Calakmul offers two perspectives on Campeche: an expansive Maya city and a landscape rich in biodiversity. The archaeological zone covers 70 km². Calakmul is the Maya city with the most stelae; 120 have been documented there. Five large complexes are connected to the central Great Plaza by ancient sacbés, or causeways. The site’s scale, stelae and the connections between its building groups reveal several facets that come into view through its architecture.

Nature is also part of Calakmul’s story. The area is home to more than 350 bird species and almost 100 mammal species, including jaguars, pumas, Baird’s tapirs, white-lipped peccaries, king vultures and ocellated turkeys. Calakmul’s archaeological cultural heritage is protected within the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, established in 1989. Another protected landscape is the Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve: this coastal wetland corridor, which covers almost 300,000 hectares, includes islands and islets shaped by mangroves.

Maya architecture and different stories

Campeche’s archaeological sites showcase different aspects of Maya architecture. Balamkú comprises three main architectural groups. In the central group is a modeled, polychrome-painted stucco frieze, considered unique in the Maya region. At Chicanná, some of the most important buildings were adorned with large zoomorphic representations of Itzamná. At Buildings II and XX, open mouths form the entrances. The pre-Hispanic settlement of Chicanná was a suburb of Becán.

At Hochob, the central façade features a huge zoomorphic mask of the god Itzamná, the supreme creator of the ancient Maya. The history of Santa Rosa Xtampak as the Maya capital of Los Chenes spans 850 years. Its palace is considered unique for its scale and complexity. Edzná, meanwhile, developed between 400 and 1000 into a powerful regional capital in the western part of the peninsula. In the Templo de los Mascarones, modeled stucco figures depict the sun deity on its daily journey across the sky. The story thus ranges from individual façades and images to the histories of entire capitals.

The historic fortified city of Campeche offers its own architectural contrast. Its street plan follows a grid, and a belt of fortifications surrounds the city. The walls enclose an irregular hexagon. The region therefore brings together different forms of built heritage: Calakmul’s large complexes, the visual language of individual Maya buildings and the fortified urban layout.

Routes and waterscapes

The road connections described here are also useful for finding your way to individual archaeological sites. From the capital, Campeche, you can reach Xpuhil by taking Federal Highway 180 toward Champotón and then Federal Highway 186. From Campeche, Hochob can be reached via a state highway; the turnoff to Chenkó is four kilometers long. Check the routes before your trip when planning your journey.

The Ruta Natural: Ríos y Lagunas offers a different focus. It connects Ciudad del Carmen with Palizada and passes through Laguna de Términos and the Río Palizada. The route covers 14 communities in the municipalities of Carmen and Palizada, giving visitors the opportunity to experience the region’s natural and cultural diversity. This offers a clear distinction when choosing what to explore: the archaeological sites center on buildings, urban history and artworks, while the Ríos y Lagunas route travels through river and lagoon landscapes. No current departure schedule is provided for the route; check its conditions before visiting.

Whether you want to start by exploring Maya architecture or focus on the natural and cultural diversity along the water route, Campeche brings together a range of discovery themes. Within a protected area, Calakmul combines archaeological heritage with a biodiverse landscape; other sites add striking façades, stucco work, fortified urban layouts or river and lagoon corridors to the picture.

Discover more destinations

Campeche, Chicanná, Ciudad Del Carmen, Robles, Champotón, Seybaplaya, Isla Aguada, Santo Domingo Keste, Escárcega, Tenabo

For the broader travel overview: Mexico.