Muyil Ruins

South of Tulum on the highway, inside the Sian Ka'an reserve, Muyil gets a fraction of the crowds at the seaside ruins and is far older: people lived here from around the fifth century BC. Its buildings look more like Tikal in Guatemala than like Tulum, with steep, narrow pyramids. The main one, El Castillo, rises in five tiers to a temple on top, and Templo 8, three tiers high, still has traces of mural painting inside.

The city traded along the coast through the lagoons behind it, which is why the ruins sit beside Laguna Muyil and why so many visits continue onto the water. Open daily from eight to five, last entry half past four. No food, pets or smoking.