By road, Kohunlich and Boca del Cielo are about 559 miles (900 km) apart, or roughly 12 h 11 min of driving.
| Distance | 559 mi (900 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-186 → MEX-180 → MEX-187 → MEX-187D → MEX-190 → MEX-190D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Veracruz |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-187D, MEX-190D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.4 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.
Driving Kohunlich to Boca del Cielo: the shape of the trip
MEX-186 (317 mi) and MEX-187D (65 mi) carry about 68% of the 559 miles. It runs through 5 states: Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Veracruz. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-187D and MEX-190D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Kohunlich to Boca del Cielo: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Quintana Roo |
| MEX-186 | 7–324 | 317 | Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| local roads | 324–327 | 3 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 327–349 | 22 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 349–357 | 8 | Tabasco |
| MEX-187 | 357–385 | 28 | Tabasco |
| local roads | 385–395 | 10 | Tabasco, Veracruz |
| MEX-187D | 395–460 | 65 | Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas |
| MEX-190 | 460–464 | 4 | Chiapas |
| MEX-190D | 464–523 | 59 | Chiapas |
| MEX-200 | 523–538 | 15 | Chiapas |
| local roads | 538–559 | 21 | Chiapas |
- Mile 21 of this route: Quintana Roo → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 227 of this route: Campeche → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 235 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
- Mile 278 of this route: Chiapas → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 393 of this route: Tabasco → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 399 of this route: Veracruz → Tabasco (state line)
- Mile 406 of this route: Tabasco → Chiapas (state line)
Places worth a stop between Kohunlich and Boca del Cielo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Becan (mile 48), Chicanná (mile 50), Villahermosa Cathedral (mile 324)
- Nature and outdoors: Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (mile 55)
- Museums and history: Becan (mile 48), Villahermosa Cathedral (mile 324), Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (mile 324), Los Horcones (mile 534)
Becan
Becan is a Maya archaeological site near the center of the Yucatán Peninsula in Campeche, about 150 km north of Tikal.
Chicanná
Chicanná is a Classic-period Maya city site named after Structure II, whose Maya name means "House of the Serpent Mouth."
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Bordering Guatemala's Petén department, the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve covers 7,231 square kilometers of southern Campeche, more than 14 percent of the state; it was established in 1989.
Balamku
Balamku is a small Maya archaeological site in Campeche, known for elaborate plaster facades from the Early Classic period.
Villahermosa Cathedral
Rising on Paseo Tabasco in Villahermosa, the Cathedral of the Lord of Tabasco has tall towers above a monumental facade. The current building dates from 1960–1963; an earlier cathedral was destroyed in the anticlerical campaigns of 1928–1934.
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.
Los Horcones
On the north side of Cerro de Bernal, atop a small ridge on the south side of a coastal plain, Los Horcones is an archaeological zone in the municipality of Tonalá, Chiapas.
More drives to Boca del Cielo
- Copainalá to Boca del Cielo
- San Cristóbal de las Casas to Boca del Cielo
- San Juan Chamula to Boca del Cielo
- Comitán to Boca del Cielo
- Tapijulapa to Boca del Cielo
- Palizada to Boca del Cielo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Kohunlich to Boca del Cielo?
About 12 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 559 miles.
How far is Boca del Cielo from Kohunlich by car?
About 559 miles (900 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 Kohunlich to Boca del Cielo?
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 Kohunlich to Boca del Cielo?
The U.S. State Department rates Quintana Roo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Kohunlich to Boca del Cielo?
In order: MEX-186, MEX-180, MEX-187, MEX-187D, MEX-190, MEX-190D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Kohunlich to Boca del Cielo?
Closest to the road: Becan (archaeological site, mile 48, 0.3 mi from the route); Chicanná (maya site, mile 50, 0.5 mi from the route); Villahermosa Cathedral (cathedral, mile 324, 0.9 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.