Nohoch Mul's summit
A sea of forest.
Ken Thomas — Public domain · Wolfgang Sauber — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Reforma.imufomot — Public domain · Bernard DUPONT — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Bernard DUPONT — CC BY-SA 2.0
An ancient Maya city in the jungle that was the hub of the largest network of raised stone causeways in the Maya world: straight white roads called sacbeob running tens of kilometres to other cities. It has many carved stone stelae recording events from the 7th to the 9th centuries. Its best-known monument is the Nohoch Mul pyramid, 42 metres high, the tallest on the Yucatán Peninsula. Climbing reopened in December 2025 after six years, on a new wooden stairway laid over the original stone steps, and from the top you see a sea of green forest broken by lakes. The site is large and its buildings are spread out under the trees, so visitors rent bicycles at the entrance or ride pedal taxis driven by villagers. It is cooler here than at exposed sites, thanks to the forest. Beside the village is a lake, and nearby are small cenotes for a swim after the visit. Coba is usually combined with Tulum in one day.
A sea of forest.
Between scattered ruins.
An old Maya network.
Coba village, about 47 km north-west of Tulum, 45 minutes by road
Yes: climbing Nohoch Mul reopened in December 2025 on a new wooden stairway. It is very steep, so climb slowly and hold the rope.