Serpents, representations of the Maya God Kukulcan, adorn the stairways, and during the spring and fall equinoxes, the shadow of the great serpent seems to descend the stairs during sunset.

The famous pyramid is just the tip of the iceberg at this site. Chichen Itza is also home to the largest ball court in Mesoamerica, an ancient observatory, and a few other structures, including the Temple of the Warriors and the Mercado, that are worth visiting.

But because of all this, it is also one of the most visited and most crowded Maya archaeological sites. To protect it, you can’t get too close to any of the structures.

The good news is, the peninsula features many more Maya sites, where you can touch and even climb pyramids. Those who would rather not fight the crowds in Chichen Itza or want to explore structures they can get close to have plenty of alternatives. The following sites are just a few of them.