Coba is another fascinating mayan city in the Yucatan Peninsula. Unlike Chichen Itza, I had never heard of Coba before coming to Mexico and had not idea what to expect during our visit. I didn't know it was going to be such an unforgettable and unique adventure.
The site consists of a large complex of ruins (again, yes! I love ruins!). Only a small portion of the structure has been cleared from the jungle and restored by archaeologists, but there is still a lot to see.
The site is quite spead out, it extends over some 80 km² so you can rent bycicles to get around the ruins. I loved biking in the jungle (and under the shade!).
Coba isn't as touristy as places like Chichen Itza or Tulum so you can actually still climb the pyramid and enjoy a breathtaking view of the jungle. Climbing to the top of Nohoch Mul Pyramid was quite an adventure but it was so worth it.
I have seen some people with vertigo struggling to get on top as it is very high (42m - 132ft). Also, they don't look like it, but the stairs are very steep so it's a genuine physical exercice to get up there!
We visited the ruins late in the day, and we stayed until its closure. Most visitors were gone already when we went on the top of the pyramid!
Going down is almost as tough as going up, this is why there’s a thick rope in the middle of the stairs.
I read there are 3 nice cenotes to visit close to Coba. Unfortunately, there weren't enough hours in the day for us to see everything we wanted to. If you have more time than us, make sure you look up for the following: Cenote Choo-Ha (crystal blue water and stalagmites), Cenote Tamcach-Ha (a deep underground cavern with two jumping platforms) and Cenote Multun-Ha.