Day 27: Visit Uxmal in Yucatán - Celestún
It's today visit Uxmal in Yucatán, making this last day of the year, a most special moment, which we wanted to arrive for a long time.
We start the day at about 6 in the morning, and after reloading the luggage in the car, approach to breakfast at the Hacienda Uxmal Plantation & Museum, just in front of the Hotel Casa del Mago, which has been our accommodation in Uxmal tonight and with whom he shares the common areas, in addition to breakfast.
If there is something we want to do, and more in an archaeological site like this, that we know is one of the essential places to visit in Mexico, is to access the moment they open, to try to be as long as possible alone in the place. Another good option is to book this Excursion to Uxmal and Kabah, with which you can make both visits and learn all the history and anecdotes.
So we had breakfast without haste but without pause, at 8 o'clock to be at the ticket office of the archaeological site, something we got without problems, since our hotel is only 200 meters from the entrance of Uxmal in Yucatán.
The truth is that after the experience, if you fit in the itinerary of the trip to Mexico for free, it is highly recommended to sleep near Uxmal, since in addition to being able to enter first thing in the morning like us, you will have the possibility to see The Light and Sound Show in Uxmal, which they do at night and which we were told, is highly recommended.
Upon arrival at the ticket office of the archaeological site they inform us that you have to pay a couple of tickets: one is for the local government and one for the state government, paying 70 pesos in the first entry and 153 pesos per person in the second.
And so, with our tickets we access Uxmal in Yucatan, the most important archaeological site of the Puuc Route, which we visited yesterday.
Tips for visiting Uxmal in Yucatán
_ The schedule of Uxmal in Yucatán is from 8 am to 5 pm, extending the schedule with the light and sound show that takes place every night.
- The ticket price is 70 pesos per person for the local government and 153 pesos per person for the state government. Therefore, the total you must pay to access Uxmal is 223 pesos per person.
- If you want to avoid meeting many people and most organized groups that visit the archaeological site, we recommend you sleep in an area near Uxmal. The truth is that there is not much to choose from and 99% of the accommodations are quite expensive. Although as an exception you have the Hotel Casa del Mago, where we have stayed tonight, with a very good quality / price ratio and that is only 200 meters from the entrance of the archaeological site.
- At the entrance to the archaeological site of Uxmal, if you are the first to visit the Puuc Route, you will find yourself at the entrance of an amusement park. They have all the services you can imagine: restaurants, cafeteria, shops, beverage machines, ATM ... Nothing to do with the rest of the archaeological sites we have visited, where there are practically no services, although according to our point of view, they are much more attractive and authentic.
- If you can, being Uxmal the archaeological site of the Puuc Route larger or probably more impressive, we recommend you to do the tour as we have done. Visiting the little ones first, to end up visiting Uxmal in Yucatan. We believe that by doing so, you will be in continuous amazement.
- The best views of the Casa del Adivino and the entire site you will have from the Governor's Palace. On the other hand, if you want a perspective of the whole area of the Great Pyramid, from the Quadrangle of the Nuns, in the highest part, you can enjoy beautiful views.
Visit Uxmal in Yucatán
- Be polite. Do not shout, do not climb where you should not. Although this is something we should do anywhere, in places like these it is important to respect everything and everyone.
- The visit to Uxmal in Yucatan lasts about 3 hours, taking it easy and stopping to take pictures.
Book the tours and excursions in Spanish best valued by travelers to visit Uxmal and Celestún:
- Excursion to Uxmal and Kabah
- Light and sound show in Uxmal
- Excursion to Celestún
- Many more excursions and tours in / from Mérida here
Book the tours and excursions in Spanish best valued by travelers to visit Uxmal and Celestún:What to see in Uxmal
Considered as one of the most important and incredible Mayan archeological sites, we could say that Uxmal is one of the essential visits in Mexico.
The Fortune Teller's House
Probably the most known and symbolic structure of Uxmal in Yucatan, the Casa del Adivino is also the first place you will see when you access the archaeological site.
The Fortune Teller's House
With 35 meters high, one of the most remarkable and amazing things are its rounded shapes, which can be seen perfectly as you surround it.
The Fortune Teller's House
The Fortune Teller's House
Quadrangle of the Nuns
The Quadrangle of the Nuns is another of Uxmal's most famous structures. We recommend you visit it right after the Casa del Adivino and spend some prudential time, since much of its appeal is in the incredible details that decorate it.
Quadrangle of the Nuns
According to the studies, this structure with 74 rooms, could serve as an academy at the time.
Quadrangle of the Nuns
Views from the Quadrangle of the Nuns
Ball game
The Ball Game is the structure that we can see between the Nun's Quadrangle and the Governor's Palace.
Ball game
Turtles House
This structure, from which we can have the best views from the Governor's Palace, is well known in Uxmal for the turtle carvings that can be seen on its ledge.
Turtles House
Governor's Palace
With almost 100 meters long, this structure is another of the best known and magnificent that you can visit in Uxmal in Yucatan.
Governor's Palace
With many details of the Puuc Route, such as the mask of Chaac and splendid geometric designs, in addition to incredible cornices, the Governor's Palace is probably the place that deserves more time in the entire visit, since it is also the point from the You enjoy the best views of Uxmal.
Governor's Palace
Uxmal views from the Governor's Palace
We cannot deny the obvious and that is that Uxmal is impressive. But more incredible is to see the archaeological site from a remote perspective, from which to see the site and its incredible location.
Uxmal views from the Governor's Palace
That is why we advise you to take your time and enjoy one of the terraces of the Governor's Palace, from where you will have incredible views of the Casa del Adivino and the Quadrangle of the Nuns.
Uxmal views from the Governor's Palace
Great pyramid
With 9 floors and 30 meters high, the Great Pyramid is one of the structures that has practically not been restored.
Dovecote
Named for its resemblance to the dovecotes, this is one of the most beautiful structures in the entire archaeological site.
Dovecote
We leave you a map with the most interesting points to visit in Uxmal in Yucatan.
After 3 hours of visit to Uxmal, after which we have been incredibly surprised by the place, it is time to continue with the route of this trip to Mexico in 45 days, before going through a kiosk to catch a couple of coffees for carry for 80 pesos that we enjoy while we return to the parking lot of the Casa del Mago Hotel, 200 meters away, from where we will head to the next point of this trip: Celestún.
Celestun is 80 kilometers from Uxmal and 1:45 hours away, which we travel under an impressive sky and surrounded by vegetation, something that has already become common in these last stages of the trip, taking advantage of the route to make a stop to fill the deposit for 600 pesos, since although in Celestún there is a gas station, it is far from the center, so it deserves to go with a full tank to avoid surprises.
Road from Uxmal to Celestún
We arrived in Celestún at 1 noon so seeing what time it is, we decided to stop at Los Pampanos Restaurant, the most recommended in the town, where for the first time we see the sea of this area of the country and where we enjoy a stuffed avocado of crab, shrimp and cheese quesadillas, breaded squid and octopus, plus soda, beer and two coffees for 610 pesos.
Los Pampanos Restaurant
In addition to the food being very good, we have to say that this restaurant, like a couple that have the same location, is to enjoy it, since they have direct access to the beach, so they are the perfect place to enjoy of several hours.
After a table, we decided to make a small change of plans on the itinerary, approaching the jetty, to see if at this time they make the famous tour of Celestún, in which flamingos are going to be seen and thus advance the visit and tomorrow, the first day of the year, to be able to spend the whole morning enjoying the beach, making a small break to rest.
Having scheduled this excursion we would do it tomorrow and being day 1 a very relaxed day, we have chosen to make tomorrow this practical guide, the moment to explain in detail the tour in Celestún in Yucatan.
More practical information to prepare your trip to Mexico
- The 10 best excursions in Riviera Maya
- The 10 essential places to see in Riviera Maya
- 10 essential places to visit in Mexico
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Mexico
- Best travel insurance for Mexico
- Security in Mexico
It's 4:30 p.m. when we return to the dock again, ending the Celestun tour, at which time we make our way to the Hotel & Villas Playa Maya Resorts Celestun, our accommodation in Celestún tonight, which is 9 kilometers from the pier, where we arrive when it is 5 in the afternoon.
It is time to rest for a while and enjoy the beach we have for us, in addition to an incredible last sunset of 2017, which reminds us of how incredibly lucky we are.
Hotel & Villas Playa Maya Resorts Celestun
At noon, when we have just eaten in Celestún and before going to the pier to do the tour, we stop at the La Playita restaurant, another of the most recommended, to ask for your schedule tonight. With the confirmation that it opens tonight until 11, when it is 7, we return to take our car to travel the road, in which there is no light or any service and travel the 9 kilometers that separate us from Celestún and our particular dinner end of the year.
But since everything does not always go as expected, the restaurant, although at noon they had confirmed that it was open, when we arrived we found it closed, so we have to go looking for another place to have dinner this last day of the year .
After several laps, we end up at the El Lobo restaurant, located in the main square, where we eat a couple of pizzas plus beer, coffee and dessert soda for 350 pesos.
New Year's Eve dinner at El Lobo restaurant
We have to say that El Lobo not only “has saved”Dinner, but also, both the pizza and the treatment have been excellent.
So with dinner made, when it's 10 p.m. we return to the Hotel & Villas Playa Maya Resorts Celestun to say goodbye to the year. An incredible 2017 year that will be overcome, sure, by 2018.
Today's route will take us from Uxmal to Celestún, in Yucatán, where we will spend the night.
Day 28: Celestún Tour in Yucatán - Mérida
