Highlights in YUCATÁN
Laid back Caribbean beach town with bohemian vibes - great diving & snorkeling!
The "White City" is the capital of Yucatan. It has a beautiful historic center with amazing colonial buildings, a great variety of restaurants and many cultural events.
A "mini-Chichen Itzá" - without the crouds, and where you can still climb the pyramids.
The walled city center is full of colorful buildings, and the waterfront promenade is the perfect place for runners, rollerbladers, cyclists... and sunset-lovers.
Cosy beach town on the Gulf of Mexico with a beautiful board walk. Fantastic sunsets!
Izamal
This magical little town with its characteristic yellow and white painted houses has an impressive convent and the Mayan pyramid Kinich Kakmó
Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos is still a laid-back and authentic beach town, just a 20.min. drive south of Cancun. It has sort of a bohemian vibe with lots of little restaurants and beach bars, catering to all kinds of tastes, including many vegan options.
You may start the day with a "Sunrise Yoga session" right on the white sandy beach. The water is shallow and calm - perfect for a swim. Puerto Morelos has top-notch snorkeling and excelent scuba diving spots along the second largest Barrier reef of the world. You can see large schools of fish, vivid coral reefs, barracudas, sting rays, sea turtles,... also eagle rays and the occasional nurse shark.
Don't expect great nightlife with clubs or discotheques within the town though... people come here more to chill out ;)
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Mayapan
Less than an hour away from Merida, this archaeological site is totally worth a visit. Especially after you have seen the impressive Chichen Itza you may think of Mayapan as a mini version of the famous pre-Columbian city.
Mayapan was founded during the final centuries of the Maya civilization, and was considered back then a political, economical and ceremonial hub for Yucatán, until it was abandoned in the mid-1400s.
Contrary to Chichen Itza you will hardly find any crowds visiting this charming site, and you are still welcome to climb all the pyramids and temples... the view from up there is magical!
Progreso
Located at the north coast of Yucatán, Progreso has white sandy beaches and very shallow warm water - ideal for swimming and kitesurfing. Because of the shallow coast a 6.5 km (4 miles) long pier was built to allow large cargo-& cruise ships to dock. Actually this pier is the longest in the world. But even on busy cruise ship-days Progreso still maintains its local vibe with pictures small fishing boats along the beaches.
The Malecon (=boardwalk) is divided by the pier in the traditional "old" part, where you'll find plenty of restaurants and little gift shops, and a "new" part with food trucks, curious sculptures and artwork. Whichever part you prefer: don't miss the gorgeous sunset with a cool drink in your hand...
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Mérida
Mérida is also named "La Ciudad Blanca" (The White City), because of the predominance of white limestone that was used as a building material. It is the charming Capital of Yucatán, with a beautiful colonial style historic Centre and modern suburban area.
Although the city has grown exponentially in the last few years, it retains a provincial, laid-back friendliness, superb public safety, and all the variety of goods and services of a large city.
A walk through the Centro Histórico will take you back in time and across cultures through expansive plazas, down tree-lined boulevards, many art galleries, and into historic mansions, boutique hotels and internationally influenced restaurants. Mérida also has a legendary nightlife scene, with many bars, cantinas, and clubs, most of which offer live music and are housed in centuries-old saloon-style buildings.
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Campeche
Campeche, located along the Golf of Mexico, is a historical fairyland, its walled city center a tight enclave of restored pastel buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, fortified ramparts and well-preserved mansions. For photographers and history buffs, the colorful streets and historic forts once used to fend off pirates make the 2 hour drive from Mérida absolutly worthwhile. Campeche still has a laid-back vibe, very different from many overcrowded Tourist-sites on the Caribbean side of the peninsula.
The Malecón is the perfect place for sunrise or sunset walks, biking, running, or rollerblading. Campeche is well known for its seafood, especially shrimp (camarón) and shark (cazón) and both are widely available.
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