During my recent Western Caribbean cruise aboard Norwegian Jade, we decided to skip the nearby ruins of Chacchoben and opted for the Dzibanche ruins at Kinichna in Mexico’s Yucatan along Costa Maya. It’s bigger and grander than Chacchoben, though farther away (100 minutes’ drive each way).

As Wikipedia tells us: “The name Dzibanche means “writing on wood” in the Mayan language, taking its name from the sculpted wooden lintels of the Temple of the Lintels” (pictured in the gallery above).

A major Maya city whose importance came to light just a few years ago, Dzibanche includes the Temple of the Captives, the Temple of the Lintels and the Temple of the Owl. We were able to walk freely on most of the structures. For three hours, we had the entire complex to ourselves. Heaven!