All Other Destinations and Attractions in Mexico

over the border into Campeche. The archaeological zone is on the right, not far from the road. The excavations have been identified as Mayan Late Classic (ad 800-900) though Xpuhil and other neighbouring sites are thought to have been occupied from much earlier. The principal building is a palace-like structure embellished with three towers, - one each end and the third, slightly set back, in the centre - all of which are purely decorative and otherwise functionless. The general design simulates that of the temple pyramids at Petén (Guatemala), but at Xpuhil the towers are solid and the steps too narrow and steep to climb. Originally, monster masks, probably stylised representations of cats, would have decorated the façades above the doorways (bits of masks can still be seen on the lateral towers of the palace-like structure today). This distinctive combination of "false" towers and façades decorated in a similar manner to the Chenes culture, is known as the Río Bec style.There is another large Mayan archaeological site about 15km/9.3mi away at Hormiguero, accessible from Xpuhil by bus (or even on foot).

, again not far from the road. They include palaces with the typical "false" (in this case, twin) towers, a pyramid with a temple, altars and a ball court. The site was enclosed within a man-made moat or ditch, begun in the Classic period but never completed.Structures I-IV, dating for the most part from the final phase of building (ad 550-830) stand grouped around the first plaza. Structure IV (north side) with its huge external staircase is perhaps the most interesting on the site. Some relief sculptures still survive intact on the south facing walls of the upper building. On the north side are several chambers and terraces, their numerous doorways framed with decorative stonework.The twin towered Structure VIII on the south side of the adjacent Central Plaza has a small entrance leading into several interconnecting rooms. Structure IX on the north side, still to be excavated, is Becán's tallest, rising some 32 m (105 ft) into the air. The great majority of the many buildings on the site are still wholly or partially hidden beneath a blanket of subtropical vegetation.