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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Campeche
San Francisco de Campeche
Give Campeche two nights: the walled centre is a half-day walk, and Edzná plus the forts fill a second day. Skip it as a beach stop.
Campeche is the capital of Campeche state and the old second city of the Yucatán Peninsula, about 155 km south of Mérida on the Gulf of Mexico. Its walled colonial centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is one of only two cities in North America whose walls still stand. The city is compact, hot and low-key: most travellers see it in two nights between Mérida and Palenque, or as a Tren Maya stop.
- Country
- Mexico
- Local name
- San Francisco de Campeche
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (hottest), Sep–Oct (rain peak)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$600–1,000 excl. bed · Mid M$1,000–1,800 excl. bed · High M$1,800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or soft drink | M$25–60 |
| Torta or antojitos at a market stand | M$40–90 |
| Shrimp or cazón dish in a mid-range restaurant | M$150–300 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at an Oxxo | M$40–70 / M$20–35 |
| City bus ride | M$6 |
| Taxi across the centre | M$30–60 |
| Fort San Miguel museum entry | M$70 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CPE · Alberto Acuña Ongay International Airport
- Small airport about 5 km from the centre; limited flights, no crowds. Aeroméxico to Mexico City and United to Houston (check current schedules).Small airport about 3.1 mi from the centre; limited flights, no crowds. Aeroméxico to Mexico City and United to Houston (check current schedules).
Typical fares
- ADO Campeche → Mérida
- about M$190–350, 2 h 30 min
- ADO Campeche → Ciudad del Carmen
- about M$130, 2 h 45 min
- Tren Ligero, Tren Maya station → centre
- about M$18, cash or card
Get around
Walk the centre; it is small and flat but the heat and humidity decide your pace. Taxis charge by zone — ADO bus station to downtown is roughly M$30. City buses are cheap (about M$6) but small, hot and cramped; drivers make change but refuse large notes. The Tren Ligero tram links the Tren Maya station, the airport and the centre for about M$18, cash or card.
See and do
Known for
- Walled colonial centre (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Forts and bastions built against pirates
- Museum of Mayan Archaeology at Fort San Miguel
- Seafood: shrimp and cazón (shark)
- Tren Maya station
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Edzná | Taxi or colectivo from Campeche, about 45–60 min each way | Half day |
| Hecelchakán | Bus or car north on the highway toward Mérida, about 1 h | Half day |
| Champotón | Bus down the coast road, about 1 h | Half day |
| Isla Aguada | Bus toward Ciudad del Carmen, about 2 h 30 min | Full day |
| Escárcega | Bus south, about 2 h | Full day |
| Xpujil and Calakmul | Bus or car south past Escárcega, 4–5 h | Overnight |
Sleep
- Centro Histórico (inside the walls)
- Cheapest beds and everything walkable: plaza, Calle 59, the bastions. Best for two nights without a car.
- Malecón / Av. Adolfo Ruiz Cortines
- Gulf-front hotels, pricier and cleaner; 15–25 min walk to the plaza, taxis are short and cheap.
- Avenida Gobernadores
- Modern strip north of the centre: supermarkets, banks, chain and local restaurants. Useful if you have a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedees-KOOL-peh |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Heat and humidity most of the year: do the walls and forts before 11:00 and after 17:00.
- Rain peaks Sep–Oct; afternoon downpours are normal Jun–Oct.
- Watch food handling at small places, especially street stalls and market stands.
- The ADO terminal is small with understaffed counters and long lines: buy onward tickets a day ahead.
- The ADO terminal restroom charges about M$7 and has no A/C in the waiting area.
- Hurricane season runs Jun–Nov on this coast; check forecasts if you are driving the coast road.
Campeche is one of Mexico's calmer state capitals and the tourist centre is fine on foot by day. Real risks are heat, uneven pavements and unlit side streets after dark; use taxis at night and keep to the centre and malecón.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Campeche yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Walled colonial centre (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Forts and bastions built against pirates
- Museum of Mayan Archaeology at Fort San Miguel
- Seafood: shrimp and cazón (shark)
- Tren Maya station
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Campeche municipal government: municipiocampeche.gob.mx
- Tren Maya — official site: www.trenmaya.gob.mx/
- Tren Ligero Campeche: www.trenligerocampeche.com/
- Wikivoyage: Campeche, revision 5309918 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5309918
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CampecheSan Francisco de Campeche
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No US consulate in Campeche; the nearest is in Mérida (check the address). Other countries: embassies in Mexico City, consulates in Mérida and Cancún.
Tipping: 10–15% in restaurants; MXN 20–50 for porters and guides' helpers.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/campeche). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.