From the top of the tallest pyramid at Coba Mexico, the jungle stretches out like a living green carpet in every direction. The Coba ruins are a perfect compromise for those who find Chichén Itzá too touristy but don’t want to venture more than two hours from their hotel on the Riviera Maya.
Archaeologists believe the ancient Mayan city of Coba was of immense importance to the Maya themselves, yet its location deeper inland means far fewer tour buses make the journey here.
As a result, you can still climb the ruins and enjoy many of the structures in blissful solitude.
One of the religious tunnels in the Coba ruins
The city of Coba is famous for having the largest network of raised stone roads known as sacbes. Of the fifty that have been identified, only sixteen have been excavated and opened to the public — the rest remain hidden in the jungle.
These elevated causeways connected various residential quarters with the Nohoch Mul area. They also led to smaller lakes (cenotes) that served as vital water sources.
Although there’s ample evidence of this dense transport network, it remains a mystery how the Maya moved water and goods along these routes. There’s no record of them using wheeled vehicles of any kind.
Given the sheer size of the site, we’d recommend renting a bicycle on-site for 50 pesos (about 2.50 €). However, if you’re the adventurous type, exploring on foot is well worth it. Most of the city is still swallowed by jungle, and nobody will stop you from poking around off the beaten path.
One of the smaller pyramids at Coba
Climbing the Coba Pyramid
The largest pyramid in the Coba complex is called Ixmoja. Standing 42 metres tall, it’s one of the few Mayan pyramids you can still climb.
A set of 120 steep steps leads to the summit — going up is actually the easy part. Coming back down, you’ll likely find yourself scrambling on all fours. A rope runs down from the top to help you keep your balance on the descent.
But it’s absolutely worth it. The pyramid towers high above the jungle canopy, offering sweeping panoramic views that seem to stretch on forever.
It’s widely expected that the authorities will eventually ban climbing this pyramid too, just as they’ve done at more popular sites. So if it’s on your bucket list, don’t wait too long.
You can still climb the main pyramid at Coba
History of the Coba Ruins
The Mayan city of Coba was founded around 100 AD and abandoned around 1550, when Spanish conquistadors invaded the Yucatán Peninsula.
At its peak, Coba is believed to have been home to as many as 50,000 people. As you wander through the site, you’ll come across numerous stelae — carved stone monuments where the Maya depicted their rulers and recorded significant events.
A ball court for the Mayan game of Tlachtli
Deep in the jungle, you’ll find two well-preserved ball courts where the traditional Mayan game of Tlachtli was played. The rules evolved over the centuries, but the basic idea was for players to use their hips to knock a rubber ball through a stone hoop.
According to some sources, the losing team — or at least its captain — was sacrificed to the gods.
Swimming in the Nearby Cenotes
No visit to the Coba ruins in Mexico is complete without a refreshing dip in one of the nearby cenotes. These natural underground freshwater pools are the perfect way to cool off after a sweltering afternoon of exploring.
Three Cenotes Near Coba
Cenote Choo-Ha is a shallow cenote with crystal-clear blue water and stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Cenote Tamcach-Ha is a deep cenote with two jumping platforms (5 and 10 metres) for those feeling brave. Cenote Multun-Ha is located deeper in the jungle and tends to be the quietest of the three.
Admission to each cenote costs around 55 pesos (approximately 2.60 €). For a detailed description of all three cenotes, including photos and directions, check out this excellent guide.
Where to Stay Near Coba
The ruins are conveniently located near Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Valladolid, with Tulum being the closest at just a 40-minute drive.
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A hostel right in Tulum’s hotel zone with its own cenote and an affordable on-site restaurant. In Tulum’s hotel zone, that’s practically a miracle.[/lgc_column]
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Zamunda Garden View Apartments aren’t right on the beach in the hotel zone, but you get a fantastic apartment at a great price. The property is located in the town centre.[/lgc_column]
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One of the most stylish hotels in all of Mexico.[/lgc_column]
Tips for Visiting Coba Mexico
Coba is 44 km (40 minutes) from Tulum and 110 km (90 minutes) from Playa del Carmen.
Besides driving, you can reach the ruins by ADO buses or cheap Colectivo minibuses.
Rent bicycles on-site for 50 pesos (about 2.50 €).
Bring plenty of water — you’ll easily spend two hours or more exploring.
As always, it’s best to visit the ruins early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the peak crowds.
Tips and Tricks for Travelling in Mexico
What to Pack
Check out our packing guide to help you prepare. Pick the right travel backpack, browse our favourite travel gadgets, and make sure you don’t leave anything essential behind.
Finding Flights
We search for cheap flights on Kiwi — it’s our go-to flight search engine. From the UK, you can find direct flights to Cancún with carriers like TUI, British Airways, or Virgin Atlantic. Also check out our guide to finding cheap flights.
Car Rental
We regularly use the comparison site RentalCars.com to find the best car hire deals. In Playa del Carmen, try reaching out via everythingplayadelcarmen.org — Sergio will sort you out.
Lukáš and Lucie recommend
Where to stay in Coba
4 accommodations — wellness hotels and other accommodation options
Travel insurance is an absolute must. For shorter trips, we use AXA (50% discount), and for longer adventures, we go with True Traveller, a UK-based insurer. Have a look at our travel insurance comparison to find the best option for you.
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Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
We moved to Mexico for several months and explored the Yucatan Peninsula extensively. Here's our detailed Yucatan Mexico itinerary for 2-3 weeks, covering where to go, where to eat, and what you absolutely shouldn't miss.
Mexico is a land of contrasts. Cheerful tourists walking past newspapers full of dead bodies, perfect white beaches and stinking mountains of seaweed on the shore. Total slowness, smiling people, a beautiful language and sunshine. That's life in Yucatan Mexico — and so much more.
