Archaeological site 16 km northeast of Tulum
A Maya port with rare painted murals of birds, reopened in July 2026 after four years of work, with a new regional museum.
Across the highway from the Xel-Há water park, and not to be confused with it, are the ruins of the Maya city that gave the place its name. Xel-Há means "where the water is born" or "entrance of water" in Maya, and it was an important port and trading center on the coast, for a long time under the control of Cobá. The Spanish arrived in 1521, the city declined, and it stayed hidden in the forest until it was described again in 1841.
The site is best known for its painted walls. In the Group of the Birds, a palace preserves frescoes painted between about 300 and 600 AD showing birds of the region and a figure associated with Tlaloc, the rain god of central Mexico. The Jaguar Group, built much later, between 1200 and 1550, still has traces of a painted jaguar, and Las Pilastras is a palace complex where the elite lived. Small cenotes are scattered along the paths.
INAH closed the site for more than four years for conservation and reopened it on July 6, 2026, with renovated trails and a new museum, the Museo Regional de la Costa Oriental, which shows more than 300 original pieces from sites along this coast. It is quiet, shady and rarely busy, and a good stop on the way to Akumal or Dos Ojos.
What to see and do
See the bird murals in the Group of the Birds, among the oldest paintings on this coast.
Find the traces of the painted jaguar in the Jaguar Group.
Visit the Museo Regional de la Costa Oriental and its collection from coastal Maya sites.
Walk the shaded paths past small cenotes and the Las Pilastras palace.
Getting there
The ruins are about 15 minutes north of Tulum on Highway 307, on the inland side of the highway, almost opposite the entrance to the Xel-Há park. Colectivos between Tulum and Playa del Carmen can drop you at the gate. INAH charges admission, with free entry on Sundays for Mexican citizens and residents.
16 km northeast of Tulum
Directions from Tulum on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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Weather warm
Xel-Há ruins shares the climate of Tulum, 16 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr.
Make Tulum your base
Xel-Há ruins is an easy trip from Tulum, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.