Ruins of the Rio Bec

Dotting the stretch of highway between Escárcega and Chetumal is a group of fabulous Mayan ruins in an area called Río Bec. These are some of our favorite archaeological sites in Mexico—not only because they have awesome structures, but also because you are frequently the only person about, a truly magical experience. The Río Bec style occurs in a series of important archaeological sites that reached their zenith from A.D. 600 to 900. Some of these are incredibly well preserved. Until recently, access to these ruins was appalling, with four-wheel drive needed to maneuver the potholed roads. All that has changed—the government has improved all the roads and now access is easy. Some of the sites, that tour books said even recently were five-hour drives from the highway are now within an easy hour’s drive. However, news of these huge improvements has not yet leaked out, leaving a visit to the archaeological sites a sublime experience. Nowhere else can you visit such outstanding Mayan monuments in such blissful isolation. But don’t wait too long because tourists will surely soon be flocking here. When we explored all of the ruins described below, we usually had the place to ourselves. Another bonus here is that the signs are excellent, and each building is clearly labeled in English, Spanish, and Mayan, so that you know what you are seeing. Below are descriptions of the various cities we suggest seeing, arranged according to their location along highway 186, starting with Calakmul as the most western site, and Dzibanche as the most eastern site. There is no way that you can see all these in one day: you will definitely need two, since Calakmul alone will take a day. Study the recommendations as detailed under the individual locations on our website. If your time is limited, you might like to know that our personal favorites are Calakmul, Becán, and Kohunlich.