Updated on February 7, 2020

The Yucatán state in Mexico is much more than just Chichén Itzá. There are plenty of other ruins around and in the south of the state there is a group very close to each other. They are not as crowded as the others and the quiet roads in this part of the country make for a perfect bicycle trip.

The route from Muna including the Uxmal, Puuc ruins and Loltun Caves to Oxkutzcab is just over 80km. It’s easily done in one day but if you are very keen on Mayan ruins, you can break the day into two. This way you could spend plenty of time exploring Uxmal during the first day and sleep in Santa Elena. The next day you can cycle south to the Puuc ruins (Kabah, Sayil, Xlapac and Labná) and visit the Loltun caves on the way to Oxkutzcab.

We completed the route in two days. With the exception of Uxmal we had the ruins for ourselves. Cycling through the jungle was one of the highlights too. It’s never flat but with gradual ascents and decents you never get bored of it. Although, the ruins are very close to each other, so you never have to cycle more than 20kms in one go.

 

 

WHAT WE LIKED THE MOST

  • Loltun Caves. 6 kms long, nicely lit and visited in small groups.
  • The cycling on quiet roads through the jungle.
  • Lots of mayan ruins to explore without crowds

 

WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE THAT MUCH

  • The intense heat during the day, although some parts are quite shady.

 

 

Loltun Caves, one of our favourite places of the route, is the only sight with set times to visit. So you need to organize the rest of the day around it.

One day is enough, unless you are super keen on Mayan ruins so you can break the day into 2 and focus on Uxmal ruins the first day.

Anytime is good but we recommend starting early during the rainy season as afternoon showers are common.

Bring plenty of water and food as there are not many shops on these roads.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

We enjoyed cycling the quiet roads in this part of the Yucatán peninsula. The traffic was very light which was a nice change compared to many of the roads in the rest of Mexico. The jungle is very dense and offers lots of shade in some parts, making the overall experience even better. Also the towns in this area are not very touristy, so you get the chance to see how the real Maya people live these days.

There are 5 different groups of ruins and one cave system you can visit on the way and together with the nice cycling, make the Puuc route one of the best bike routes in the Yucatan peninsula.

MORE INFORMATION

Location: Puuc Route, Yucatan. Mexico.

Price: Entry fees to the ruins and caves between 2 and 15 USD each.

Useful Notes: Start early in the morning so you allow yourself plenty of time to stop and visit different sights along the way.

 

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2 Responses

  1. Kevin McNamara

    Hello Antonio and Amanda! I’m so happy to see you did the Yucatan Peninsula! You have found many more treasures than I did so many years ago…..that is my favorite part of Mexico. After hearing of the recent storms pounding the Oaxaca/Acapulco areas, I was hoping you two were safely in another part of the country! Take care, and I love the posts!
    Kevin & Jo

    • Antonio Cala

      Thanks a lot Kevin.
      Mexico is such a wonderful country. I wouldn’t know which area to pick as I liked them all, but the true is that Yucatan Yucatan peninsula has many wonders worth to explore: cenotes, mayan ruins, great beaches and awesome diving!
      We hope everything is going well in California 🙂