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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 🇲🇽
📢 Good news: since December 7, 2025, you can once again climb to the top of the Nohoch Mul pyramid! Climbing had been banned since 2019 (including during our visit): it’s now done via a wooden staircase laid over the original steps.
The Cobá ruins are set deep in the jungle, with nothing but trees and ancient Mayan buildings. The site is much less touristy than Chichén Itzá or the Tulum ruins, since it’s farther from the big tourist towns. Its name is said to mean “waters stirred by the wind,” because the city is surrounded by several lagoons.
Cobá was a very large Mayan city: according to INAH, it had up to 50,000 inhabitants, and systematic excavations have been carried out there since 1972, with much of it still to be explored 🤠. You have to walk a few kilometers, often in the shade, to visit the many buildings. What makes Cobá different from Ek Balam, Uxmal or Calakmul is its network of Mayan ceremonial roads (sacbés) linking the different groups to the great pyramid. The site isn’t far from Valladolid and Tulum, ideal if you have a car 🚗.
👉 Planning your trip? Also read our 10 things to know before visiting Mexico.
THE MAP OF OUR MEXICO ROAD TRIP 🗺️
To help you plan your itinerary, we’ve gathered every place from our 30-day road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽 on an interactive map: cenotes, Mayan sites, beaches and stopover towns, from Yucatán to Quintana Roo. Click on each pin to discover the place in detail 📍. And to keep it handy during your trip, open it in Google Maps: you’ll find it easily on your phone 📱.
Our itinerary
Our trip to Mexico
1 month8 stops2 states: Yucatán & Quintana RooCar + ferry to the islands
The stops, in order
- 1
Cancún
1 night
Arrival by plane, then last night before the flight home
- 2
Holbox
3 nights
Beaches, sunsets and a timeless vibe
- 3
Valladolid
5 nights
Suytun, Oxman, Ik Kil, Chichén Itzá, Ek Balam
- 4
Mérida
3 nights
Uxmal and the 3 cenotes of Cuzamá
- 5
Bacalar
5 nights
The lagoon of seven colors and its cenotes
- 6
Tulum
4 nights
Ruins, Coba, Sian Ka'an, Cenote Azul and Calavera
- 7
Cozumel
4 nights
Scuba diving and snorkeling
- 8
Isla Mujeres
3 nights
Jet skiing, beaches and the end of the road trip
VISITING THE COBÁ RUINS: OUR EXPERIENCE 😃
JUNGLE AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE
Cobá is a pretty extraordinary place, very different from the other sites we visited in Mexico. You arrive in a city surrounded by jungle 🌳, where you can spot lots of animals. In October 2021, we paid 60 pesos for parking (€3) and 80 pesos per person (€4) for admission: a ridiculously low price back then compared with Uxmal or Chichén Itzá. It has gone up a lot since (see below).
From the entrance, you feel the freedom to wander around and take in what’s left of the Mayan buildings. We did everything on foot: it’s long and very hot 🥵, but it lets you see things in more detail. We stayed about 2 to 2.5 hours. You can also rent a bike 🚲 or take a bici-taxi: it’s up to you and your budget. Remember to bring plenty of water!
CLIMBING THE NOHOCH MUL PYRAMID (POSSIBLE AGAIN)
At 42 meters (138 ft), the Nohoch Mul pyramid is the tallest on the site, and INAH describes it as the tallest in the northern Maya area 😱. Since December 7, 2025, you can once again climb to the top, via a wooden staircase installed over the original steps. During our stay in 2021, climbing was banned (since 2019), and we were gutted 😢. The view from the top over the jungle must be incredible, like the one we had at Calakmul. The climb is reportedly done in small groups early in the day: ask at the entrance.
THE SITE’S 3 GROUPS
Cobá is divided into 3 groups, where you’ll find many buildings 👇
- The Cobá Group, with more than 53 buildings, including the oldest part of the city: La Iglesia, Stela 11, Structure 4, the ball court and the Kan staircase.
- Group D, home to the Conjunto de las Pinturas (Paintings Group), another ball court, Sacbé 1 and the Xaibé, which means “crossroads.”
- The Nohoch Mul Group, with of course the 42-meter pyramid and Stela 20, the most beautiful stela on the Cobá site.
HOW TO GET TO COBÁ FROM TULUM, VALLADOLID OR CANCÚN ⏳
To get to the Cobá ruins, you can go:
- By car 🚗: allow about 45 minutes from Tulum, 1 hour from Valladolid and 2 hours from Cancún or Playa del Carmen. We were staying in Tulum with our rental car. Don’t forget that Mexico is big: if you want to be free and independent in getting around, a car is a great compromise. Feel free to check out my article on renting a car in Mexico.
- By bus 🚌: contrary to what you might think, there are very few buses: usually one ADO departure in the morning from Tulum and one or two returns in the afternoon. Check the schedule the day before.
- By colectivo 🚐: from Tulum, they leave when they’re full (count on about 60 to 100 pesos).
- By Tren Maya 🚆: there’s no station in Cobá. Get off in Tulum, then finish the trip by colectivo, taxi or rental car.
👉 For us, the car was essential: it let us combine the Cobá ruins and Cenote Choo-Ha in the same day, without relying on public transportation.
RENTING A CAR IN MEXICO 🚗
To explore Yucatán and Quintana Roo, we think a rental car is the best option: you’re free to string together cenotes, Mayan sites and beaches at your own pace, without depending on bus schedules or organized tours 🌴.
We did our whole one-month road trip by car, and everything went really well. Here’s the agency we used and recommend, plus an alternative if you’d rather compare 👇
Our rental tip
Renting a car in Mexico
The agency we used, and an alternative to compare.
TouraCancun
Car rental in Mexico
We rented with them for our whole road trip: we recommend them without hesitation!
Our budget€95028 days, insurance included · ~€34/day
- Tested for 1 month
- Pick-up in Cancún
- Our go-to in Mexico
DiscoverCars
Rental comparison site
To compare several rental companies in a single search.
Excellent rating290,000+ Trustpilot reviews
- 1,000+ rental companies compared
- Free cancellation
- 24/7 support
To compare before you choose
Good to know before you rent
- Third-party liability insurance is mandatoryIn Mexico, it's often not included in the price shown online: check before you pay.
- A deposit on a credit cardAn amount is held on your card for the whole rental. Bring a card with a high enough limit.
- Your French driving license is enoughIt's accepted for tourists. The international driving permit is optional: only if you want one.
- Photos and video at pick-upFilm the car from every angle when you collect it, to avoid any dispute when you return it.
- Filling up at the gas stationCheck that the pump meter is at zero before the attendant starts.
- Watch out for “topes”These speed bumps are everywhere, sometimes without a sign: slow down as you enter villages.
COBÁ RUINS ENTRANCE FEE AND OPENING HOURS ⏰
▶️ The site is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry around 4 p.m. (some recent sources say 3:30 p.m.: check on site).
💰 In October 2021, we paid 80 pesos per person (€4) and 60 pesos for parking. Since January 2026, INAH has moved Cobá into a higher category: count on about 209 pesos (about €10) for a foreign visitor now. Parking is around 50 pesos. These prices change, so bring cash: read our article Where to withdraw money in Mexico.
BIKE, BICI-TAXI OR ON FOOT?
- 🚶 On foot, like us: free, slower, but ideal for seeing the details. The pyramid is about 1.5 km (1 mile) from the entrance.
- 🚲 Bike: about 50 to 80 pesos.
- 🛺 Bici-taxi with a driver for 2 people: about 140 to 150 pesos.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED?
Allow 2 to 3 hours for the site: we stayed 2 to 2.5 hours, on foot. Add time if you climb the pyramid. You can hire a guide on site to better understand the history: if you meet other travelers, split the cost!
THE CENOTES AND LAGOON AROUND COBÁ 💦
THE CHOO-HA, TAMCACH-HA AND MULTUN-HA CENOTES
A few kilometers from the ruins, three cenotes share the same ticket office: Choo-Ha, Tamcach-Ha and Multun-Ha. They’re ideal for cooling off after your visit: we discovered Choo-Ha right after Cobá, with its mystical cave atmosphere. Each cenote charges its own fee, in cash.
THE CROCODILES OF THE COBÁ LAGOON 🐊
Crocodiles live in the Cobá lagoon, near the restaurants at the entrance to the village. Watch them from a distance, and whatever you do, don’t swim in the lagoon!
If you’re staying in Tulum, Cobá also pairs really well with a day at Muyil and the Sian Ka’an reserve.
THINGS TO KNOW 🥰
As in all our articles, here are a few tips for visiting the Cobá archaeological site:
- A few restaurants nearby, at the entrance to the village 🍽️.
- Parking isn’t free 🅿️.
- During our visit, we were lucky to have very few people around, but the site is getting more and more touristy: arrive at opening time.
- You can do the visit by bike or bici-taxi 🚴 (we did it on foot).
- Lots of animals: you’re right in the jungle.
- 📢 Since December 7, 2025, you can once again climb to the top of the Nohoch Mul pyramid.
- Bring plenty of water and bug spray: it’s very hot 🥵.
- You can tip your guide, it’s always appreciated.
- No need to book online.
- Wear good walking shoes.
DISCOVER THE COBÁ RUINS ON A TOUR
You can easily get there on your own, but if you’d rather go on a tour, that’s totally possible. It’s also a good compromise if you don’t have a vehicle. There are lots of tours that let you visit Cobá and other places in one day.. If you’re out of ideas (you’ve got plenty of choice) 👇
OUR REVIEW OF THE COBÁ RUINS 💭
Cobá is a city that really takes you somewhere else, where it’s a pleasure to wander through the jungle discovering the Mayan buildings. The ruins are rich in history and teach you even more about the Maya and how they lived. We were gutted not to be able to climb the great pyramid 😢: it’s now possible, so make the most of it!
If you have time, don’t hesitate to visit the Cobá ruins, then head to a nearby cenote to cool off 💦. That’s what we did, with Cenote Choo-Ha. Planning our trip ourselves let us do tons of visits, discover places that aren’t necessarily very touristy and live our adventure in this gorgeous country to the fullest 🇲🇽.
👉 Cobá was part of our one-month road trip in Mexico. Itinerary, real budget, places to stay, cenotes and Mayan sites: we’ve gathered everything on our Mexico travel blog.
👉 What about you? What did you think of the Cobá ruins?
FAQ: YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COBÁ RUINS ❓
These are the questions people often ask before visiting Cobá. Feel free to ask yours in the comments, and I’ll add to this FAQ 💬.
Since January 2026, count on about 209 pesos (about €10) for a foreign visitor. In October 2021, we paid 80 pesos per person. INAH prices are revised every year: bring cash.
Yes, since December 7, 2025, via a wooden staircase installed by INAH. Climbing had been banned since 2019, so we couldn’t climb it in 2021. The pyramid is 42 m tall.
The site is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry around 4 p.m. Get there at opening time to avoid the heat and the lines.
It’s not required: we did everything on foot; it’s long and hot, but you see more details. The pyramid is about 1.5 km from the entrance; a bike costs about 50 to 80 pesos, a bici-taxi about 140 to 150 pesos.
No. We paid 60 pesos in 2021, and recent visitors mention about 50 pesos. The price may vary.
By car, allow about 45 minutes, as we did from our place in Tulum. Without a car, there are colectivos and about one ADO bus a day, with few returns in the afternoon.
No, there’s no station in Cobá. Get off in Tulum, then reach the site by colectivo, taxi or rental car.
Plan on 2 to 3 hours for the site: we stayed 2 to 2.5 hours, on foot. You can add a nearby cenote the same day, as we did with Cenote Choo-Ha.
Choo-Ha, Tamcach-Ha and Multun-Ha are a few kilometers from the ruins and share the same ticket office. You need a car, a bike or a taxi to get there.
Yes, crocodiles live in the Cobá lagoon, near the restaurants at the entrance to the village. Watch them from a distance and don’t swim in the lagoon.
WHERE TO STAY IN MEXICO 🏨
During our one-month road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽, we stayed in 8 different towns, alternating between Airbnbs and hotels. And we were always very happy with where we stayed 😇.
We deliberately avoided “All Inclusive” packages. It’s not our idea of travel: we’d rather be in the heart of towns and villages, eat local and discover the country at our own pace 🌮.
OUR TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY
- 📅 Book ahead in high season: the best places go fast and prices climb.
- 🚗 Private or secure parking if you’re traveling with a rental car. You’ll see, it’s not always available, but depending on the town it can be really worth having.
- ❄️ Air conditioning: essential in Yucatán and Quintana Roo, where it’s hot all year round.
- 🏊 A pool: up to you whether you want one at some of your stays, because it can quickly push the price up.
- 📍 A place close to the center: so you can do everything on foot in the evening. That said, if you like places outside town and you have the car, nothing forces you to stay near the center
- ✅ Free cancellation, to keep your itinerary flexible.
AIRBNB OR HOTEL IN MEXICO?
Both have their advantages. An Airbnb is ideal for more space, a kitchen and living like a local. A hotel is more convenient for one or two nights passing through, with a reception desk and often breakfast included. As for us, we liked both. It all depends on what you want, whether you’re with family, solo or as a couple, and how you like to travel.
HOW MUCH DOES ACCOMMODATION COST IN MEXICO?
There’s something for every taste and every budget. We paid between €40 and €100 a night for two. To be completely transparent with you: €1,800 for 29 nights, or about €62 a night on average (that was in 2021, prices may have changed since).
👇 Here are the 8 places where we slept during our road trip, with our review of each one.
Tested during our road trip
Our 8 places to stay in Mexico
AirbnbHotel
-
AirbnbHolbox
An incredible room, with the pool right next door to cool off. Just perfect!
- Room
- Pool right next door
- Incredible room
- Hotel
Valladolid
A stunning setting and a super spacious room, ideal for catching your breath between two cenotes.
- Very spacious room
- Pool
- On-site massages
- Airbnb
Mérida
A whole house just for us, with a small pool to relax.
- Whole house
- Small pool
- A bit out of the way
- Hotel
Bacalar
A gorgeous place right in the town center, with a superb pool.
- Hotel
- Superb pool
- Town center, far from the lagoon
- Airbnb
Tulum
A whole place with a pool, but very far out: you'll need the car.
- Whole place
- Pool
- Far out, car essential
- Airbnb
Cozumel
A clean, well-located studio, so you can do everything on foot from the town center.
- Studio
- Clean and well designed
- Close to the center
- Hotel
Isla Mujeres
A beautiful seafront hotel with a magnificent pool.
- Hotel
- Magnificent pool
- Seafront, a bit out of the way
- Hotel
Cancún
Right next to the airport: perfect for the first or last night of the trip.
- Hotel
- Close to the airport
- Ideal for the 1st or last night
MY MUST-HAVE TRAVEL GEAR 🧳
It’s a question that comes up a lot when preparing a trip “What should I bring?” That’s why you’ll find below some essential travel accessories to set off on vacation with peace of mind (your documents kept safe) 🛡️ . Planning ahead and getting these items in advance helps you save money and avoid paying for some of them on the spot, where they’ll cost you much more 💸 These are the accessories we took to Mexico and still use for every destination we travel to 👇.
Our road trip checklist
What to pack for Mexico?
Most of these items came with us throughout our 30-day road trip.
0 / 12 in my suitcase · check what you already have
- Essential
ElectronicsUniversal travel adapter
In Mexico, outlets are the American type: French chargers won't fit.
- Essential
ElectronicsPower bank
Long days between ruins and cenotes: your phone lasts until evening.
- Essential
Health & protectionBiodegradable sunscreen
Mineral and biodegradable, kinder to cenotes and reefs.
- Essential
Health & protectionMosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are everywhere, especially in the evening and near the jungle.
- Essential
Cenotes & beachWaterproof phone pouch
To film in cenotes and at the beach without any risk.
- Recommended
Health & protectionFilter water bottle
Tap water isn't drinkable in Mexico: filter it and avoid plastic.
- Recommended
Health & protectionTravel first-aid kit
Band-aids, painkillers, anti-diarrhea meds: enough to handle small issues.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWaterproof bag
Papers and keys kept dry on boats, at the beach or by the cenotes.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWater shoes
For slippery cenote steps and rocky seabeds.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachMicrofiber towel
Light and quick-drying: perfect for swim after swim.
- Bonus
Travel & securityTSA lock
To lock your suitcase on the plane, with no risk of it being broken at security.
- Bonus
Travel & securityAirTag
To track your suitcase if your luggage is delayed or lost.
OUR YOUTUBE VIDEOS IN MEXICO 
During our 30-day road trip in Mexico 
, we filmed everything! From Holbox to Cancún, by way of Valladolid, Mérida, Bacalar, Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, we take you along with us step by step in our vlogs.
You’ll discover the cenotes we swam in, the Mayan sites we explored, the beaches that made us dream, our places to stay, our favorite spots to eat… and above all our honest take on each place: what amazed us, and what disappointed us a little 
.
If you’re planning your trip, or simply dreaming of getting away, these videos will give you a real glimpse of Mexico, far from the tourist brochures.
Our road trip on video
Our YouTube videos in Mexico
Now watching: Episode 1 · Discovering Mexico & Holbox
21 minEpisode 1Discovering Mexico & Holbox- 17 minEpisode 2Cenotes & Mayan cities
- 9 minEpisode 3Mérida, Uxmal, Cuzamá & the bats
- 13 minEpisode 4Bacalar, a hidden paradise
- 12 minEpisode 5Tulum, Coba, Sian Ka'an & Cenote Azul
- 12 minEpisode 6Cozumel, diving & snorkeling
- 17 minEpisode 7Isla Mujeres, jet skiing & the end of the road trip
21 min
17 min
9 min
13 min
12 min
12 min
17 minTHANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK
Thanks for reading this article all the way to the end 🙏! We hope it helps you plan your trip.
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