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For some, lounging on a stunning white sand beach, staring at the turquoise water over your heart-shaped sunglasses, margarita in hand—and many more where that came from—can be the perfect vacation. If the all-inclusive resorts of the Cancun hotel zone and the Riviera Maya are what you need right now, go for it. This is a judgment free zone!
But for those looking for a little more adventure and discovery of Mexican—and more specifically, Mayan—culture, the rest of the Yucatán peninsula awaits!
There are so many wonderful places across the peninsula to enrich your knowledge of Mayan culture, feast on new flavors, and observe the wonders of nature. Some of the best things to do include:
- Wander the sandy streets of Isla Holbox
- Go back in time in El Cuyo
- Delight in the pink pools of Las Coloradas
- Dance the night away in Valladolid
- Visit the world’s second largest (and most yellow) church atrium in Izamal
- Savor Mayan culinary delights and admire colonial architecture in Mérida
- Birdwatch while you kayak the mangroves in Celestun
- Watch flamingos fly overhead in Sisal
- Learn about the pirate times in the walled city of Campeche
- Cleanse your soul in the seven colors of Lake Bacalar
- Explore the Mayan archaeological sites of Chichen Itzá, Uxmal, Ek Balam, Edzná, Kabáh, Mayapán (and so many more)
- Float in mystical cenotes
This post will give you a taste of what each of these off the beaten path destinations has to offer so you can plan the perfect itinerary and get the most of your next adventure in the Yucatán.
Geography
First let’s get our terms straight. When I say “the Yucatán” I am talking about the entire Yucatán peninsula, which juts out of the southeastern corner of Mexico to a point where the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea meet.
The Yucatán peninsula comprises three Mexican states: Yucatán, Quintana Roo, and Campeche. Cancun and the Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen, Tulum, etc.) are in Quintana Roo.
The Yucatán is mostly flat and jungly, ringed by those beautiful sandy shores. Visiting the spots highlighted in this post will let you experience both the jungle and the beach.
Getting Around
If you can afford to rent a car, road tripping is the best way to explore the Yucatán (we always use America Car rental; the cars aren’t fancy but they’ve always treated us right).
If you have at least four weeks, you can drive a grand loop and hit all the spots on this list: Cancun — Holbox — El Cuyo — Las Coloradas — Ek Balam — Valladolid — Chichen Itza — Izamal — Mérida — Sisal — Celestun — Uxmal/Mayapan/Kabah — Campeche — Edzna — Bacalar — [ and Tulum/Playa del Carmen if you wish] — Cancun.
You can see on this map that this itinerary covers a lot of ground.
We had six weeks and did a combination of bus (Cancun—Holbox—El Cuyo—Mérida) and car rental (from Mérida to Campeche and back to Cancun, with a few stops in between). The bus is great between big cities, but there can be a lot of unpredictable schedules and waiting for the smaller towns and archeological sites (tours can also be a good option for those). If you can’t or don’t want to wait four hours for the next bus, you might find yourself splurging on a pricey taxi.
Places to Visit
Isla Holbox
They say Holbox is what Tulum was ten to fifteen years ago. That may be true, but it has definitely been discovered! But it’s still an island paradise, with sand streets, beautiful beaches, crystal clear turquoise water, and a great selection of hotels, restaurants, and activities for every budget.
Holbox also delivers the goods with incredible nature. Any time of year you can enjoy the beautiful beaches, from Punta Cocos to Punta Mosquito. You can walk, wade, bike, kayak, paddle board or go on a boat tour.
If you get there between May and September (coincidentally also hurricane season…) you can swim with the incredible whale sharks (bucket list item for sure!). You can find bioluminescence all year long but it is especially good close to the new moons between April and December (also hurricane season!).
But if all you want to do is sit on the beach, that’s cool too. Isla Holbox definitely has that chill island vibe that tells you it’s ok to do absolutely nothing.
El Cuyo
Arriving in the sleepy center of El Cuyo you wonder what the heck you are going to do here for the next few days. There’s not a lot going on. No hordes of tourists. No party bars. And then you realize that that is why you are here: to get away from it all, and just relax.
El Cuyo is a sleepy fishing village that is beginning to gain traction as a tourist destination (with all the gentrification that comes with it, unfortunately). It has long been a hot spot for kite-surfers—drop by the beach any afternoon and you will see why (hold on to your hat!).
The beaches are not lined with quaint hotels, loud restaurants and curated beach chairs. Just sand, shells, and turquoise water punctuated by the dives of hungry pelicans.
If you are looking for activities, you can try your hand at kite surfing, go kayaking or standup paddle boarding, rent a quad bike and zip over to Las Coloradas, or go on a boat tour to see the flamingos and other birds (depending on the season).
Don’t be fooled, even though it is not at all touristy, there are a few dining gems in town—we had some of our best meals (and best paletas, or popsicles!) in Mexico here.
Want to plan your own trip to El Cuyo? Check out this Get Away From It All In El Cuyo (Yucatán) post!
Las Coloradas
Instagram made this place famous, showing off the many shades of its beautiful pink lakes.
The pink lakes are actually part of a salt factory complex and (mostly because of the Instagram craze) it is highly regulated now and you can’t go in the water for that fabulous pink selfie.
That said, to visit the pink lakes, it’s super easy to get there and jump on a guided tour where the guide will be happy to take a bunch of fun pictures of you. Go around noon for the best light.
Valladolid
I think people instantly like Valladolid because it’s the first real city you come across after escaping Cancun that feels like the “real” Mexico. Its colorful colonial buildings ooze charm and the zocalo (Parque Principal) is always bustling with activity.
Make sure to be passing through on a Sunday night when they shut down the street to the north of the zocalo and everyone young and old has a dance party with a live band. You feel the strong sense of community.
There is a cenote right in town (Cenote Zaci) that’s worth a visit. There are a few food and artisan markets to explore, and you can learn all about the history of chocolate at Choco-story.
While Valladolid might not have a laundry list of activities and attractions to check off, it is a lovely town to stay in for a few nights and use as a jumping off point for some epic archaeological sites (especially Chichen Itzá and Ek Balam) and cenotes.
Izamal
Izamal is known for being, well, very yellow. Just about all the buildings in town are a sunshiny shade of yellow and you can’t help but be delighted about it as you walk around.
Izamal is something of a pilgrimage site. The main attraction is the Convento de San Antonio de Padua en Izamal, founded in 1549 and built atop a Mayan temple. They say the convent’s atrium is second in size only to the Vatican. Pope John Paul II visited in 1993 (some say that is the reason the town is painted yellow; makes sense) – and you can see the chair he sat on during his visit.
There are lots of Mayan ruins sprinkled around Izamal (all closed for visits during the pandemic).
I don’t know that it’s worth making Izamal a destination on your itinerary, but it’s certainly worth a detour, most likely on your way to or from Mérida.
Want to plan your own trip to Izamal? Check out this Top 6 Things to Do in Sunny Yellow Izamal (Yucatán) post!
Mérida
Mérida is the capital of Yucatán state and the largest city on the Yucatán peninsula, with over 1 million people. But don’t let that turn you off! Sure, it feels like a big city as you wind your way in, but once you settle into the historic core it’s very manageable and walkable.
The fortunes of Mérida were built on the henequen trade of the 1800s. The legacy of that era is housed on a boulevard of fancy mansions, the Paseo de Montejo. A rare few are fixer uppers, but the majority of them are beautifully restored and/or maintained and are worth a visit.
Mérida has a lively nightlife, starting with the almost-nightly free live performances in the Plaza Grande (zocalo). There are restaurants galore where you can try all sorts of cuisines, but most importantly, Mayan cuisine. Here is your chance to delight in cochinita pibil, poc chuc, salbutes, panuchos, sopa de lima, and many other local specialties.
Mérida is just an easy city to explore and experience. It’s easy to find your way around because of the street grid and just about every street has its charm, with its “wow” houses, sometimes on the same block as houses that are a little rough around the edges. Every few blocks you will come across a little park (and church) with vendors, playgrounds and people relaxing in the shade. It gets better the longer you stay!
Celestún
The beach in Celestún is plenty pretty, but you know you are really here for the flamingos! Celestún is famous as a winter home for flamingos, so if that’s your goal, it’s best to get there between November and February. We were there in March and the hordes of flamingos wading in the waters were gone, but we still saw many of them flying overhead. Don’t expect to see many (or any) flamingos too far outside of that timeframe.
There are also hundreds of species of other beautiful birds to observe in Celestún throughout the year.
The best way to view flamingos and other birds is on a guided boat tour.
A more intimate way to explore Celestún is on a kayak tour of the mangroves, where you will learn about the massive mangrove restoration project that has been taking place over the last almost 20 years. You will get a great workout crossing the Ría Celestún and back and still see a lot of birds (and possibly a crocodile).
After all that birding, sit back and relax on the beach (there’s not much to explore in town).
Sisal
In the early 1800s Sisal was the main shipping port for the Yucatán during the “henequen boom”. Henequen is an agave-derived sisal fiber used for making ropes, which were essential for the shipping industry back in the day. The glory was short-lived, however, as the main port moved further north to Progreso in 1845 in order to be closer to Mérida.
Now Sisal is just a sleepy beach town with a mellow vibe. There’s not a lot to do here. The only real tourist attraction other than the beach is a small museum and lighthouse (which has been closed in the pandemic).
But there’s something to be said for a place without a lot of attractions…and a beautiful beach!
It was in Sisal that we had our first magical flamingo encounter (in March). There we were just hanging out on the pier and we could see a mass of black bird specks in the distance, coming our way. It didn’t take long for us to recognize those elegant long necks, and then the bright pinks started to emerge – a massive flock of flamingos flying over head! And they kept on coming all afternoon; it was a true spectacle.
Want to plan your own trip to Sisal? Check out this Flamingo Spotting and Other Fun Things to Do in Sisal (Yucatán) post!
Campeche
Shhh…Campeche is an incredibly well-kept secret and a sleeper hit. It took us completely by surprise how fantastic this city is – even UNESCO thinks it’s awesome!
The main event in Campeche is the historic center, still partially walled in, so start with a trolley tour, then take your time exploring the cobblestone streets and colorful high-ceilinged colonial buildings dating back to the 1700s and 1800s, then walk the ramparts of the city walls and explore Campeche’s vibrant market.
While the old stuff is definitely a highlight, the city has made some impressive improvements in modern times, and none so impressive as their malecon (esplanade), which boasts a walking path and a bike/running path that runs along the waterfront for 7 kilometers. If you hit the timing just right, you can catch a spectacular sunset facing due west over the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
While I would typically have urban planner disdain for the fact that the malecon is divided from the city by a four-lane boulevard, every single car stops for pedestrians who want to cross – respect!
On either end of town is an impressive fort built as part of the city’s defense network to keep pirates at bay. To the north, Fort San Jose has impressive sea views and has an interesting maritime museum. To the south, Fort San Miguel has an understated museum of amazing Mayan artifacts that will boggle your mind. Also, iguanas. Both forts are vigorously guarded by an army of iguanas.
Bacalar
Bacalar was probably Mexico’s best kept secret until the town of Bacalar was declared a Pueblo Magico in 2015, putting it on travelers’ radar and opening the floodgates to tourists.
Look, this lake is really special. When the sun is shining you just can’t help but stare at the water, with its layers of blue and white, and marvel at how magical this planet is.
The only way to truly appreciate the beauty and magic of this lake is to get out on—and into—the water. There are lots of options, from just jumping in to kayaking, standup paddle boarding, and sailing. While there are no sandy beaches, there are plenty of spots where you can park yourself for an afternoon and just bask in the beauty of the lake.
I will note that while the lake is truly special, the town itself is lacking in charm.
Want to plan your own trip to Bacalar? Check out this Top 5 Things to Do in the Blue Lagoon of Bacalar post!
Mayan archaeological sites
There is no shortage of amazing Mayan archaeological sites across the Yucatán. There was, after all, 2500 years of Mayan civilization before the Spanish invasion. Each site has its own character and demonstrates the incredible ingenuity and construction skills of these people. I mean, how did they haul those huge rocks up and place them perfectly together?
If you try to see all the sites, you will probably get “ruined out”, so pace yourself. These are some of the best. Hire a guide every now and then – you will always learn something you won’t get from guidebooks or information panels.
At any time of year, these sites are hot and don’t always have lots of shade. So cover up in light clothing, wear sunscreen and a hat, and bring lots of water and snacks. In the summer months you will also need slather up with bug spray.
Edzná
Edzná is about one hour (55kms) southeast of Campeche. The heyday of this Mayan city’s rule was from 400 to 1000 AD, and it was eventually abandoned in the mid-1400s for reasons unknown
The architecture is in the Puuc style. The layout is fairly compact, but there are quite a few pyramids to explore, with a range of sizes and style. You can climb up all but the main (and highest) pyramid. There is also a ball court, and those classic Mayan acoustics where if you clap in certain spots it will echo throughout the site.
One thing people love about this site is that you have the place almost to yourself. We went on a holiday weekend so that was definitely not the case (but it certainly wasn’t crowded).
Want to plan your own trip to Edzná? Check out this Exploring Edzná—the Perfect Day Trip from Campeche post.
Kabah
Kabah is a very small site (it’s actually 4 km2, but the part you can visit is only a few buildings in the East group), but it has some unusual and stunning features that make it worth a visit. The architecture is in the Puuc style.
The main attraction is the Codz Poop palace, which has a façade adorned with hundreds of stone masks of the rain god Chaac. Many of the noses are broken, but some are fairly intact.
Really just thinking about how they made all these noses and constructed the palace boggles the mind.
As if that weren’t enough, the other side of the palace boasts two sculptures of men (or gods?) that are in pretty good shape (although the guy with no head might beg to differ), especially since they have been hanging on for over one thousand years.
Across the main road and up a peaceful pathway, the Arch of Kabah marks the beginning of the Sacbé (causeway) to Uxmal, a mere 18 kms away.
Want to plan your own trip to Kabah? Check out this Hidden Treasures of the Yucatán: Why Kabah is Worth a Visit post.
Mayapan
Mayapan, a site you have probably never heard of, packs a punch! More than other sites I have visited, you really get the feeling that you are in a small town as you wander through the remains of homes and ceremonial buildings all pretty close to one another.
The entire site is actually 4 km2 with 4,000 structures and was at one time considered the most important center of Mayan civilization. The part you can visit has some pretty impressive structures, including a pyramid that looks a lot like El Castillo at Chichén Itzá, but a bit smaller, and an observatory. There are also some impressive sculptures, reliefs, and murals in fairly good condition.
Chichén Itzá
You might have heard of this one…Chichén Itzá was one of the largest Mayan cities and is considered by many to be the crown jewel of the Mayan archaeological sites, and was declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Yes, it’s impressive and beautiful and absolutely worth a visit but just know that you will not be alone when you go. For someone who doesn’t like crowds, it can be almost too much with the hordes of tourists and the very assertive vendors (oh, you will rapidly tire of the sound of the jaguar whistle and frog noisemaker—it’s enough to make you crazy!). I fully appreciate that locals need to make a living, but at some point it becomes disruptive and counter-productive to making tourists actually want to spend their money there.
My best advice is to go early before the bus tours (including cruise ship tours) get there and before the vendors have set up in full force.
Uxmal
Uxmal offers some incredible structures that you don’t see everywhere, most notably the Magician’s Palace with its oval base and rounded corners, in remarkably good condition. You can still climb the Great Pyramid for the quad burn and those amazing views.
Due to its more remote location (aka distance from Cancun) Uxmal is not as crowded as other sites, which definitely adds to its appeal.
Ek Balam
If you like climbing stuff, Ek Balam is going to be your jam. Prepare yourself for thigh-jiggling, heart-pounding ascents and descents, rewarded by endless views of the Mayan jungle. El Torre is one of the highest pyramids you can climb in the Yucatán, and it will test your fear of heights.
This site has a unique variety of pyramids and stucco sculptures to keep you entertained for hours. While hot, there are also lots of shady spots for a little respite.
When you are all sweaty from climbing pyramids in the blazing sun, it’s time to head to nearby Cenote X’canche to cool off and grab a bite to eat.
Cenotes
Cenotes are basically pools of cool fresh water that have formed in sinkholes, usually in open or semi-open caves. The water is usually crystal clear and very cold—and very refreshing on a hot summer day in the Yucatán.
The Mayans historically used cenotes as a source for water but also considered them to be the entrance to the underworld. Some of them are super deep and dark, so it’s honestly not a stretch to think that!
There are thousands of cenotes across the Yucatán, and some of those are now set up for tourists to visit. They usually charge an entrance fee and provide amenities such as changing rooms, showers (get yourself squeaky clean before getting into the cenote), and sometimes fun things like platforms, rope swings, and ziplines. Each one has its own character.
I have been to my fair share of cenotes, but am no expert, so I’ll refer you to Cenote Finder and Expert Vagabond’s comprehensive write up of the best cenotes to visit in the Yucatán.
Get out there and explore!
No matter how many times you have been to the Yucatán, there is more to discover and explore. It’s just an endless string of charming pueblitos, Mayan archaeological sites great and small, cenotes, and culinary delights – always with a side of habanero!
Whether you have one week or one year, it’s worth it to get out of Cancún and explore this peninsula rich in history and culture.
Let me know in the comments: what’s your favorite? where do you want to go most?
