Once upon a time, this great city of the Mayans was a humble fishing village. When the fishermen departed in AD 600 after around three hundred years here, El Meco lay desolate for half a millennium until it was finally rebuilt as a great centre for trade close to the Caribbean coast. Abandoned again in the 16th century when the Spanish came ashore, today it is the home of an archaeological site popular with tourists and sacrosanct to the Mayan people.
Today you can explore its 14 remaining structures, at the centre of which you’ll immediately see the 12.5-metre-tall Mayan pyramid. Similar pyramids remain throughout Central America to this day, but here you’ll see the only one left in the Cancun area. With a temple at the top of the pyramid, it is better known as El Castillo – the Castle. You can even climb to the summit and see the remarkable views of the lagoon nearby.
Excavations began here back in 1997, but the El Meco site is carefully maintained. When you explore the site you’ll get to see the well-tended temples and administrative buildings, as well as keep shaded from the sun under the fig tree that still grows within a temple on the site. From here you can admire the native birds and iguanas which inhabit these parts.
Alongside El Meco, there’s another archaeological site which has not yet been fully excavated but which may once have been the gateway to Isla Mujeres and a thriving commercial area.
Situated about six kilometres to the north of Cancun along the coastal road, El Meco can be reached by bus, taxi, or on a chartered tour leaving from the city. Parking is free if you decide to drive here. The site is open every day, and there’s a small entry fee.
