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    Satellite view of Uspibil, Yucatán

    Photo by EOX IT Services, Copernicus Sentinel data 2016, CC BY 4.0, via EOxCloudless

    Uspibil

    Village Chemax, Yucatán Municipality of Chemax Eastern Yucatán

    A small Maya village in the forest north-east of Valladolid, named after the uspib plant, with a deep open cenote called Aktun Uspibil.

    From Valladolid: 30 min by car (28 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Where to stay near Uspibil

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    Tours to Uspibil

    Day trips and guided outings from Valladolid often include Uspibil; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

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    How to get to Uspibil

    • From Valladolid: about 30 min by road (~28 km)
    • Nearest airport: Tulum (TQO), 2 h by car to Valladolid
    Rent a car at TQO Flights to TQO

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    About Uspibil

    Uspibil is a village in the municipality of Chemax in eastern Yucatán, about 14 km north-north-west of the town of Chemax and about 22 km east-north-east of Valladolid in a straight line. It is a young settlement: the census counted just 19 people here in 1921 and 96 in 1940, then 764 in 2005 and 1,071 at the 2020 census.

    The name is Maya. According to the village's own account, the founders named it after an uspib plant that grew in the middle of the settlement, a plant that was common all around. Until 1939 the census wrote it as X-Uspibil. Chemax municipality, to which it belongs, was part of the Maya province of the Cupules before the conquest, and today it is largely rural, with semi-deciduous forest and many cenotes; the state ecology department has recorded 64 cenotes in the municipality.

    One of them carries the village's name: Aktun Uspibil, an open cenote with clear water and a sheer drop to the surface. The state listing rates it as not suitable for swimming, so it is a sight rather than a place to bathe. There are no tourist services in Uspibil. The nearest town is Chemax, whose patron saint, St Anthony of Padua, is celebrated there from 10 to 13 June.

    How to get to Uspibil

    Drive from Valladolid: 30 min, 28 km

    Uspibil lies about 22 km east-north-east of Valladolid and about 14 km north-north-west of Chemax in a straight line, reached by rural roads. Ask locally before heading to the cenote, and check a map app for the current route.

    Directions to Uspibil on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Uspibil Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Uspibil. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Uspibil

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Uspibil: hours, prices and tips

    Best season
    Chemax, the municipal seat, celebrates its patron St Anthony of Padua from 10 to 13 June. Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México (INAFED), Chemax · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    The state cenote registry lists Aktun Uspibil as an open, sheer-sided cenote not suitable for swimming. Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México (INAFED), Chemax · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Uspibil: what to see and do

    Look into the open cenote Aktun Uspibil (viewing only, not for swimming).
    Walk through a small Maya village surrounded by forest.
    Visit Chemax, about 14 km south-south-east, for its church of San Antonio de Padua.
    Time a trip for Chemax's St Anthony fiesta on 10–13 June.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Uspibil

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Uspibil.

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Valladolid often include Uspibil; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at TQO (Tulum): about 2 h by road to Valladolid, then 22 km more to Uspibil, on your own schedule.

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    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tulum (TQO), about 2 h by road from Valladolid, the base for Uspibil.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Valladolid: download a map of the way to Uspibil before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to Uspibil warm

    Uspibil shares the climate of Valladolid, 22 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of Valladolid

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Valladolid

    Twin towers of the Cathedral of San Gervasio and palms, Valladolid, Yucatán warm
    Yucatán Valladolid

    Valladolid is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Uspibil, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Near Uspibil

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.