The great civilization of the Ancient Maya serves as one of the most well-known indigenous cultures of the Americas. Dating all the way back to 2600 B.C., the Maya inhabited prominent areas throughout Central America, including Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize, and constructed thousands of impressive cities and ceremonial sites throughout the region. Yet, though this ancient civiliation populated a vast region, the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula held special significance to the Maya. Between the 4th and 10th centuries, this region was considered the ‘gateway to the Mayan world,’ and, today, the Yucatan Peninsula remains peppered with the ruins of Maya’s spectacular metropolises. If you are planning to travel to the Yucatan, these awe-inspiring sites are absolute must-sees. Prepare yourself to take a step back in time and enter in to the ancient world by exploring these top five Mayan ruins of the Yucatan!