El Meco, Cancun - all you need to know

El Meco is a small Mayan archaeological site on the northern outskirts of Cancún, between Puerto Juárez and Punta Sam.

The site is dominated by the El Castillo temple, which stands approximately 12 metres tall and is the tallest structure of its kind on the northern coast of Quintana Roo.

The ruins are not as extensive as those at Chichén Itzá or Tulum, but the site offers the advantages of easy access from Cancún, few visitors and a tour that takes around 15 minutes.

Our verdict

We recommend El Meco as a short cultural stop-off, rather than as the main Mayan attraction of your holiday.

A visit makes the most sense if you’re staying in the centre of Cancún, Puerto Juárez or Costa Mujeres, or if you’re heading towards Punta Sam.

The journey across the entire Hotel Zone is particularly worthwhile for history enthusiasts who aren’t planning a trip to any of the larger ruins.

We wouldn’t book an organised tour just for El Meco itself. The site is small, lies right by the road, and you can easily explore it on your own.

What you’ll see

The most striking structure is the pyramid temple of El Castillo. At its summit, a temple with three entrances has been preserved, and by the staircase you’ll find stone serpent heads reminiscent of the much more famous structure at Chichén Itzá. You cannot climb the pyramid.

Around the main square, Plaza A, stand smaller shrines and the remains of columned buildings, which probably served administrative and public purposes. Another interesting feature is a fig tree growing directly out of one of the smaller structures.

El Meco began as a fishing settlement and later became an important port that controlled shipping traffic towards Isla Mujeres.

However, don’t expect ruins right by the sea as you would in Tulum. The road has divided the original town into two parts.

The inland ceremonial complex is open to visitors, whilst the former harbour and residential buildings along the coast remain closed off. You cannot therefore reach the beach or the sea via the archaeological site.

El Meco or Chichén Itzá?

	El Meco	Chichén Itzá
Time required	approximately 1 hour	full day
Size	small, compact site	extensive Mayan city
Visitor numbers	very low	high
Transport	easily accessible from Cancún	about 2.5 hours one way
Who is it for	A short stop and some peace and quiet	the main archaeological excursion

If you only want to visit one Mayan site during your holiday, we would definitely choose Chichén Itzá.

Admission and opening hours

El Meco is open every day.

	Price
Foreign visitors	145 mxn
Mexican nationals and foreign residents	80 mxn

Opening hours are from 8.00 am to 4.30 pm, with last admission at 4.00 pm.

On Sundays, Mexican nationals and foreign residents with a valid Mexican identity document are admitted free of charge. Prices are subject to change, so please check them on the official INAH website before your visit.

Payment is by cash only.

How much time to allow

For most visitors, 45 to 60 minutes is sufficient. If you plan to read all the information boards and spend more time taking photographs, allow up to 90 minutes.

It’s best to arrive straight after opening, between 8.00 and 9.00. There isn’t much shade on the grounds and it gets hot quickly during the morning.

How to get there

El Meco is situated on the Carretera Puerto Juárez–Punta Sam road at kilometre 2.7.

Uber or DiDi

The most convenient option is Uber or DiDi. The journey from the centre of Cancún usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes, and from the Punta Cancún area around 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

On the return journey, it may take longer to find a car than in the city centre. If you don’t want to wait, you can also return by colectivo minibus.

Public transport from the Hotel Zone

The journey requires one change:

On Boulevard Kukulcán, board the R1 bus heading towards the city centre.
Tell the driver you want to get off at El Crucero or at Parque La Rehoyada.
On Avenida José López Portillo, change to a white minibus marked ‘Punta Sam ’ or ‘Villa del Palmar’.
The minibus will drop you off right at the entrance to the complex.

On the way back, cross to the other side of the road and flag down a combi heading for Cancún or El Crucero.

At El Crucero, you’ll then change to the R1 bus back to the Hotel Zone.

Timetables are not fixed. You pay the driver in cash, so make sure you have small notes and coins.

By car

Drive via Puerto Juárez along the road towards Punta Sam. The entrance to the complex is right by the main road and is signposted. There is free parking by the ticket office.