The so-called Ruta Puuc (Puuc Route) is a side road of the national road MEX 261, which branches off to the east south of the town Santa Elena.
It is usually associated with the Mayan cities of Kabah, Labná, Xlapak and Sayil, in addition to Uxmal.
Each of them has a building that is considered the showpiece of the complex.
In Kabah it is unquestionably the 45 meter long Palace of the Masks (Codz Pop) occupied with 250 masks of the rain god Chaac, among Labná’s buildings the Arco Triunfal stands out, just as beautiful as the well preserved archway, while Sayil shines with his palace called El Palacio, whose formerly 94 rooms are distributed on three floors.
It is curious that Oxkintok, only a few kilometres away from the route and a few kilometres east of the small village Maxcanú, hardly receives visitors, although it is considered to be one of the most important Mayan cities in northern Yucatán and perhaps the oldest settlement of the so-called Puuc region.
Its settlement area covers almost eight square kilometres, on which pyramids, plazas and palaces are spread between high grass and trees.
The history of Oxkintok ranges from the Mayan Pre-Classical (~ 300 BC) to the early Post-Classical (~ 1200 AD) with a heyday between the 5th and 9th centuries.
Those who drive the complete round, e.g. from Mérida – or with an overnight stop, will not miss the visit of the former Sisalhacienda Yaxcopoil from the late 17th century, whose grounds and buildings have often served as film backdrops.