A Bit of History in the Cancun Hotel Zone

Nestled in between the luxury resorts, white-sand beaches and party madness that compose Cancun, you'll find a bit of history. Well, it’s actually more than just a bit. Ruinas Del Rey is a small archeological site located directly inside of Cancun's Hotel Zone. Ruinas Del Rey offer tourists a glimpse back into Mayan history without traveling very far from their Cancun resort.

Getting to the ruins is pretty simple. Ruinas Del Rey is situated directly on the main bus route in Cancun, not far from the Cancun Hilton Golf Course and across from Playa Delfines. An entrance fee of about 30 Pesos or $3 is charged to visitors who can enjoy the attraction most days between 8 am and 5 pm. Tours are also available for those who wish to learn more about the largest archeological site on Cancun. Touring the entire property takes no longer than a couple hours and is worth the detour.

This small archeological site represents the remnants of a Mayan palace that may have been built as early as 600 A.D. The palace consists of two plazas and several buildings surrounded by several platforms which may have served as observatories. Additionally, you’ll see interesting murals painted throughout the ruins. As you walk about, you’ll also notice the strangely large number of iguanas that inhabit this area. Visitors should not be surprised by the level of comfort that these lizards have with humans. They have become used to these visitors who often gawk and feed them crackers or whatever else is readily available.

While the ruins are not overly impressive, the location is what really what draws tourists to this spot. The ruins tend to attract passer-bys coming and going from one end of the Hotel Zone to the other. If nothing else, Ruinas Del Rey serves as taste of what the Mayan civilization and culture was all about.