From Mérida to Calakmul: A Slow Road Trip Through Campeche State

Despite living in Mérida - not too far away - Calakmul always sat on our “one day” list — the kind of trip that feels a bit too far, a bit too remote, and honestly a bit too easy to postpone. But this time we finally decided to make it happen.

We planned a simple 4-day loop from Mérida: first a night in colorful Campeche, then onward toward the jungle. On the way, we stopped to explore the impressive ruins of Edzná before continuing deeper into Campeche state. Since finding a place close to Calakmul is notoriously tricky, we booked the Mundo Maya hotel inside the reserve purely for the convenience, and finished the journey with a relaxed final night in Xpujil.

A little road trip, a couple of new stops, and finally the long-awaited visit to the great Calakmul.

Day 1: Mérida to Campeche

The first leg of the trip is easy: the highway from Mérida to Campeche is smooth, direct, and usually calm, so the two-hour drive feels more like a comfortable start than a chore. Once you arrive, staying inside the old city is a great way to enjoy Campeche without rushing anywhere. The historic center is compact and walkable, filled with colorful streets, small cafés, and plenty of corners to explore at your own pace.

If you get there in the afternoon or evening, the Malecón is a perfect place to unwind. There are several seafood restaurants near the end of the promenade, and after dinner you can head to the area where the fountain show takes place every night. It’s a simple but enjoyable performance where the fountain sprays water in rhythm with the music for about half an hour — an easy way to end the day.

The next morning, Campeche gives you a few nice options before continuing the journey: walking through the old town, checking out small artisan and souvenir shops, or climbing sections of the old defensive walls that once surrounded the city. We personally decided to go Roller skate back to the promenade!

Day 2: From Campeche to Calakmul via Edzná

The next morning we continued toward Edzná, about a 45-minute drive from Campeche on a road that stays in good condition almost all the way. It’s an easy route, and the site is absolutely worth the stop — one of those places that feels surprisingly grand the moment you walk in.

Edzná Archaeological site

Edzná was once a major Maya city set in a fertile valley connected to the Champotón River. Its name is usually translated as “House of the Itzáes,” referring to a Chontal Itzá lineage that settled here and shaped the identity of the ancient city. The first traces of occupation go back to around 600–300 BCE, but the city truly flourished between 400 and 1000 CE, when it became a powerful regional capital with plazas, causeways, and ceremonial spaces spread across the valley.

The heart of the site is the Gran Acrópolis, a massive raised platform topped by Edzná’s most iconic structure: the Building of the Five Stories. It dominates the landscape and immediately gives you a sense of how important this city once was. Around the main plaza you’ll also find the ballcourt, the Nohochná (“big house”), the Platform of the Knives, and the South Temple, all carefully arranged with both ritual and political meaning.

Edzná is also known for its sophisticated water-management system, using canals and reservoirs to support agriculture and a dense population over centuries. Today, the site is protected by INAH and includes a small on-site museum that helps put everything into context.

Edzná - Calakmul: A Road Mistake You Should Avoid

After Edzná, we made one of those classic road-trip mistakes — the kind where you know it’s a bad idea, you even say it out loud… and then you do it anyway.

We followed the shortest route Google suggested, heading straight south from Edzná toward the Centenario crossroads, and it turned out to be a complete error. The road is in such bad condition that it feels like one endless pothole, and there’s no phone signal for most of the way. It’s exactly the kind of road you don’t want to be on if daylight is fading.

Our clear recommendation: always reach Calakmul via Champotón and the coastal road from Campeche. From Edzná it might look like you’re going backwards, but you’ll save time, nerves, and probably your suspension.

Entering the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve

Once you reach Conhuas, things become straightforward again. The entrance to the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is easy to find, and after paying the required fees you’re in for a long but beautiful drive — about 60–70 km of narrow jungle road, which usually takes at least an hour.

This part should be driven slowly and carefully. Wildlife can appear on the road at any time, and the feeling of being deep inside a protected jungle is very real.

Staying Inside the Reserve: Mundo Maya Hotel

For the night, we stayed at Mundo Maya, the only hotel located inside the reserve (aside from a small camping area near the entrance). Its biggest advantage is location — you’re only about 15 minutes from the Calakmul ruins, which makes early visits very easy.

That said, despite being promoted as a 5-star hotel, the experience didn’t fully live up to that label. We had issues with inconsistent hot water, and the restaurant was expensive, limited, and frankly disappointing — many menu items weren’t available, and the quality didn’t match the prices.

The hotel is visually impressive, but its scale and reliance on gasoline generators feel heavy for such a fragile environment. In the end, its real value is convenience: it’s practical for one night, just to be fresh for the ruins the next morning, but it’s not a place we’d choose to stay longer.

Day 3: Exploring Calakmul

The next morning we headed to Calakmul around 9 AM, relaxed and without rushing. The site is incredibly remote, and that’s part of what makes it special. During our entire visit, we met maybe eight to ten other people — spread across a huge archaeological area.

The jungle experience is unforgettable. We saw spider monkeys moving through the trees and heard howler monkeys for nearly an hour, their deep calls echoing through the forest. All of the main structures are climbable, and the views from the top stretch endlessly over the green canopy. We spent about three hours exploring, and it was impressive in every sense.

Calakmul is one of the most important Maya cities in the region, located deep in the forest near the Guatemalan border. Its name is often translated as “Two Adjacent Mounds,” referring to the two massive pyramids that rise above the jungle.

For over a thousand years, Calakmul functioned as a major political capital, controlling a vast network of allied and subordinate cities. The site contains monumental plazas, temples, palaces, and residential areas, along with one of the largest collections of carved stelae in the Maya world.

What makes Calakmul truly unique is its setting within one of the largest remaining tropical forests in Mesoamerica. This close relationship between archaeology and nature is why it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site — recognized both for its cultural importance and its ecological value.

View in Calakmul

A Quiet Bonus Stop: Balamkú

After leaving Calakmul, we made a short detour to the small archaeological site of Balamkú, and it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. The entire region isn’t heavily visited, so the site felt calm and non-touristy — we were completely alone during our visit.

Balamkú means “Temple of the Jaguar,” and its highlight is a beautifully preserved stucco frieze hidden inside one of the main structures. The relief shows jaguars and mythological figures modeled in stucco and still painted in deep red tones, an incredibly rare sight in the Maya world. The site is small and easy to visit, but the artwork alone makes it worth stopping if you’re already in the area.

Final Night in Xpujil and the Way Back

We finished the day in Xpujil, choosing a completely different experience after Mundo Maya. We stayed in a small local place that rents out trailers — simple, cozy, and surrounded by nature at the edge of town. Sitting outside with a beer, in quiet surroundings, felt like the perfect way to end the jungle part of the trip.

The next morning, we took the road back to Mérida via Champotón and Campeche, and we were very happy with that decision — especially after the “shortcut” we took earlier in the trip. This time, we stuck to the sensible route and resisted the temptation to try anything adventurous like crossing the peninsula via random backroads. Sometimes, shorter on the map doesn’t always mean faster in real life. 😄