19 Best Sights in Yucatán and Campeche States, Mexico

One of the most dramatically beautiful ancient Maya cities, Chichén Itzá (pronounced chee-CHEN eet-ZAH) draws over one million visitors annually. Since the remains of this once-thriving kingdom were rediscovered by Europeans in the mid-1800s, many of the travelers making the pilgrimage here have been archaeologists and scholars who study the structures and glyphs and try to piece together the mysteries surrounding them. While the artifacts here give fascinating insight into Maya civilization, they also raise many unanswered questions.

The name of this ancient city, which means "the mouth of the well of the Itzá," is a mystery in and of itself. Although it likely refers to the valuable water sources at the site (there are several cenotes here), experts have little information about who might have actually founded the city; some structures, likely built in the 5th century, predate the arrival of the Itzá, who occupied the city starting around the late 8th and early 9th centuries. Why the Itzá abandoned the city in the early 1200s is also unknown, as is its subsequent role.

Most visitors who converge on Chichén Itzá come to marvel at its beauty. Even among laypeople, this ancient metropolis, which encompasses 6 square km (2¼ square miles), is known around the world as one of the most stunning and well-preserved Maya sites in existence.

You’ve likely seen photos of the immense pyramid, El Castillo ("Kukulkán" in Maya), but they can’t capture the moment you first gaze in person upon the structure rising imposingly yet gracefully from the surrounding plain. El Castillo (the Castle) dominates the site both in size and in the symmetry of its perfect proportions. Open-jawed serpent statues adorn the corners of each of the pyramid's four stairways, honoring the legendary priest-king Kukulcán (also known as Quetzalcóatl), an incarnation of the feathered serpent god. More serpents appear at the top of the building as sculpted columns. At the spring and fall equinoxes, the afternoon light strikes the trapezoidal structure so that the shadow of the snake god appears to undulate down the side of the pyramid to bless the fertile earth. Thousands of people, from international sightseers to Maya shamans, travel to the site each year to witness this phenomenon. Make lodging reservations far in advance if you hope to join them.

The question on everybody’s lips is: "May I climb the pyramid?" The answer is a resounding "No." Disappointing though that response may be, wear and tear on the staircases and numerous injuries to visitors have necessitated an end to the climbing.

Archaeologists are still abuzz about the 2015 discovery of a subterranean river flowing underneath the pyramid, detected via “electrical resistance survey.” While the Maya would likely have intentionally constructed El Castillo over such a river cavern, will the eventual effect be that of a gigantic sinkhole that could threaten the structure’s foundation? Time will tell, although experts suggest probably not yet for several generations.

The interior of El Castillo houses a marvelous statue of the intermediate god Chacmool. This part of the pyramid is no longer accessible to visitors, but four other Chacmool figures are scattered around Chichén Itzá. The most visible of them stands—or rather, reclines—at the Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors), just northeast of the pyramid. A Chacmool always leans back, leaving a flat spot on the belly for receiving offerings.

On the Anexo del Templo de los Jaguares (Annex to the Temple of the Jaguars), just west of El Castillo, bas-relief carvings represent more important deities. On the bottom of the columns is the rain god Tlaloc. It's no surprise that his tears represent rain—but why is the Toltec god Tlaloc honored here, instead of the Maya rain god, Chaac?

That's one of many questions that archaeologists and epigraphers have been trying to answer, ever since John Lloyd Stephens and Frederick Catherwood, the first English-speaking explorers to rediscover the site, hacked their way through the surrounding forest in 1840. Scholars once thought that the symbols of foreign gods and differing architectural styles at Chichén Itzá proved it was conquered by the Toltecs of central Mexico. (As well as representations of Tlaloc, the site also has a tzompantli—a stone platform decorated with row upon row of sculpted human skulls—which is a distinctively Toltec-style structure.) Most experts now agree, however, that Chichén Itzá was only influenced—never conquered—by Toltec trading partners from the north.

Just west of the jaguar annex, another puzzle presents itself: the auditory marvel of Chichén Itzá's main ball court. At 490 feet, this Juego de Pelota is the largest in Mesoamerica. Yet if you stand at one end of the playing field and whisper something to a friend at the other end, incredibly, you'll be heard. The game played on this ball court was apparently something like soccer (no hands were used), but it likely had some sort of ritualistic significance. Carvings on the low walls surrounding the field show a decapitation, with blood spurting from the victim's neck to fertilize the earth. Whether this is a historical depiction—perhaps the losers or winners of the game were sacrificed?—or a symbolic scene, we can only guess. (Back in Mérida, the city tourist office stages a popular demonstration of the ball game each Friday evening in front of the cathedral. No one is beheaded.)

On the other side of El Castillo, just before a small temple dedicated to the planet Venus, a ruined sacbé, or raised white road, leads to the Cenote Sagrado (Holy Well, or Sinkhole), also probably used for ritualistic purposes. Jacques Cousteau and his companions recovered about 80 skeletons from this deep, straight-sided subsurface pond, as well as thousands of pieces of jewelry and figures of jade, obsidian, wood, bone, and turquoise. In direct alignment with Cenote Sagrado, on the other side of El Castillo, the Cenote Xtaloc was kept pristine, undoubtedly for bathing and drinking. Adjacent to this water source is a steam bath, its interior lined with benches along the wall like those you'd see in any steam room today. Outside, a tiny pool was used for cooling down during the ritual.

Older Maya structures at Chichén Itzá lie south and west of Cenote Xtaloc. Archaeologists have been restoring several buildings in this area, including the Templo del Osario (Ossuary Temple), which, as its name implies, concealed several tombs with skeletons and offerings. Behind the smaller Casa Roja (Red House) and Casa del Venado (House of the Deer) are the site's oldest structures, including El Caracol (the Snail), one of the few round buildings built by the Maya, with a spiral staircase within. Clearly built as a celestial observatory, it has eight tiny windows precisely aligned with the points of the compass rose. Scholars now know that Maya priests studied the planets and the stars; in fact, they were able to accurately predict the orbits of Venus and the moon, and the appearance of comets and eclipses. To modern astronomers, this is nothing short of amazing.

The Maya of Chichén Itzá were not just scholars, however. They were skilled artisans and architects as well. South of El Caracol, the Grupo de las Monjas (Nunnery Complex) has some of the site's most exquisite facades. A combination of Puuc and Chenes styles dominates here, with playful latticework, masks, and gargoylelike serpents. On the east side of the Anexo de las Monjas (Nunnery Annex), the Chenes facade celebrates the rain god, Chaac. In typical style, the doorway represents an entrance into the underworld, and figures of Chaac decorate the ornate facade above.

South of the Nunnery Complex is an area where field archaeologists are still excavating (fewer than a quarter of the structures at Chichén Itzá have been fully restored). If you have more than a superficial interest in the site—and can convince the authorities ahead of time of your importance, or at least your interest in archaeology—you can explore this area, which is generally not open to the public. Otherwise, head back toward El Castillo past the ruins of a housing compound called Akab Dzib and the Templo de los Panales Cuadrados (Temple of the Square Panels). The latter shows more evidence of Toltec influence: instead of weight-bearing Maya arches, or "false arches," that traditionally supported stone roofs, this structure has stone columns but no roof. This means that the building was once roofed, Toltec-style, with biodegradable materials (most likely palm thatch or wood) that have long since disintegrated.

Beyond El Caracol, Casa Roja, and El Osario, the right-hand path follows an ancient sacbé, now collapsed. A mud-and-straw hut, which the Maya called a na, has been reproduced here to show the simple implements used before and after the Spanish conquest. On one side of the room are a typical pre-Hispanic table, seat, fire pit, and reed baskets; on the other are the Christian cross and colonial-style table of the postconquest Maya.

Behind the tiny oval house, several unexcavated mounds still guard their secrets. The path meanders through a small grove of oak and slender bean trees to the building known today as El Mercado. This market was likely one end of a huge outdoor market whose counterpart structure, on the other side of the grove, is the Plaza de Mil Columnas (Plaza of the Thousand Columns). In typical Toltec-Maya style, the roof once covering the parallel rows of round stone columns in this long arcade has disappeared, giving the place a strangely Greek—and distinctly non-Maya—look. But the curvy-nosed Chaacs on the corners of the adjacent Templo de los Guerreros are pure Maya. Why their noses point down (like an upside down "U") instead of up is, as usual, just another mystery to be solved.

An evening sound-and-light show (8 pm Apr.--Oct., 7 pm Nov.--Mar.) is presented here, with images projected onto El Castillo pyramid—it's been described as everything from stunning to cheesy. Reservations must be booked in advance through the Noches de Kukulkán website (www.nochesdekukulkan.com). Area tour operators can also arrange tickets. The pricey admission includes a 30-minute guided walk followed by the light show, as well as use of a translation device (original narration is in Spanish only). Assorted problems occasionally plague the equipment; if the Maya gods are smiling, the show will be on during your visit. Inquire on-site, at area lodgings, or at the Yucatán tourist office in Mérida. Because of the lateness of the hour, it's easier to take in the evening show on your own if you're staying in the immediate area. Escorted tour groups do come in from as far away as Mérida or Cancún.

A major metropolis in its day, Edzná was situated at a crossroads between cities in modern-day Guatemala and the states of Chiapas and Yucatán, hence it features a mélange of Maya architectural elements. Roof combs and corbeled arches evoke those at Yaxchilán and Palenque, in Chiapas, and giant stone masks resemble the Petén-style architecture of southern Campeche and northern Guatemala.

Edzná began as a humble agricultural settlement around 300 BC, reaching its pinnacle in the Late-Classic period, between AD 600 and 900, then gradually waning in importance until being all but abandoned in the early 15th century. Today, soft breezes blow through groves of slender trees where brilliant orange and black birds spring from branch to branch. Clouds scuttle across a blue backdrop, perfectly framing the mossy remains of once-great structures.

One highlight is the five-story Pirámide de los Cinco Pisos, which was built on the raised platform of the Gran Acrópolis (Great Acropolis). Hieroglyphs carved into the vertical faces of the 15 steps between each level (some re-cemented in place by archaeologists, although not necessarily in the correct order), as well as into stelae throughout the site, depict the opulent attire once worn by the Maya ruling class—quetzal feathers, jade pectorals, and jaguar-skin skirts. On the pyramid's top level sit the ruins of three temples and a ritual steam bath.

The Pirámide de los Cinco Pisos was constructed so that on certain dates the setting sun would illuminate the mask of the creator-god, Itzamná, inside one of the pyramid's rooms. This still happens on May 1, 2, and 3, the beginning of the Maya planting season, and on August 7, 8, and 9, the days of harvesting and giving thanks. 

West of the Great Acropolis, the Puuc-style Plataforma de los Cuchillos (Platform of the Knives) was so named by the archaeological team that found a number of flint knives inside. To the south, four buildings surround a smaller structure called the Pequeña Acrópolis (Small Acropolis). Twin sun-god masks with huge protruding eyes, sharp teeth, and oversize tongues flank the Templo de los Mascarones (Temple of the Masks, or Building 414), adjacent to the acropolis. The mask at the bottom left (east) represents the rising sun; the mask to the right represents the setting sun.

If you're not driving, consider taking one of the inexpensive day trips offered by tour operators in Campeche. Convenience aside, a guide can point out features often missed by the untrained eye, such as the remains of arrow-straight sacbés. These raised roads in their day connected one important ceremonial building within the city to the next, and also linked Edzná to trading partners throughout the peninsula.

Experts estimate that Aké was populated between AD 250 and 900; today many people in the area have Aké as a surname. The city seems to have been related to the very important and powerful one at present-day Izamal. In fact, the two cities were once connected by a sacbé (white road) 13 meters (43 feet) wide and 33 km (20 miles) long. All that has been excavated so far are two pyramids, one with rows of columns (35 total) at the top, reminiscent of the Toltec columns at Tula, north of Mexico City.

Nearby, workers process sisal in a rusty-looking factory, which was built in the early 20th century. To the right of this dilapidated building are the ruins of the Hacienda and Iglesia de San Lorenzo Aké, both constructed of stones taken from Maya buildings.

This compact archaeological site east of Mérida offers the unique opportunity to view architecture spanning two millennia in one sweeping vista. Standing atop a ruined Maya temple built more than a thousand years ago, you can see the incongruous sight of workers processing sisal in a rusty-looking factory, which was built in the early 20th century. To the right of this dilapidated building are the ruins of the old Hacienda and Iglesia de San Lorenzo Aké, both constructed of stones taken from Maya buildings.

Experts estimate that Aké was populated between AD 250 and 900; today many people in the area have Aké as a surname. The city seems to have been related to the very important and powerful one at present-day Izamal; in fact, the two cities were once connected by a sacbé (white road) 43 feet wide and 33 km (20 miles) long. All that has been excavated so far are two pyramids, one with rows of columns (35 total) at the top, reminiscent of the Toltec columns at Tula, north of Mexico City.

An interesting feature here is the defensive moat—unusual in ancient Maya cities—though barely evident today. Seven gateways, once the only entrances to the guarded city, may have clued archaeologists to its presence. Most of the site's many buildings date from between about AD 600 and 1000, but since there are no traditionally inscribed stelae listing details of royal births, deaths, battles, and ascendancies to the throne, archaeologists have had to do a lot of guessing about what transpired here.

Duck into Estructura VIII, where underground passages lead to small rooms and a concealed staircase that reaches the top of the temple. One of several buildings surrounding a central plaza, this structure has lateral towers and a giant zoomorphic mask on its central facade. It was used for religious rituals, including bloodletting rites during which the elite pierced earlobes and genitals, among other sensitive body parts, in order to present their blood to the gods.

Of the four buildings surrounding the main plaza at Chicanná, Estructura II, on the east side, is the most impressive. On its intricate facade are well-preserved sculpted reliefs and faces with long twisted noses—symbols of Chaac. In typical Chenes style, the doorway is zoomorphic, representing the mouth of the creator-god Itzamná. Surrounding the opening are large crossed eyes, fierce fangs, and earrings to complete the stone mask, which still bears traces of blue and red pigments.

More than 16 square km (6 square miles) of land here is cluttered with mounds, platforms, piles of rubble, plazas, and stelae. Although only a few buildings have been excavated, historians find Dzibilchaltún fascinating because of the sculpture and ceramics from all periods of Maya civilization that have been unearthed here. The area may have been settled as early as 500 BC and was inhabited until the time the Spanish arrived. At its height, there were around 40,000 people living here.

The most notable structure is the tiny Templo de las Siete Muñecas (Temple of the Seven Dolls). It's a long stroll down a flat dirt track lined with flowering bushes and trees to get to the low, trapezoidal temple that is an elegant example of the late Preclassic Period style. During the spring and fall equinoxes, sunbeams fall at the exact center of two windows opposite each other inside one of the temple rooms. A similar phenomenon happens during the full moon that occurs between March 20 and April 20.

Another attraction is the ruined open chapel built by the Spaniards for the indigenous people. Actually, to be accurate, the Spanish forced indigenous laborers to build it for themselves, in a sort of pre-Hispanic "separate but equal" scenario.

One of the best reasons to visit Dzibilchaltún, though, is Xlacah Cenote. The site's sinkhole, with crystalline water the color of smoked green glass, is ideal for a cooling swim after walking around the ruins. Before leaving, visit the small but impressive Museo Pueblo Maya, which contains the seven crude dolls that gave the Temple of the Seven Dolls its name. It also traces the area's Hispanic history, and highlights contemporary crafts from the region.

The Maya site of Ek Balam is best known for the amazingly well-preserved stucco panels on the Templo de los Frisos. A giant mask crowns its summit, and its friezes contain wonderful carvings of figures often referred to as "angels" (because they have wings)—but which more likely represented nobles in ceremonial dress.

As is common with ancient Maya structures, this temple, styled like those in the lowland region of Chenes, is superimposed upon earlier ones. The temple was a mausoleum for ruler Ukin Kan Lek Tok, who was buried with priceless funerary objects, including perforated seashells, jade, mother-of-pearl pendants, and small bone masks with movable jaws. At the bases at either end of the temple, the leader’s name is inscribed on the forked tongue of a carved serpent. (Maya culture ascribed no negative connotation to the snake.) A contemporary of Uxmal and Cobá, the city may have been a satellite city to Chichén Itzá, which rose to power as Ek Balam waned.

This site is also notable for its two concentric walls—a rare configuration in the Maya world—that surround the 45 structures in the main sector. They may have provided defense or, perhaps, symbolized the ruling elite that lived within. In addition, Ek Balam has a ball court and many freestanding stelae (stone pillars carved with commemorative glyphs or images). New Age groups occasionally converge here for prayers and seminars, but the site usually has few visitors, which adds to its allure.

Since work began at Hochob in the early 1980s, four temples and palaces have been excavated, including two that have been fully restored. Intricate and perfectly preserved geometric designs, typical of the Chenes style, cover the temple known as Estructura II.

The temple doorway represents the open mouth of Itzamná, the creator god, and above it the eyes bulge and fangs are bared on either side of the base. It takes a bit of imagination to see the structure as a mask, as, at one time, color no doubt originally enhanced the effect. Squinting helps a bit: the figure's "eyes" are said to be squinting as well. But anyone can appreciate the intense geometric relief carvings decorating the facades, including long cascades of Chaac masks along the sides. Evidence of roof combs can be seen atop the building.

Ask the guard to show you the natural and man-made chultunes (cisterns) that extend into the forest. They also indicate that these are Chenes ruins.

Hormiguero is Spanish for "anthill," referring both to the looters' tunnels that honeycombed these ruins when archaeologists discovered them and the number of enormous anthills in the area. The buildings here were constructed roughly between 400 BC and AD 1100 in the Río Bec style, with rounded lateral towers and ornamental stairways, the latter built to give an illusion of height, which they do wonderfully.

Note the intricately carved and well-preserved facade of the site's largest structure, Estructura II. Estructura V is also noteworthy owing to the Chaac masks arranged in a cascade atop a pyramid. Nearby is a perfectly round chultun (water-storage tank), and, seemingly emerging from the earth, the eerily etched designs of a still unexcavated structure.

A ceremonial center of almost Grecian beauty, Kabah was once linked to Uxmal by a sacbé, or raised paved road, at the end of which looms a great independent arch—now across the highway from the main ruins. The 151-foot-long Palacio de los Mascarones (Palace of the Masks) boasts a three-dimensional mosaic of 250 masks. On the central plaza, you can see ground-level wells called chultunes, which were used to store precious rainwater.

The Kinich Kakmó pyramid was the largest pre-Hispanic construction in the Yucatán and is the third-largest pyramid in Mexico, after the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan and the Cholula Pyramid near Puebla. It's all that remains of the royal Maya city that flourished here between AD 250 and 600. Dedicated to a Maya sun god, the massive structure is more remarkable for its size than for any remaining decoration.

Although it has a palace and a small pyramid, the most photographed building at Labná is a striking monumental corbeled arch. With its elaborate latticework and a small chamber on each side, it provided a grand entrance into a sacred precinct for anyone arriving on the road to and from Uxmal. It is believed that Labná was used mainly by royalty and the military elite.

Mayapán, which has an architectural style reminiscent of Uxmal, flourished during the Post-Classic period, making it one of the peninsula's last major Maya city-states. Though it was destroyed in 1450, presumably by war, the city is thought to have once been as big as Chichén Itzá, with a population of 12,000 or more at its peak. Of the site's more than 4,000 mounds, only a half-dozen have been excavated, including the palaces of Maya royalty and the temple of the benign god Kukulcán, where stucco sculptures and murals in vivid reds and oranges have been uncovered.

The site is 42 km (26 miles) northeast of Ticul and 43 km (27 miles) south of Mérida. Be sure you head toward the Mayapán ruins (just south of Telchaquillo) and not the town of Mayapán, since they are far apart.

The archaeological site of Oxkintok (osh-kin-tok)—44 km (27 miles) northeast of Uxmal near the town of Maxcanú—was an important Maya capital that dominated the region from about AD 300 to 1100. Little was known about it until excavations began here in 1987. Structures that have been excavated so far include two tall pyramids and a palace with stone statues of several ancient rulers. Archaeologists debate the meaning of the name: Some say the site's name means "three days of flame"; others interpret it as "three days of hardship." To get here from Uxmal, follow Carretera 261 north to Muna and then take Carretera 184 northeast.

Archaeologists believe there are around 100 structures at this site, although only 12 have been cleared. The most exciting find was the colossal Palacio in the western plaza. Inside, two inner staircases run the length of the structure, leading to different levels and ending in subterranean chambers. Such a combination was extremely rare in Maya temples. Also noteworthy is the Casa de la Boca del Serpiente (House of the Serpent's Mouth), with its perfectly preserved and integrated entrance: the mouth of the creator-god Itzamná stretches wide to reveal a perfectly proportioned inner chamber. Such zoomorphic features are typical of the Chenes architectural style (circa AD 100 to 1000).

Sayil is best known for its setting in a narrow valley surrounded by rolling hills and its majestic Gran Palacio. Built on one of those hills, the three-story structure is adorned with decorations of animals and other figures, and contains more than 80 rooms. The structure recalls Palenque in its use of multiple planes, columned porticoes, and sober cornices. Also on the grounds is a stela in the shape of a phallus—an obvious symbol of fertility.

At this Maya site, two plazas, surrounded by rather plain structures, have been restored so far. The tallest temple is the Xcambo, also known as the Pyramid of the Cross. Salt, a much-sought-after commodity in the ancient world, was produced in this area and made it prosperous. Indeed, the bones of 600 former residents discovered in burial plots showed they had been healthier than the average Maya. In addition, unearthed ceramics indicate that the city traded with other Maya groups as far afield as Guatemala and Belize. The Catholic church here was built by dismantling some of the ancient structures, and, until recently, locals hauled off the cut stones to build fences and foundations.

Xpujil (sometimes spelled "Xpuhil," meaning "cat's tail," and pronounced ish-poo-hil) takes its name from the reedy plant that grows in the area. Elaborately carved facades and doorways in the shape of monsters' mouths reflect the Chenes style, while adjacent pyramid towers connected by a long platform show the influence of Río Bec architects.

Some buildings have lost a lot of their stones, making them resemble "day after" sand castles. In Edificio I, three towers—believed to have been used by priests and royalty—were once crowned by false temples, and at the front of each are the remains of four vaulted rooms, each oriented toward one of the compass points. On the back side of the central tower is a huge mask of the rain god Chaac. Quite a few other building groups amid the forests of gum trees and palo mulato (so called for its bark with both dark and light patches) have yet to be excavated.