Climbing NOHOCH MUL at COBA, can you anymore?

[MayanMonkey]

Hello all, I'm new here, just registered today.

 

For those of you who have been to the Coba Ruins recently...can you still climb Nohoch Mul, the big pyramid?

 

I'm traveling through a Princess ship excursion and it sez "Climbing the ruins is prohibited" on Princess.coms website.

 

This is going to be a HUGE factor in whether we decide to go to Coba or instead go to the Tulum ruins and Xel-Ha Lagoon excursion.

 

So, who out there has been to Nohoch mul at Coba recently and climbed up that sucker! Also, for those of you that have done both excursions...which do ya' prefer?

 

We are sailing on the Caribbean Princess from Ft. Lauderdale Sep. 30, 2007 and stopping off at Princess Cays, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

 

 

Thanks all!:)

MayanMonkey

[MayanMonkey]

I feel pretty stupid after asking my question, considering Hurricane Dean possibly falling somewhere in the Cozumel/Cancun and Yucatan Penisula areas. I can assure you my first concerns are with the folks in Dean's path. However, in my defense when I posted my initial post I had been so busy planning out this cruise and it's excursions that I hadn't been in touch wih the news, and was not aware of Hurricane Dean...and for that I feel like a idiot.

 

However, for this cruise or future cruises, I would like to know what those of you who have done Coba (Nohoch Mul) Pyramid know about the current status of being able to climb it for that incredible view I have read so many times here on this site.

 

So, God willing.... can one still climb the Coba Ruins (Nohoch Mul) Pyramid?

 

Anybody? I'm new here...and this is will only be my second cruise (God willing). So, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks all,

Take care

MayanMonkey

[driftwood]

As Princess, I can give you no guarantees--the keeper and preserver of Mexican antiquities, INAH, has the power to open and close sites and portions of sites at any time and for any reason. This happens more often when INAH and their associated archaeologists are actually engaged in studies at a particular site, but they have closed areas when it appeared the press of tourism was beginning to cause material damage--at least until they have been able to reinforce or protect the threatened portion. At Chichén Itzá, for example, we were unable to visit the southern part of the site because INAH was engaged in studies, and we were unable to climb the steps to the Temple of the Warriors to see the Chac Mool because evidently there had been too many tourists up and down recently. But El Castillo was made fair game, inside and out. So you will find much to do, no matter where you go. But Coba has been on sort of a back burner in recent years. Coba is a site dating back to the "Classical" period of Mayan Civilization, so it is in fact older than either Chichén Itzá or Tulum. And it is enormous--there would be plenty to climb even if Nohoch Mul is forbidden--which would surprise me very much!

 

If you are so fond of climbing, I assure you you will prefer Coba to Tulum; I have gone to Coba twice and will happily go any time I have the opportunity. I have gone to Tulum once: it is very beautiful, and as it is on the beach my wife would prefer to go there; but I will always prefer Coba myself. It is a beautiful, quiet place, with plenty of shade. Tulum does not have plenty of shade.

[MayanMonkey]

Thanks Driftwood for all the info. It is greatly appreciated. I wish I could visit all the Mayan sites in the Cozumel area, but time will not allow so maybe down the road. I have noticed of the Princess excursions (Tulum, Coba, Muyil and San Gervasio) offered all of them say "Climbing on the ruins is prohibited". So, I'm thinking this is just a blanket statement from Princess without much bearing. I mean... I already know you can't walk on any of the ruins at Tulum, and I am sure other sites have parts that are off limits as well and I respect that. Then of course as Driftwood mentioned the INAH being involved in studies or restoration at a particular site.

 

Anyway, it's probably better to stay off some of these sites as our tourist feet can do a number on these ruins over time when arriving in droves everday as the cruise ships turn us loose:D.

 

I am not big into climbing or anthing, but in order to see that magnificant view from the top of Nohoch Mul that I have seen in pictures around the net...I have to climb it! I agree with you Driftwood, when you said it would suprise you if I wasn't allowed to climb Nohoch Mul.

 

So, I am leaning toward Coba, for many reasons...it's history, it's in the forest and every other port of call I will being going to I will pretty much be out in the sun (aside from some places I will go in Ocho Rios), or snorkeling reefs or whatever. So, Coba offers a change of scenary and the chance to see something thousands of years old, and of course there is that incredible view from the top I have seen in pictures and hope that I am able to stand in the same spot and take my own pic...if they let me climb:)! Tulum, looks so cool though, too! Decisions... Decisions!

 

I'm not much into the whole Margaritaville, Hard Rock cafe, crowded Beach resorts type of thing. I figure, while in Cozumel...and being so close to several incredible Mayan Temples and Ruins...I would be crazy not to try to visit one of them (which is all the ship port time will allow:(). I mean, I can drive a few hours down the road and go to a Hard Rock Cafe here in the states...not so easy to do that with 1000+ old Mayan Temples!

 

Driftwood, seeing that you seem to have visited quite a few of the sites I mentioned above that are offered by Princess. Which one do you think that I would enjoy the most? I have researched and seen some pics of all the sites, and each has a fascinating history.

 

Chichen Itza would instantly be my first choice, but as I read in the other post regarding the prices of the airplanes, that's just not gonna' happen this time around. Just can't swing that kind of cash:(. I pray I can go there some other day...it looks breathtaking!

 

MayanMonkey

[driftwood]

The amazing thing to me so far is that there are so many Mayan sites, and that so many of them are impressive--although each is very different from the others. Of those you list the only one I haven't visited is San Gervasio. Of those you list Coba, in the Classical period, is the oldest, has the highest pyramid yet detected on the Yucatan Peninsula, has more shade available than any but perhaps Muyil, will occupy the most time both in transportation to and from and in exploration. I have been there twice and will gladly go again anytime.

 

But there is no beach within probably fifty miles in any direction from Coba; there is no gingerbread as we find at Chichén Itzá, and the massiveness of the structures might be a little oppressive. Coba has a very attractive ball court, two major pyramids and an untold number of lesser buildings, many of them not yet cleared or excavated. Many skull carvings! Another item is a hard-to-detect sacbé, a highly engineered road the Maya used to connect their city-states. I think the guide told me this one runs sixty miles through the jungle to the south. Just the tiny bit I saw astonished me.

 

So I would recommend Coba personally, especially if you have seen no others. It is huge and satisfying! ;)