Beautiful Places On Earth

Chichen Itza is one of the most visited archeological sites in Mexico. Built by the Mayan people in 432 AD, Chichen Itza is located in the northern center of the Yucatan Peninsula, which is the present day Mexico. In Mayan language, “Chichen Itza” means “At the mouth of the well of the Itza”.

The Chichen Itza had been enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. The site contains many fine stone buildings; some are well preserved while others have been restored over the years. The buildings of Chichen Itza are grouped into several groups called complex. The 3 best known complexes are the Great North Platform, which includes the monuments of El Castillo, Temple of Warriors and the Great Ball Court; The Ossario Group, which includes the pyramid of the same name as well as the Temple of Xtoloc; and the Central Group, which includes the Caracol, Las Monjas, and Akab Dzib.

Among all the monuments, the Temple of Kukulkan is the most prominent. The Temple of Kukulkan (also known as El Castillo) had been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. El Castillo is a square pyramid with stairways up each of the 4 sides to the top. If you are to visit El Castillo on the Spring equinox (March 21) and Autumn Equinox (September 21), you would see the corner of the structure casts a shadow in the shape of a serpent especially during sunrise and sunset.

Lost Temples: Mayan Pyramids of Chichen Itza

Acapulco is a famous sea resort town located within the state of Guerrero on the west coast of Mexico, some 386 kilometers southwest from Mexico City. The town is located on a deep, semi circular Acapulco Bay, facing the Pacific Ocean. Over the years, Acapulco has become the number 2 Mexican spring break destination among United States college students behind Cancun.

Beaches are of course the main attractions in Acapulco. Most popular beaches are those located inside the Acapulco Bay such as Hornos, Papagayo, Tamarindos and Icacos. Another beach, given the name Playa Revolcadero, which is an open water beach, is famous for surfing. Playa Revolcadero can be reached from Acapulco Bay in about 35 minutes. Besides surfing, other forms of water sports such as water skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, fishing, sailing and snorkeling can also be found at Acapulco. No visit to Acapulco is complete without watching the cliff divers performing at La Quebrada. These divers dive 45 meters from the top of the cliffs at La Quebrada into the shallow sea below. You can watch them in action in the following video clip.

Acapulco Bay, Mexico

Acapulco can be reached from Mexico City by bus. One can also take a 35-minute flight from Mexico City to Alvarez International Airport at Acapulco. Acapulco is suitable to visit throughout the year due to its tropical climate all year round.

Cancun is world renowned tourist resort which is located in Mexico’s easternmost state of Quintana Roo, on the Yucatan Peninsula. The hotel zone of Cancun is shaped like a “7” with bridges on each end connecting to the mainland of Mexico. The region surrounding Cancun is sometimes known as the “Mexican Caribbean”.

Being the most popular destination on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, Cancun is well known for its turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. One can engage in activities such as snorkeling, canoeing and even swimming with the dolphins and many more in Cancun. Cancun is also the gateway to the Riviera Maya, a famous archeological district in Mexico.

Cancun, Mexico

December to April each year is the peak season in Cancun. To avoid soaring prices of both airfare and hotel, you may want to visit Cancun in the summer and early autumn months. But it is extremely hot during these months and there is also threat of hurricanes.

It is highly advised that you only drink bottled or purified water in Cancun. Water outside of your hotel is not safe to drink. Also avoid using ATMs in Cancun. Use only those inside your hotel or banks. You do not want to fall victim to identity theft.