The Mayan village of Chichen Itza (Also lovingly called the chicken pizza) famous for it 1000 year old structures. Mayan desendence still live in the village of Chichen Itza.  Even today parts of this ancient village is still being uncovered and when we actually when on the tour of the village, certain parts of the village we could not go to.
The village at one time was covered in grass and weeds. Once they started to remove the grass and weeds, they uncovered a beautiful village. Filled with statues and hand craved building. The building  with in the village of Chichen Itza are:
The Observatory, where the Mayan people actually plotted the stars, and the vernal equinox or the autumnal equinox with out any instruments or equipment. Just by sticking their heads out the top of the buildings dome.

   The Pucka-Poke ball court, A place where the ancient Mayans played this game of something like soccer. The game got its name from the sound the ball made when it hit the walls and the ground..sort of like ping pong. They hit this rubber ball with only their arms, forearms, head, chest, lower legs and hips. The object of this game was to hit the ball to their captain and then the captain would hit the ball threw a hoop high above him on the side of the wall. The game did not really have points or anything like that, it was more of a status game. If you won the game then you would be held in a higher stature. Actually if you won the game..you would be killed or sacrificed and then you would go to the Gods..thus winning. If you lost you would have to stay here on earth and be a average smuck.

One structure, a pyramid called the El Castillo. Stands one acre in area and is 91 steps high, 100 feet tall.  With four staircase you could walk....well maybe crawl to the top of the pyramid. The pyramid is actually build on top of a much older pyramid. It was a place that they used for sacrifices. But one of it's main uses was with the sun. The building was build right on line of with the solar equinox. At the bottom of each side of the staircase is a snakes head. Once the equinox hit, the sun would hit the pyramid and the sides of the stairs would reflex the light in such a way that it looked like a snake coming down from the heavens to the ground. They actually do a laser light show that shows this effect. When the vernal equinox or the autumnal equinox hits...thousands of people come to Chichen Itza to see it. Inside the El Castillo up 68 steps and a very narrow, dank and humid staircase is a small little room where they keep a  jade cougar statue covered in jewels. It was on top of the pyramid but another a-hole stole a jewel off it so they had to move it and keep it behind bars....thanks again asshole. Also from flash photograph the jade statue is turning orange, so no pictures can be taken.

The Chichen Itza is about 2 hours & 45 min away from Cancun. A lot of the resorts offer this tour. So I Suggest you take the tour and leave the driving to them. You get a bus ride from the hotel to the village. On they way to the Chichen Itza you get to stop at a little rest stop/Mayan selling post. Where you can buy silver, gold, and other little trinkets. 2 things, make sure its real silver & gold (all jewelry marked with the '925' is real). And never pay the price they state..haggle...I did and it works. Once you arrive at the Chichen Itza, the tour guild will take you around and tell you the different history of the village. It takes about 1 hour & 15 min. Then you will have about 1 hour & 30 min. to run around and look at things yourself. Make sure you make time to climb the El Castillo as well as get to see the inside the El Castillo. Once you leave the Chichen Itza they take you to a authentic Mexican restaurant. Where they have Mayan desendence selling little trinkets as well as performing Mayan dances for money. One thing I can tell you is...the food at this restaurant was HORRIBLE....I mean really bad...I don't know what I ate and I will never eat it again. In back of this restaurant is a hugh sink hole where a young Mexican man jumps into for money...better him then me. Then it's back on the bus and finally back to the hotel.
Entire trip is around 10 to 11 hours. It is well worth it!