A small but sweet taste of Mayan civilisation, with beautiful views from the top of the pyramid.
The city of El Meco originally started out in the 3rd or 4th century AD as a small fishing village. For some reason, it was abandoned some time around 600 AD and remained unsettled for the next half a century. It was repopulated around 1100 AD when it became a large coastal town and centre of trade. As is the case with many other Mayan cities in Central America, the inhabitants of El Meco fled when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century. Excavations began here in 1997, and it is now a well managed and popular site.
Sandwiched between the sea and the lagoon, there are 13 buildings here centred around a 12.5-metre Mayan pyramid known as “El Castillo”, or "the Castle". If you decide to hike up to the summit you'll be rewarded with a closer look at the temple there and stunning views out over the lagoon. Although El Castillo is not worlds apart from other Mayan pyramids in this part of the world, this is the only one you'll come across so close to Cancun.
The other buildings here are understood to have been for religious, administrative and commercial purposes. The El Meco staff, who do a good job of tending to the site, are usually happy to answer any questions you have and show you around the buildings.
The presence of another unexplored archaeological site adjacent to El Meco suggests that the city was a busy port in its heyday and a bustling trading post, and it is possible that it also provided passage to Isla Mujeres. Nowadays, nature is back in control and El Meco is made all the more colourful by the birds and iguanas who inhabit the ancient city.
El Meco is about 6 kilometres north of Cancun by the coast road. Buses or taxis can bring you here, or else you can arrive on a chartered tour. The site is open daily, and there is a small admission charge. Parking is free.
