Originally Posted by
stimpy
Oh I would disagree. Chichen Itza is busy for a reason. It is an iconic "property"
. And while Tulum is certainly interesting, it is not at all on the same level. If you can manage it, take a tour bus to arrive at Chichen Itza at dawn to watch a very impressive sunrise from on top. All the tour operators offer this. And it is much less crowded at that hour. And personally I much prefer to rent a car and drive myself. Driving in the Yucatan on the toll roads is no different than driving in the US. It is when you move off the toll roads where it gets interesting, both good and bad.
That's good advice for CI. And it is an impressive site. I went long enough ago when you could still climb it. Maybe consider spending the night so you can visit early and/or late afternoon (+ sound and light) when the crowds get better. And it would give you time to combine Ek balam with CI. That said, I much preferred Coba, Ek Balam and Uxmal. The first two you can still climb the pyramids. Uxmal can't be done in a day but is extremely impressive with much thinner crowds. Renting a car is ideal as there are good guides on site.Also consider taking the ado bus which leaves from PDC.
If staying longer consider switching Mayakoba for a Yucatan trip for a few days. The Marriott Haciendas are great and Merida also fantastic. About 4 nights will let you hit all the major sites.