Located at the southern point of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula is well known as the heart of Mayan civilisation. With fabulous ruins dotting the entirety of this area it is a fantastic gateway into one of history’s most well-known societies. Not only is it home to many ruins, but there are a vast numbers of cenotes waiting for their watery beauty to be unearthed. While there are some amazing places to stay in Cancun, there is so much more to the Yucatan Peninsula.
This Yucatan trip planner outlines exploring the Yucatan Peninsula with the city of Merida as a starting point, a suggested 2 week Yucatan itinerary, and tips for making your own Yucatan itinerary. There is so much to see and do, that 2 weeks in Yucatan just scratches the surface, but it will be a vacation to remember. You will see the classical colonial city of Merida, and some of the intriguing things to do in Merida, the sun soaked ruins of Tulum and the historic wonder that is Chichen Itza, along with several other ruins, and some lovely cenotes. And, if you want you can completely avoid the tourist-laden areas of Cancun and Playa Del Carmen.
My name is Andrew Davies and I have spent many happy years travelling with my wife Olivia. In November we explored the Yucatan Peninsula for two weeks and feel that it is a must see destination.
Our Yucatan Trip Planner includes:
Getting to the Yucatan Peninsula
Where to stay in Yucatan
When to visit Yucatan
Our 2 week Yucatan Itinerary
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Merida- Where to eat in Merida
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Things to do in Merida
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Chichen Itza – Where to eat near Chichen Itza
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Things to do at Chichen Itza
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Tulum- Where to eat in Tulum
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Things to do in Tulum
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Puerto Morales- Where to eat in Puerto Morales
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Things to do in Puerto Morales
Who should visit the Yucatan Peninsula
Getting to the Yucatan Peninsula.
The easiest way to arrive on the Yucatan peninsula is through Cancun Airport. Do ensure that you have bought some Pesos with you, or that you have pre-booked a bus ticket away from the Airport as when I arrived I could only find ATMs that would give me dollars rather than Mexican Pesos. From the airport it is then easy enough to find buses away from the airport to other places (for booking tickets and seeing destinations look here).
Buses to Merida take about 4 hours from Cancun Airport, for Tulum they take about two hours.
I will highlight more specific ways of getting around during the itinerary itself, but ADO does offer fantastic connections all around the Yucatan region and it is well worth using them, albeit being one of the more expensive options it is easy to find, comfortable and a pleasant journey.
Where to stay in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Tulum:
It is difficult to say where is best to stay in Tulum, many people stay directly on the beach as there isn’t a huge amount to do in the town. This is certainly a good idea if you are likely to spend a lot of time on the beach. However as this itinerary covers going to see some ruins that are around Tulum, I would recommend staying in the main town rather than the beach. If you stay at the beach you will likely have to take a taxi from there each day you want to go away from the beach.
Find the right hotel for you, and get a great deal on your rooms in Tulum!
Chichen Itza:
I can hands down recommend the Dolores Alba Inn in Chichen Itza. It is a very interesting hotel. It is worth spending a few nights near the Chichen Itza site as it makes a nice relaxing break from the busyness of the others. Breakfast is provided free, but there are no shops or kitchen available if you usually cook your own meals.
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Merida:
Dolores Alba also has a hotel in Merida. When I visited I stayed in an Airbnb of which there are plenty. I would recommend staying close to the square as this is where the most attractions are and it will be easiest to get a bus around.
Check out all of the awesome room options in Merida, and get a great deal now!
Our Yucatan Itinerary at a glance
Merida: Go straight to Merida from the airport and visit here for roughly five days, this will give you plenty of times to see the museums and the various ruins and gives a good understanding of the area.
From Merida go straight to Chichen Itza: On the day of your arrival swim in the Ik-Kil cenote.
The next morning head off towards Chichen Itza. I am informed that there is luggage storage on site which is free and very good. Your other option is to stay a second night at Dolores Alba and then take the bus to Tulum from right outside the Hotel, you will need to flag it down, but the front desk will tell you the approximate time that it will pass through.
Tulum: Spend four days in Tulum in order to explore the two ruins mentioned and the Cenotes. I would recommend ignoring the beach and the reef here as there is a better way to explore them if you have more time.
Down the coast to Puerto Morelos. This is a small fishing Village between Playa del Carmen and Cancun Airport.
You will have to take a taxi (30 pesos each way) between the Bus station and the fishing part of town, but from the bus station it is easy to get to the airport and many taxis will try and give competitive discounts to take you to the airport. This is especially good if there is more than one of you.
When to visit Yucatan
November and early December are the best times to visit price wise and crowd wise. The high season is however between December and April. The weather is very consistent all year round, the only difference is the amount of people there. I personally enjoy places with less crowds so would say that November is the best time to visit. It is also worth noting that June to the end of November is Hurricane season, but the chances of hurricanes are minimal and technology provides good early warnings.
Our Suggested Yucatan Itinerary
Merida, Food, Ruins and Fire
When I visited the Yucatan region this was my first destination, we arrived from the Airport late in the evening and arrived at the ADO bus stop. There are several in Merida, but from the airport the stop is near the Fiesta Americana hotel, which is located about a mile and a half from the town centre. From here it is easy to get taxis, or walk if you so desire.
Where to eat in Merida
The food in Merida is fantastic and flavourful and is worth trying anything that you can. If you walk out from the square a few meters and look for places filled with locals you won’t go far wrong.
The best foods to try are:
Poc Chuc – grilled pork that has been marinated in Achiote and sour orange
Cochinita Pibil – similar flavours to above but shredded pork rather than grilled
Fresh juices – as stated, these are amazing!
Flautas – crispy tortillas, usually filled with Chicken and then served with a creamy green sauce (verde) or with a dark sticky sauce (con Mole)
Chaya Maya
If you are looking for a truly tasty sit down meal the Chaya Maya is a good place to go. It is a little bit more expensive than some other places that we went to, but it was good quality and not a terrible price.
Santiago Market
Market food is highly recommended in Merida, I would however caution against going to the Santa Ana market place near the southern end of the Pasajo Monteo, when I went it simply wasn’t good. Instead go to the Santiago Market located west of the main square (near the Catherwood House). The food there was much better and also offered at a better price.
Pola
Another place to check out is Pola, a gelato stall a few blocks north from the main square. Albeit more expensive than other places to have ice cream, Pola is renowned for their unusual flavours and home-made cones. One of their more famous (for its unsual flavour) ice creams is a stilton and apple which is surprisingly nice and a little bit like an apple cheesecake. Not far from this ice cream shop is a bar called La Negrita which serves excellent craft beer (served in massive jars!) and often has live music.
Things to do in Merida
The Main Square
The main square is a hive of activity in Merida. On Sundays it is home to Markets where you can purchase souvenirs and local crafts, there is also live music being played. It is also a great place to sit and watch the world go by, interesting there are a large number of strange S shaped seats called Tu y Yo seats which are particular to Merida (or rather the high number in Merida is unusual).
Around the main square are many sights which are worth a look at. You have the Cathedral close by, which is said to be the first cathedral constructed in Mexico. The church is free to enter and is worth a visit.
On the square you can also find a few museums, the contemporary art museum is found on the same side as the cathedral and is free to enter. If you have an interest in Art then it is worth taking a look as this museum is home to pieces from many local Yucatecan artists.
There is also the Montejo house located on the south side of the square, again this is free to enter. This used to be the palace of the conquistadors who successfully conquered Merida. The facade is of particular interest as it shows conquistadors standing on the heads of defeated Mayans, a harsh sign of the new conquered age of Merida. Inside the building however is a representation of what the house would have looked like in the 1800s.
Mayan Ball Game
For me, one of the most exciting things we saw was the Mayan Ball Game (Pok ta Pok) which is played on the square every Saturday night at 8:00pm. This is particularly fascinating to see as it gives a good idea of how the game was played (which is good to see before visiting the great ball court of Chichen Itza). In traditional ceremonial dress there is a whole ceremony which takes place before the game begins. Pok ta Pok is a little bit like a quidditch without sticks. A hoop raised in the air is the goal in which players must hit a rubber ball in whilst only using their hip. In Merida (due to not having a wall to use) it is particularly reminiscent of this as the hoop resembles one of the goals from quidditch).
The players play this game for a while before they move on to a different game. This one includes fire… They light the ball on fire and pass it around to each other like the hot potato game, before they try and throw it through the hoop. All exciting to watch and well worth a visit.
Casa Frederick Catherwood
Although this house is not historically linked to Frederick Catherwood it contains many of his sketches. Catherwood may not be a household name but he was one of the original explorers of the Yucatan Peninsula. In his book Incidents of Travel in the Yucatan he highlights his journey through the area and provides many sketches of places that he went to see. These places are also places that you are likely to go and see. The book is a fantastic read, as is seeing the sketches he has and the stark contrast between the undiscovered beauty of the ruins he saw then and how they look now. It is however quite expensive at 50 pesos and only open sporadically, but the sketches are fantastic.
Mayan World Museum
If you want to learn more about Mayan history then the Mayan world museum is an excellent place to get to. Although it is located further out of the town, it is possible to get there by Taxi or Uber. The museum is free to local Yucatan people on Sundays so is busy, so it is best to do this on a different day of the week. Tickets for adults (not from Mexico) cost 150 pesos. This museum informs you of the history of the Mayan people from permanent displays and interactive exhibitions.
Uxmal
Uxmal is a large Mayan Ruin located just outside of Merida. It is easy to get to by bus (ADO busses go from the main station for 55 pesos each way). It is also possible to organise tours. There is a small museum at the entrance and also hundreds of buildings to go and explore as you walk around the site. Frederick Catherwood visited here during his travels.
Cacao workshop
Another beloved memory I have of Merida is going to a Cacao workshop. We went to a locally organised Artisanal chocolate workshop with Magdalena, who is passionate about educating people about the rich cultural heritage of Chocolate in Mexico. Although most chocolate comes from the West Africa, it’s spiritual home is in Mexico and there are many spiritual practices involved with the chocolate. During our workshop we had a presentation on the history and benefits of Cacao as well as learning to roast and grind our own Cacao. We tried what Cacao fruit tastes like and even samples some alcohol made from it and a type of chocolate drink combined with corn. It was a truly memorable evening.
Chichen Itza
One of the seven wonders of the world, Chichen Itza is by far the best known Mayan ruin in the world. It must be said that it doesn’t have the same feel as many other Mayan sites due to the large number of stall holder on the site at any time (so don’t go expecting a tranquil and spiritual experience). I do however strongly believe that it is still worth going to see. The site is best seen by going as early in the morning as you can, so as to avoid unnecessary crowds and stalls.
Visiting Chichen Itza from Merida, is really easy to do. There are many options to visit here as part of a tour which can be organised in Merida. I however recommend staying overnight at Chichen Itza as part of your journey southward towards Tulum.
You simply have to take a bus from Merida bus station, close the the town square. There is a ticket counter in the building where you can purchase tickets and ask to go to Chichen Itza. Busses run fairly regularly throughout the day.
If you are staying at the Dolores Alba, as recommended above then you take the bus to the Chichen Itza site and then simply take a taxi from there to Dolores Alba (it cost around 60 mexican pesos, November 2018). While sorting out my accomodation I was told that there was a bus you could take and ask to be dropped off near the Dolores Alba hotel, but I personally struggled to find which one it was, so the above option is far easier.
Things to do near Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza
This really is a no brainer! The Chichen Itza site is marvelous and huge. As I have highlighted above it’s not the same as other sites and there are a lot of stall holders all around the site. But it is still worth a visit.
If you are visiting for the day then you will arrive at the bus stop for the site. If you are staying overnight at Dolores Alba then they have a free Shuttle Bus service that will take you to Chichen Itza at 8:00am. If you are only staying one night, I have been told there is a free baggage drop area near the entrance to Chichen Itza, then it is worth simply taking the bus to Tulum from the Chichen Itza site itself, you find this by asking around. This is worth asking about the first day that you arrive as I do not have direct experience of it. If you are staying another night the buses between Tulum and Chichen Itza run regularly along the road outside Dolores Alba, so simply ask the staff at the desk when the next bus to take back is.
Entrance to the site costs 232 mexican pesos, it is more to hire a guide who might tell you further information about the site, but there are several signs around the site that give an insight into what the various buildings were, so it’s not necessary.
One thing that isn’t mentioned on any signs, but you will no doubt see people doing is clapping their hands at the bottom of El Castillo, the big square pyramid in the centre of the site. This is because there is a strange echo that sounds like a sacred Mayan bird.
Exploring the entire site at an easy pace takes about four hours. There are plenty of places at the entrance area where you can grab some food afterward, but nothing particularly noteworthy.
Ik-Kil Cenote
The reason that I so highly recommend staying overnight is simply because you avoid so many crowds, but also you can take a visit to the Ik-Kil Cenote when it is not filled with tour buses. If you have left Merida/Tulum early enough then a great place to spend your afternoon is at the Ik-Kil cenote over the road from Dolores Alba. It is best to buy your tickets from their front desk as you get a small discount for entry (total cost of 70 Mexican Pesos in November 2018). There is an extra fee for life jackets (which aren’t really necessary if you are comfortable swimming) and you need to pay a few pesos for a locker as well, but again this is not necessary.
From there you simply cross the road and you can go and swim and dive at the Ik-Kil Cenote which makes a nice refreshing afternoon. Because of staying overnight it is a great way to visit the cenote for longer where you can make a bit more of the visit rather than a quick thirty minute visit from a bus tour. Whilst there you can swim in the cool waters and even dive off a platform into the deep waters below.
It is worth noting that the Dolores Alba Hotel also has a cenote pool. This is not an actual cenote but a swimming pool which is based on limestone formations. This is worth a swim in as well.
Tulum: Ruins, Sandwiches and the Sea.
Where to eat in Tulum
Sandwich Shop
Unfortunately this is a place that didn’t have an obvious name on the sign when I visited it. But it is near to the corner between Avenida Tulum and Centauro Norte. As you walk down there is a kitchen with a bar around it. A big sign announces various sandwiches that you can buy and this is the place that you want to go! The sandwiches here are huge and fantastic, great value for money and really tasty too.
Burrito Amor
Described as healthy and clean food, this is a great place to stop for breakfast or lunch. On the far side of Avenida Tulum it offers a wide selection of Burritos for very reasonable prices. It is also a good place to get fresh juice.
Things to do in Tulum
Coba
Coba are spectacular ruins located on the way towards Chichen Itza. Although there is little information at the actual site (in comparison to Tulum and Chichen Itza) if you have been to one of the other sites it’s quite obvious what the different buildings are as they have a similar feel. The great difference with Coba is that it is a really quiet site and you are also able to climb the Castillo which looks out over a sea of trees. Entry is seventy mexican pesos. There are cycle taxis that will take you around the site as it is large in comparison to Chichen Itza and Tulum, it’s actually relatively easy to walk if you have a reasonable level of fitness.
To get there from Tulum you can take the ADO bus, but there is also a collectivo that will take you there for a much cheaper rate. It is however difficult to find, so simply ask in the Collectivo station or walk down Avenida Tulum until you find it (it is before the bus stop), you do however only make a small saving of about fifteen pesos. For returning from the ruins it is possible to pick up a collectivo from where they drop you off (they don’t stay for long after dropping you off), or you will have to wait for the ADO bus at the bus stop just outside the gates. The bus is however infrequent so you may be better of taking a taxi, or finding other people to ride share with.
Tulum Ruins
The ruins at Tulum are majestic as they sit overlooking the sea. A particularly impressive part is the beach on site which is overlooked by the Wind Temple providing stunning and beautiful views of a truly Mayan Paradise.
The entry to the ruins is seventy Mexican pesos and the journey there in a Collectivo is twenty pesos. As with many of the Collectivos in the town, it can be difficult to find the Collectivo, but if you ask the various Collectivo drivers they will eventually point you in the right direction. You can also rent bikes in many places in town to cycle your way down. For the return you can take the Collectivo from where it dropped you off. It is worth pointing out that the Collectivo doesn’t take you directly to the ruins entrance, it actually drops you at the end of the road. Depending on where you are staying in the town, it is almost worth simply walking the mile to the top of the road.
Upon being dropped off you will be told that you have to have a site map before going down, this is simply a sales technique to get you to stop where they then try and sell you a guide and snorkeling tour. It’s up to you if this is something you want to do.
Make sure when you visit the site that you wear a swimming costume underneath your clothes and bring a towel with you. This is simply because there is a beach within the site itself, but also the ruins are by the beach which will be elaborated on below. The hot sun will dry you out quickly, so bring sun cream and don’t worry too much about having to find somewhere to change.
Beach
Getting to the beach is pretty much the same as above, you just go towards the right rather than the left when you get towards the ruins. With plenty of places to buy a beer, the hot sand and the lapping waves, this is a great place to unwind after a day of sightseeing. When I visited Tulum I went to the beach after visiting the ruins. The beach is ultimately more expensive than the town due to it being the main area that tourists would stay, but it isn’t wildly more, so don’t worry too much.
Cenotes
The Yucatan area is covered with Cenotes, Tulum especially so, if you fancy scuba diving in cenotes or swimming in them then Tulum is the place to go. There are plenty of tours you can book. Unfortunately most of them are outside of the town so it is quite difficult to get around to them all, but you can hire bikes to get there, taxis or tours which will combine several different cenotes.
The reef
Tulum is based close to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef which is the second largest in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Snorkelling on the barrier reef is an amazing experience and a great place to see all of the beautifully coloured fish. The only option for doing this is through a tour, you can arrange this as part of your visit to the Tulum ruins or you can find plenty of places along Avenida Tulum.
Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos is a small fishing town that is past Playa Del Carmen on the way back towards the airport. It is very picturesque, close to the Mesoamerican reef and not as heavily touristic as other nearby places.
Where to eat in Puerto Moreles
There are a few great eateries in Puerto Morelos, all within walking distance of each other.
Lola Y Moja
I can wholeheartedly recommend Lola Y Moja. The owner is very friendly and the food is really good. I can particularly recommend their molletes.
Another good place is I wanna Pizza which does absolutely huge pizzas. But all along the main road are options for eating so you are unlikely to go hungry.
Things to do in Puerto Moreles
The Beach
In Puerto Morelos it is all about the beach. This town is the closest that you will get to the Mesoamerican reef and isn’t overly touristy so you can get fairly cheap tours for snorkelling the reef. It is also a good place to relax on the beach and has some nice places to eat as well.
Although there isn’t a whole lot to do in Puerto Morelos it is a fantastic place to unwind.
Planning your Perfect Yucatan Itinerary
Ultimately it is difficult to compile an exact Yucatan itinerary, as there is so much to see and do. It all depends on what you want to do. Although in my two week description I have indicated a rough timing of what you might enjoy doing, I thought I’d quickly highlight how I’d focus my time for five individual groups and provide some other places around that they may enjoy.
Sun Seekers: Ultimately your best option is to focus your time on Tulum and Puerto Morelos, Tulum has the far better sunbathing beach, but when we visited Tulum we just simply had better weather. If you are doing the full 2 week Yucatan itinerary as above you may also enjoy the Progresso Beach north of Merida. It’s easy to get there by bus.
Party goers: I would focus your time on Merida as there are plenty of bars and clubs that you can go and visit. At Tulum, I was informed by a local that the best bars and clubs were on the Avenida Montejo.
History Buffs: The Yucatan is filled with fantastic ruins everywhere. I would focus your time around Merida (there is another ruin on the way to Progresso that you might enjoy) and there are a lot of colonial buildings. Chichen Itza is a obviously a must and also don’t miss Coba!
Nature Lovers: I would focus most of your time on Tulum and Puerto Morelos as this is where there are many cenotes and biospheres to explore. It is worth looking at the Sian Ka’an biosphere.
Food devourers: I love food, and I would have said the best places for great food was in Merida so definitely focus your time there. The two places I recommended in Tulum were really good, but everything else was quite average. In Puerto Morelos there are lots of good places to eat good food from varying styles. So I would focus most of your time on Puerto Morelos and Merida, rather than on Tulum.
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Andrew and Olivia, are a couple from the UK intent on exploring what the world has to offer. You can read more about their travels in Yucatan here. Though currently recovering from a seven month period of intense travel, they have plans to keep exploring the world bit by bit. You can follow them on Instagram here as they learn, eat and explore throughout the world.
