Xpujil Attractions

Visiting fabulous Mayan ruins is the top thing to do in Xpujil, Campeche. Hidden in plain sight in the nearby jungles of Mexico's southern Yucatan Peninsula are ancient pyramids and temples. Seeing them is considered by most travelers to be the best activity they can choose during a stay in this little-known part of Mexico.

Xpujil is centrally located about halfway across the Yucatan Peninsula so the small town makes a great home base for exploring the area. I've been to all the well-known archeological zones on Highway 186 between the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico and the following list contains my personal "must-see" sites.

#1 on the list is the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and Archeological Zone. Calakmul was one of the most powerful cities in ancient America and archeologists are only beginning to uncover its riches. Structure II, which you can climb, is one of the largest pyramids in the Mayan world.

#2 is Xpujil, which I really like because Structure I has three soaring towers, not just the "normal" two found in the Rio Bec area.

#3 is Chicanna, where kids, especially, will thrill at the massive face of a monster that forms the entrance to Structure II.

Oxpemul is a lesser-known site but is included on this list of best things to do in Xpujil because getting there is such an adventure. The roads are bumpy and twist and turn through the green jungle. Definitely not for the faint of heart! Nico at Kaan Expeditions or Rick and Diane at Rio Bec Dreams can take you there or to any of these sites.

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