Mexico boasts so many significant Mayan ruins and temples that visitors can spend weeks immersed in different ancient kingdoms and never view the same one twice. There are nearly 20 Mayan sites on the Yucatan Peninsula alone but none are as famous as Chichen Itza. Although Chichen Itza's complex buildings win most of the attention, Ek Balam, located just 30 minutes away, predates Chichen Itza by 600 years and displays striking structures still being excavated.