Travel Diaries: Costa Maya, Mexico
Costa Maya has thrived since the introduction of a small cruise port, bringing new tourist revenue to an otherwise difficult to access region. This tiny modern construction, made to resemble Mayan temples, is in stark contrast to the vast jungle sprawling to the horizon, but provides a gateway to explore the rich history of this region.
Image via Charlotte Bird
The intense morning sun already made you feel weary, but the pier stretching out into the glorious Caribbean Sea instantly enticed me for a dip and to explore the coral reefs along the coastline.
However, there were sites to be seen and so I took a tour to the Dzibanché Archaeological Site. This once major Mayan city boasts archaeological structures dating to the 5th century AD and was the seat of the Snake Dynasty.
Whilst walking through the shroud of the jungle encroaching upon the ruins, I was told tales of the construction methods, the precise mathematics involved in positioning buildings and the significance of carvings upon the temples.
Image via Charlotte Bird
Most of the ruins are too delicate for visitors to access - as you can imagine, if millions of tourists trampled upon them, they wouldn’t last too long! This means that nature has been allowed to reclaim some of the structures in a beautiful symbiosis. Plus the jungle provided ample shade from the baking heat and opportunity to observe tropical birds flitting from tree to tree.
From a vantage point, an incredible expanse of untouched land was visible, truly spectacular to see as a city girl. Yet turning around, I was confronted by the shocking sight of a fire billowing in the far distance. Perhaps a result of direct human activity or perhaps yet another consequence of climate change, seeing it was no less a shock to the system.
Image via Charlotte Bird
Back on the ground, the tour continued to another, lesser known sight – Kohunlich. A warren of ruins were available to walk around, many still only partially excavated. Those that are, reveal numerous houses once belonging to the elite who lived in this major city, including stone beds.
Kohunlich was located on an important trade route and had developed the technology to create a reservoir, aiding the society to thrive. Stone walls that formed part of this reservoir are still visible, and whilst observing these, howler monkeys high overhead made their presence known in a raucous chorus.
The Temple of the Masks is one of the oldest buildings at the site, where a series of carved platforms comprises one wall of the temple. Depicting the Mayan Sun God and a plethora of mythical beasts, the walls would have originally been painted bright red, some of which is still visible all these centuries later.
Image via Charlotte Bird
Upon further exploration, the Temple of Captives preserves glyphs carved into the steps at the front of the temple, providing the names of all the people taken captive during war. Fascinating, if very grisly!
As the guide spoke of community ball games, rituals and the intricate steles detailing the history of the city, a stunning trail of striped creepy crawlies caught my eye as they made their way up the tree trunks. Nature at its surprising best.
And with that came the end of my time in Costa Maya. A fantastic opportunity to immerse myself in ancient culture as well as some stunning nature.
We hope that you have learnt something from these historical and cultural anecdotes and that one day soon(ish) we can travel again to discover more fascinating places. But for now, stay local and share your favourite holiday memories with us at City Girl Network!
Bon voyage!
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Written by Charlotte Bird
