Maya Ruins
Visit the Maya Ruins of Calakmul & The Ruta Rio Bec
Rio Bec Dreams is ideally situated for exploring the many Maya ruins of the Rio Bec and Chenes regions of Campeche State, as well as the World Heritage site of Calakmul. For example, Chicanna is just a few hundred yards up the road; Further the Maya ruins of Becan just beyond that, in addition Xpuhil is just ten minutes away. The Rio Bec was a decentralized polity and its eclectic and imaginative sites are tucked away all around us along both sides of the highway.
Above all, we are happy to recommend local restaurants or to supply picnic lunches for your day trips to the Maya ruins. Meanwhile for locations farther away, we can suggest itineraries and hotels to make your explorations trouble free.
Maya ruins with Rio Bec Style Architecture: A Few Minutes Away
Chicanna
Xpuhil
Becan
Hormiguero
Rio Bec Style Architecture: About An Hour Away, Just Past Xpujil
Rio Bec
The ruins of Rio Bec are difficult to get to but stop by Rio Bec Dreams and we can give you some help. The ruins are spread out over a wide area. Therefore you currently need a four wheel drive or high clearance vehicle to get there. That is to say, they are probably not reachable in the rainy season.
Rio Bec Style Architecture: Maya ruins close but difficult
The following nearby sites are limited access sites, requiring prior permission and a local guide:
Ramonales, Manos Rojas, Puerto Rico, Yax Bil, Payan.
Rio Bec Style Architecture: Close To The Road To Calakmul
Balamku
Discovered in 1990, this spectacular site with its remarkable Early Classic stucco frieze/facade – 56 feet long and 13 feet high – really gives a complete impression of how these cities looked 1500 years ago.
Classic Style Architecture: An Hour to 1 1/2 hours away
Kohunlich
Its tropical setting, huge ball court, many plazas and residential areas, and especially its six famous Early Classic masks of the sun god Kinich Ajaw make this a truly memorable site to visit.
Dzibanche
Its grassy, park-like setting belies its long, ambitious turbulent history. This is the Early Classic home of the Snake Kings who later dominated the Central Lowlands and settled in Calakmul. Certainly a beautiful city with lots of good architecture, many plazas and lots of quiet.
Kinichna
1 km from Dzibanche, Kinichna is a hilltop fortress acropolis that is worth the time if you are in the area.
Maya ruins with Peten Style Architecture: Less Than 2 Hours Away
Calakmul
The greatest of all Maya cities, both in terms of its size and influence during the Late Classic in the Central Lowlands. The Peten reaches across the border from Guatemala here. But it is still 1 1/2 hours’ drive on a narrow jungle road to the ruins from the highway. Therefore this is an opportunity to see perhaps the most important Classic Maya city and to have an archaeological adventure. Consequently this is really an all-day trip – you might think about booking two nights to give yourself time to prepare and to recover.
Chenes Style Sites In Campeche: Within Two Hours
Santa Rosa Xtampak, Oxtankah, Hochob, El Tabasqueno, Dzbalnocac.
Chenes, Puuc & Peten Style Sites: Within Three Hours
For example Edzna, Uxmal, Kabah, Sayil, Labna, Xlapak, Chunhuhub, Xcalumkin, Kanki, Chacchoben.
Maya Sites: within four hours
For instance El Tigre, Comalcalco, Lamanai (Belize), Altun Ha (Belize), Xunantunich (Belize), Caracol (Belize).
Maya ruins: within five hours
Palenque, Bonampak, Tonina, Yaxchilan, Coba.