Plan on about 8 h 29 min of driving for the 413-mile (664 km) trip from Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal, before any stops.
| Distance | 413 mi (664 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-202 → YUC-MEX-180 → QR 109 → MEX-307 |
| Mexican states on the route | Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
On the road from Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal
MEX-180 (242 mi) and MEX-180D (78 mi) carry about 77% of the 413 miles. It runs through 3 states: Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | |
| MEX-180 | 5–103 | 98 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 103–127 | 24 | Campeche |
| MEX-202 | 127–137 | 10 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 137–230 | 93 | Campeche, Yucatán |
| local roads | 230–239 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 239–277 | 38 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180D | 277–331 | 54 | Yucatán |
| connecting roads | 331–333 | 2 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 333–337 | 4 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 337–350 | 13 | Yucatán |
| YUC-MEX-180 | 350–370 | 20 | Yucatán, Quintana Roo |
| QR 109 | 370–396 | 26 | Quintana Roo |
| MEX-307 | 396–412 | 16 | Quintana Roo |
| local roads | 412–413 | 1 | Quintana Roo |
- Mile 191 of this route: Campeche → Yucatán (state line)
- Mile 362 of this route: Yucatán → Quintana Roo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Ciudad del Carmen and Akumal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán (mile 169), Xelha (mile 406)
- Museums and history: Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán (mile 169), Uxmal (mile 188), Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán (mile 237), Cuca (mile 251), Xelha (mile 406)
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche
Founded by the Spanish on the Gulf of Mexico, Campeche's walled center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sections of the hexagonal wall built from 1686 to 1704 against pirate raids survive with bastions and gates, framing a grid of colonial streets.
Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán
On Highway 180 about 40 miles north of Campeche city, Hecelchakán's INAH museum displays Maya archaeology from the Camino Real region. It is the only museum of its kind along this historic route toward Calkiní.
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.
Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán
In Mérida's historic center, this memorial museum tells the story of the first Korean immigrants to Yucatán and their work in the henequen industry, with more than 200 photos, documents, newspapers and pieces of traditional clothing.
Cuca
Near the town of Tixpéhual in Yucatán, Cuca is a pre-Columbian Maya site of about 10 hectares, where dozens of structures and their remains lie scattered inside a low wall.
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.
Ik Kil
Outside Pisté near Chichen Itza, Ik Kil is a cenote within the Ik Kil Archeological Park in Yucatán's Tinúm Municipality.
Cenote Zací
Cenote Zací sits inside the city of Valladolid, Yucatán. Its name comes from the Maya settlement that once stood on the site.
Xelha
On the eastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Quintana Roo, Xelha is a Maya archaeological site whose name comes from the Yucatec Maya roots xel and ha'.
More drives to Akumal
- Valladolid to Akumal
- Río Lagartos to Akumal
- Izamal to Akumal
- Cuzamá to Akumal
- Motul to Akumal
- Mérida to Akumal
From Ciudad del Carmen to other places in Mexico
- Ciudad del Carmen to Comitán
- Ciudad del Carmen to Zacatelco
- Ciudad del Carmen to Chiautempan
- Ciudad del Carmen to Huejotzingo
- Ciudad del Carmen to Tlaxcala
- Ciudad del Carmen to San Miguel, Morelos
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal?
About 8 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 413 miles.
How far is Akumal from Ciudad del Carmen by car?
About 413 miles (664 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 Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal?
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 Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal?
The U.S. State Department rates Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Quintana Roo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal?
In order: MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-202, YUC-MEX-180, QR 109 and MEX-307. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ciudad del Carmen to Akumal?
Closest to the road: Museo de Arqueología Maya del Camino Real de Hecelchakán (museum, mile 169, 0.5 mi from the route); Cuca (archaeological site, mile 251, 2 mi from the route); Xelha (archaeological site, mile 406, 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.