Chacmultún

Chacmultún lies about 7 kilometers southwest of Tekax, in the hills at the eastern edge of the Puuc region. Its Maya name means "mounds of red stone," after the pinkish limestone used in the façades of its buildings, which glows warmly in the late afternoon light.

The site is divided into groups spread over hillsides and terraces: Chacmultún, Cabalpak ("low terrace"), Xetpol ("cut head") and a central group. Many buildings are set on natural hills that were shaped into platforms, so the visit involves climbing stairways and paths through the forest, and from the higher terraces you look out over the valley. The architecture is in the Puuc style, with plain lower walls, columns and moldings.

Chacmultún is also known for its paintings. Rooms here were decorated with murals showing processions of richly dressed figures carrying lances, trumpets, parasols and feather ornaments. Most have faded or been damaged, and much of what is known comes from copies made by the explorer Edward Thompson between 1900 and 1904, but traces of color remain. It is one of the least visited archaeological zones in Yucatán, so you will likely have it to yourself.