Roughly 4 hours south of Tulum, down at the base of the Yucatan peninsula, are some fantastic archaeological sites.
The ruins of Kohunlich, discovered in 1967 by a local Maya, are real gems. Completely surrounded by the lush foliage of the tropical jungle these time worn ruins have a mystical quality that is enhanced by a lack of tourists, who seldom venture this far south. For that reason they are frequented by all manner of tropical wildlife and exotic birds.
On any given day, it's not unusual to find yourself alone to wander the maze of paths that lead to the different plazas.
Kohunlich is famous for it?s Pyramid of the Masks, on of the oldest structures [about fifth century]. The building has a giant staircase flanked by six different heads modeled in stucco each over 8 feet tall. There is no known identification but different theories. Some say the heads are representing Gods others that the are forgotten rulers of Kohunlich.
The reddish color is not a discoloring. The masks were painted in the original.

Camera Konica Minolta Dimage Z2
Focal length F/3.2
Exposure 1/200 sec
ISO 200