Muyil Ruins: How to Visit the Maya Site South of Tulum
Fee and hours from the official INAH site (updated Feb 2026) · Illustrative image
The Muyil ruins, also called Chunyaxché, are a small Maya archaeological site about 24 km south of Tulum, on the edge of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. Visitors come for the tall El Castillo temple, a shaded jungle trail to an observation tower, and a boat ride across Muyil Lagoon to float down an ancient Maya canal.
This guide covers whether Muyil is open, the official entrance fee and hours, the full cost of the lagoon and float, how to get there from Tulum, and whether the trip is right for you.
Muyil Ruins at a Glance
Muyil is a quiet, low-crowd Maya site open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. INAH lists the entrance fee as MXN 145 for foreign visitors and MXN 80 for Mexican nationals and residents. Plan two to four hours if you add the jungle trail, the lagoon boat and the canal float.
| Detail | Muyil (Chunyaxché) |
|---|---|
| Location | Highway 307, about 24 km south of Tulum |
| Hours | Daily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (INAH) |
| Ruins entrance fee | MXN 145 foreigners · MXN 80 Mexican nationals/residents (INAH) |
| Extra fees | Trail and tower, plus lagoon boat and float (paid separately) |
| Time needed | 1 hour for ruins only · 3–4 hours with the float |
| Best for | Quiet ruins, jungle, birds, a lazy-river float |
Fees can change without notice. Check the official INAH page or ask at the gate before you go.
Is Muyil Open Now?
Muyil was closed for restoration work during 2024 and 2025, and reopening was announced for February 2026. The official INAH listing, updated in February 2026, now shows normal daily hours and fees. That suggests the site is operating, but a short-notice closure is always possible at small sites.
Some travel pages still describe the Muyil ruins as closed, because they were written during the restoration. Treat any page without a recent date with care. The safest check is the INAH page or the site's phone line, (983) 837 2411, the day before your trip.
The lagoon boats are run separately from the ruins by a local cooperative. Weather or water levels can pause the float even when the archaeological zone itself is open.
Is Muyil Worth Visiting? Muyil vs Tulum Ruins and Coba
Muyil is worth visiting if you want a calm Maya site with few people and nature around it. It is smaller and less dramatic than the clifftop Tulum ruins or the huge Coba ruins. The real draw is the combination of temples, jungle, a lagoon and a canal float in one trip.
| Muyil | Tulum ruins | Coba | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | Jungle + lagoon | Cliff above the sea | Deep jungle, big site |
| Crowds | Low | High | Medium |
| Highlight | El Castillo + canal float | Ocean views | Large ancient city |
| Swim option | Canal float (by boat) | Beach below | Cenotes nearby |
| Distance from Tulum | ~24 km south | In town | ~45 km inland |
Pick the Tulum ruins visitor guide if you want the famous sea view, or read the guide to climbing at Coba for a bigger jungle city. Choose Muyil when you would rather walk without crowds and finish with a swim in natural water.
The honest downside of Muyil is scale. The main plaza takes under an hour to see. Visitors who skip the trail and lagoon may find the ruins short for the drive.
What You'll See at the Muyil Mayan Ruins
The Muyil Mayan ruins center on a small plaza of temples and platforms surrounded by tall jungle. The main sights are the El Castillo temple, an old raised Maya road called a sacbé, and a boardwalk trail through the jungle to an observation tower above the lagoon.
El Castillo and the Main Plaza
El Castillo is the tallest building at Muyil, at about 17 meters, and one of the tallest temples on the Quintana Roo coast. Its steep shape, with a small shrine on top, is closer to the style seen far south in Guatemala than to the low Tulum temples.
The plaza around El Castillo holds smaller temples and platforms. Signs are basic, so a short read before you go helps you understand what you are looking at.
The Sacbé and the Jungle Trail
A sacbé is a raised white road the Maya built to link buildings and towns. At Muyil, a sacbé runs from the plaza toward the lagoon, and a wooden boardwalk continues through mangrove and low jungle. Look for birds, butterflies and orchids on the way.
The Canan-Há Observation Tower
The Canan-Há trail ends at a wooden lookout tower and the lagoon dock. From the top, you see Muyil Lagoon and the flat green forest of Sian Ka'an. The trail and tower usually need a small extra ticket, sold at a hut on the path.
Laguna de Muyil and the Mayan Canal Float
Laguna de Muyil is the lagoon behind the ruins, joined to Chunyaxché Lagoon by narrow channels the Maya are believed to have widened long ago. Local cooperative boats take visitors across the lagoon and into one of these Maya canals, where you float downstream with the current in a life jacket.
How the Muyil Lagoon Boat Trip Works
- Walk the Canan-Há trail from the ruins to the lagoon dock, or drive to the dock if signs allow.
- Pay the cooperative for a boat trip at the dock; prices are set per person or per boat.
- Ride across Muyil Lagoon and Chunyaxché Lagoon, passing small Maya structures used as markers.
- Get off at the canal entrance, put on a life jacket and float down the clear channel.
- Climb back into the boat at the end of the canal for the ride back to the dock.
The round trip usually takes about two hours. Boats need enough people or a private fee, so early in the day is easier.
The Muyil River Float Through Sian Ka'an
The Muyil river float is the gentle, slow drift down a fresh-water canal lined with mangrove and reeds. The water is calm and shallow in parts, and the current does the work. Sunscreen is usually not allowed in the canal, to protect the water, so wear a long-sleeve shirt instead.
The float is not a cenote and you cannot enter it alone. It is part of the protected Sian Ka'an reserve, and access is only with a boat. Many agencies sell full Sian Ka'an and Muyil tours, but you can also arrive on your own and buy the boat at the dock.
Muyil Ruins Entrance Fee and Full Visit Cost
The Muyil ruins entrance fee is MXN 145 for foreign visitors and MXN 80 for Mexican nationals and residents, according to INAH in February 2026. The trail, tower and lagoon boat are paid on top. A full visit with the float can cost several times the ruins ticket alone.
| Item | Approx. cost | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Ruins entrance | MXN 145 (foreigners) | INAH official, Feb 2026 |
| Ruins entrance | MXN 80 (nationals/residents) | INAH official, Feb 2026 |
| Canan-Há trail + tower | About MXN 50 | Travel guides; check at the hut |
| Lagoon boat + canal float | Roughly MXN 700–1,000 per person | Travel guides; varies by group size |
| Colectivo from Tulum | About MXN 20–50 each way | Travel guides; varies |
Only the ruins fee comes from the official source. Other prices are estimates from recent travel guides and may have changed. Bring cash in pesos, as card payment is not reliable at the trail hut or the dock.
How to Get to Muyil from Tulum
Getting to Muyil from Tulum is simple: head south on Highway 307 toward Felipe Carrillo Puerto for about 24 km. The entrance and parking area are on the left side of the highway in the village of Chunyaxché, about 20 to 25 minutes from Tulum town.
By Car
Driving gives you the most freedom. The road is a straight, paved highway. Parking is beside the entrance. You can add a stop at Kaan Luum Lagoon on the way back.
By Colectivo
Colectivo vans heading to Felipe Carrillo Puerto leave from Tulum town along the main avenue. Ask the driver to stop at "Muyil". To return, wave down a northbound van on the highway. This is the cheapest option but slower in the afternoon.
By Taxi
Taxis from Tulum town can take you to Muyil and wait while you visit. Agree the total price, including waiting time, before you leave.
How Long to Spend at Muyil and the Best Time to Go
Plan about one hour for the Muyil ruins alone and three to four hours with the trail, lagoon boat and float. Arriving at 8:00 am, when the site opens, gives you cooler air, softer light and the best chance of a boat without waiting.
December to April is the driest and most comfortable time. June to October brings heat, short rain showers and more mosquitoes. See the best time to visit Tulum to match Muyil with your travel dates.
Tips for Visiting Muyil
The best tips for visiting Muyil come down to bugs, heat and cash. Carry insect repellent, water, pesos, and clothes that cover your arms for the float. Walking shoes are enough, as the paths are flat but can be muddy after rain.
Can You Climb at Muyil?
Climbing El Castillo is not allowed, as at most protected Maya sites in the area. You can climb the wooden observation tower on the Canan-Há trail for the view. Rules can change, so follow signs and staff on the day.
Mosquitoes, Shade and What to Bring
- Insect repellent: the Muyil mangroves have many mosquitoes, especially in the rainy months.
- Long-sleeve shirt: protects you from sun on the float, where sunscreen is often not allowed.
- Water and snacks: little is sold inside the site.
- Cash in pesos: for the trail hut, boats and colectivos.
- Swimsuit and quick-dry clothes: if you plan to do the canal float.
- Dry bag: keeps your phone safe on the boat.
Facilities and Visiting with Kids
Muyil has basic toilets near the entrance and limited shade in the plaza. The trail is shaded by jungle. Families find Muyil easy, as walks are short and quiet. Life jackets for the float are provided by the boat operators.
A Short History of Muyil (Chunyaxché)
Muyil, known in records as Chunyaxché, is one of the oldest Maya settlements on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. People lived at the Zona Arqueológica de Muyil from around 300 BC until the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, trading along the coast and lagoons.
Muyil's lagoons and canals connected it to the sea, which made it a trading stop between inland towns and coastal ports such as Tulum. Most buildings you see today date from the later Postclassic period, when the region was busy with canoe trade.
Visiting Muyil on Your Own or with a Tour
Visiting Muyil on your own is easy and cheap if you have a car or use the colectivo, as the boat can be bought at the dock. A tour makes sense if you want a guide's explanation of the history and wildlife and do not want to arrange the boat yourself.
We do not run a Muyil tour. If you want a guided Maya site with hotel pickup, our guided Tulum ruins tour with pickup goes to the Tulum ruins, not Muyil. Many travelers do the Tulum ruins with a guide, then visit Muyil on their own another day.
Muyil Ruins FAQ
Is Muyil part of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve?
Muyil sits on the northern edge of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ruins themselves are run by INAH, Mexico's archaeology institute. The jungle trail, the lagoons and the canal float behind the site lead into the reserve, which is why the boat trip has its own fees and rules.
How far is Muyil from Tulum?
Muyil is about 24 km (15 miles) south of Tulum town on Highway 307, toward Felipe Carrillo Puerto. The drive takes around 20 to 25 minutes. The entrance is right on the highway in the small village of Chunyaxché, so it is easy to find by car, colectivo van or taxi.
Are there cenotes at Muyil?
The Muyil ruins have no swimming cenote inside the site. The water you see is Muyil Lagoon, reached on foot or by boat from the dock behind the ruins. Swimming happens only during the guided canal float. For a nearby lagoon swim, Kaan Luum Lagoon is a few minutes north on the same highway.
Do you need a tour for the Muyil float?
You do not need to book a tour in advance, but you cannot float on your own. The canal float is run by local cooperative boats from the lagoon dock, and a boatman takes you across the lagoon and into the Maya canal. You can buy the boat trip on the spot, or join an organized tour that includes it.
Is Muyil good for kids?
Muyil works well for families. The site is flat, shaded and quiet, and the walk is short. Children who swim can enjoy the canal float in a life jacket. The main issues for kids are mosquitoes and the heat, so bring repellent, water and snacks, as there is little to buy inside.
More Ruins and Swims Near Tulum
Compare Muyil with the clifftop Tulum ruins and the jungle Coba ruins. Behind the site begins the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. On the same road south, Kaan Luum Lagoon is a good swim stop.
More day ideas are in things to do in Tulum. Want a guided Maya site? Our Tulum ruins tour goes to the Tulum ruins, not Muyil.