Dzibanche, Quintana Roo’s Hidden Gem?
Not far from Bacalar, and only about an hour and a half from Chetumal, lie the Mayan ruins of Dzibanche. Quintana Roo’s hidden gem and decidedly our favorite of the Mayan ruins we’ve visited so far. That is saying a lot considering visiting the Mayan ruins of Mexico and Belize tops our list of things to do when visiting these historically rich countries of Central America. Dzibanche is remote, but if you are lucky, like us, you will have the ruins almost all to yourself. No crowds to fight here. Just flowers, butterflies, jungle birds, howler monkeys in the distance, and rich archeological history to keep you company.

Visit the Dzibanche Mayan Ruins
To get there, you are definitely going to need a car. But the drive is beautiful. The scarcely traveled roads that lead to the Dzibanche ruins wind through agricultural area and jungle once populated by an ancient civilization. It is largely flat land, but here and there, dotting the landscape are random mounds of yet unexcavated ruins covered by hundreds of years of soil and vegetation.
What Makes Dzibanche Our Favorite?
We’ve been to Xunantunich in Belize, Tikal at sunrise, Aktun Ka, Altun Ha, Cahal Pech, Tulum, Lamanai, Coba, and Oxtankah. But what is it about Dzibanche that earned its place at the top of our list?
Dzibanche is Unique in its Beauty
We felt like we were visiting a botanical garden. Blooming flowers covered the ruins. Towering trees hung with Spanish moss. And there was no shortage of butterflies.
Peaceful Isolation
It was a Saturday morning during our month in Mexico that we visited Dzibanche and it was almost deserted. We had the place all to ourselves for most of the morning. Eventually another visitor showed up, but other than that Dzibanche was as empty as the day it was discovered. So peaceful.
Here, why don’t we show you…
VIDEO: Mayan Ruins of Dzibanche | Quintana Roo’s Hidden Gem of MEXICO
WHERE TO NEXT? When you’re done at Dzibanche, why not head for lunch and a swim at Bacalar!?
We are Travel Junkies
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Thanks for stopping by! And until next time… life is too short to stay in one place. Happy wanderings!
Jim + Tania
AT HOME ON THE GO
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Chasing butterflies at deserted Mayan ruins… does it get any better?!