5 Mayan Ruins to Visit Near Cancún
What are the Most Popular Ruins Near Cancun?
The best Mayan ruins to visit near Cancun are an impressive contrast to the city’s stunning beaches, incredible diving sites, and lively nightlife. You can see examples of iconic Mayan stepped pyramids, ceremonial temples, fascinating platforms, plazas, and palaces at several sites near Cancun, even some within the busy hotel district.
While some ruins near Cancun are less visited than the more famous sites, they offer insights into the daily life and culture of the Mayan civilization that once thrived where hotel complexes and nightclubs now stand. Check out our guide to the best Mayan ruins on your doorstep in Cancun to see them for yourself.
1. Chichén Itzá
One of the New Seven Wonders of the World
Categoría: Historia, Foto
The ancient city of Chichen Itza is one of the most important Mayan ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Built between 600 and 750 AD, its sophisticated structures are incredibly well preserved and demonstrate the Mayans’ advanced knowledge of architecture, astronomy, and mathematics.
The first thing you see is the towering, stepped pyramid, El Castillo. Other highlights include the Warrior’s Temple, El Caracol, and the Great Ball Court. To reach Chichen Itza you can take a tour or drive the 2 hours from Cancun. Allow a full day to explore the sprawling site.
Ubicación: 97751 Yucatan, Mexico
Horarios: Daily from 8 am to 4.30 pm
Teléfono: +52 985 851 0137
Chichén Itzá
2. El Meco archeological site
Tallest pyramid on the northeast Yucatan Peninsula
Categoría: Historia, Foto, Familias
Perched on a cliff with stunning views of the Caribbean and Isla Mujeres, El Meco was an important commercial port in the region’s trading network. It also served as the main departure point for Mayan girls and women making their pilgrimage to the sacred shrines on Isla Mujeres.
The site features 14 well-preserved structures including El Castillo, the tallest pyramid on the Yucatan’s east coast at 40 feet. While smaller and less crowded than other Mayan sites, El Meco offers an intimate and insightful glimpse into the ancient civilization that once flourished here. The site is a 15-minute drive, taxi, or bus ride from Cancun on the Puerto Juárez-Punta Sam highway.
Ubicación: Carretera Puerto Juarez, López Portillo, 77520 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico
Horarios: Daily from 8 am to 5 pm
El Meco archeological site
3. Yamil Lu’um
A Mayan ruin in the heart of the hotel district
Categoría: Historia, Foto, Exótico
Yamil Lu’um is a small but well-preserved vestige of the Mayan civilization perched high on a rock with a colony of resident iguanas and panoramic coastline views. Also called the Scorpion’s Temple, it was named for the statue that was found embedded in one of its walls.
You don’t have to leave Cancun’s hotel area to see it. It is sandwiched between 2 hotels: the Westin Lagunamar, whose balconies overlook the ruins, and the Park Royal Beach. The temple is on federal property, open to the public, and free to enter, but you access it via pathways on the grounds of the hotels. Visit at sunset for picture-perfect photo ops.
Ubicación: Blvd. Kukulcan 12.5, El Rey, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico
Horarios: 24/7
Yamil Lu'um
4. El Rey archeological site
The most important site on the island of Cancun
Categoría: Historia, Foto
Once a major trading hub, El Rey is across from Playa Delfines at the quiet southern end of Cancun. The site has 47 buildings, a pyramid, and the Palace of the King where researchers found a statue of a king’s head, giving the site its name. The statue had a full body, but a vandal broke off the head and then died painfully 2 weeks later, fueling belief in divine intervention. The statue now resides at the Museo Maya de Cancún at the nearby San Miguelito site.
Visit in the morning as there is no shade, which suits the thriving iguana population but can be uncomfortable for visitors. Plan to spend about an hour here.
Ubicación: Hotel Zone, 77500 Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Horarios: Daily from 8 am to 4.30 pm
Teléfono: +52 983 837 2411
El Rey archeological site
5. San Miguelito archeological site
Important collection of Mayan artifacts
Categoría: Historia, De aventura, Foto
For centuries, a pre-Colombian maritime community called San Miguelito flourished at the southern tip of Cancun. Its original Mayan name is unknown and it declined in the 14th century until it was completely abandoned after the arrival of the Spanish. Its ruins are well-preserved and include a Great Pyramid, a palace, and raised residential platforms. A pleasant pathway lined with tall trees and thick vegetation winds through them.
There are no guides, but you will find helpful explanatory plaques in English and Spanish. Don’t miss the on-site Museo Maya de Cancún, which is included in the entry price, and has one the most important collections of Mayan artifacts from around the Yucatan Peninsula and beyond.
Ubicación: Blvd. Kukulcan LT 52-04, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico
Horarios: Tuesday–Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm (closed on Mondays)
San Miguelito archeological site
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