Town 11 km west of Izamal
A village of family sewing workshops west of Izamal, known for embroidered hipiles, dresses and guayaberas.
Kimbilá is a village about 11 kilometers west of Izamal, on the road toward Mérida, and it has become one of the best places in Yucatán to buy regional clothing. Around thirty family workshops and small boutiques line its streets, and many of them make the clothes right there, often on treadle sewing machines, a way of working passed down through generations.
The specialty is embroidered clothing: hipiles, the white Maya dress with a band of colorful flowers at the neck and hem; ternos, the more formal three-part version worn for dances and fiestas; dresses and blouses with Yucatecan flowers; and guayaberas, the pleated shirts that are the formal wear of the region. Workshops also take orders for weddings, graduations and other events, and some are known for fine linen and drawn-thread work.
Kimbilá is a working town rather than a showpiece, with a church at the center of its life and simple places to eat. Prices are usually lower than in Mérida's shops, and buying here supports the families who do the sewing.
What to see and do
Browse the family workshops for hipiles, ternos, dresses and guayaberas.
Watch seamstresses working on treadle sewing machines.
Order a made-to-measure guayabera or dress if you have time to come back.
Stop at the church and the main square, then have lunch in town.
Getting there
Kimbilá is about 15 minutes west of Izamal by car on the road toward Hoctún and Mérida. Colectivos between Izamal and Mérida pass through. Most workshops open daily from morning until late afternoon, and many accept cards.
11 km west of Izamal
Directions from Izamal on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Kimbilá
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Photos
Weather warm
Kimbilá shares the climate of Izamal, 11 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec.
Make Izamal your base
Kimbilá is an easy trip from Izamal, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
More around Izamal
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Aké
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Cenotes de Homún
· Cenote · 35 km away
A Maya town ringed by dozens of cenotes, from open pools to caves, visited with local mototaxi guides. -
Cenote Yokdzonot
· Cenote · 39 km away
An open cenote west of Chichén Itzá, rescued and run by a cooperative of Maya women from the village of Yokdzonot. -
Cenotes de Cuzamá
· Cenote · 40 km away
Next to Homún: at the old hacienda of Chunkanán, horse-drawn carts on henequen rail tracks take you to three cave cenotes. -
Chichén Itzá
· Archaeological site · 54 km away
The great Maya city of El Castillo and the Sacred Cenote, about an hour east of Izamal; arrive at opening time.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.