Sunset at Coba
Coba appealed to our aesthetic sense for multiple reasons. Dilapidated Mayan ruins that are still climbable, the view from atop the 137 feet Nohuch Mul pyramid is simply spectacular. A sunset here is a special moment – the remarkable golden colors diffuse over a vast expanse of Yucatan tropical forests with not a human structure marring the view. It also doesn’t see nearly as many visitors as the popular tourist traps nearby – Chichen Itza, Tulum & Cancun.
Located in the Yucatan peninsula in the Quintana Roo province, Coba is accessible from both Valladolid & Tulum. It’s also accessible from Playa del Carmen & Cancun, albeit a little longer drive. We were staying in Valladolid for a few days, and had a day set aside to explore Coba.
I freelance on design projects & had just finished an assignment for a client before embarking to Mexico. A last minute urgent request from the client had me spending half of this day reeling to finish up the design changes as soon as possible. Kishore went off on a quick trip to Chichen Itza nearby to pass time while I worked. Our AirBNB place was located in historic downtown Valladolid and opened up to a public plaza with restaurants, a school and shops nearby. Our AirBNB host also ran a coffee shop right next door. I went in to get my daily caffeine fix & some more intel on Coba. A few broken Spanish sentences from me, and a few broken English sentences from the hostess later, I perked up immediately when I heard that there is a special sunset tour in Coba in the evening that is a little more pricey, but much better than the regular tours. What serendipity!! If we had just gone to Coba in the morning, we would have been scooted out by the park officials by 5PM and never heard of the sunset tour. All was not lost, and this day could still be salvaged! It got decidedly better when a local group started their lively daily morning Zumba routine in the plaza. I settled in happily on a bench outside with my cappuccino & laptop. What started out as a gloomy day suddenly got much brighter!
We regrouped well past lunch. Our plan was to get a quick bite to eat and then head out directly to Coba for sunset. To save time, we picked ‘Yerba Buena del Sisal’, a highly reviewed and favorited joint just outside our AirBNB place. Set in a colorful decor with artfully decorated plants & trees, the food was fresh & delicious with tons of vegetarian & vegan options. However, the pace of service was slow & seemed deliberate so guests can enjoy a great conversation over good food. Our “quick” lunch turned into a full blown gastronomical experience & blew past any chance of us exploring everything that Coba had to offer. All we had time for was a sunset hike to Nohuch Mul. We still decided to have a go & reached Coba in just under an hour.
The ruins in Coba are spread out over miles and could take several hours to explore by foot. With the sunset hour rapidly approaching, we took the easy way out and did the chauffeured tricycle tour. Feeling a tad bit ashamed for ourselves & bad for the driver (I am still in wonder at how he was able to take on our collective weight & keep a brisk pace), we tried really hard to follow as he explained the various sights in Spanish.
We discerned what it must feel like to be an early explorer. It was just the three of us all along the way as the tricycle sped through the winding trail with dense jungle on either side. The sounds of birds & spider monkeys pierced the air. Thick trees & plants reclaiming land & vines covering the mounds all added to the sense that this was a lost place being discovered.
We finally reached Nohuch Mul to find other drivers patiently waiting for their patrons. Rising 137 feet tall, there are 120 steep stairs in total to the top, and it is definitely not for those with vertigo. Once atop, the view is remarkable – jungle canopy as far as the eye can see. The few of us that were there for this special moment watched the sunset in silence before heading down safely to make our way back.
I highly recommend Coba. We want to go back to Coba as well so we can completely explore the place. Just exercise common sense & caution. Also, no tripods are allowed, so do not even try debating with the guards on bringing one. I heard from the local guides that this is one of the few pyramids left in all of Mexico that still allows people to climb atop & the government is just itching to find a good reason to shut down the climbing for safety reasons. All it takes is for an idiot tourist not exercising caution to ruin it for the rest.
How to get there:
- Valladolid to Coba: A short drive under an hour
2. Cancun to Coba: Accessible through Cancun, Playa Del Carmen or Tulum as well