The Xel-Ha Archaeoligcal Site (also spelled Xelha or Xelhá) is a relatively modest collection of ruins from the Xel-Ha community estimated to date back to the 1st century. The site lies 18km north of central Tulum, and sits on the opposite side of the highway from the commercial outdoor adventure park that shares its name.
There are three main groupings of structures inside the site. The Palace Site contains stelae and two large buildings, both dating from around 1200AD. The next group includes the Pyramid of the Birds, and has the site's oldest structure, built around 350AD. Visitors can walk a trail that follows the course of the historic sacbe, a raised stone road once used in the region for travling and trading with other communities, to the final group, which includes the House of Jaguar and sits beside a cenote.
The House of Jaguar contains a fresco of a jaguar, which you can see through a protective net.
While the Xel-Ha site is has a more modest collection of ruins than other notable archaeological sites, it makes an interesting visit. The site is small enough that it can be visited in about an hour or so.
Xel-Ha Archaeological Site is open daily from 8am-4:30pm. Admissions is MX$75 per person.
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