What to see on the Puuc Route

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Day 26: What to see on the Puuc Route: Labná, Xlapak, Sayil, Kabah - Uxmal

Today we will tour the places to see on the Puuc Route best known, including Labná, Xlabpak, Sayil and Kabah.
Although the idea is that today's day is quieter than the previous ones, just like yesterday in the Bacalar Lagoon, the day begins when it is 6:30 in the morning, at which time we leave the Villas Eco- hotel Romantic Kúuch Ka'anil, our accommodation in Laguna Bacalar these days.
In addition to the incredibleness of this accommodation and its location, we have to say that they have had a great detail with us, and knowing that we were going to leave early in the morning, they left us a coffee thermos on the terrace of the cabin, so that we can leave full of energy, which we are going to deny, has made us feel great.

So even in the dark and a few minutes after dawn, we return to travel the section of road that connects us again with the main road and that will not take today through the Puuc Route, knowing places like Labná, Xlabpak, Sayil, Kabah or Mayapan, which also falls within this group of visits, but that being on the route that we will do in a few days, the Route of the Convents, we prefer logistic, leave it for later.
We have to say that initially this day of the trip to Mexico in 45 days, we were also going to know the Loltún Grottoes, one of the largest cave systems in the Yucatan Peninsula, but these have entrance hours and guided tours. After checking that these schedules did not fit the route we wanted to do today, we preferred to leave the visit and do it when we return to this amazing country, which we will surely do.

Until the first visit we have of the Puuc Route, which is Labná, we have to travel 280 kilometers, which is 3:30 hours of road, so we take it easy, enjoying a unique sunrise on the road, which reminds us of the incredible country in which we are and How greatly fortunate we are to devote ourselves to what we do.

Roads of the Yucatan Peninsula

We have been traveling for a couple of hours when we stop at José Maria Morelos, at a gas station, where besides enjoying a breakfast with coffee and buns for 40 pesos, we realize that the time has changed again, earning today 1 hour again , since we are back in Yucatan, we are sure, it will come great !.
And so, at 8:15, we return to the road to Labná, on the Puuc Route, crossing many areas surrounded by vegetation, in addition to charming villages where we would stop every few minutes just to walk through them.
As we see these people and the day-to-day lives of their people, we are more aware of the need we have to enjoy life and, above all, to give priority to the quality of life and our dreams, without letting ourselves be carried only by certain social currents

And so, at 10:30 in the morning, Yucatan time, we park in Labná, willing to discover the first of the places on the Puuc Route that we will visit on this trip to Mexico for free and that is, without a doubt, One of the essential places to visit in Mexico.


Visit Labná on the Puuc Route

With a schedule from 8h to 17h and a price of 50 pesos per person, we could say that this is one of the places that you can not miss on the Puuc Route, known not only for its structures, some of them very symbolic of the place, but also for its 60 chultunes or cisterns that were used to collect water and keep the more than 3000 Mayans who at some time of their maximum splendor lived here.

Puuc route. Labna

The palace

This is the first of the structures that you will find in Labná, also considered one of the best preserved and longest buildings in terms of length. We advise you to spend some time in this place, since the details are what make the difference with other places on the Puuc Route.

Labná Palace

In addition to different typical forms of the Puuc Route architecture, in the Palace we can find a Chaac mask, which is perhaps the most striking of this set.

Details of the Labná Palace

Labná viewpoint

Although the Palace seems to be the most striking or well-known structure in Labná, the Mirador de Labná is much more spectacular, visible from many points of the site and despite not having so many details, the cresting is incredible.

Lookout. Labna

Labná arch

This is another of the structures that you cannot miss in Labná and that is more spectacular, both for its initial purpose, which was none other than separating two important buildings, as for its reliefs.

Labná arch

The visit to Labná does not last more than 45 minutes and we have to say that it is the perfect entrance to the Puuc Route, discovering some of the most spectacular sites we have ever seen.

From here, when it is 11:30 we follow the Puuc Route heading now to Xlapak 3 kilometers from Labná, where we arrive in less than 5 minutes and where we park directly at the entrance of the archaeological site.
The entrance fee is 45 pesos per person, but interestingly, when we approach the box office with the money, the man at the entrance tells us that today is free and that we do not have to pay anything, so with that saver, we enter another of the archaeological sites of the Puuc Route.

Xlapak or Xlabpak

Quite smaller than its neighbors Labná or Sayil, Xlapak stands out for housing an exquisitely ornate palace.

Xlapak Palace

With just over 20 meters in length, the Xlapak Palace is the best known structure of this archaeological site of the Puuc Route.

Xlapak Palace

Xlapak Puuc Route

The visit to Xlapak, taking it easy is about 30 minutes.

From here and when it is already 12 noon, we head to the next point of the Puuc Route, Sayil, which is 6 kilometers from Xlapak and where we arrive when it is 12:15.
As we have done in the previous sites, here we also park at the same door, also for free, in the space enabled for it.

Sayil on the Puuc Route

With a schedule from 8 am to 5 pm and priced at 50 pesos per person, the archaeological site of Sayil is known for its impressive structure, known as The Palace.

The palace. Sayil on the Puuc Route

The palace

Although there are more structures in Sayil, the most representative place is undoubtedly the Palace, a three-level structure in which in addition to an exquisite decoration you can see several columns typical of the architecture of the area, in addition to the known masks of Chaac, which can be seen along the sites of the Puuc Route.

The palace. Sayil

The looker

Following the tour of Sayil you reach a temple known as the Mirador, virtually unrestored, in which today you can still see some of the original red color that covered its highest part.

The looker

Stele God of Fertility

turning on our steps and returning to the main path, after a few meters we reach a stele in which the God of Fertility is represented. Although it is not the most interesting part of the site, we recommend you get here, since its location will allow you to travel a few meters through the forest in which it is located.

Stele God of Fertility

The visit to Sayil will not take you more than 45-60 minutes and like the previous ones, we believe it is an essential visit on the Puuc Route.

From here and at 1 noon, we make our way to the last point that we will visit on the Puuc route and that is none other than Kabah, probably the best known next to Uxmal, that we will visit tomorrow morning, to do it with more tranquility, with less sun and above all, with less people since this is the most tourist place in the area.
We continue the road to Kabah, just 9 kilometers from Sayil and where we arrive at 1:15 p.m., parking again at the same entrance.

Kabah

Known for being the largest city in the area, besides being currently divided by the road, Kabah is an essential visit on the Puuc Route.
The opening hours are from 8 am to 5 pm and the entrance fee is 50 pesos per person.

Kabah

Palace of the Mascarones

Upon access to the site, the first thing that surprises are its dimensions if we compare it with the rest of the archaeological sites of the Puuc Route. The first of the structures we find is the Palacio de los Mascarones, in which you can see more than 300 Chaac masks, something that makes it unique and incredible.
We advise you to get close enough to see in detail the masks, of which many of them have lost the part of the nose.

Palace of the Mascarones

Palace of the Mascarones

The palace

This is one of the largest structures in Kabah, which can be accessed by several entrances, all decorated with signs of Puuc architecture.

The palace

Temple of the Columns

This is another of the structures that you can not miss in Kabah, in which we advise you to look especially at the columns that decorate the upper part.

Temple of the Columns

Great pyramid

To get to the Great Pyramid, you must leave the enclosure, cross the road and follow a path where on the right hand side, a few meters away, you will see the indications of a sign informing you that in front of it, you will find The Great Pyramid
Even without restoring, from this structure you can only see a mound of sand, under which the structure is located.

Arc

Following the path you reach the Arch, another of the most famous structures of Kabah and that once communicated by a path through the jungle with Uxmal.

Kabah arch

The visit of the two areas of Kabah will take approximately 1 hour without entertaining you too much. Without a doubt, after the experience we have to say that it is incredible and totally recommendable.

It's 2 in the afternoon when we finished the scheduled visits of the Puuc Route for today, returning to the road now and on the way to Uxmal, where is the Hotel Casa del Mago, where we will stay tonight. But before, being the time it is, we cannot resist making a stop at The Pickled Onion, a restaurant that is on the route, quite close to Uxmal, where we ordered a guacamole, some fajitas, Greek salad and two more brown juices and Dessert for 450 pesos.

The truth is that everything is very good and is more than recommended if you are in the area. In addition we see that they also open very early in the morning, so it can be a good option for breakfast if it is not included in your accommodation.

With energies already charged we head to Hotel Casa del Mago, which will be our accommodation in Uxmal tonight, where we arrive in 15 minutes.
The Casa del Mago belongs to the same chain as the Hacienda Uxmal hotel, so they share reception and parking, something to keep in mind if you stay here to go directly to the place, since we have had to ask until we have confirmed this and we have been able to access the enclosure.
They also share common areas such as the pool, the bar or the restaurant, where we spend the rest of the afternoon between coffee, work, reading time and relaxing moments, with which we recharge batteries for tomorrow, face the last day of the year.

More practical information to prepare your trip to Mexico

- The 10 best excursions in Riviera Maya
- The 10 essential places to see in Riviera Maya
- 10 essential places to visit in Mexico
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Mexico
- Best travel insurance for Mexico
- Security in Mexico

Today's route will take us through some of the places to see on the Puuc Route such as Sayil, Xlapak, Labná and Kabah, to end the tour in Uxmal, which we will visit the next day.
To keep in mind that in this case, the times that Google Maps marks, are actually much shorter, adjusting to what we discussed in this post.

Day 27: Visit Uxmal in Yucatán - Celestún

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