254 Best Sights in Mexico

When you’ve exhausted your interest in archaeology—or are just plain exhausted—Cenote Ik Kil (meaning "place of the winds") offers a refreshing change of pace. Located across from the Doralba Inn in Pisté, this is an especially photogenic cenote to swim in. Lockers, changing facilities, showers, and life jackets are available.

Perhaps the most photographed cenote in the Yucatán, this sinkhole is across the road from another one, Cenote X-Keken, about 5 km (3 miles) west of the main square. A narrow stairway leads to crystal clear water where tree vines dangle overhead and hundreds of birds nest between the stalactites. Don't be alarmed by the tiny Garra rufa fish that nibble at your feet—they are actually eating away the dead skin cells. Guides offer tours for tips.

Five kilometers (3 miles) west of the main square, you can swim with the catfish in a lovely, mysterious cave illuminated by a small natural skylight. There are toilets and changing facilities but no lockers. Directly across the street is the equally stunning Cenote Samulá. Guides offer tours for tips.

A large, round, and beautiful sinkhole right in town, Cenote Zací—zací means "white hawk" in the Mayan language—is sometimes crowded with tourists and local boys clowning it up; at other times, it's deserted. Leaves from the tall old trees surrounding the sinkhole float on the surface, but the water itself is quite clean. If you're not up for a dip, visit the adjacent handicraft shop or have a bite at the popular, thatched-roof restaurant overlooking the water.  We recommend paying the extra MX$30 to rent a life vest here.

The Ex-Convento San Pablo has been turned from dereliction into a stunning new cultural and academic center for the city of Oaxaca. Visitors can enjoy the ongoing program of artistic and musical events, as well as the café, the children’s library, archaeological exhibition, restored chapel, and the interesting Moroccan-Oaxacan restaurant with roof terrace. San Pablo really is a triumph of sensitive restoration creating a truly public space.

Referred to as simply the "Olimpo," this beautiful porticoed cultural center was built adjacent to city hall in late 1999. Its marble interior hosts international art exhibits, classical-music concerts, conferences, and theater and dance performances. The adjoining 1950s-style movie house shows both classic art films and animated features targeting younger viewers. The center also houses a planetarium with 60-minute shows explaining the solar system (narration is in Spanish); they run Tuesday through Sunday at 6 pm and Sunday at 10, 11, noon, 6, and 7—be sure to arrive 15 minutes early as nobody is allowed to sneak in once the show has begun.

For a bird's-eye view of the town and coast, hike or drive up Calle Juárez, the main drag, to Cerro de San Basilio. You can also take Road 74 out of town, turn right at the fork and then right at Calle del Panteon, which is the only road you'll find before reaching the river.

Chankanaab, translated as "small sea," consists of a saltwater lagoon, an archaeological park, and a botanical garden, with reproductions of a Maya village and Olmec, Toltec, Aztec, and Maya stone carvings scattered throughout. You can swim at the beach, and there's plenty for snorkelers and divers to see beneath the surface, including underwater caverns, a sunken ship, crusty old cannons and anchors, a sculpture of the Virgen del Mar (Virgin of the Sea), and parrot fish and sergeant majors galore. Note, though, that to preserve the ecosystem, rules forbid touching the reef or feeding the fish. A seal show is included in the admission, and you'll find dive shops, restaurants, gift shops, a snack stand, and dressing rooms with lockers and showers right on the sand. Chankanaab also has a Dolphin Discovery facility where you can swim with the much-loved marine mammals.

Several grassy beach parks, including Punta Estrella and Dos Mulas, surround the bay. The latter is not recommended due to cleanliness issues. But Punta Estrella has parking, toilets, volleyball courts, and a small boat marina. The water here is calm, if cloudy, and there's plenty of shade from trees and little palapa-topped picnic tables. Popular with fishermen, the bay itself is shallow and the flats go on for miles. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: walking.

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.

Located on a cacao plantation near the Uxmal ruins, this museum highlights the history of cacao and cocoa (the product derived from cacao) and their relationship with Maya culture. Tours take place in traditional homes where you can learn about the cultivation of cacao and the process of making chocolate. At the end, you'll be treated to a traditional Maya drink, prepared with organic cocoa and local spices.

The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is dedicated to the patron saint of Mexico and of Puerto Vallarta. The holy mother's image, by Ignacio Ramírez, is the centerpiece of the cathedral's slender marble altarpiece. The brick bell tower is topped by a lacy-looking crown that replicates the one worn by Carlota, short-lived empress of Mexico. The wrought-iron crown toppled during an earthquake that shook this area of the Pacific Coast in 1995 but was soon replaced with a fiberglass version, supported, as was the original, by a squadron of stone angels. This was replaced with a newer and larger rendition in 2009.

Cannons protect the ruined contaduría, built during colonial times when San Blas was New Spain's first official port.

Since its opening in 1990, the Costa Careyes Polo Club has received players from all over the world. For $500 you can play in one of their two regulation-size fields with greens fees and horse rental included.

The biologists running the Croco Cun Zoo, an animal farm just north of Puerto Morelos, have collected specimens of many of the reptiles and some of the mammals indigenous to the area. They offer immensely informative tours—you may even get to handle a baby crocodile or feed a monkey. Be sure to wave hello to the 500-pound crocodile secure in his deep pit.

Favored by locals because of its long stretch of sand and beautiful color, Destiladeras is especially popular on weekends. You can reach the beach by bus or car, and there's unofficial parking at the top of the cliff where guards will look over your car for a price. Amenities: parking (free); water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; swimming; walking.

The alliance between sister cities Dzibanché and Kinichná was thought to have made them the most powerful cities in southern Quintana Roo during the Maya Classic Period (AD 100–1000). The fertile farmlands surrounding the ruins are still used today as they were hundreds of years ago, and the winding drive deep into the fields makes you feel as if you're coming upon something undiscovered. Archaeologists have been making progress in excavating more and more ruins, albeit slowly.

At Dzibanché (which translates as "place where they write on wood" and is pronounced zee-ban-chay), several carved wooden lintels have been found. The most perfectly preserved example is in a supporting arch at the Plaza de Xibalba.

Also at the plaza is the Templo del Búho (Temple of the Owl), atop which a recessed tomb was discovered—only the second of its kind in Mexico (the first was at Palenque in Chiapas). In the tomb were magnificent clay vessels painted with white owls, messengers of the underworld gods.

More buildings and three plazas have been restored as excavation continues. Several other plazas are surrounded by temples, palaces, and pyramids, all in the Petén style. The carved stone steps at Edificio 13 and Edificio 2 (Buildings 13 and 2) still bear traces of stone masks. A copy of the famed lintel of Templo IV (Temple IV), with eight glyphs dating from AD 618, is housed in the Museo de la Cultura Maya in Chetumal. (The original was replaced in 2003 because of deterioration.) Four more tombs were discovered at Templo I (Temple I).

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.

This Maya-owned and -operated eco-park has cenotes and a few beautiful underground caverns that are great for snorkeling and diving, as well as some small Maya ruins. It offers you a choice of three different experiences. The place is low-key—a nice break from the crowds. Bring natural mosquito repellent.

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.

The water at this beach is almost always still, and even when surf is bigger, the many jetties keep a section of the beach safe for swimming (though swimmers should still take caution). Take a panga tour to the Marietas Islands; in winter, whale-watching is popular here. You'll also have plenty of dining options nearby. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing.

To enjoy the drama of Isla's western shore while soaking up some rays, stroll along this 1½-km-long (1-mile-long) boardwalk. It runs from the Ultramar pier to Playa Norte and has several benches and lookout points. Check out El Monumento del Marlin Azul y la Barracuda (Blue Marlin and Barracuda Monument) along the way.

El Malecón of Puerto Vallarta is its flagship attraction. The construction started in 1936 and it went through a complete renovation in 2011. Now, it’s closed to traffic and pedestrians can stroll for almost 1 km (½ mile) through a gorgeous palm-filled promenade. The walk starts at the Rosita Hotel and continues to the amphitheater across the main square. On your way, enjoy the 10 sculptures and the Voladores de Papantla (ancient Mesoamerican tradition involving bungee-jump-like "flying people").

This museum tells the history of chocolate, referencing archaeological evidence of the magical substance from different locations across Mesoamerica. You will see what a fresh cacao pod looks like, and will be able to taste toasted seeds. Learn about the cultural significance that chocolate has played in Mexico over a millennia, as well as the role it plays in the world today. From a room dedicated to sculptures made of chocolate to utensils used to prepare chocolate to the insects that dominate its growing regions and cultivation, there is little you’ll be lacking in chocolate knowledge once you spend an afternoon here.

Six theme sections compose this excellent interactive children's discovery museum: My Body, Living Mexico, My Home and Family, My City, the Ideas Laboratory, and the Little Ones Zone, all together comprising more than 200 exhibits. There are also workshops, an IMAX theater (note that tickets are discounted if purchased with museum tickets), a store, and a restaurant. Although exhibits are in Spanish, there are some English-speaking staff on hand.

A water park for children, El Rollo has dolphin shows, a freshwater pool with a wave machine, a waterslide, the Sky Coaster (a safe, low-key bungee jump for kids), and other fun attractions. If you book an hour-long swim with the dolphins, the folks here can have you picked up at your hotel (it's easy to catch a cab for the return trip).

The waterfall is a 40-minute walk from Ajijijc and only visible during the rainy season, but the trek is definitely worth it if you want to spend some time in nature without people around you.

About 14 km (9 miles) east of Oaxaca on Carretera 190, the hamlet of Santa María del Tule is known for El Tule, the huge cypress tree that towers over the lovely colonial-era church behind it. Thought to be more than 2,000 years old, it's one of the world's largest trees, with roots buried more than 60 feet in the ground and a canopy arcing some 140 feet high. It has an estimated weight of nearly 640,000 tons; it would take 35 adults to embrace the trunk. In front of the church is a pleasant garden with animal-shape topiaries. There's a nominal fee to enter the grounds. At informal outdoor eateries in the tree's shadow, local ladies tend large griddles, serving atole (a nutritious drink of ground cornmeal or rice), soups, and snacks.

Facing the main plaza, the enormous 16th-century former monastery and church of St. Anthony of Padua is perched on—and built from—the remains of a Maya pyramid devoted to Itzamná, god of the heavens. The monastery's ocher-painted church, where Pope John Paul II led prayers in 1993, has a gigantic atrium (supposedly second in size only to the Vatican's) facing a colonnaded facade and rows of 75 white-trimmed arches. The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, to whom the church is dedicated, is the patron saint of the Yucatán. A statue of Nuestra Señora de Izamal, or Our Lady of Izamal, was brought here from Guatemala in 1562 by Bishop Diego de Landa. Miracles are ascribed to her, and a yearly pilgrimage takes place in her honor. Frescoes of saints at the front of the church, once plastered over, were rediscovered and refurbished in 1996.

The monastery and church are now illuminated in a light-and-sound show of the type common at some archaeological sites. You can catch a Spanish-only narration and the play of lights on the nearly 500-year-old structure at 8:30 every night but Sunday. Diagonally across from the cathedral, the small municipal market is worth a wander. It's the kind of place where if you stop to watch how the merchants prepare food, they may let you in on their cooking secrets.

Five long blocks away from the main plaza is the 16th-century, terra-cotta Ex-Convento e Iglesia San Bernardino, a Franciscan church and former monastery. The church was actually built over Cenote Sis-Há, which provided the monks with a clean water source. You can view the cenote through a grate in the well house, where much of the original stone still remains. If a priest is around, ask him to show you the 16th-century frescoes, protected behind curtains near the altarpiece. The lack of proportion in the human figures shows the initial clumsiness of indigenous artisans in reproducing the Christian saints.