Uxmal Archaeological Zone — Attraction in Yucatán

🐝🦵Uxmal is the bee's knees 🐝🦵 Entrance fee: $495 pesos (~$25 US) per person [Mexican Citizens get in for free on Sundays]. There is a $45 pesos ($2 US) Camcorder fee. Roughly 45 – 60min to see everything, but with guide expect 1-2hrs. We finished it in 90mins. Guided tour: $800 Pesos (English) and $700 Pesos (Spanish) - there are 3-5 other languages. Personally, I think the services is worth it. We got Antonio (Highly recommended); he has been providing tours for 30+ years. He speaks Mayan, Spanish, English, German, and Dutch. He was also very knowledgeable, personable, and helped us understand the significance of many of the structures. The site opens at 8am and is roughly 1hr away from Merida. I suggest you get there as early as possible. I’d say it is busier than Mayapan, but no where near as busy as Chichen Itzà. That is a shame because this place is far and away the best of the three options! What made Uxmal dope? It’s Very Pretty. There are more carvings found here, and they are well preserved. The different levels of elevation – due to the Mayan ingenuity when it comes to making man-made foundations/structures – will give you different perspectives of the two pyramids. You will feel awed by, and equal to them. Not to mention the beautiful photos you will get to take!

Having gone to all three (with a tour guide), I would like to help you choose which to visit; if let’s say you only have time for one: Go to Mayapan, because you can climb the pyramids and interact with the site. The pyramids are the highest point as far as the eye can see – in all directions - you will feel on top of the world! Go to Uxmal, because it’s gorgeous – there is lush trees almost swallowing the city. You can go inside a few of the structures, there are many angles for fantastic photos, and there is a dynamite chocolate museum across the highway. Chichen Itzá will have the most people (there are no vendors at the other two sites), you will have the least amount of interaction as everything is cordoned off. Don’t get me wrong, Chichen Itzà is great! It just loses a few points for me, because it’s the road most travelled.

Let's Connect, Be sure to check out...

I cannot believe how well preserved this archaeological site is! It is definitely worth of visit.

Things to know: bring water, lots and lots of water. It is hot, and there is a lot of up and down of the stairs to visit the tops of buildings. When buying tickets, you have to buy TWO tickets at Two SEPARATE windows. No hair in the signage doesn't tell you this. One ticket is to enter the archaeological site with the proceeds going to the state government, the second ticket is to enter the archaeological site with money going to the local government. They don't sell both tickets at the same window, but you need both tickets to enter the park It is honestly worth grabbing a guide. It is not that expensive, about 40ish dollars. The tour is about an hour long, and they leave you at the back and of the archaeological site for you to explore the little odds and ends. Our guide was absolutely wonderful cup full of information, and so patient with all of our questions. Go to the bathroom before you start the trails. The only bathrooms are at the very beginning, there is a bathroom right when you enter the archaeological site, but both bathrooms are visible from each other. But the one before you get in, is cleaner and easier to use.

There are really great buildings here to explore. When you go into the rooms, look up at the wooden lentils between the rooms, you might be able to see a bat hanging upside down. Keep your eyes open for the lizards that are all over the place hiding in the rooms.

While not as historic as Chitchinixa, this particular archaeological site was extremely well preserved and uncrowded compared to the other....

We so much preferred our time here to Chichen Itza. Firstly, it's an incredible whole city complex with multiple pyramids. You can't walk up the pyramids themselves but you can walk up and around the complex and it's all a giant elevated, Mayan-constructed platform on top of a Cenote. The carvings were incredibly well preserved and detailed. Just gorgeous. And a peaceful, natural vibe to the whole place. We went on a rainy Sunday, so maybe that had something to do with it, but there were plenty of locals (free for Mexicans on Sundays) and not so many tourists and the ones that were there (lolol like yours truly) seemed genuinely interested and respectful of the space. There were food and souvenirs available for sale but only at the entrance/exit so you didn't feel barraged by commercialism along the whole route like at Chichen Itza - not that I'm against people hustling to make a living, just, the vibe here and our attention was so much more focused on the space and it's history and we felt more relaxed and enjoyed it more. More trees for shade too it felt like, and it appeared more wheelchair accessible in many parts (though not all structures for sure). Finally, the Choco History museum across the street is totally worth a stop if you're out here and have the time/resources, left a review for that too, it was delightful. Would have liked to have checked out the nearby hacienda and its history had time and transport permitted. Final note, if you take the Oriente Bus, don't despair: the last one back to Merida was supposed to come for 5, but it did actually make it around 5:40 after all. A wonderful day trip from...