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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Coba
Cobá
Go for one day from Tulum or Valladolid: ruins open at 08:00, M$100 entry cash, 2 km+ of trails, climb Nohoch Mul before 10:00.
Coba is a Maya ruin city in the Quintana Roo jungle, 44 km northwest of Tulum and about 90 km east of Chichen Itza. It peaked around 500–900 AD with a road network (sacbeob) and the 42 m Nohoch Mul pyramid, the tallest Maya structure in the Yucatan. Most travellers see it as a half-day trip; the site is large, hot and lightly developed, with three cenotes about 3 km away.
- Country
- Mexico
- Local name
- Cobá
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Oct (heat, humidity, rain)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$600–1,000 excl. bed · Mid M$1,000–1,800 excl. bed · High M$1,800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | M$40–70 |
| Simple local meal (El Bocadillo and pueblo restaurants) | M$120–250 |
| Beer: bottle at a restaurant / can at a shop | M$50–90 / M$25–40 |
| Ruins entry | M$100 |
| Evening special visit | M$225 |
| Cenote entry | M$130 each |
| Bicycle rental at the ruins | M$80 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CUN · Cancún International
- About 3 h by road via Highway 307 to Tulum, then inland; ADO bus about 3 h
- TQO · Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto International
- Closest airport; about 1 h by road
Typical fares
- ADO bus Tulum → Coba
- about M$61, about 1 h
- ADO bus Playa del Carmen → Coba
- about 2 h
- ADO bus Cancún → Coba
- about 3 h
- Ruins entry
- M$100 cash only
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The site is walk, bike or rickshaw only. The entrance to Nohoch Mul is over 2 km (1.2 mi) from the gate; bicycles rent for about M$80 and bicycle rickshaws with a driver are available. Trails are unpaved and uneven. Between towns, ADO buses and colectivos run on Highway 307; a car is easiest for combining ruins and cenotes.The site is walk, bike or rickshaw only. The entrance to Nohoch Mul is over 1.2 mi (2 km) from the gate; bicycles rent for about M$80 and bicycle rickshaws with a driver are available. Trails are unpaved and uneven. Between towns, ADO buses and colectivos run on Highway 307; a car is easiest for combining ruins and cenotes.
See and do
Known for
- Nohoch Mul pyramid
- Sacbeob (Maya raised roads)
- Jungle ruins
- Cenotes Multum-Ha, Tankach-Ha and Choo-Ha
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tulum | ADO bus or colectivo on Highway 307, or car | About 1 h |
| Valladolid | Car or bus via Highway 307 and the interior road | About 1–1.5 h |
| Cenotes Multum-Ha, Tankach-Ha and Choo-Ha | Car, taxi or bike from Coba pueblo | About 15–20 min |
| Chichen Itza | Car via Highway 180 | About 1.5 h |
| Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve | Car to the reserve entrance south of Tulum | About 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Coba pueblo
- Small hotels and guesthouses within walking distance of the ruins; the practical base for one night.
- Near the lake
- A few upscale stays on the lagoon side; quieter, need a car or taxi to the site.
- Tulum or Valladolid
- Most travellers sleep here and visit Coba as a day trip; Tulum about 45 min, Valladolid about 1 h.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedees-KOOL-peh |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh |
| I have a reservation | Tengo una reservaciónTEN-goh OO-nah reh-ser-vah-SYON |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Entry is cash only (M$100); ATMs and exchange offices are on the square in front of the entrance.
- Climbing Nohoch Mul was banned for years and INAH allowed it again in 2025; rules can change, so check at the gate.
- Heat and humidity are high year-round: carry water, a hat, mosquito repellent and sturdy shoes.
- Crocodiles live in the lake by the site; stay on the road and paths.
- Cenotes require a shower before swimming and charge about M$130 each.
The ruins and pueblo are calm and well-policed; the real risks are heat, dehydration, uneven trails and cash-only entry. Keep to the paths by the lake because of crocodiles.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Coba yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Nohoch Mul pyramid
- Sacbeob (Maya raised roads)
- Jungle ruins
- Cenotes Multum-Ha, Tankach-Ha and Choo-Ha
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- INAH — Coba archaeological site: www.inah.gob.mx/
- Quintana Roo tourism: www.caribemexicano.travel/
- Wikivoyage: Coba, revision 5323460 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5323460
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CobaCobá
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Coba; the US consular agency is in Playa del Carmen, most embassies are in Mexico City (check).
Entry is cash only; carry small pesos.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/coba). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.