You can easily spend a day or two in this region south of Mérida, with its rich concentration of Maya ruins, caves, and small appealing towns. The Puuc ruins are the main attraction of course, from the stunning size and accomplishment of Uxmal to the fantastic artistry of smaller sites like Labná and Kabah. The Loltún caves are a great introduction to the Yucatán’s vast underground world, and a tour of nearby Hacienda Tabi reveals the splendor (and pervasive inequality) of the state’s colonial era.

Getting There

By Bus: An ATS bus headed for the Puuc Route leaves Mérida’s second-class bus terminal every day at 8 a.m., spends a half hour at Kabah, Sayil, Labná, and Xlapak and two hours at Uxmal, before returning to Mérida around 4 p.m. (US$12, entry fees are not included). There are also ordinary buses to Uxmal, as well as the nearby towns of Ticul and Santa Elena.

Returning to Mérida, you can catch the ATS bus when it leaves Uxmal (around 2:30 p.m.), even if you didn’t take it down. Or flag down a second-class bus on the highway; they pass the Uxmal turnoff at roughly noon–1 p.m., 2:30–3:30 p.m., 4:30–5:30 p.m., and 7:30–8:30 p.m.

Car: If you’re driving, Highway 261 leads to the Puuc Route. From Mérida, the drive to Uxmal takes about one hour; from Campeche City allow two hours.