Town 27 km west of Maní
A Puuc village near Uxmal with a hilltop 18th-century church and a small museum of mummies found beneath its floor.
Santa Elena is a village in the Puuc hills, about 15 kilometers southeast of Uxmal and close to Kabah, and it makes a peaceful place to stay or stop between the ruins. Its old Maya name was Nohcacab. The village is dominated by its church of San Mateo, an 18th-century building raised on a rise above the main square, with wide views over the surrounding hills.
The church holds an unusual story. Decades ago, during work to replace its floor, workers found a dozen coffins buried beneath it. Some of the bodies had hardly decomposed. After study, four of them, small girls between about three and six years old, were returned to the village and are displayed in the Museum of Mummies, a modest building on the main square a few steps from the church. They lie in their coffins as they were found, dressed in white cotton clothes with flowers, socks, hats and shawls.
Santa Elena also has simple guesthouses and restaurants that serve visitors to Uxmal and Kabah, and it is a good spot to break the drive along the Puuc Route.
What to see and do
Climb up to the 18th-century church of San Mateo for the view over the Puuc hills.
Visit the small Museum of Mummies on the main square.
Stop for lunch between Uxmal and Kabah.
Stay overnight to reach Uxmal at opening time.
Getting there
Santa Elena is about 35 minutes west of Maní by car, by way of Ticul. It sits on Highway 261, the road between Uxmal and Kabah, which is served by buses between Mérida and the Puuc region.
27 km west of Maní
Directions from Maní on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather warm
Santa Elena shares the climate of Maní, 27 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec.
Make Maní your base
Santa Elena is an easy trip from Maní, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.