By road, Espita and Tapijulapa are about 492 miles (791 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 50 min of driving.
| Total distance | 492 mi (791 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | YUC 13 → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → MEX-202 → MEX-195 → TAB 1 → MEX-173 |
| Mexican states on the route | Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.7 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 Espita to Tapijulapa
MEX-180 (211 mi) and MEX-180D (175 mi) carry about 78% of the 492 miles. It runs through 3 states: Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Espita to Tapijulapa
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–20 | 20 | Yucatán |
| YUC 13 | 20–29 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180D | 29–58 | 29 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 58–96 | 38 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 96–105 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 105–198 | 93 | Yucatán, Campeche |
| MEX-202 | 198–208 | 10 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 208–232 | 24 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 232–309 | 77 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 309–328 | 19 | Campeche |
| connecting roads | 328–332 | 4 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 332–335 | 3 | Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 335–438 | 103 | Campeche, Tabasco |
| connecting roads | 438–444 | 6 | Tabasco |
| MEX-195 | 444–453 | 9 | Tabasco |
| connecting roads | 453–454 | 1 | Tabasco |
| TAB 1 | 454–480 | 26 | Tabasco |
| MEX-173 | 480–491 | 11 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 491–492 | 1 | Tabasco |
- Mile 146 of this route: Yucatán → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 380 of this route: Campeche → Tabasco (state line)
What to see on the way from Espita to Tapijulapa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 442), Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (mile 443)
- Museums and history: Cuca (mile 85), Cathedral of Mérida, Yucatán (mile 99), Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán (mile 99), Uxmal (mile 147), Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (mile 442), Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (mile 443)
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.
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.
Cathedral of Mérida, Yucatán
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.
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.
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.
Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara
Poet Carlos Pellicer Cámara, a major voice of 20th-century Mexican poetry, was born in this house in Villahermosa's historic center, now a museum since 1985.
Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer
Villahermosa's regional anthropology museum, named for poet Carlos Pellicer Cámara, displays Olmec and Maya pieces found across Tabasco, along with loans from other parts of Mexico such as Teotihuacan. It opened in 1980.
More drives to Tapijulapa
- Paraiso to Tapijulapa
- Coatzacoalcos to Tapijulapa
- San Andrés Tuxtla to Tapijulapa
- Córdoba, Mexico to Tapijulapa
- Orizaba to Tapijulapa
- Naolinco to Tapijulapa
From Espita to other places in Mexico
- Espita to Kabah
- Espita to Sisal
- Espita to Celestún
- Espita to Hecelchakán
- Espita to Hopelchén
- Espita to Palizada
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Espita to Tapijulapa?
About 9 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 492 miles.
How far is Tapijulapa from Espita by car?
About 492 miles (791 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 Espita to Tapijulapa?
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 Espita to Tapijulapa?
The U.S. State Department rates Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Espita to Tapijulapa?
In order: YUC 13, MEX-180D, MEX-180, MEX-202, MEX-195, TAB 1 and MEX-173. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Espita and Tapijulapa?
Closest to the road: Cuca (archaeological site, mile 85, 2 mi from the route); Casa Museo Carlos Pellicer Cámara (museum, mile 442, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (museum, mile 443, 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.