Archaeological site Macuspana, Tabasco
Maya city on Cerro El Tortuguero, Macuspana: the famous 2012 Stela 6 came from here. The site is not open to the public.
From Villahermosa: about 1 h by road (~65 km) How to get there ↓
Near here
See everything nearby ↓
Plan your visit to Tortuguero
Where to stay near Tortuguero
Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Tortuguero.
Tours to Tortuguero
A guide brings Tortuguero to life: look for tours from Tapijulapa that include the site and the ride there.
Tours from Villahermosa
Palenque Archaeological site from Villahermosa City or airport
★ 5.0 (9) · From US$184
How to get to Tortuguero
- From Villahermosa: about 1 h by road (~65 km)
- Nearest airport: Villahermosa (VSA), 1 h 26 min by car to Tapijulapa
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Tours from Villahermosa, near Tortuguero
Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.
About Tortuguero
Tortuguero was a Late Classic Maya city on the hill of the same name, in the south of the municipality of Macuspana. Its ancient name was B'aaku'l, and its rulers used the same emblem glyph as Palenque, k'uhul B'aakal ajaw, so the two cities contested the succession of one lineage. Its high point came in the seventh century under B'ahlam Ajaw, who took the throne on 6 February 644, raised stelae and attacked Palenque and its allies; one of his campaigns, in 649, reached Comalcalco.
Its fame rests on Stela 6, carved with the Long Count date 13.0.0.0.0, which falls on 21 December 2012, the end of the thirteenth baktun. It was read as a prophecy of the end of the world, but epigraphers agree it is a calendar reference tied to the god Bolon Yokte' K'uh and that the text recounts B'ahlam Ajaw's wars. The stela broke into fragments: three are in the Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer Cámara in Villahermosa and one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Little of the site survives. Gravel quarries have worked the hill for decades and destroyed much of what stood there. INAH looks after only the archaeological area, which is not open to the public, and since 2021 has kept an inspection running with archaeologists who have found structures not recorded before. At least four unexcavated mounds remain on the summit.
How to get to Tortuguero
The archaeological area cannot be visited: INAH guards it, it is not open to the public, and the rest of the hill carries working gravel quarries. What you can see are Tortuguero's monuments at the Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer Cámara in Villahermosa. The hill lies in the south of Macuspana, about 10 km from the town; by road it is about 59 km and 45 minutes from Villahermosa, the nearest city, and 92 km and 1 h 20 min from Palenque, the nearest Pueblo Mágico. We found no public transport or tours that reach the site; for any authorised visit, contact Centro INAH Tabasco.
Directions to Tortuguero on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
From the nearest cities to Tortuguero
- Villahermosa · about 65 km by road, ~1 h
- Palenque · about 85 km by road, ~1 h 15 min
- Cárdenas · about 120 km by road, ~1 h 45 min
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Tortuguero: hours, prices and tips
- Rules
- The archaeological zone is not open to the public; INAH only protects that area, and other parts of the hill are open to gravel quarrying. Check with Centro INAH Tabasco before planning a visit. La Verdad (2014); Wikipedia · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Tortuguero: what to see and do
The Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer Cámara in Villahermosa holds most of Stela 6 and other Tortuguero monuments.
The archaeological area itself cannot be visited.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Tortuguero
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Tortuguero.
Tours & activities
A guide brings Tortuguero to life: look for tours from Tapijulapa that include the site and the ride there.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at VSA (Villahermosa): about 1 h 26 min by road to Tapijulapa, then 34 km more to Tortuguero, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Villahermosa (VSA), about 1 h 26 min by road from Tapijulapa, the base for Tortuguero.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Tapijulapa: download a map of the way to Tortuguero before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
When to go to Tortuguero warm
Tortuguero shares the climate of Tapijulapa, 34 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Tapijulapa
Weather in Tortuguero now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Tapijulapa
Tapijulapa is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Tortuguero, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
Closest to Tortuguero
-
Tacotalpa · Town · 29 km away
-
Villa Luz · Nature reserve · 34 km away
-
Oxolotán · Town · 39 km away
-
Grutas de Coconá · Cave · 41 km away
-
Río Puyacatengo · Nature reserve · 42 km away
-
Sabanilla · Village · 45 km away
-
El Azufre · Hot springs · 49 km away
-
Villahermosa · City · 50 km away
Near Tortuguero
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Lists with Tortuguero
Ruins in Tabasco · 4Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.