Campeche

Campeche is a state on the western side of the Yucatan Peninsula in southeastern Mexico, fronting the Gulf of Mexico. Its capital, also called Campeche, is a beautifully preserved walled colonial city. Rich in Maya ruins and offshore oil, it blends history with natural abundance.

Campeche is largely flat, covered in tropical forest and wetlands, with a long Gulf of Mexico coastline. It holds extensive Maya archaeological sites amid the jungle, and significant offshore petroleum reserves. The climate is tropical.

The state's culture centers on its fortified colonial capital, built to repel pirates, alongside a strong Maya heritage and a coastal cuisine rich in seafood. Its old town retains a tranquil, historic charm.

A heartland of the ancient Maya, with great sites such as Calakmul, the region became an important Spanish port often besieged by pirates, hence its city walls. Campeche became a separate Mexican state in 1863.