Coba was once a trading center of some Mayan settlements in the region.
Ek' Balam
This Mesoamerican archaeological site is located in the Teomozno municipality. Found in Yucatan, Mexico. The buildings of the Ek' Balam were said to have been constructed by the people of Maya, although there are claims otherwise. Located 30 km to the north of Valladolid and 2 km from a small Mayan settlement, the Ek' Balam is a quick place to visit. It's easy enough to reach and it's a rather large city.
Archeologists conclude that the city is the seat of power of the kingdom that controlled the countryside. The settlements near Ek' Balam are prosperous, too. Aside from that, they have quite impressive architectural styles. The city itself was built during the Late Classic Mayan, a period around 900 AD to 1500 AD.
More Mayan Ruins
Tulum, Coba, and Ek' Balam are just three of the popular Mayan ruins of Playa del Carmen. There are many more impressive cities like the Chichen Itza. Archaeologists also believe that there may be a number of undiscovered places in Playa del Carmen—and the entire Yucatan Peninsula, for that matter. Finding these places will take time. For now, though, Playa del Carmen will suffice.
