Cancún to Hopelchén is about 262 road miles (422 km): roughly 5 h 43 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 262 mi (422 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-180D → YUC 18 → MEX-184 → MEX-261 |
| Mexican states on the route | Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
What the drive from Cancún to Hopelchén is like
MEX-180D (138 mi) and MEX-261 (45 mi) carry about 70% of the 262 miles. It runs through 3 states: Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cancún to Hopelchén, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Quintana Roo |
| MEX-180 | 2–10 | 8 | Quintana Roo |
| connecting roads | 10–11 | 1 | Quintana Roo |
| MEX-180D | 11–149 | 138 | Quintana Roo, Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 149–157 | 8 | Yucatán |
| connecting roads | 157–158 | 1 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 158–179 | 21 | Yucatán |
| YUC 18 | 179–188 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-184 | 188–193 | 5 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 193–206 | 13 | Yucatán |
| connecting roads | 206–208 | 2 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 208–217 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-261 | 217–262 | 45 | Yucatán, Campeche |
- Mile 53 of this route: Quintana Roo → Yucatán (state line)
- Mile 236 of this route: Yucatán → Campeche (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Cancún and Hopelchén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ring of cenotes (mile 173), Kabah (mile 222)
- Museums and history: Uxmal (mile 217), Kabah (mile 222), Labna (mile 225)
Cenote Zací
Cenote Zací sits inside the city of Valladolid, Yucatán. Its name comes from the Maya settlement that once stood on the site.
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, is a former Maya city between Mérida and Valladolid where you can walk past El Castillo (Temple of Kukulkan), the Temple of the Warriors, the Great Ball Court and the round El Caracol observatory.
Sacred Cenote
At the Maya site of Chichen Itza, the Sacred Cenote is a water-filled limestone sinkhole where, by Maya and Spanish accounts, offerings and human sacrifices were made to the rain god Chaac.
Ring of cenotes
Yucatán's Ring of cenotes (Anillo de cenotes) is a state-protected natural area: a semicircle of cenotes linked to the asteroid impact that formed the Chicxulub crater some 65 to 70 million years ago.
Uxmal
Founded around A.D. 700, the Maya city of Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Puuc-style buildings such as the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Governor's Palace and the Nunnery Quadrangle carry carvings of the rain god Chaac.
Kabah
Kabah is a Maya archaeological site in the Puuc region south of Mérida, inscribed in 1996 together with Uxmal, Sayil and Labna as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Labna
Labna is a Maya archaeological site and ceremonial center in the Puuc Hills of the Yucatán Peninsula, south of Uxmal in the southwest of Yucatán state.
More drives to Hopelchén
- Tecax to Hopelchén
- Mérida to Hopelchén
- Teapa to Hopelchén
- Izamal to Hopelchén
- Motul to Hopelchén
- Progreso to Hopelchén
From Cancún to other places in Mexico
- Cancún to Puerto Aventuras
- Cancún to Punta Allen
- Cancún to Progreso
- Cancún to Sisal
- Cancún to Celestún
- Cancún to Hecelchakán
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cancún to Hopelchén?
About 5 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 262 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cancún to Hopelchén?
About 262 miles (422 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Cancún to Hopelchén?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Cancún to Hopelchén?
The U.S. State Department rates Quintana Roo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cancún to Hopelchén use?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-180D, YUC 18, MEX-184 and MEX-261. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cancún to Hopelchén?
Closest to the road: Sacred Cenote (cenote, mile 118, 3 mi from the route); Ring of cenotes (nature area, mile 173, 0.2 mi from the route); Kabah (archaeological site, mile 222, 0.1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.