Our family recently sailed to Progreso, and we spent the stop exploring the Dzibilchaltun ruins. We had a pretty good time in spite of the heat! I want to share our experience so you know what to expect. I’ll also give you some valuable tips I wish I’d known ahead of time.
We arrived at Progreso via the Disney Magic cruise ship. It was our second of two port stops. The first stop the day before was in Cozumel – and that experience did NOT go very well. So I was very happy to have such a memorable day in Progreso!
Why We Chose the Dzibilchaltun Ruins
Progreso tends to have a negative rep as a “bad” cruise port. There are many reasons for this, from the pushy vendors along the beach to the long, long bus rides to get to most of the Mayan ruins.
We aren’t interested in dealing with sales pitches, and Progreso isn’t particularly known for beautiful beaches. So we opted out of making it a beach day. My husband liked the idea of seeing Mayan ruins in person. So I started researching which sites were going to be within a reasonable distance.
Dzibilchaltun holds the largest significant Mayan archaeological site that is closest to the cruise port. It’s still about a half-hour journey once you get on land, but I’m not interested in wasting several hours of our limited port time just on travel!
I also read about the Temple of the Seven Dolls there. Even though you’re not allowed to actually go into the temple anymore, it sounds very cool. So my heart became set on Dzibilchaltun.
It’s simply an added bonus that Dzibilchaltun is so quiet and uncrowded. Chichen Itza is definitely NOT like that!
Planning Ahead
Up to this cruise, I’ve never booked an excursion through the cruise line. I find them to be overpriced, I don’t love being grouped with strangers all day, and most of them are unnecessarily LONG.
Even Disney’s own Dzibilchaltun Ruins excursion warns you it will take over 4 hours (the shortest of all Mayan ruin excursions), and it is $79 per person. It happened to not even be available for booking on our cruise (for unknown reasons), but even if it had, I would’ve found a way to get there on my own.
I considered all available options. The cheapest option is to take the bus from the pier to Merida – the city center – then catching a taxi to the ruins. Or you could grab a taxi directly at the pier to take you all the way to the ruins, which is a bit more expensive but still very cheap.
The problem with taxis is that they leave after they drop you off. And Dzibilchaltun is not a hot spot – there are no cab drivers waiting around in the parking lot hoping to drive you back to port. My research said scheduling an Uber was not reliable for the area, and while you could ask a taxi driver to wait for you (in exchange for reasonable pay), I didn’t want to count on that and end up deserted.
Trying Something New
I ended up booking a private SUV via DayTrip to pick us up at the port, drive us to the ruins, wait for us there, and drive us back. I’d never done this before, but the reviews were great and I was told our driver’s name, phone number, and vehicle information before our cruise even left.
You can add as many stops as you like, but that’s all we wanted. It was $194 (USD), and I didn’t have to pay up front! We were offered a cheaper vehicle as well, but I opted for the larger one for the sake of comfort. This was still far cheaper than booking the Disney excursion, and we had our own private van and could leave whenever we wanted!
The Longest Pier in the World
When you get off a cruise ship at Progreso, you have to take a (free) shuttle to actually get to land. Progreso holds the Guinness World Record for longest pier – it’s 5 miles long! The shuttle was comfortable, air-conditioned, and peaceful.
To get to the shuttle, you must pass through a guarded gate. Most people were walking right through, but we stopped for a picture with the Yucatan sign first.
Across the way there is also a Progreso sign. A guard was kind enough to take family photos for us at this one!
Shuttles are loaded one at a time until they are full, which doesn’t take long. The bus pulls into a small depot where lots of vendors line the sidewalk. While we didn’t want to carry anything around the ruins, we did purchase some trinkets before taking a shuttle back to the ship.
What We Couldn’t Take to Land
As we walked toward the gate to get to the shuttles, a large dog – I believe a German shepherd – ran up to us, sniffed our lunch box, and sat down. I wasn’t freaked out; in fact, all I thought was Oh, a pupper smells our food! Well, he did – but he was trained to sniff out something specific.
A guard actually had the dog on a long leash and followed him over. He asked to look inside our lunchbox, so we showed him. That’s when we learned you are not allowed to take ANY kind of beef inside Progreso – even dried jerky that’s still sealed! He said if it had been purely pork jerky, it would’ve been fine, but the beef was a no-go. Ours was a mix of both.
So we each ate a couple of mini jerky sticks before going in. The guard took our trash, as even the wrappers were not allowed to be carted in via garbage trucks. We still had applesauce, granola bars, and water, though, which were fine to take with us.
Finding Our Driver
Once we got off the shuttle bus, I wasn’t entirely sure where to go. I had received a text from DayTrip with generic instructions that said to head to the “primary meeting place.” Well, there was no designated parking area near the depot for taxis to wait for their fares. So we just started walking.
The text also said our driver would be holding a sign with my name on it. We made a loop around the block and didn’t see him. I tried calling the number it gave me, and I received a pre-recorded message in Spanish (which I didn’t understand) before it hung up on me. I started to worry, but then…
Our driver came running toward us, sign in his hand! He had been looking for us as well. The great thing about DayTrip is you and your driver get each others’ photos! He was very kind, not at all weird or creepy, and wanted to make sure we were not upset at the delay. I assured him we weren’t and he led us toward his vehicle, which he had to park a few blocks away.
I knew we were not supposed to pay him until he completed his entire job, and he did not mention payment at all. In fact, he seemed willing to take us anywhere we wanted, even though the only stop I’d requested through DayTrip was the ruins.
His SUV was wonderfully air-conditioned, which I was grateful for on a 92-degree day! I could tell he’d never been to Dzibilchaltun before, because he was asking me questions about the ruins there. He also had his GPS on to tell him where to go.
Arriving at the Site Entrance
The journey went by quickly, because our driver was so friendly and talkative. He was curious about where we were from and the cruise we were on. Eventually he told us he likes to talk to passengers because he’s still learning English and the practice helps him a lot. I told him he was already great at it!
When we arrived at the ruins site, he was quickly waved through a security checkpoint. There is a large, paved parking lot in front of the entrance, but it has virtually no shade. It was mostly empty when we got there.
Before going in, our driver offered to take family photos of all four of us in front of the Dzibilchaltun sign out front. I was so grateful to be able to have more pictures with all of us in them! And he took about a dozen photos so I had plenty to choose from.
He walked in with us to a large, open-air enclosed square. The museum was closed due to renovations during our visit, but I knew that ahead of time. To the left was the ticket office, and for whatever reason, we were only charged 708 pesos for entrance (about $40 in US dollars). I’m not sure if she gave us that rate because our driver, a local, was standing with us or what! It should’ve been closer to 1444 pesos ($80 USD) since we’re foreigners.
Make Sure You Take Pesos
You CANNOT pay the entrance fee in any currency other than pesos, and they do not take credit cards! This may change in the future, but I made sure to withdraw pesos from the ATM when we were in Cozumel to be prepared.
Our driver was a bit disappointed he wasn’t allowed in for free that day as a resident, haha. Since the parking lot had no shade, they allowed him to hang out in the open-air space, but he was not allowed to go out to the ruins with us.
Exploring the Dzibilchaltun Ruins on Our Own
We were not given a map of the ruins, nor did I see anywhere to grab one, but we probably just missed it. But for the most part, we followed the gravel trails. These ruins are not really sprawling; it would be difficult to actually get lost.
One of the first things you come across is yet another Dzibilchaltun sign!
The Dzibilchaltun ruins truly are awe-inspiring. It may not be as huge as Chichen Itza, but it is the oldest Mayan architecture that’s been discovered! And it is the largest in terms of total space occupied.
Without an official excursion, we had no tour guide. But truthfully, you don’t need one! They tend to regurgitate the information you can read yourself on the plaques in front of each structure. There are lots of them in the Dzibilchaltun ruins.
Structure 48
We thoroughly explored the first site we got to. All sites currently available to tour in Dzibilchaltun are believed to have been ceremonial spaces. The people lived nearby, with thousands of thatched homes found. They probably congregated in these spaces for worship and planning.
There’s an altar in the center of two other primary structures. While you can climb up, you cannot go inside (the gate was made by modern archaeologists to keep people out).
One of the structures was likely an ancient form of bleachers for people to sit and watch ceremonies. Josh climbed to the top of them!
Structure 36
This is one of the largest structures onsite. It’s very impressive, but neither myself nor my children were brave enough to scale the steep, narrow steps.
My husband, on the other hand, is insane.
Josh actually had an easier time getting down, as there are smaller sets of steps with landings around the side. They also led to the entrance to get inside. He explored, but he’s not one for photography. He said there wasn’t much in there but some replicas of artifacts that you would normally be able to see in the museum.
The Temple of the Seven Dolls
As luck would have it, our day in Dzibilchaltun was well over 90 degrees, and we were getting worn out quickly. But I was determined to get close to the Temple of the Seven Dolls! And believe me – you have to really want it to make it there when it’s that hot.
The road there (known as the White Road) is very long, and while it is lined with trees, the path is very wide. Ducking into the shade during the walk didn’t seem worth the effort.
About halfway there, my children really started complaining. I knew this would be our last structure – if I could even get them to it! Eventually, my son was even crying due to the heat. And when he cries, I cry.
But we did finally make it to the temple.
When the light passes through the temple just right on the Spring and Autumn equinoxes, a beam of light is concentrated on the stelae perched in front of it. This is how they knew when to plant and harvest crops!
At noon on these days, the light perfectly illuminates the inside of the temple. It’s a pretty amazing bit of architecture for ancient times.
The name comes from seven “dolls” that were found inside the temple when it was excavated. Normally, they can be seen in the museum when it’s open. Each one has some sort of disfigurement, so they were likely used in healing rituals.
Dangerously Hot
I set our DayTrip timing so that we could have approximately 90-105 minutes at the ruins. This may not seem like a lot, and I admit we didn’t see everything there was to see at this site. But in the end, it was the right amount of time for us, because we could NOT handle the heat any longer!
We thought we were well-prepared, but I still came dangerously close to heatstroke. I didn’t give myself enough of a break between getting to the temple and turning right back around on the long hot path. But I desperately wanted to get my son out of the heat completely so he wouldn’t be miserable anymore.
First Signs of Heatstroke
Heatstroke can be a tricky thing. I didn’t even feel like I was overly hot – just normal-hot, if that makes sense. But my face and upper arms got red (not from sunburn) and I was sweating profusely. I realized I was in trouble when I started to get dizzy.
I was not going to make it all the way to the site entrance, so we stopped in the first shady area with seating we found. Before I knew it, I’d chugged a whole bottle of water. My daughter also got too hot, and at our encouragement, she poured a bottle of water over her head and back. She felt better quickly after that.
Then she needed the restroom, but I knew I was not yet able to get back in the sun. My husband walked back with her where there are very nice restrooms in the open-air building. He needed reassurance that I was going to survive it, and I half-sure told him I would, I just needed a few more minutes.
My son Hugo chose to stay behind with me. After I drank half of another bottle of water, my heart wasn’t pounding so hard, and we made our way back to where we started.
Getting Back to Port
Our driver was waiting exactly where he said he’d be! He asked us to hang out in the shaded area while he went to start his vehicle and get it cooled off a bit, which I very much appreciated. The SUV was still warm when we finally got in, but the leather seats weren’t scalding and we weren’t choking in hot air. Once we got moving, it cooled off quickly.
The driver was just as chatty on the way back as he was on the way there. He got us as close to the shuttle depot as possible. Not once did he ever mention payment! After we were all out of the SUV, my husband paid him, with tip, in US dollars. That’s what DayTrip quoted us in, and that seemed to be just fine.
He was more concerned about making sure he completed his trip in the DayTrip app. He asked us for help because it’s entirely in English and he didn’t want to push the wrong button!
We walked to the depot and bought some (overpriced) souvenirs. I found a cute Yucatan Progreso magnet with a flamingo on it, my daughter picked a small cat carved from a pale pink stone, and my son got a spinning top toy. Then we waited in a wonderfully cool bus until it was full enough to head back down the pier.
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Tips for Surviving the Journey
I’m going to talk about what we did do that helped and what I wish we had done as well.
What We Did Right
- Lightweight clothing (tank tops and shorts)
- Good sneakers for walking
- Sunblock AND bug spray on everyone before debarking
- Hats and sunglasses on everyone
- Fully-charged portable fans (one for each person)
- Large UV-blocking umbrella
- Insulated lunchbox full of cold water bottles
- Applesauce for everyone
- Granola bars for everyone
There was zero chance of rain on this day. If there had been, we would’ve all had our own umbrella. I do NOT like ponchos in hot weather, as they just trap the heat and humidity closer to your body. The kids shared the UV umbrella with me at times, but I truly needed it most. I am white as a ghost AND most sensitive to heat.
On the embarkation day of our cruise, we carried the waters onto the ship in the lunchbox and put them in our stateroom fridge. They weren’t put back in the lunchbox until right before we debarked the ship for Progreso.
What We Didn’t Necessarily Need
The applesauce and granola bars went uneaten. It was simply too hot to have any kind of appetite. I suspect the Slim Jims we scarfed down before getting into Progreso held us over.
But I should also note that officially, while water is fine, you are NOT allowed to take any kind of food into the Dzibilchaltun ruins. Ours was not spotted because it was in a zippered compartment under the lid of the lunchbox. If we had actually eaten it, we would’ve put our trash right back in there and taken it back to the ship with us. We would never litter, which is the reason for this rule.
But there is nowhere to eat on site or nearby, save for a couple of vending machines, which we didn’t attempt to use. Keep that in mind in your planning.
What We Should’ve Done
Unfortunately, our portable fans were only half-useful. The air was very breezy, which was helpful, but the wind whipped the flow of the fan away from us most of the time. You have to hold your fan at a specific angle to feel anything from it.
What I would do next time is take our cooling towels. I don’t love wasting bottled water when there are no other water sources around, but it would be worth it in this situation! If you have access to ice cubes before debarking, a spray bottle of cold water would also be great to take with you.
I would also take greater care to stop in the shade more often. We should’ve taken some time to sit by the temple, regardless of my son’s whining. We even should’ve left the path to get in the shade of the trees for a while on the long path.
These precautions may not be necessary if you’re lucky enough to have a cooler day. But it was 92 degrees (actual temperature – felt hotter!) in the middle of February. If anything, your day might be even hotter!
Also, if the museum has reopened for your day at Dzibilchaltun, allow yourself more time to explore that as well. I would’ve allotted at least an extra half-hour for us, especially since it should be air-conditioned!
Before You Go…
If you enjoy cruising or traveling to new places, check out more of my posts below!
