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Following years of restoration and archeological research, a secret Mayan site that had previously been off-limits to tourists is finally opening to Mexico-bound tourists.
Located in the south of the Yucatan Peninsula, Dzibanché is a huge pre-Columbian city dating back over 2,300 years. Nestled deep in the jungle, it is dotted with ancient wonders that rival Chichen Itza in beauty.
Remote as it may be, a long 3h48 drive from Tulum and an even longer 5h40 from Cancun, it is far from inaccessible: the Maya Train will be passing right next to it!
Stunning Mayan Site Is Finally Opening Its Doors To Tourists
From its launch back in 2023, the Maya Train has proved to be a pivotal turning point for tourism in the Mexican Caribbean.
A region that previously relied heavily on buses and where inter-municipal connectivity was lackluster at best now has a Europe-style railway system encompassing much of the territory.
From Cancun, visitors can now travel as far west as the colonial city of Merida, and if it’s the virgin-white beaches lapped by turquoise waters they’re dreaming of, the magnificent Tulum coast is less than 2 hours south.
Not only is the Maya Train a safe transportation mode, bypassing the chaotic traffic in the Yucatan Peninsula altogether and with very few incidents reported, but it’s also given travelers the autonomy to plan their trip without being at the mercy of a taxi monopoly.
And it’s the gift that keeps on giving:
From this year, passengers boarding the train in Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, or Tulum and traveling all the way to Chetumal will enjoy facilitated access to the newly opened Archeological Zone of Dzibanché.
Remote Ruins Made Far More Accessible To Visitors
According to INAH, Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History, the site has been completely revitalized, and it now features more modern infrastructure that will significantly improve the tourist experience.
There are now ticket offices, parking areas, toilets, and even marked footpaths that make the visit more dynamic, and time-efficient, especially if you’re not joined by a tour guide (which we wouldn’t recommend as you’d be missing out on a lot).
Most importantly, the conservation efforts have restored some of Dzibanché’s former glory: we have to remember it was founded as early as 300 BC and abandoned towards the 16th century AD, when the Spanish colonization began ramping up.
For many centuries, it was left virtually untouched as Mexico changed character, and the native Mayan culture was meshed with Iberian and other European influences, and that’s exactly what makes it fascinating:
It’s exactly as the Mayans left it in the 1700s.
Over 2,300 Years Of A Fascinating History
There is a lot we still don’t know about Dzibanché, but we do know it was ruled at some point by the Kaan (or Kaanu’l) dynasty, based on the carvings and hieroglyphs left on some of the temple walls and that there are at least three focal points:
These are Dzibanché itself, or ‘Main Group’ of monuments, including the step pyramid and adjacent palaces, the ‘Central Group’, or Lamay, and the smaller Tutil and Kinichná, and these used to be all interconnected by sacbe’ob, or Mayan ‘white’ roads.
On that note, Dzibanché joins a number of Mayan sites in the area that have equally opened for the first time or reopened to the public in recent months:
Back in January, we reported on the opening of Ichkabal, a Mayan complex larger than Chichen Itza, and earlier even on the Maya Train’s extension to a handful of smaller heritage sites yet to be overrun by the masses: Konunlich, Xpujil, and Calakmul.
What To Expect Visiting Dzibanché In 2025
Needless to say, crowding in Dzibanché will be minimal at this stage compared to other popular Mayan hotspots up and down the Caribbean Coast, so right now is the time to visit before the secret really gets out.
If you’re visiting with a tour guide from Chetumal, the site entry fee is usually included; however, if you’re an independent traveler, you should set aside 80 Mexican pesos, or around US$4 cash, to enter the archeological complex.
Three Maya Train stations—Bacalar, Chetumal, and Nicolas Bravo — will offer easier access to the ruins, but the closest major city to the ruins, with greater availability of tour operators, remains Chetumal, at a 50-mile distance.
Guided tours leave from downtown Chetumal to Dzibanché and the nearby Mayan settlement of Kohunlich daily for only $152 per person.
Traveling from Cancun to Chetumal, the best option is to board the Maya Train at 9 AM, calling at Puerto Morelos, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Tulum Airport, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Chacchoben, and Bacalar, before reaching Chetumal at 2:15 PM, roughly 5h15 later.
Ticket fares applying to international tourists on this route start from $1,237 Mexican pesos, or around US$60.30.
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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