Temozón: Smoked Meats, Wood Shops & Ek Balam Base
What Makes This Special
Temozón (near Valladolid) is famous for two things you can actually see, smell, and taste: carne ahumada/longaniza (smoked pork sausages and cuts) lined up along its main street, and woodworking & furniture showrooms. It also sits minutes from the Ek Balam archaeological zone and its community-run Cenote X’canché, with Cenote Hubiku just up the road—making Temozón a perfect craft-and-food stop before (or after) ruins and a swim.
History
The town name is often translated from Maya as “place of the whirlpool.” Temozón grew into a regional hub for smoked meats in the late 20th century and remains packed with butcher stalls and family-run smokehouses; woodworking took off as well, with dozens of carpentries and furniture stores operating today.
Practical Information
- Entry/Access: Town is free to visit; public spaces always open.
- Typical Hours: Butcher/smokehouses & furniture shops commonly 9:00 AM–6:00 PM (hours vary). Ek Balam ruins daily 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (last entry ~4:00 PM). Cenote X’canché typically 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Cenote Hubiku generally 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
- Fees (2025): Ek Balam total for foreign adults ≈ $561 MXN (INAH $100 + Yucatán state fee $461); Mexican nationals ≈ $227 MXN. Many Mexican citizens/residents enter free on Sundays with official ID. X’canché ~$170 MXN. Hubiku ~$100 MXN for cenote-only; buffet combos cost extra.
- Payments: Bring cash (MXN). Card acceptance is inconsistent at small shops.
- Facilities: Market eateries, smokehouses with casual seating, basic shops; cenotes have changing rooms/lockers.
- Accessibility: Flat town center (uneven sidewalks). Stairs at cenotes.
- Recommended Visit Length: 4–6 hours (smokehouse strip + furniture browsing + cenote) or full day with Ek Balam.
What to Expect
Smoked-meat corridor: Order by weight—longaniza, costilla, chuleta, morcilla—and eat on-site with tortillas, salsas, and pickled onions. Flavor leans smoky-salty; perfect for sharing platters.
Wood & furniture showrooms: Cedar and tropical hardwood pieces (chairs, tables, doors). Expect custom work and delivery quotes.
Ek Balam + Cenote X’canché: Climbable Maya ruins (views over the jungle) paired with a semi-open cenote reached by a 1.5 km path; rent bikes or a triciclo if you prefer not to walk.
Cenote Hubiku: A photogenic closed-cavern cenote with on-site buffet (separate fee) and simple amenities.
Getting There
From Valladolid (≈12–14 km / 15–20 min): Drive north on Hwy 295; frequent taxis/colectivos operate the corridor (ask locally for current stands). From Temozón to Ek Balam is about 14 km more by road.
What to Bring
- Cash in small bills (food, taxis, cenotes)
- Swimwear, quick-dry towel, water shoes
- Sun protection, reusable water bottle
- Tape measure if shopping furniture/doors
Tips & Safety
- Order smart: For smoked meats, ask for a mixed platter to sample cuts; confirm price per kilo before slicing.
- Ek Balam fees: You’ll receive two receipts (INAH + state). Bring cash for the INAH portion.
- Cenote etiquette: Rinse before swimming; avoid sunscreen/repellent unless truly biodegradable.
- Heat plan: Do ruins early, lunch in Temozón, then cenote cool-down.
Temozón: Smoked Meats, Wood Shops & Ek Balam Base
On This Page
Temozón blends legendary smoked meats and wood furniture shops with quick access to Ek Balam and cenotes X’canché and Hubiku—an easy, flavor-packed day near Valladolid.
Our Take
"Temozón smells like mesquite smoke and fresh cedar—swing through for longaniza, furniture ateliers, and an easy hop to Ek Balam."
What Makes This Special
Temozón (near Valladolid) is famous for two things you can actually see, smell, and taste: carne ahumada/longaniza (smoked pork sausages and cuts) lined up along its main street, and woodworking & furniture showrooms. It also sits minutes from the Ek Balam archaeological zone and its community-run Cenote X’canché, with Cenote Hubiku just up the road—making Temozón a perfect craft-and-food stop before (or after) ruins and a swim.
History
The town name is often translated from Maya as “place of the whirlpool.” Temozón grew into a regional hub for smoked meats in the late 20th century and remains packed with butcher stalls and family-run smokehouses; woodworking took off as well, with dozens of carpentries and furniture stores operating today.
Practical Information
- Entry/Access: Town is free to visit; public spaces always open.
- Typical Hours: Butcher/smokehouses & furniture shops commonly 9:00 AM–6:00 PM (hours vary). Ek Balam ruins daily 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (last entry ~4:00 PM). Cenote X’canché typically 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Cenote Hubiku generally 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
- Fees (2025): Ek Balam total for foreign adults ≈ $561 MXN (INAH $100 + Yucatán state fee $461); Mexican nationals ≈ $227 MXN. Many Mexican citizens/residents enter free on Sundays with official ID. X’canché ~$170 MXN. Hubiku ~$100 MXN for cenote-only; buffet combos cost extra.
- Payments: Bring cash (MXN). Card acceptance is inconsistent at small shops.
- Facilities: Market eateries, smokehouses with casual seating, basic shops; cenotes have changing rooms/lockers.
- Accessibility: Flat town center (uneven sidewalks). Stairs at cenotes.
- Recommended Visit Length: 4–6 hours (smokehouse strip + furniture browsing + cenote) or full day with Ek Balam.
What to Expect
Smoked-meat corridor: Order by weight—longaniza, costilla, chuleta, morcilla—and eat on-site with tortillas, salsas, and pickled onions. Flavor leans smoky-salty; perfect for sharing platters.
Wood & furniture showrooms: Cedar and tropical hardwood pieces (chairs, tables, doors). Expect custom work and delivery quotes.
Ek Balam + Cenote X’canché: Climbable Maya ruins (views over the jungle) paired with a semi-open cenote reached by a 1.5 km path; rent bikes or a triciclo if you prefer not to walk.
Cenote Hubiku: A photogenic closed-cavern cenote with on-site buffet (separate fee) and simple amenities.
Getting There
From Valladolid (≈12–14 km / 15–20 min): Drive north on Hwy 295; frequent taxis/colectivos operate the corridor (ask locally for current stands). From Temozón to Ek Balam is about 14 km more by road.
What to Bring
- Cash in small bills (food, taxis, cenotes)
- Swimwear, quick-dry towel, water shoes
- Sun protection, reusable water bottle
- Tape measure if shopping furniture/doors
Tips & Safety
- Order smart: For smoked meats, ask for a mixed platter to sample cuts; confirm price per kilo before slicing.
- Ek Balam fees: You’ll receive two receipts (INAH + state). Bring cash for the INAH portion.
- Cenote etiquette: Rinse before swimming; avoid sunscreen/repellent unless truly biodegradable.
- Heat plan: Do ruins early, lunch in Temozón, then cenote cool-down.
Location
Plan Your Visit
Cash, sun protection, water, swimwear, water shoes, tape measure for furniture shopping
Smokehouses with seating, basic eateries; cenotes with lockers/changing rooms
Sample mixed meats, verify kilo prices, carry cash for INAH fee, rinse before cenotes