Xpuhil Mayan Ruins Videos:
Visiting the Mayan Ruins of Xpuhil
Are the Xpuhil Ruins worth visiting?
Xpuhil (or Xpuji) ruins is a site covering 5 square miles near the town of Xpujil. There Mayan Ruins have a distinct architectural style that is similar to the Classic Rio Bec. The largest and most impressive structure is Structure I, which has three towers (rather than the common two tower construction) making them look more like the ruins of Angkor in Cambodia than the ruins of the Maya.
Steep sloping stairs and false doors reveal a possible secret of the Xpuhil ruins. Guides will tell you that this structure may have been designed to be non-functional. That is, in an ornamental way as opposed to actually being of any use to the people who inhabited the area. No reason is given for this anomaly, as most of the Mayan ruins you will visit served strategic or religious purposes. It has been described as the “Las Vegas version of much more majestic buildings” by one visitor to the site.
The entrance fee is 45 pesos and the site is open daily from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
Getting to Xpuhil
The site of the Xpuhil ruins is very small and easily accessible from the town of Xpujil. If you are staying in-town, you can simply walk over to the ruins. Otherwise, book a tour to see all of the Rio Bec ruins in the area including Calakmul, Becan, and Chicanna. You likely won’t be making a day trip here from Cancun or Playa del Carmen, as the nearest large city of Chetumal is 6 hours away.
