Plan on about 10 h 1 min of driving for the 477-mile (767 km) trip from Teapa to Espita, before any stops.
| Total distance | 477 mi (767 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 1 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-195 → MEX-180 → MEX-180D → MEX-202 → YUC 13 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.1 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.
How the Teapa to Espita drive plays out
MEX-180 (337 mi) and MEX-180D (53 mi) carry about 82% of the 477 miles. It runs through 3 states: Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Teapa and Espita
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tabasco |
| MEX-195 | 1–34 | 33 | Tabasco |
| connecting roads | 34–37 | 3 | Tabasco |
| MEX-180 | 37–244 | 207 | Tabasco, Campeche |
| MEX-180D | 244–268 | 24 | Campeche |
| MEX-202 | 268–278 | 10 | Campeche |
| MEX-180 | 278–370 | 92 | Campeche, Yucatán |
| local roads | 370–380 | 10 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 380–418 | 38 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180D | 418–447 | 29 | Yucatán |
| YUC 13 | 447–474 | 27 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 474–477 | 3 | Yucatán |
- Mile 98 of this route: Tabasco → Campeche (state line)
- Mile 331 of this route: Campeche → Yucatán (state line)
What to see on the way from Teapa to Espita
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (mile 34), Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos (mile 35), Xiol (mile 385)
- Museums and history: Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (mile 34), Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos (mile 35), Uxmal (mile 329), Museo Conmemorativo de la Inmigración Coreana a Yucatán (mile 377), Xiol (mile 385), Cuca (mile 391)
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.
Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos
The Museo de Historia de Tabasco, housed in the Casa de los Azulejos, is a history museum in the historic center of Villahermosa, Tabasco.
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.
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.
Xiol
Xiol is a Maya archaeological site in Kanasín, about 10 kilometers from Mérida, found by accident in 2018 during construction of an industrial complex. Its Maya name means "the spirit of man."
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.
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.
More drives to Espita
- Mérida to Espita
- Tecax to Espita
- Calkiní to Espita
- Campeche to Espita
- Champotón to Espita
- Paraiso to Espita
From Teapa to other places in Mexico
- Teapa to Tlacotalpan
- Teapa to Ixtenco
- Teapa to Chipilo
- Teapa to Tecolutla
- Teapa to Tlaxco
- Teapa to San Miguel, Morelos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Teapa to Espita?
About 10 h 1 min of driving without stops, over 477 miles.
What is the driving distance from Teapa to Espita?
About 477 miles (767 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 Teapa to Espita?
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 Teapa to Espita?
The U.S. State Department rates Tabasco Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Campeche Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Teapa to Espita?
In order: MEX-195, MEX-180, MEX-180D, MEX-202 and YUC 13. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Teapa and Espita?
Closest to the road: Museo de Antropología Carlos Pellicer (museum, mile 34, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo de Historia de Tabasco Casa de los Azulejos (museum, mile 35, 0.5 mi from the route); Xiol (archaeological site, mile 385, 0.7 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.