Ruins Of El Rey Videos:
Exploring the Mayan ruins of El Rey in Cancun
What to see at El Rey in Cancun
The ruins of El Rey (Zona Arqueologica El Rey) are located within the Cancun Hotel Zone and offer several hours of exploration of approximately forty-seven small structures. El Rey dates back to 1200 AD. There are two main plazas which hold the ruins and all the structures are connected by white stone roads (sacbe). You will notice that the main draws of El Rey are two small temples, used as lighthouses, and the royal heritage of the area. You can view a sculpted bust of a king on display; a previous excavation at the site revealed the remains of someone thought to have been royalty. The name of the ruins, El Rey, is Spanish for The King.
Other than serving as a burial ground for royalty, El Rey was central to Mayan maritime trade.
There is an entrance fee of 55 pesos (approximately $3 USD) to enter El Rey, and an additional camera fee of $2.Â
Getting to El Rey Ruins
As luck would have it, El Rey ruins are conveniently located in the Cancun Hotel Zone which is easily accessible by foot or short taxi ride.
Activities Near El Rey Ruins
The magnificent Museo Maya de Cancun is the premiere institution for learning about Mayan history and has the most significant collection of archeological artifacts from Mayan culture. The building itself is quite striking, designed in an avante-garde style by architect Alberto Garcia Lascurain and opened in 2012. The museum is only a mile north of El Rey and open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm with a last entry 30 minutes before closing. The entrance fee is 80 pesos.
The museum is also the only entrance to the ruins of San Miguelito. We reviewed that site in an article here [link].
