66 Best Sights in Mexico

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.

Bike tours, butterfly- and bird-watching adventures, as well as kayaking, diving, and eco-oriented snorkeling trips can be booked through Eco Colors. They also specialize in cultural programs and volunteer opportunities.

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.

Spanish explorers discovered this site—once the hub of Maya life on Cozumel—in 1518, and in 1847 it became the island's first official city. Today, it's a residential community with small, well-tended houses and gardens. Conquistadores tore down much of the Maya temple, so there's little in the way of actual ruins apart from one small stone arch; if you're in the market for souvenirs, however, vendors around the main plaza display embroidered huipil blouses and hammocks. Kun Che Park, just past the village, offers an interactive tour of the Maya lifestyle.

Continuing down the road from the contaduría brings you to El Templo de la Virgen del Rosario. Note the new floor in the otherwise ruined structure; the governor's daughter didn't want to soil the hem of her gown when she married here in 2005. A bit farther on, San Blas's little cemetery is backed by the sea and the mountains.

For decades, residents in this sleepy village of sugarcane farmers had a name for the funny-looking mounds in the hills above town, but they never considered the Guachimontones to be more than a convenient source of rocks for local construction projects. Then in the early 1970s an American archaeologist asserted that the mounds were the remnants of a long-vanished, 2,000-year-old community. It took Phil Weigand nearly three decades to convince authorities in Mexico City that he wasn't crazy. Before he was allowed to start excavating and restoring this monumental site in the late 1990s, plenty more houses and roads were produced with Guachimonton rock—and countless tombs were looted of priceless art.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is most distinctive for its sophisticated concentric architecture—a circular pyramid surrounded by a ring of flat ground, surrounded by a series of smaller platforms arranged in a circle. The "Teuchitlán Tradition," as the concentric circle structures are called, is unique in world architecture. While little is known about the ancient settlement, Weigand believes the formations suggest the existence of a pre-Hispanic state in the region, whereas it was previously held that only socially disorganized nomads inhabited the area at the time. Similar ruins are spread throughout the foothills of the extinct Tequila Volcano, but this is the biggest site yet detected.

A large visitor center and museum was built in 2009.

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.

After you've seen its sister city, Dzibanché, make your way back to the fork in the road, and head to Kinichná ("House of the Sun," pronounced kin-itch-na). At the fork, you'll see the restored Complejo Lamai (Lamai Complex), the administrative buildings of Dzibanché. Kinichná consists of a two-level pyramidal mound split into Acropolis B and Acropolis C, apparently dedicated to the sun god. Two mounds at the foot of the pyramid suggest that the temple was a ceremonial site. Here a giant Olmec-style jade figure was found. At its summit, Kinichná affords one of the finest views of any archaeological site in the area.

Kohunlich (pronounced Ko-hoon-lich) is renowned for the giant stucco masks on its principal pyramid, the Edificio de los Mascarones (Mask Building). It also has one of Quintana Roo's oldest ball courts and the remains of a great drainage system at the Plaza de las Estelas (Plaza of the Stelae). Masks that are about 6 feet tall are set vertically into the wide staircases at the main pyramid, called Edificio de las Estelas (Building of the Stelae). First thought to represent the Maya sun god, they're now considered to be composites of Kohunlich's rulers and important warriors. Another giant mask was discovered in 2001 in the building's upper staircase.

Kohunlich was built and occupied during the Classic Period by various Maya groups. This explains the eclectic architecture, which includes the Petén and Río Bec styles. Although there are 14 buildings to visit, it's thought that there are at least 500 mounds on the site waiting to be excavated. Digs have turned up 29 individual and multiple burial sites inside a residence building called Templo de Los Veintisiete Escalones (Temple of the Twenty-Seven Steps). This site doesn't have a great deal of tourist traffic, so it's surrounded by thriving flora and fauna.

One of the most recently excavated cities of ancient Mesoamerica, La Cañada de la Virgen represents the northern boundary of this pre-Columbian civilization whose ancestors and customs have only recently been revealed. Only the priestly castes lived on the site, which was occupied between approximately AD 540 and 1050. Ceremonial graves show that people were buried with pottery and other artifacts, as well as animals, such as the coyote, thought to guide the deceased to the afterlife. Among those discovered so far is the only female warrior found in Mesoamerica to date.

A half-dozen groups of buildings of locally quarried limestone in a variety of hues comprise the site. Both the access road and the temple mounds (the permanent structures on which temples of perishable materials were constructed) were aligned in a precise orientation (west to east) that mirrored the movement of the stars, sun, and moon.

Within Complex D, Casa del Viento (House of the Wind) is a circular building seemingly dedicated to Ehecatl, the god of the wind. In Complex B, Casa de la Noche Más Larga (House of the Longest Night) shows distinct periods of construction. Here are a steam bath and granary.

In Complex A, Casa de los 13 Cielos (House of the 13 Skies) is the only structure visitors can climb, and affords good views of the site and surrounding countryside. Atop the structure in Templo Rojo (Red Temple), archaeologists have discovered a burial site with an unusual twist: carbon dating indicates that the warrior entombed here died at least 1,000 years before he was buried in this location. Because this was earlier than the site’s founding, the corpse or skeleton was obviously transported here from elsewhere.

Unlike the major archaeological sites of southern Mexico, La Cañada de la Virgen (Virgin’s Canyon) sees only a few dozen visitors on an average day. All must meet at the visitor center, where a guide explains history during a short bus ride to the site, set among rolling hills and studded with mesquite trees, cacti, and other desert plants.

Tours leave on the hour, from 10 am to 4 pm. The nominal entrance fee includes guide (not all guides speak fluent English, though most speak enough to get by) and transportation from the visitor center to the archaeological site. Arrive 15 minutes before the hour to purchase tickets.

No bags or even purses are allowed on-site, so wear pants with pockets if you want to stash a camera or other items. Wear a sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

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.

Lambityeco was built as the civilization of nearby Mitla was waning. The city flourished until AD 750, when it was abandoned. Many archaeologists believe the inhabitants moved to the better-protected city of Yagul. The Palacio de los Racoqui, or Palace of the Lords, is the last of six larger and larger temples built on top of each other. Here you'll see a pair of carvings of a nobleman and his wife. Between these carvings is the tomb where they were buried. Nearby is the Palacio de Cocijo, dedicated to its namesake, a Zapotec god. A pair of carvings depict the rain god wearing an impressive headdress. The site is clearly visible from the highway.

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.

A block beyond the other end of the plaza, the Museo Arqueologico de Mascota is worth a look. It has some pictures of petroglyphs of the area as well as remnants of the pre-Hispanic era.

This photogenic archaeological site at the northern end of the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve is underrated. Once known as Chunyaxché, it's now called by its ancient name, Muyil (pronounced moo-hill). It dates from the late Preclassic Period, when it was connected by road to the sea and served as a port between Cobá and the Maya centers in Belize and Guatemala. A 15-foot-wide sacbé, built during the Postclassic Period, extended from the city to the mangrove swamp and was still in use when the Spaniards arrived.

Structures were erected at 400-foot intervals along the white limestone road, almost all of them facing west, but there are only three still standing. At the beginning of the 20th century, the ancient stones were used to build a chicle (natural gum) plantation, which was managed by one of the leaders of the Caste Wars. The most notable site at Muyil today is the remains of the 56-foot Castillo—one of the tallest on the Quintana Roo coast—at the center of a large acropolis. During excavations of the Castillo, jade figurines representing the goddess Ixchel were found. Recent excavations at Muyil have uncovered some smaller structures.

The ruins stand near the edge of a deep-blue lagoon and are surrounded by almost impenetrable jungle, so be sure to bring insect repellent. You can drive down a dirt road on the side of the ruins to swim or fish in the lagoon. The bird-watching is also exceptional here; come at dawn, before the site officially opens (there's no gate) to make the most of it.

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.

The small ruins at Oxtankah are worth a visit if you're in the Chetumal area. Named for the Ramon trees ("ox" in Mayan) that populate the grounds, they're in a parklike setting and take about an hour to explore. The ruins include a Spanish mission, a pyramid, and several other structures. Archaeologists believe this city's prosperity peaked between AD 200 and 600. Maya groups returned to the area during the 15th and 16th centuries, using old stone to build new structures. There are toilets, free parking, and a tiny museum on-site but no food or drink available, so come prepared.

Large signs on the Zona Hotelera's lagoon side, roughly opposite Playa Delfines, point out the so-called Ruins of the King, though the noble who held court here may or may not have been a king. Although much smaller than famous archaeological sites like Tulum and Chichén Itzá, this site is nevertheless worth a visit.

First entered into Western chronicles in a 16th-century travelogue, El Rey's ruins weren't explored by archaeologists until 1910, and excavations didn't begin until 1954. In 1975, archaeologists began restoration work on the 47 structures with the help of the Mexican government. In 2006, workmen unearthed an ancient Maya skeleton on the outskirts of the park.

Dating from the 3rd to 2nd century BC, El Rey is notable for having two main plazas bounded by two streets. (Most other Maya cities contain only one plaza.) Originally named Kin Ich Ahau Bonil, Mayan for "king of the solar countenance," the site was linked to astronomical practices. The pyramid is topped by a platform, and inside its vault are paintings on stucco. Skeletons interred at the apex and at the base indicate the site may have been a royal burial ground.

It's no Chichén Itzá, but rising from the jungle, these temples make an impressive sight. Cozumel's largest remaining Maya and Toltec site, San Gervasio was the island's capital and ceremonial center, dedicated to the fertility goddess Ixchel. (As with most Maya sites in Mesoamerica, the original name has been lost to history.) The Classic- and Postclassic-style buildings and temples were continuously occupied from AD 300 to 1500. Typical architectural features include limestone plazas and arches atop stepped platforms, as well as stelae and bas-reliefs. Don't miss the temple Las Manitas, with red handprints all over its altar. Water and light snacks are available to purchase, and bug spray is recommended—and be sure to wear your walking shoes for this adventure. Plaques in Mayan, Spanish, and English clearly describe each structure, but it's worth hiring a guide to fully appreciate the site.

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.

Between San Cristóbal and Palenque, on a paved road running along the Río Jataté and through the Ocosingo Valley, is the ancient Mayan city of Toniná. The name means "house of stone" in Tzeltal, and you'll understand why it's named this once you glimpse this series of temples looming some 20 stories over the valley. Built on a steep hillside, Toniná is even taller than Palenque or Tikal.

Toniná is thought to be the last major Mayan ceremonial center to flourish in this area. It thrived for at least a century after the fall of Palenque and Yaxchilán. There is speculation as to whether it may have actually had a part in their downfall. Excavations indicate that the vanquished rulers of those cities were brought here as prisoners. Wonderfully preserved sculptures, including the Mural de las Cuatro Eras (Mural of the Four Ages) depict bloody executions.

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.

The ruins at Yagul aren't as elaborate as those at Monte Albán or Mitla, but their position atop a hill makes them worth a visit. This city was predominantly a fortress protecting a group of temples. The Palacio de los Seis Patios (Palace of the Six Patios), a maze of hallways leading to hidden courtyards, is fun to explore.

If you find the eerie Tumba Triple (Triple Tomb) locked, give the guard $1 or so to open it for you. He may even let you borrow a flashlight to get a good look at the spooky carved skulls. Follow the steep trail that starts near the parking lot for a good hike and great views over the valley and ruins. The site has restrooms, but no other facilities.

Located on Cancún's highest point (the name means "hilly land"), this archaeological site is on the grounds of the Park Royal Cancún and Westin Lagunamar, which means that nonguests can visit only from the beachside. The concierges at either hotel may let you enter through their property if you ask nicely, but otherwise head to Playa Marlín and admire the ruins from a distance. Although it consists of two structures—one probably a temple, the other probably a lighthouse—this is the smallest of Cancún's few archaeological sites. Discovered in 1842 by John Lloyd Stephens, the ruins date from the late 13th or early 14th century. Keep an eye out for roaming iguanas.