Situated right in the heart of the Yucatán, Izamal is the perfect home base for exploring the Yucatán and the wonders of the Mundo Maya. Here are some of our favorite day trips from Macan ché. We've included some links where possible for more information about a particular site.
Sites are most accessible by car. Buses are not always direct and do not stop in all locations. We are happy to assist you in arranging a taxi to any of these locations but that's not to discourage you from trying out the local combis and bus system. Its a great way to travel and to get to know the area. Think of bus travel here like slow food, worth the wait.
0 to 1 hour Drive
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Izamal—Izamal is very quaint and picturesque. Among the yellow back drop of this golden colonial city you will find Mayan pyramids, a Franciscan convent from the 16th century and the warmth and hospitality of the Mayan people. In addition, Izamal has a thriving community of artesans that should not be missed. Click here for more historical information on Izamal.
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Chichén Itzá—This is the "must visit" ruin in the Yucatán. From 900 to 1300 AD this was the central city of the Itza, the most powerful Mayan group in the Yucatán during the Late Classic period. We suggest you go early and avoid the crowds. Macan ché is the ideal location for your day trip to this magnificent ruin. We're just 45 minutes away by the toll road.
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Mérida—
Mérida is a great place to visit and you can get there very quickly on the careterra from Izamal, about 45 minutes. Mérida is the capital of the Yucatán and its major city. Here you'll find grand colonial architecture, bustling marketplaces, high quality restaurants (even sushi), a thriving night life, and just about anything else a big city offers. The road to and from is very safe even to drive at night, so it is a great day trip from Izamal.
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Dzilam de Bravo—The closest shoreline to Izamal is directly north at this quaint little fishing village. Reputed to be the burial site of the notorious pirate Jean Lafite, this quiet little town is now becoming known as the access to the Parque San Felipe. Next to the office of the Port Captain you'll find the local coop (Dzayachuleb) which offers many different boat trips into the reserve. We recently took the 3-hour tour and, unlike Gilligan, had a great time with no shipwreck! They offer three different tours and camping. For more information visit the Yucatan Today website or click here to hear about our trip.
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Hacienda Sotuta de Peon—
We recently took a group of 9 family members to this tour and I was very impressed—this is a first class tour. Yucatán is rich in history and this hacienda gives you a view into the era that made Yucatán a rich and prosperous place. You are taken on a journey into the past as you visit the hacienda home, the antique machinery, the workers in process, the fields where the henequen is grown and even a beautiful cenote that you can swim in. They have a restaurant as well. For more information and to book a tour (must reserve a tour ahead of time) see their website.
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Mayapan—
I think of this ruin as "Chichén Itzá Lite." It is a mini version of the ruins you see at Chichén Itzá minus the crowds and minus the restrictions on climbing. This is also the last known inhabited site so in a way it is the youngest. As a result you can still see some of the painted stucco at the ruin. This gave me a glimpse of how the ruins looked in their day. So much of what we see is just the skeleton. Mayapan opened my eyes up to the whole body. I think it is a beautiful site and if you combine this with the tour at Sotuta de Peon you have planned a full day!
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Cenotes Chihuan and Yokdzodnot—
Chihuan (the mouth of Juan) is in the village of Holca near Kantunil, just 20 minutes away from Izamal. This is a family owned cenote and although the entrance is a bit strange (it is as if you are entering someone's basement) the cenote is beautiful and unique. It is a closed, cave like cenote. The family keeps it lit and clean and it is definitely worth the swim.
In the same day I like to go further down the road to the Cenote Yokdzonot. This is run by a cooperative in the town by the same name. It is an open cenote, incredibly deep and breathtakingly beautiful. The areas around the cenote are well maintained and there is a restaurant on site.
I mention these two cenotes for someone looking for an easy day trip from Izamal where you don't have to leave too early or come back too late. They are also so different from each other that if you have no time to see another cenotes, these two are great examples.
see this link.
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Aké—This ruin was once an important city linked to Izamal by a very large (12M wide) Sac Be (white road). The story is told that the kings of Izamal and Aké were cousins and that the king of Izamal was particularly fond of the tortillas from Aké. Hence, the traffic on this Sac Be was pretty busy with attendants carrying tortillas. You can still see vestiges of this road as you enter Izamal from Mérida.
There's also a working henequen factory at Aké where you can see the century old machinery still churning out rope, just as it was at the height of the henequen hacienda period. Its a more rustic operation than Sotuta de Peon, but you have both the added benefit of fantastic ruins and seeing a rural working henequen operation.
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Oxwatz—Here is the ultimate adventure tour. Oxwatz was a very important Maya center linked to Izamal. The story goes, when the conquistadors arrived, the inhabitants of Oxwatz tossed the city treasure in the aguadas and cast magic spells so that their city would not be discovered and destroyed, then abandoned the city. Oxwatz today is a collection of ruins, cenotes, and aquadas (complete with crocodiles) preserved by the jungle. If you want to go where very few tourists go, this is the trip for you! You will find many photos and details on their website.
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Over 1 Hour's Drive
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Uxmal—This is my favorite ruin. I love the pyramid of the magician. The rounded corners, the elegance, so majestic. It is an architectural wonder of the Pu'uc style. And the nice thing about Uxmal is you don't have the crowds that you have at Chichen itza.
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Cúzama—We think this is one of the best cenote trips in Yucatán (in our humble opinion). When you arrive in Cúzama (actually an old hacienda 3 km outside of town) you board a horse-drawn truk (the little carts they used to bring in the hennequen from the fields) and take an 8 km journey through the jungle to visit three fantastic cenotes. The trip is run by a town collective and they've made access to the cenotes very easy and very safe. Take a look at our Cenotes page to whet your appetite (pun hardily intended).
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Dzibilchaltún—This is a beautiful ruin just north of Mérida with many special features. Aside from the ruins, there is a Franciscan chapel in the middle of the old site combining the old and new. The museum is one of the best site museums with artifacts from all over the Yucatán and the colonial era. Plan on taking a dip in the beautiful cenote. And if you plan your trip for spring and autumn equinoxes you can see the sun line up at dawn in the Temple of the Seven Dolls.
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Ek Balam—Okay, you've been to Chichen Itza and Uxmal, now what? Ek Balam, of course! This is an amazing ruin, particularly for the climb up the palacio steps. At 200 feet by 500 feet, this is one of the largest excavated structures in Yucatán. But don't just rush to the top. Along the way you can see many well preserved sculptures, still covered in stucco. The excavated area is contained in a relatively small area which makes for a very manageable excursion.
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Valladolid—Here you'll find a very pleasant small city and a great day trip from Izamal. You may want to double it up with a visit to Ek Balam. Valladolid has some very impressive colonial architecture and the vendors in and around the main square offer excellent local handicrafts. Valladolid is also an important place in Mayan history as the Caste Wars began here in 1849. The town is built upon the Mayan town of Zaci which is also the name of the local cenote. Nearby are other cenotes, probably the most notable being Dzitnup.
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