Town Chumayel, Yucatán Ruta de los Conventos
The village where one of the Chilam Balam books, a key Maya chronicle, was kept; a quiet stop with a colonial church.
From Mérida: 1 h 10 min by car (82 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Plan your visit to Chumayel
Where to stay near Chumayel
Maní, 10 km away, is the closest town with places to stay.
Mari Hotel · 240 m from the center Prices Hotel Puuc Hotel · 10.0 km from the center PricesTours to Chumayel
Day trips around Maní sometimes stop in Chumayel; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
Tours from Merida
From Merida: Chichen Itza Tour, Izamal, Cenote Ik Kil and Food
★ 4.9 (578) · From US$74
How to get to Chumayel
- From Mérida: about 1 h 10 min by road (~82 km)
- 10 km northeast of Maní
- Nearest airport: Mérida (MID), 1 h 27 min by car to Maní
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Tours from Merida, near Chumayel
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About Chumayel
Chumayel is a small village about 10 kilometers northeast of Maní, and its name is known far beyond Yucatán because of a book. The Chilam Balam of Chumayel is one of the books of Chilam Balam, manuscripts written by Maya scribes in the Maya language with the Latin alphabet during the colonial period. They gather prophecies, history, calendar knowledge, myths and rituals, and they are among the most important sources for understanding Maya thought after the conquest. The Chumayel copy was kept in this village, which gave it its name.
The village's church, the Templo de la Purísima Concepción, is one of the colonial churches of the Convent Route. It houses the Santo Cristo de la Transfiguración, an image venerated across the area, whose feast on August 6 brings pilgrims, processions and a village fiesta.
There is not much else in the way of sights, but Chumayel is a pleasant stop on a loop from Maní through Teabo and Mama, and a chance to see the setting of one of the great texts of Maya literature.
How to get to Chumayel
Drive from Mérida: 1 h 10 min, 82 km
Chumayel is about 15 minutes from Maní by car, on the local road east toward Teabo and then north. The church is usually open during the day; hours depend on the parish.
10 km northeast of Maní
Directions from Maní on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Chumayel
- Mérida · 82 km by road, 1 h 10 min
- Valladolid · 170 km by road, 2 h 40 min
- Tizimín · about 185 km by road, ~2 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 Chumayel: hours, prices and tips
- Best time of day
- Go early, ideally with your own car: the Convent Route towns are best done as a day loop starting in the morning. Mexico News Daily · checked Oct 2026
- Best season
- Chumayel's fiesta for its black Christ of the Transfiguration runs from mid-April to May 3, the main day, when thousands of pilgrims arrive for Mass and a procession. Yucatán Today · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Chumayel: what to see and do
Visit the church of the Purísima Concepción and the image of the Santo Cristo de la Transfiguración.
Come on August 6 for the feast of the Christ and its procession.
Walk the main square of the village where the Chilam Balam of Chumayel was kept.
Combine it with Teabo and Mama on the Convent Route.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Chumayel
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Chumayel.
Tours & activities
Day trips around Maní sometimes stop in Chumayel; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at MID (Mérida): about 1 h 27 min by road to Maní, then 10 km more to Chumayel, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mérida (MID), about 1 h 27 min by road from Maní, the base for Chumayel.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Maní: download a map of the way to Chumayel before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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Photos
When to go to Chumayel warm
Chumayel shares the climate of Maní, 10 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Maní
Weather in Chumayel now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
Make Maní your base
Chumayel is an easy trip from Maní, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
Closest to Chumayel
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Teabo · Town · 4 km away
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Mama · Town · 8 km away
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Tekit · Town · 12 km away
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Oxkutzcab · Town · 18 km away
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Grutas de Loltún · Cave · 25 km away
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Ticul · Town · 25 km away
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Mayapán · Archaeological site · 28 km away
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Chacmultún · Archaeological site · 29 km away · Near Tekax
Near Chumayel
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
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Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.