Village Chankom, Yucatán Municipality of Chankom Eastern Yucatán
A Maya farming village in Chankom municipality, southwest of Valladolid, best visited for its fiesta of San José in mid-March.
From Valladolid: 55 min by car (54 km by road) How to get there ↓
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Where to stay near Xkopteil
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Tours to Xkopteil
Day trips and guided outings from Valladolid often include Xkopteil; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Tours from Chichen Itza
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How to get to Xkopteil
- From Valladolid: about 55 min by road (~54 km)
- Nearest airport: Tulum (TQO), 2 h by car to Valladolid
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Tours from Chichen Itza, near Xkopteil
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About Xkopteil
Xkopteil (also written Xcopteil or X-Kopteil) is a small Maya village in the municipality of Chankom, in eastern Yucatán. It lies about 9 km southwest of the village of Chankom, the municipal seat, which itself is about 40 km southwest of Valladolid. The 2020 census counted 742 people, making it one of the four largest communities in the municipality, alongside Ticimul, Chankom and Xkalakdzonot.
The village belonged to the municipality of Cuncunul until 1940, when it was moved to Chankom; its name has been spelled several ways in the census records over the years, settling on Xkopteil in 1990. Its population has grown slowly but steadily, from 279 in 1930 to more than 700 today. The whole area was emptied during the Caste War of the mid-19th century and only resettled from around 1890, and Chankom became a municipality of its own in 1935.
There are no tourist services in Xkopteil. The time to come is the traditional fiesta in honour of San José, held from 15 to 21 March. Otherwise it is a quiet village of milpas and low forest on the back roads between Valladolid and the south of the state, and can be combined with a visit to Chankom, the village the anthropologist Robert Redfield made famous in the 1930s.
How to get to Xkopteil
Drive from Valladolid: 55 min, 54 km
Xkopteil is reached on local roads about 9 km southwest of Chankom, which is about 40 km southwest of Valladolid. From Mérida, take the 180D toll road or the free Highway 180 east toward Valladolid, then follow local roads south into Chankom municipality.
Directions to Xkopteil on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
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From the nearest cities to Xkopteil
- Valladolid · 54 km by road, 55 min
- Tizimín · 105 km by road, 1 h 50 min
- Mérida · 146 km by road, 2 h
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Before you go to Xkopteil: hours, prices and tips
- Best season
- Traditional fiesta in honour of San José, 15–21 March. Wikipedia (es), Municipio de Chankom · checked Oct 2026
Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.
Visiting Xkopteil: what to see and do
Come for the traditional fiesta of San José, 15 to 21 March.
See daily life in a Maya farming village of eastern Yucatán.
Combine it with Chankom, about 9 km to the northeast.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Xkopteil
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Xkopteil.
Tours & activities
Day trips and guided outings from Valladolid often include Xkopteil; with a local guide you can get there without a car.
Rental cars
Pick up a car at TQO (Tulum): about 2 h by road to Valladolid, then 44 km more to Xkopteil, on your own schedule.
Flights
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tulum (TQO), about 2 h by road from Valladolid, the base for Xkopteil.
Mobile data
Signal can drop away from Valladolid: download a map of the way to Xkopteil before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.
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When to go to Xkopteil warm
Xkopteil shares the climate of Valladolid, 44 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.
See the month-by-month climate of Valladolid
Weather in Xkopteil now and the next 7 days
Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Chance of rain is the day's highest.
The closest Pueblo Mágico: Valladolid
Valladolid is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Xkopteil, with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
Closest to Xkopteil
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Chankom · Village · 9 km away
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Zona Arqueológica de Yaxuná · Archaeological site · 9 km away
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Ticimul · Village · 10 km away
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Yaxuná · Village · 10 km away
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Cenote Ik Kil · Cenote · 17 km away
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Grutas de Balankanché · Cave · 17 km away
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Chichén Itzá · Archaeological site · 19 km away
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Pisté · Town · 21 km away
Near Xkopteil
Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.