Uxmal has become famous among travelers to Mexico due to its Mayan archeological site. But, what most people don’t know, is that there is so much more to do in this little corner of the world. This is how we spent three magical days in Uxmal with our kids.
where we stayed
THE LODGE AT UXMAL
The Lodge at Uxmal was one of our most favorite accomodations during our 5 week trip to Mexico.
The Lodge is made up of 5, two-story bungalows built with materials native to the region. The bungalows face the restaurants and two pools. The airy verandas with carved rocking chairs and the thatched roof add to the charm of the buildings. But, perhaps my favorite thing of all was the chirping of the jungle birds early in the morning. Their songs were so clear and melodious, it was almost like a surreal experience. It really can’t be put into words, it’s something you need to experience for yourself to understand.
The restaurant serves delicious food, made with local, organically grown fruits and veggies. The breakfast omelettes were the best I’ve ever had! The restaurant is on the expensive side, so if you only want to have one meal there, choose breakfast over lunch or dinner. Also, skip the cocktails! They’re not worth the price.
what to do
DAY 1 – UXMAL ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE and THE CHOCO-STORY UXMAL
Start your day early with breakfast at the restaurant on site at the lodge. They have an extensive menu, with lots of options for breakfast. Our favorite were the omelettes. The restaurant opens at 7 am, which gives you plenty of time to eat before the archeological site opens at 8 am.
UXMAL ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE
The ruins at Uxmal are among the best we’ve visited in Mexico! In fact, the site is just as impressive as the one at Chichen Itza. The experience is much better at Uxmal though because there are no vendor and no huge crowds. There is also plenty of shade throughout the site and (my kids’ favorite aspect), some of the ruins here can still be climbed to this day. Also, there are lots of iguanas around, so if your kids are like mine and love animals, they will be thrilled.
Plan to spend 2 – 3 hours visiting the archeological site. When it starts getting hot out, around noon, head back to the lodge for lunch and pool. In the afternoon, make your way towards the Choco-story museum, open until 7 pm.
THE CHOCO-STORY MUSEUM UXMAL
The Choco-story museum combines a small animal sanctuary (all the animals on site are rescued) with a chocolate museum. This was the second chocolate museum we visited in Mexico (the first one was in Puerto Vallarta) and I felt like we learned a lot about the history of chocolate making, the importance of cocoa to the Mayan people and the role the Europeans played in how the chocolate production has changed over time.
We got the see some interesting flora as well, and our kids enjoyed running around the trails. There is also a hot chocolate tasting and different Mayan ceremonies throughout the day. The ceremonies and the chocolate tasting fell a bit like a tourist trap to me, but the rest of the museum was a pleasant experience.
Plan to spend around 2 hours exploring the place. There is also a small playground for kids towards the exit. We were all ready for dinner by the time we were done with the tour, but the playground looked like a nice area to let the kids play and burn some energy.
DAY2 - TOUR OF HACIENDA UXMAL (in an VINTAGE LAND ROVER) and THE PLANETARIUM
After breakfast on your second day, walk the grounds at the Lodge. There are some trails with interesting flora and iguanas all around. Make your way to the Mayaland Adventures garage, where there a dozen vintage Land Rovers ready to be taken out for a tour.
Tip: ask for Victor. He is the most amazing tour guide ever!
TOUR OF THE HACIENDA UXMAL IN A LAND ROVER
The tour of the Hacienda Uxmal was my absolute favorite tour in our 5 week trip to Mexico. Victor, our guide, who is Mayan, was the embodiment of serenity. We spent an hour before our tour just talking to him about his culture, the history of the haciendas in the Yucatan Peninsula, the history of the Maya and the Spaniards etc. He even gave us tips on hidden gems of the Yucatan Peninsula, like the Mummy museum in Santa Elena and the cenote Kankirixche.
My husband, Ted was super thrilled to have the chance to drive a vintage Land Rover and we happily rode in the back of the truck, where we could smell all of the fragrant aromas of the lime trees.
We stopped several times during the tour. The first one was to pick fresh limes and green lemons right off the trees. Depending on which time of the year you visit, you will be allowed to pick the fruit that’s in season.
The second stop was at the base of the lookout point: a wooden structure, built in the Mayan style, where you climb from the East and you descend to the West, following the path of the Sun. At the stop, Victor also performed a Mayan ceremony, where he asked for permission from the winds and the land to walk around and gather from it.
Victor shared with us how important it is to the Mayan people that they live in harmony with nature and animals and how the energy you put into the world is the energy that comes back to you. The ceremony was very emotional to me and I still get goosebumps when thinking about it.
The third stop on our tour was the ruins of the Hacienda. We got to see the original walls and gates and learned more of the history of the hacienda, one of the very few in the area that did not produce henequen.
The last stop on our tour was at a shelter, where Victor shared with us fresh coconuts. After drinking the water, Victor sliced the flesh of the coconut and added some Mayan spices to it. It was one of the tastiest snacks I’ve had in my life!
THE PLANETARIUM
Finish your second day in Uxmal with a trip to the Planetarium to watch a show about the Mayan history. The show we watched was called ”The fate of the Maya” and it lasted about half an hour, just long enough to keep my young kids interested. The planetarium is open every day from 1 pm – 7 pm and the shows are every hour, on the hour.
Day 3 – VISIT the MUMMIES of SANTA ELENA, Yucatan
On the last of your three magical days in Uxmal, you will actually drive to a neighboring town. Located just 10 km away from Uxmal, the municipality of Santa Elena is home to one of the hidden gems of the Yucatan Peninsula: the 4 mummies of the church of San Mateo.
44 years ago, in August 1980 during the renovation of the Catholic church, 12 coffins containing the partially mummified bodies of infants were found under the floors. The bodies were so well preserved you could still see the nails, hair, eyelashes and clothing on some of them. Of the 12 corpses, 5 were re-buried and 3 were sent to the Forensic House in Merida. The remaining 4 are kept on site and displayed in the museum.
The bodies are believed to belong to Dutch immigrant children, who perished due to their inability to adapt to the heat and viruses present in the Yucatan Peninsula. The cedar coffins and the water based paint the boxes were decorated with created the perfect conditions for body preservation.
When I think back at the time we spent in Uxmal, the Mayan ruins, the old hacienda grounds, the mummies of San Mateo, the feelings I get are of supernatural, transcendental, traveling back in time. It feels like a magical time in an enchanted territory. I hope this post has inspired you to travel to the Yucatan Peninsula and spend three magical days in Uxmal.
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