Yamil Lu'um, Cancún, Mexico

A photograph of Yamil Lu'um — Photograph · David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada · CC BY 2.0

Standing: High
Rank: Rank 69 of 593

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About Yamil Lu'um

Yamil Lu'um is a Maya archaeological site on the beach coast of Cancún, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, and today lies inside the Cancún Hotel Zone. It belongs to the Maya region of the East Coast of Quintana Roo and stands on a beach rock cliff considered the highest natural point on Cancún's coast. The site dates from the late Postclassic period and was built around 1200 to 1550 AD. Its main building is the Scorpion's Temple (Templo del Alacrán), a ceremonial shrine named after a scorpion sculpture found inside; the temple is believed to have also served as a pre-Columbian lighthouse facing the ocean.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

Place details and sources

Type of place: Attraction OpenStreetMap · Checked 2026-09-09

Common questions

How old is Yamil Lu'um?

It dates from the late Postclassic period and was built around 1200 to 1550 AD.

What is the Scorpion's Temple?

The site's main building, a ceremonial shrine named after a scorpion sculpture found inside.

Where exactly is the site?

Inside the Cancún Hotel Zone.

Where it is

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Nearby

Within 6 min on foot

20 min
5 min walk
Plaza la Isla. Atardecer al lado del muelle
- Notable
- Viewpoint
45 min
5 min walk
La Isla Shopping Village
- Must see
- Market
1 hr 30 min
6 min walk
Interactive Aquarium Cancun
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- Family attraction