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CONTENTS
THE HISTORY OF UXMAL 
The Mayan site of Uxmal is in the Yucatán, about 80 km (50 miles) by road from Mérida, where we stayed for 3 days (in an Airbnb house) 🛏️. That let us discover the Mayan site of Uxmal, but also the Calcehtok caves and the 3 cenotes of Cuzamá. It’s a must-do if you’re near this area, with well-preserved Mayan buildings 🙂. It’s much less touristy than Chichén Itzá, so you can really enjoy this gorgeous archaeological zone.
You feel tiny, like in most of these places 😏. The great thing about Uxmal is its exceptional viewpoints 📸. It was an economically and politically important city. The word Uxmal means “built three times”. If you look closely at the Pyramid of the Magician (Adivino), you can see several architectural styles. It really was built in several stages, giving it a different look from other pyramids.
👉 Planning your trip? Also read our 10 things to know before visiting Mexico.
THE MAP OF OUR MEXICO ROAD TRIP 🗺️
To help you plan your itinerary, we’ve gathered every place from our 30-day road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽 on an interactive map: cenotes, Mayan sites, beaches and stopover towns, from Yucatán to Quintana Roo. Click on each pin to discover the place in detail 📍. And to keep it handy during your trip, open it in Google Maps: you’ll find it easily on your phone 📱.
Our itinerary
Our trip to Mexico
1 month8 stops2 states: Yucatán & Quintana RooCar + ferry to the islands
The stops, in order
- 1
Cancún
1 night
Arrival by plane, then last night before the flight home
- 2
Holbox
3 nights
Beaches, sunsets and a timeless vibe
- 3
Valladolid
5 nights
Suytun, Oxman, Ik Kil, Chichén Itzá, Ek Balam
- 4
Mérida
3 nights
Uxmal and the 3 cenotes of Cuzamá
- 5
Bacalar
5 nights
The lagoon of seven colors and its cenotes
- 6
Tulum
4 nights
Ruins, Coba, Sian Ka'an, Cenote Azul and Calavera
- 7
Cozumel
4 nights
Scuba diving and snorkeling
- 8
Isla Mujeres
3 nights
Jet skiing, beaches and the end of the road trip
WHAT TO SEE IN UXMAL: PYRAMID OF THE MAGICIAN, NUNNERY QUADRANGLE AND GOVERNOR’S PALACE 🤠
As soon as you arrive in Uxmal, you’ll come face to face with the Pyramid of the Magician, or Pirámide del Adivino. It’s very impressive, at about 35 meters (115 ft) high, 80 meters long and 55 meters wide 😱. It’s one of the largest and most important Mayan structures, along with Chichén Itzá. We couldn’t climb it, unlike at Ek Balam.
A few yards further on, you’ll reach the Nunnery Quadrangle. It’s 4 buildings around a huge plaza, as if it were the main square. As usual, there’s the ball court, where you can easily imagine huge crowds in the stands 😎. Take your time during the visit, there are lots of iguanas, as is often the case in Mexico.
You’ll then reach the Governor’s Palace, which offers a gorgeous view of the Uxmal site and a great photo 🤳🏻! There are many other buildings to visit, like the Cuadrángulo de los Pájaros, La Casa de las Tortugas… These places are full of history and well worth visiting 📖.
⏱️ We stayed about 2 hours, enough time to explore the whole site at a relaxed pace and enjoy the viewpoints.
HOW TO GET TO UXMAL FROM MÉRIDA, VALLADOLID OR CANCÚN ⏳
To get to Uxmal, you can go:
- By car 🚗: allow about 80 km and 1 to 1.25 hours from Mérida (on Highway 261, via Muna), about 2 hours from Valladolid and 3.5 hours from Cancún or Playa del Carmen. During our October 2021 road trip, we were staying in Mérida, in an Airbnb house, with our rental car. Don’t forget that Mexico is big: if you want to be free and independent in getting around, a car is a great compromise. Feel free to check out my article on renting a car in Mexico.
- By bus 🚌: unlike Chichén Itzá, there are far fewer direct buses to Uxmal. SUR buses leave in the morning from Mérida’s TAME terminal, but return trips are few: check the schedule before you go.
- By taxi or on a tour 🚕: there are plenty of taxis in Mexico, and you can arrange a round trip with them, but it can get very expensive 💰. Tours from Mérida are a good alternative.
👉 As I explain in all my articles, the car was essential during our trip: it let us be 100% independent 🚗 and visit Uxmal and other places like Cenote Ik Kil without relying on public transportation 🚌. That day, we were with a French couple who came along with us, which let us split the costs.
RENTING A CAR IN MEXICO 🚗
To explore Yucatán and Quintana Roo, we think a rental car is the best option: you’re free to string together cenotes, Mayan sites and beaches at your own pace, without depending on bus schedules or organized tours 🌴.
We did our whole one-month road trip by car, and everything went really well. Here’s the agency we used and recommend, plus an alternative if you’d rather compare 👇
Our rental tip
Renting a car in Mexico
The agency we used, and an alternative to compare.
TouraCancun
Car rental in Mexico
We rented with them for our whole road trip: we recommend them without hesitation!
Our budget€95028 days, insurance included · ~€34/day
- Tested for 1 month
- Pick-up in Cancún
- Our go-to in Mexico
DiscoverCars
Rental comparison site
To compare several rental companies in a single search.
Excellent rating290,000+ Trustpilot reviews
- 1,000+ rental companies compared
- Free cancellation
- 24/7 support
To compare before you choose
Good to know before you rent
- Third-party liability insurance is mandatoryIn Mexico, it's often not included in the price shown online: check before you pay.
- A deposit on a credit cardAn amount is held on your card for the whole rental. Bring a card with a high enough limit.
- Your French driving license is enoughIt's accepted for tourists. The international driving permit is optional: only if you want one.
- Photos and video at pick-upFilm the car from every angle when you collect it, to avoid any dispute when you return it.
- Filling up at the gas stationCheck that the pump meter is at zero before the attendant starts.
- Watch out for “topes”These speed bumps are everywhere, sometimes without a sign: slow down as you enter villages.
DISCOVER THE NEARBY MAYAN SITES 🦎
Explore the Mayan sites near here through nearly 40 articles about the Yucatán and Quintana Roo 🌍. Discover our best tips, itineraries, history, reviews and much more to make the most of your travel experience and dive 100% into discovering Mexico! It’s the perfect time to carefully plan your vacation ✈️.
DISCOVER THE NEARBY CENOTES 🧐
Now’s the time to explore the cenotes near here on my Mexico travel blog to make the most of your stay 🌟! You’ll find details on the history of these cenotes, our honest review, and captivating photos of your future discoveries 🌍. These articles will be essential resources for planning your trip to Mexico! 🗺️📸
UXMAL ENTRANCE FEE AND OPENING HOURS ⏰
🕰️ According to INAH’s official listing, the site is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry at 3 p.m. Get there at opening time to enjoy the cooler air and the quiet.
💸 During our visit in October 2021, we paid 460 pesos (€20) per person. Today, a ticket for a foreign visitor costs about 586 pesos: 105 pesos for the federal part (INAH) and 481 pesos for the Yucatán state part, paid at 2 separate ticket windows. Prices are revised every January, so check them before you go.
We keep saying it, but the price of visiting Mayan sites is still very high compared to the cost of living in Mexico 💰. Allow about 2 hours to really soak up the Mayan culture.
💥 At the entrance, when you buy your tickets, there will be lots of guides 🙋♂️. The price depends on the number of people and what’s agreed at the start. Don’t forget that in Mexico everything is negotiable: feel free to team up with other travelers to pay less for the guide 👥.
💵 Bring pesos in cash, especially for the INAH part and parking. To get organized, read our article Where to withdraw money in Mexico.
THINGS TO KNOW 🥰
As in all our articles, here are a few tips and tricks for visiting Uxmal:
- No lines, and no set route to follow.
- Parking: during our visit, it was free and watched over by locals, to whom we left a few pesos when we left. It’s now listed as paid (around 120 pesos, cash).
- Few people on the day we went, it’s not the most touristy place in the Yucatán.
- Go early in the morning to get your best photos and avoid the crowds that often show up around 11 a.m.
- You can’t climb the pyramids!
- No need to book 💻: we bought our tickets on site. The INAH part can be bought on the official website; watch out for resellers who mark up the price.
- For accommodation, try to stay in Mérida, it’ll mean less driving (and the 3 cenotes of Cuzamá are about 1 hour from Mérida), and you can visit Cenote X’Batún, on the way to Uxmal.
- There are very few street vendors compared with other archaeological sites like Chichén Itzá.
- If you want to understand the history of this Mayan city, hire a guide. We didn’t, but it’s really helpful for understanding the history.
- Bring water, it’s very hot and humid 🥵
- There are some really great photo spots 📸.
CAN YOU CLIMB THE PYRAMIDS AT UXMAL? 🧗
No: climbing the Pyramid of the Magician and the other buildings is not allowed. We couldn’t climb it during our visit. If you dream of climbing a Mayan pyramid, Ek Balam still allowed it during our trip: check on site, the rules change.
EXTEND YOUR VISIT AROUND UXMAL 🗺️
THE RUTA PUUC: KABAH, SAYIL AND LABNÁ
20 to 40 minutes’ drive from Uxmal, the Ruta Puuc brings together several small Mayan sites in the same architectural style, with their stone mosaic facades and masks of the rain god Chaac: Kabah (and its famous Codz Poop), Sayil and Labná. Ideal for rounding out the day if you have a car. Each site has its own admission, and the price changes every year.
CHOCO-STORY, THE CHOCOLATE MUSEUM
Right across from Uxmal, a Choco-Story tells the history of cacao among the Maya, with a tasting. We visited the one in Valladolid, which we tell you about in our article on the town.
THE “ECOS DE UXMAL” SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW
A video-mapping show, “Ecos de Uxmal,” used to be held on the site in the evening. It has been reported as suspended: check online whether it’s running before planning your evening.
UXMAL OR CHICHÉN ITZÁ? 🤔
Both are incredible, but very different. Chichén Itzá is the most famous, with its iconic pyramid, but also the most expensive and the most crowded, with lots of street vendors. Uxmal is much less touristy, with very few vendors, which makes it easier to soak up the place. If you’re staying in Mérida, Uxmal is perfect; if you’re in Valladolid, Chichén Itzá is closer. And if you have time: do both!
DISCOVER UXMAL ON A TOUR
A lot of you aren’t sure whether to book ahead or on the day. For 90% of our outings, we didn’t book online because we had our rental car, which let us be 100% independent. There are lots of tours around Mérida if you’d rather keep things simple (you’ve got plenty of choice) 👇
OUR REVIEW OF THIS UNIQUE MAYAN CITY 💭
If you found this article through Google, you should know it was our first big trip with my girlfriend, to Mexico 😇. The first time we’d gone away for so long and so far. This Mayan city of Uxmal is really beautiful. The great thing about it is that it’s not very touristy, so you can quickly soak up the place. The hardest part is coping with the heat 🥵, it’s extremely hot with few shady spots.
You can take some really nice photos for Instagram with lots of viewpoints. Sure, the price might put you off, which is understandable, but it’s still a place worth visiting! After exploring Uxmal, you can head to Cenote X’Batún on the road from Uxmal.
👉 What about you? What did you think of Uxmal?
FAQ: YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT UXMAL ❓
These are the questions people often ask before visiting Uxmal. Feel free to ask yours in the comments, and I’ll add to this FAQ 💬.
A ticket for a foreign visitor costs about 586 pesos: 105 pesos for the INAH part and 481 pesos for the state part, paid at 2 windows. In October 2021, we paid 460 pesos (€20). Prices are revised every January: check them before you go.
According to INAH’s official listing, the site is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry at 3 p.m. Get there at opening time for cooler air and quiet.
No, climbing the pyramids at Uxmal is not allowed. We couldn’t climb it during our visit.
Allow about 2 hours, like we did, to see the whole site. Add half a day if you continue on to the Ruta Puuc.
By car, allow about 80 km and a little over 1 hour on Highway 261 via Muna: that’s what we did with our rental car. SUR buses leave Mérida’s TAME terminal in the morning, but return trips are few.
In 2021, we simply left a few pesos for the attendant. It’s now listed as paid, around 120 pesos, preferably in cash.
It’s not necessary: we bought our tickets on site. The INAH part can also be bought on the official website; watch out for resellers who mark up the price.
We didn’t. Guides wait at the entrance: the price is negotiable and easy to split as a group, and it’s really helpful for understanding the history of the site.
The Ruta Puuc (Kabah, Sayil, Labná) is 20 to 40 minutes’ drive away, and Cenote X’Batún is on the road to Uxmal. Right across from the site, a Choco-Story tells the history of cacao.
Uxmal is much less touristy and perfect if you’re staying in Mérida; Chichén Itzá is more famous, more expensive and closer to Valladolid. If you have time, do both!
WHERE TO STAY IN MEXICO 🏨
During our one-month road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽, we stayed in 8 different towns, alternating between Airbnbs and hotels. And we were always very happy with where we stayed 😇.
We deliberately avoided “All Inclusive” packages. It’s not our idea of travel: we’d rather be in the heart of towns and villages, eat local and discover the country at our own pace 🌮.
OUR TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY
- 📅 Book ahead in high season: the best places go fast and prices climb.
- 🚗 Private or secure parking if you’re traveling with a rental car. You’ll see, it’s not always available, but depending on the town it can be really worth having.
- ❄️ Air conditioning: essential in Yucatán and Quintana Roo, where it’s hot all year round.
- 🏊 A pool: up to you whether you want one at some of your stays, because it can quickly push the price up.
- 📍 A place close to the center: so you can do everything on foot in the evening. That said, if you like places outside town and you have the car, nothing forces you to stay near the center
- ✅ Free cancellation, to keep your itinerary flexible.
AIRBNB OR HOTEL IN MEXICO?
Both have their advantages. An Airbnb is ideal for more space, a kitchen and living like a local. A hotel is more convenient for one or two nights passing through, with a reception desk and often breakfast included. As for us, we liked both. It all depends on what you want, whether you’re with family, solo or as a couple, and how you like to travel.
HOW MUCH DOES ACCOMMODATION COST IN MEXICO?
There’s something for every taste and every budget. We paid between €40 and €100 a night for two. To be completely transparent with you: €1,800 for 29 nights, or about €62 a night on average (that was in 2021, prices may have changed since).
👇 Here are the 8 places where we slept during our road trip, with our review of each one.
Tested during our road trip
Our 8 places to stay in Mexico
AirbnbHotel
-
AirbnbHolbox
An incredible room, with the pool right next door to cool off. Just perfect!
- Room
- Pool right next door
- Incredible room
- Hotel
Valladolid
A stunning setting and a super spacious room, ideal for catching your breath between two cenotes.
- Very spacious room
- Pool
- On-site massages
- Airbnb
Mérida
A whole house just for us, with a small pool to relax.
- Whole house
- Small pool
- A bit out of the way
- Hotel
Bacalar
A gorgeous place right in the town center, with a superb pool.
- Hotel
- Superb pool
- Town center, far from the lagoon
- Airbnb
Tulum
A whole place with a pool, but very far out: you'll need the car.
- Whole place
- Pool
- Far out, car essential
- Airbnb
Cozumel
A clean, well-located studio, so you can do everything on foot from the town center.
- Studio
- Clean and well designed
- Close to the center
- Hotel
Isla Mujeres
A beautiful seafront hotel with a magnificent pool.
- Hotel
- Magnificent pool
- Seafront, a bit out of the way
- Hotel
Cancún
Right next to the airport: perfect for the first or last night of the trip.
- Hotel
- Close to the airport
- Ideal for the 1st or last night
MY MUST-HAVE TRAVEL GEAR 🧳
It’s a question that comes up a lot when preparing a trip “What should I bring?” That’s why you’ll find below some essential travel accessories to set off on vacation with peace of mind (your documents kept safe) 🛡️ . Planning ahead and getting these items in advance helps you save money and avoid paying for some of them on the spot, where they’ll cost you much more 💸 These are the accessories we took to Mexico and still use for every destination we travel to 👇.
Our road trip checklist
What to pack for Mexico?
Most of these items came with us throughout our 30-day road trip.
0 / 12 in my suitcase · check what you already have
- Essential
ElectronicsUniversal travel adapter
In Mexico, outlets are the American type: French chargers won't fit.
- Essential
ElectronicsPower bank
Long days between ruins and cenotes: your phone lasts until evening.
- Essential
Health & protectionBiodegradable sunscreen
Mineral and biodegradable, kinder to cenotes and reefs.
- Essential
Health & protectionMosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are everywhere, especially in the evening and near the jungle.
- Essential
Cenotes & beachWaterproof phone pouch
To film in cenotes and at the beach without any risk.
- Recommended
Health & protectionFilter water bottle
Tap water isn't drinkable in Mexico: filter it and avoid plastic.
- Recommended
Health & protectionTravel first-aid kit
Band-aids, painkillers, anti-diarrhea meds: enough to handle small issues.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWaterproof bag
Papers and keys kept dry on boats, at the beach or by the cenotes.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWater shoes
For slippery cenote steps and rocky seabeds.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachMicrofiber towel
Light and quick-drying: perfect for swim after swim.
- Bonus
Travel & securityTSA lock
To lock your suitcase on the plane, with no risk of it being broken at security.
- Bonus
Travel & securityAirTag
To track your suitcase if your luggage is delayed or lost.
OUR YOUTUBE VIDEOS IN MEXICO
During our 30-day road trip in Mexico 
, we filmed everything! From Holbox to Cancún, by way of Valladolid, Mérida, Bacalar, Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, we take you along with us step by step in our vlogs.
You’ll discover the cenotes we swam in, the Mayan sites we explored, the beaches that made us dream, our places to stay, our favorite spots to eat… and above all our honest take on each place: what amazed us, and what disappointed us a little 
.
If you’re planning your trip, or simply dreaming of getting away, these videos will give you a real glimpse of Mexico, far from the tourist brochures.
Our road trip on video
Our YouTube videos in Mexico
Now watching: Episode 1 · Discovering Mexico & Holbox
21 minEpisode 1Discovering Mexico & Holbox- 17 minEpisode 2Cenotes & Mayan cities
- 9 minEpisode 3Mérida, Uxmal, Cuzamá & the bats
- 13 minEpisode 4Bacalar, a hidden paradise
- 12 minEpisode 5Tulum, Coba, Sian Ka'an & Cenote Azul
- 12 minEpisode 6Cozumel, diving & snorkeling
- 17 minEpisode 7Isla Mujeres, jet skiing & the end of the road trip
21 min
17 min
9 min
13 min
12 min
12 min
17 minTHANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK
Thanks for reading this article all the way to the end 🙏! We hope it helps you plan your trip.
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