Cobá is located in Mexico’s Rivera Maya region, just a short distance inland from the coastal town of Tulum. It’s named for its largest attraction—the ruined Mayan city of Cobá, which is still being excavated.

The city flourished from A.D. 600 to 900, and was home to an estimated 50,000 people. As with many Mayan cities, the exact cause of the collapse of Cobá is unknown. Archaeologists have since found more than 6,000 structures over 31 square miles of forest. The site is especially known for its sacbeob (a collection of raised walkways made of stone), and it has more of them than any other Mayan city.

There are a small handful of hotels, restaurants and shops in town, conveniently located near the ruins.