Practical guides to Yucatán’s archaeological sites, from major landmarks to quieter Puuc and interior ruins.
Pillar guides for comparing options and planning a visit.
A practical guide to the best Mayan ruins in Yucatán, including Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Ek Balam, Mayapán, Dzibilchaltún, and the Ruta Puuc, with honest advice on which site fits your trip.
A practical guide to the best things to do in Yucatán, from Mérida, cenotes, Maya ruins, beaches, flamingos, haciendas, pueblos, food, and easy day trips.
Plan a better visit to Chichén Itzá with current ticket notes, opening hours, transport options, tour advice, cenote pairings, museum tips, and practical mistakes to avoid.
Plan the Ruta Puuc from Mérida, including Uxmal, Kabah and the new Museo Arqueológico del Puuc, plus Sayil, Xlapak and Labná. Compare route options, transport, visit times and realistic one-day itineraries.
Individual places, regional routes and practical advice.
Explore the best of Yucatán in 3 days: from colonial Mérida to ancient Chichén Itzá and sacred cenotes. A perfect blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.
Acanceh is a compact Maya archaeological site set inside a working Yucatecan town, famous for its monumental stucco masks and Teotihuacán-influenced frieze. Here is what to see, how to get there, and how to combine it with nearby cenotes and ruins.
Explore Aké’s column-topped pyramid, ancient sacbé toward Izamal, and a historic henequén hacienda. Hours 8–5 daily; quiet, budget-friendly, and deeply atmospheric.
Balamcanché is a Maya ceremonial cave near Chichén Itzá, known for its Sacred Ceiba formation and ritual offerings. It remains temporarily closed; use this guide for current status, history and future visit planning.
A practical guide to the best Mayan ruins within day-trip distance of Mérida, from the Temple of the Seven Dolls and Museo Ichkaantijoo at Dzibilchaltún to the Puuc Route cities of Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil and Labná, with distances, fees, transport and honest assessments of who each site suits.
Cenote Xlacah remains closed to swimming, but Dzibilchaltún is open with the new Museo Ichkaantijoo. Learn what to expect and where to swim instead.
Puuc-style palaces perched on natural hills—Chacmultún’s red-tinged stone, big terraces, and sweeping views make a quiet, dramatic counterpoint to the classic Puuc circuit.
If Chichén Itzá is closed during your trip, Yucatán still has excellent Mayan ruins to visit. Here are practical alternatives from Mérida, Valladolid, and the Ruta Puuc.
Current Chichén Itzá opening hours, 2026 ticket prices, last-entry time, parking costs, Sunday rules, night-show tickets, and practical advice for an easier visit.
A practical comparison of Yucatán's two great Maya cities — Chichén Itzá and Uxmal — covering what you'll actually see, how much it costs, how to get there, and which one suits your trip.
Plan a visit to Dzibilchaltún near Mérida, including the Temple of the Seven Dolls, the new Museo Ichkaantijoo, current fees, transport and the closed Cenote Xlacah.
A complete guide to visiting Ek Balam in Yucatán: climb the Acropolis for jungle views, see the preserved stucco carvings, and cool off in Cenote Xcanché. Includes entrance fees, transport from Valladolid, and practical tips.
Plan a day at Uxmal with key highlights, ticket tips, Ruta Puuc add-ons, and practical advice for beating the heat.
A practical guide to visiting Chichén Itzá independently — by ADO bus, rental car, colectivo or Tren Maya. How to buy tickets at the gate, hire a guide on arrival, add a cenote visit, and avoid the worst crowds without paying for a package tour.
Chichén Itzá reopened June 1, 2026 and remains open. Public access is through the CATVI visitor centre after a dispute over access, vending, guides, and local commerce.
A complete practical guide to Izamal, Yucatán: how to get there from Mérida, what to see, where to eat, how long to spend, and whether the Yellow City is worth the day trip.
Plan a visit to Kabah, home of the Palace of the Masks and the new Museo Arqueológico del Puuc. Includes current admission, transport advice, route planning from Mérida and Uxmal, and practical tips for the Ruta Puuc.
Kiuic is an extensively researched Puuc Maya city inside the Kaxil Kiuic Biocultural Reserve. Learn why it matters, how access works and which public ruins to visit nearby.
Northeast Yucatán’s jungle-wrapped palaces: a Late Classic ‘Palace of the Pillars’ later interrupted by an Itzá-style hall—Kulubá captures the Classic → Terminal Classic transition in stone.
Quiet Puuc jewel with a famed Gateway Arch, ornate Palace, and easy trails. Practical guide with hours, price, what to bring, and nearby Ruta Puuc sites.
Mayapán ruins are not currently open to normal public visits. This guide explains the closure, why access has been uncertain, what to see if it reopens, and the best alternatives near Mérida.
A practical guide to Noches de Kukulkán at Chichén Itzá, with ticket notes, timing, transport advice, who it suits, and how to plan the night show from Valladolid, Mérida, or Cancún.
Oxkintok is one of the longest-occupied Maya sites in Yucatán and the oldest centre of the Puuc region. This guide covers the labyrinth, the pyramids, transport, fees, and how to combine it with the Ruta Puuc.
Explore Sayil, a quiet Puuc Route gem with ornate Puuc architecture and the Great Palace. Practical guide with hours, cost, tips, and how to combine nearby sites.
A practical guide to Telchac Puerto, a quieter beach town on Yucatán’s Emerald Coast, with tips for visiting from Mérida, Xcambó, Laguna Rosada, food, transport, and nearby stops.
Looking for the perfect Yucatán road trip that lets you experience ancient Maya cities, pristine beaches, cenotes, haciendas, and magical towns—all in one unforgettable day? This guide gives you four expertly curated, full-day road trip itineraries starting and ending in Mérida, crafted for travelers who want to soak in the state’s history, culture, and natural beauty. Whether you love ruins, wildlife, photography, or great food, these Yucatán road trips deliver the very best the peninsula has to offer.
A practical cultural guide to the Sacred Cenote of Chichén Itzá, including its Maya ritual importance, archaeological discoveries, human sacrifice evidence and how to include it in your visit.
Coastal temples and pink salt flats: Xcambó blends Classic-era salt trade, restored pyramids, and sea-breeze scenery on Yucatán’s Emerald Coast.
Quiet Puuc-style gem near Santa Elena with exquisite Chaac-mask façades and a shady loop trail. Easy 45–90 min visit. Hours, fee, tips, and driving directions inside.
A practical guide to Yaxuná near Chichén Itzá, including its community-managed visitor experience, the great Cobá causeway, archaeology, transport, Cenote Lol-Há and what the evidence really says about its conflict with Chichén Itzá.
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