Yamil Lu'um Ruins, Cancun

Located between the Park Royal Piramides and Westin Laguna Mar, Yamil Lu’umon is an archaeological site and a popular tourist attraction in Cancun. Ruins of two small temples can be found at this site. These temples were constructed between 1200 and 1550 AD and the ruins are maintained by Park Royal Piramides.

One of the temples has a scorpion sculpture on its wall and is therefore called the Temple of Scorpion or Templo Del Alacran. There is a handprint in the stucco of the other temple which is called Temple of the Handprint or Templo de la Huella. The scorpion and the handprint are not visible now.

These ruins are located at the highest point of the city above the beach. The fact that these temples were built at such high altitudes indicate that they were used as light houses, watch towers and navigational aids.

First discovered by American explorer and diplomat John Lloyd Stephens in 1842, Yamil Lu’um is today open to visitors. This is the smallest of the Cancun ruins that can be accessed by walking through to the site from the Park Royal Piramides or the Westin.