A small, dusty village, Xpujil is the only place in the Río Bec region with basic services for tourists.

Not a particularly pleasant town, it’s a convenient place to stay if you don’t have a car. If you do have a rental, it’s worth staying outside of town and coming in when you want to check your email or get your laundry washed.

Getting There

Having a rental car is all but essential to enjoy the ruins here. Without one, you’ll either spend a lot of time waiting for rides, or a lot of money on taxi service, or both. Hitching is possible to and from Calakmul but not a sure thing.

By Bus: The bus station (tel. 983/871-6027) is inside the Hotel Victoria, on the main drag in the center of town. You can catch buses east to [mode:22662 link Chetumal] (US$5–7; two hours) and to Cancún (US$27, seven hours), with stops in Tulum (US$20; five hours) and Playa del Carmen (US$23.50; six hours). Westbound, there’s service to Campeche (US$12–13, five hours) and San Cristóbal de las Casas (US$29; six hours), with a stop in Palenque (US$21; five hours).

By Car: There’s a gas station about five kilometers (three miles) east of Xpujil. It’s open 24 hours when there’s gas and electricity, and closed when either is out (a fairly common occurrence). Try filling up right when you arrive; if the station is closed, look for men selling gas from barrels near the entrance. It’s more expensive, but worth the peace of mind.

By Taxi: If you don’t have a car, your best bet is to take a cab. Private taxi service is available at Mirador Maya hotel (tel. 983/871-6005). Round-trip to Calakmul and Balamkú for 1/2/3/4 people runs US$60/80/90/100; to Chicanná, Becan, and Xpujil US$30/40/45/50; and to Kohunlich and Dzibanché US$60/80/90/100. You’ll get about the same rates from the drivers in town—look for them near the bus station.