El Rey is a small Maya town hidden in the middle of Cancún’s Hotel Zone. The site reached its peak in the Late Postclassic period (around 1200–1550), when, together with nearby San Miguelito, it was part of a community that lived from fishing and maritime trade along the coast.
What to see
A long main street lined with platforms, small temples and residential buildings, some with traces of their original paint. The name “El Rey” – the king – comes from a sculpted head found on the site.
The iguanas
The ruins are home to dozens of iguanas basking on the warm stones. They are used to visitors, but don’t feed or touch them.
Tips
- Open daily, 8:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30); check the INAH website for changes.
- Go early: there is little shade, and the midday heat is intense.
- Combine it with the Maya Museum and with Playa Delfines, just across the boulevard.
