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Visiting the Amazing Ek Balam Ruins and Stunning Cenote X’canche

Tucked in a relatively quiet part of the Maya Riviera, the medium-sized ruins at Ek Balam combined with a beautiful cenote make this a perfect place to explore. Just 2 hours from Cancun and many places along the coast, the Ek Balam Ruins are easy to get to, and since they attract just a fraction of the people compared to the more famous Chichen Itza you have the opportunity to wander the ruins for a very different experience.

In addition to visiting these amazing ruins, you can also take a swim in the lovely Cenote X’canche.

We visited the ruins at Ek Balam during our stay in Valladolid on our 1-week in the Yucatan. Below you can find everything you need to know to plan your own visit to this amazing historic site.

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Ek Balam Ruins and Cenote X canche: Walking down to the cenote
Ek Balam Ruins and Cenote X canche: Walking down to the cenote

How to Get to the Ek Balam Ruins

The Ek Balam Ruins are located just north of the town of Valladolid in the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico. Depending on where you are coming from, you can take a bus, rent a car or scooter, or book a guided tour.

Local buses run several times a day from Valladolid, or you can also book a full tour from Cancun such as this tour of Ek Balam or this tour that also include Chichen Itza.

Since we rented a car from the Cancun airport for our entire week, we drove straight to Ek Balam. You can read more about renting a car in the Yucatan in my post about our week-long Yucatan Itinerary. We generally found driving easy in this part of Mexico, and as long as you take general precautions like not driving at night, you should be fine. Here are some general driving times to Ek Balam:

  • Chichen Itza to Ek Balam: 1 hour
  • Valladolid to Ek Balam: 30 minutes
  • Ek Balam from Cancun: 2 hours and 15 minutes
  • Tulum to Ek Balam: 1 hour 45 minutes

Overview of the Ek Balam Ruins

History

First inhabited around 300 BCE, Ek Balam, or Black Jaguar, was a dominant city in the region between 700 and 1000 AD. As the center for economics in the region, Ek Balam was equally important as some of it’s more famous neighbors including Chichen Itza.

Today, more than 80% of the Ek Balam Ruins remain under the earth and only a small portion has been made available to see. Some of the highlights of the ruins including over 40 structures within the walled city with several plazas, sacbeob, and acropolis.

Ek Balam Ruins
Ek Balam Ruins

General Geography

The Ek Balam site is roughly 10 square miles, and are laid out on a North South axis with 2 Plazas: North Plaza and South Plaza. The Acropolis is located in the North Plaza with 480 steps. You can see several period of building layers on top of each other on this structure with rooms, passageways, stairs and temples.

We enjoyed climbing this and walking around to check out some of the different elements. Since we were there early in the day, we only had a few other people at the top with us.

There are several unique parts of the Acropolis, including in intricate temple of the fourth level with a open fanged mount of the earth diety. There are several other sites in the North Plaza including a ball court, and additional temples.

In the South Plaza, you will find the Oval Palace, platforms, and coutryards. The site is very welcoming and you are able to explore most of the ruins unlike some of the more popular sites that have roped off areas.

Ek Balam Ruins: Walking towards the Acropolis
Ek Balam Ruins: Walking towards the Acropolis

Essential Information for Visiting the Ek Balam Ruins

Once you arrive at the Ek Balam Ruins, you can walk around most of the site without much trouble. It is smaller in layout compared to other Mayan sites (such at the Coba Ruins where we rented a bike). While this was one of our favorite sites to visit, it is also quite expensive. The current cost to get it in around $25/person. This may make some of the tour options more reasonable.

You can also book a guided tour based on availability at the visitor kiosk. Food and bathrooms are available on site.

It’s also important to note that you will need to pay cash and there is no ATM at the site, so be prepared.

Exploring the Ek Balam Ruins
Exploring the Ek Balam Ruins

While Ek Balam is not as popular as other Mayan sites, it is increasingly getting more visitors. Most tour groups arrive mid-morning, so plan to come early in the day or late in the evening to avoid the crowds. We arrived early to avoid both the heat and crowds and saw barely any other people before 9:30.

The site is typically open 8-5.

We spent about 2 hours touring the Ek Balam Ruins and another hour + at the Cenote X’Canche.

Overview of Cenote X’canche (Ek Balam Cenote)

One of the double benefits of visiting the Ek Balam Ruins is that you can also visit the spectacular Cenote X’Canche, sometimes called the Ek Balam Cenote (or spelled Cenote X chanche or Cenote Xcanche). The cenote is a deep hole in the earth surrounded by limestone walls, hanging vines, and platforms. Through a series of bridges, stairs and platforms you can descend down into the cenote and enjoy a little cool off in the water.

We visited many cenotes during our time in the Yucatan and this was easily one of our favorites. When we arrived around 10 am we were one of the only people here!

Cenote X'canche
Cenote X’canche

How to Visit Cenote X’canche (aka cenote Ek Balam)

You will need to purchase a separate entrance fee to get into the Cenote X’Canche of about $4 USD. From the entrance to the Ek Balam Ruins, you can walk, rent a bike or get a cab to take you the 2 km to the cenote.

You are required to shower before swimming in the cenote and not wear sunscreen or bugspray to distrub the delicate environment. You can use the lockers near the showers, but many people chose to keep their belingings with them near the water.

There is food and restrooms nearby the Cenote.

We loved this cenote (in case you can’t tell). There was plenty of options for simple swimming and even a few jumping platforms and a rope swing. The kids enjoyed hanging on the rope in the middle of the cenote and look right up into the hanging vines and sky.

Cenote X'canche
Cenote X’canche
Cenote X'canche
Cenote X’canche

Should you Visit Ek Balam on Your Own or as Part of a Tour

This depends on whether you already have transportation available for your visit. We found it wasy to drive and park since we already rented a car – however, with the steep entrance fee, the idea of taking a bus and then paying the fee wouldn’t make it worth it. If you are staying in Cancun and just doing a day trip to Ek Balam and the Ek Balam Cenote, your best bet is to book a tour.

Some of the tours will just do these ruins, while others combine several other sites. You could do a combined day of these ruins, cenote AND Chichen Itza, but be prepared for a long and hot day. Here are the tours that get the best ratings:

Go Flamingo (Rio Lagartos – Las Coloradas – Ek Balam) from Valladolid: This tour is from Valladolid and combines the Rio Lagartos with Ek Balam.

Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, and Hubiku Cenote Combo Tour All Fees Included: This tour combines both ruins, and looks amazing but expect to be tired at the end of the day! This tour leaves from Playa Del Carmen

Ek Balam Majestic Mayan Ruins and Cenote Tour: This tour leaves from Cancun and visits 2 cenotes and the ruins

If you are looking for specific a Ek Balam tour, different from the 3 above, check out Viator or Get Your Guide (my 2 favorite places to book activities).

Where to Stay Near the Ek Balam Ruins and Cenote X’canche

If you do plan to visit Ek Balam on your own, I strongly encourage you to spend a night or two in the area. There are some excellent places to stay in the fun town of Valladolid and the surrounding area.

We stayed a bit outside of Valladolid at Genesis Eco-Oasis – this is near to the Ek Balam Ruins. in a great location – we loved the natural setting, the pool and the meals. It truly feels like a little oasis in the jungle.

Another fun looking option is Cabana Magica and Yoga – this is a peaceful little cabana in Ek Balam.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ek Balam

What is the parking lot like at Ek Balam?

The Parking lot felt safe and we parked with no problem. There were a few people in the lot later that were offering to watch people’s cars for a few pesos, but no one was there when we arrived early.

Am I missing information to help you plan your trip? Drop a comment and I’ll answer in the post or comments!

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