San Gervasio

[hal2008]

when do they open in the morning?

is it safe to go there (all girls) by taxi in the morning?

 

how long it takes to go there from International pier by taxi?

are mosquitoes serious problem?

 

apologies for multiple questions but would appreciate sharing of any personal experience.

 

regards

[Laughing Angel]

I believe the site opens at 8 AM.

 

Yes, it is safe to travel by taxi to the ruins. I'd say it's about a 20 minute or so ride.

 

Absolutely, take insect repellent. Those mosquitos can be pretty hearty.

 

My family enjoyed this site very much. Sure, it's not anything close to the ruins on the mainland (it is a minor site by Mayan standards), but we thought it was of great interest. It is surrounded by jungle. Lots of flowers, and even iguanas. Great photo ops. You can get a guide or do the self tour. We were there a little over an hour and had fun. Hope you do too!

[Riconcoz]

The Mayan ruins of San Gervasio are located near the center of the island, 11 kilometers east of town and 6 kilometers north of the east-coast/west coast highway (el transversal) at the end of a park road. You can get there by taxi, rental car, rental motorbike, or by a guided tour (either in a forty-passenger tour bus, or a ten passenger van). Parking is free. The ruins lie in a Mexican National Park that itself lies with the boundries of a Quintana Roo State Park. Consequently, there is a $4.00USD State Park entrance fee (you can pay the equivalent in pesos) collected at the entrance to the shop area (el parador turistica) which covers the cost of maintaining the park road, the bathrooms, and the other tourist facilities at the entrance. You must pay another $4.00 (or equivalent in pesos) National Park entrance fee at the entrance to the National Park, a little farther in. This second fee is for the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia (INAH) to pay for maintenance and repair of the ruins, groundskeepers, and park rangers. There are guides available for hire at the entrance for around 18.00 USD (plus and expected tip) but sometimes the stories these fellows give are heavily dosed with fantasy. For a self-guided tour, as well as the true history of the ruins, a guidebook is available at the first ticket counter as well as several of the souviner shops near the entrance. Another guidebook is also available from Amazon books as either a kindle eBook or a paperback, entitled Guide to the Mayan Ruins of San Gervasio, Cozumel. It is well worth the small investment, as are bug spray, sunscreen, and a bottle of water. A good pair of shoes (not flip-flops) and a hat are also a good idea. The park is open daily from 8 am to 4 pm, but you cannot enter after 3 pm (you wouldn't have enough time to visit, anyway).

If you have time after the ruins, a trip to the Museo de la Isla (Island Museum) is highly recommended. One of its salons has many of the ancient Mayan artifacts excavated from San Gervasio, as well as other historic pieces from the island. The museum is located on the waterfront, at the corner of calle 6 norte (6th Street North) and is open daily from 9am to 5pm, and the entrance fee is 4.00 USD.

[Host Faith]

when do they open in the morning?

is it safe to go there (all girls) by taxi in the morning?

 

how long it takes to go there from International pier by taxi?

are mosquitoes serious problem?

 

apologies for multiple questions but would appreciate sharing of any personal experience.

 

regards

 

We visited the ruins (3 women) by hiring a driver in Cozumel. Felt very safe the whole time. If you check out my Liberty review in my signature, you can see the ruins and our experience there. We had a nice time.

 

No mosquitos when we were there but I had repellant just in case, it took about 20 mins to get there if I remember correctly. I would get there early; you'll likely have the place almost to yourselves. Feel free to ask questions :)