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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Edzná
Go as a half-day from Campeche: combi M$55, 50 min, 2–3 h on site. Sleep in Campeche, not here.
Edzná is a large Maya city-state 52 km southeast of Campeche, occupied from about 400 BC and built out mainly between 750 and 950 AD. The Great Acropolis, the Building of Five Stories and the Temple of the Masks are the draw, plus a canal-and-aguada water system that let the city outgrow its neighbours. Almost everyone visits as a day trip from Campeche; there is no village at the gate.
- Country
- Mexico
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–May (hottest), Sep–Oct (wettest)
- Stay
- 0–1 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 |
|---|---|
| Combi Campeche → Edzná ruins | M$55 |
| Site guide at the gate | from about M$500 |
| Tacos or pit barbecue in Alfredo Bonfil | M$30–80 |
| Meal at La Palapa, Alfredo Bonfil | M$120–250 |
| Bottled water, 1.5 L | M$20–35 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | M$200–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CPE · Campeche International (Alberto Acuña Ongay)
- About 1 h 15 min by road to the site; few direct flights, most travellers connect via Mexico City.
Typical fares
- Combi Campeche → Edzná ruins
- M$55, about 50 min
- Combi Edzná ruins → Campeche
- M$55, boards at the site
- Taxi Campeche centro → combi stop
- M$40–70
Get around
On site you walk: well-kept trails, cleared foliage and signage, with stairs to climb at the main pyramids. Allow 2–3 hours. To reach Edzná, combis (red and white vans) leave Campeche hourly from Calle Nicaragua at Calle Chihuahua, about 50 min, and pick up returning passengers at the site. By car, take the Campeche–China–Hool road southeast about 45 km, then MEX-188 east about 6 km to the signed entrance. Tren Maya also stops at Estación Edzná on MEX-188, roughly 4 km west of the ruins, with onward transport to the archaeological zone.On site you walk: well-kept trails, cleared foliage and signage, with stairs to climb at the main pyramids. Allow 2–3 hours. To reach Edzná, combis (red and white vans) leave Campeche hourly from Calle Nicaragua at Calle Chihuahua, about 50 min, and pick up returning passengers at the site. By car, take the Campeche–China–Hool road southeast about 28 mi, then MEX-188 east about 3.7 mi to the signed entrance. Tren Maya also stops at Estación Edzná on MEX-188, roughly 2.5 mi west of the ruins, with onward transport to the archaeological zone.
See and do
Known for
- Building of Five Stories
- Great Acropolis
- Temple of the Masks
- Maya canal and aguada irrigation system
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Campeche | Combi from Calle Nicaragua at Calle Chihuahua, hourly, about 50 min | About 1 h each way |
| Hecelchakán | Car or bus north on MEX-180, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5–2 h |
| Champotón | Car or bus north on MEX-180, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Escárcega | Car or bus southeast on MEX-186, about 2 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Campeche city (centro histórico)
- The practical base: combis leave hourly for the ruins and you get restaurants, ATMs and hotels. 50 min each way.
- Hacienda Uayamon area
- One luxury hacienda hotel about 20 km from the site on the Uayamón–China–Edzná road; car needed, no village services.One luxury hacienda hotel about 12 mi from the site on the Uayamón–China–Edzná road; car needed, no village services.
- Alfredo Bonfil
- Small village 7 km south of the site gate with a couple of simple eateries; not a place to build a trip around.Small village 4.3 mi south of the site gate with a couple of simple eateries; not a place to build a trip around.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Two tickets to Edzná, please | Dos boletos a Edzná, por favordos bo-LE-tos a edz-NA, por fa-VOR |
| What time does the last combi leave? | ¿A qué hora sale la última combi?a ke O-ra SA-le la UL-ti-ma KOM-bi |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta |
| Where is the entrance? | ¿Dónde está la entrada?DON-de es-TA la en-TRA-da |
| I need water | Necesito aguane-se-SI-to A-gwa |
| Thank you | GraciasGRA-syas |
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
- Sun is the main hazard: hat, sunglasses, high-SPF sunblock, and 2 litres of water per person.
- Mosquitoes are present year-round in this jungle setting; repellent and long sleeves help. Dengue and other mosquito-borne illness occur in the region.
- Do not lift rocks or reach into crevices — snakes and scorpions shelter there.
- No restaurants at the site; only vending machines near the admission gate. Eat in Alfredo Bonfil or back in Campeche.
- Combis fill up and the last return can be early; confirm the return time with the driver before you get out.
- Site hours and the Tren Maya timetable change: check INAH and Tren Maya before you go.
Crime risk at the ruins is low; the real risks are heat, sunburn, mosquitoes and the uneven stairs. Carry 2 litres of water, wear a hat, use repellent, and watch where you put your hands and feet.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Edzná yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Building of Five Stories
- Great Acropolis
- Temple of the Masks
- Maya canal and aguada irrigation system
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- INAH — Zona Arqueológica de Edzná: www.inah.gob.mx/
- Tren Maya — official site: www.trenmaya.gob.mx/
- Visit México — Campeche: www.visitmexico.com/
- Wikivoyage: Edzna, revision 5294025 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5294025
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Edzná
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in Campeche; the US consular agency is in Campeche (check the address), and most embassies are in Mexico City.
Screenshot this before you leave Campeche — signal at the ruins is patchy.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/edzna). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.