This road trip crossing Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is a fantastically diversified journey difficult to top. Most travelers limit their visit to the Caribbean Coast and World Wonder Chichén Itzá missing out on a bunch of other terrific highlights in the area. I hope you´ll decide differently after reading the complete round trip coming up.
The comforts of short distances and easily accessible sights make the Mexican peninsula a paradise for road trip lovers. Though well-conditioned roads through a flat landscape provide perfect conditions also for inexperienced roadtrippers.
What to expect:
- six ancient Mayan ruins
- four Spanish-Colonial towns
- five cenotes to swim, dive and relax
- a day and night in the jungle
- white sand Caribbean beaches
- awesome nightlife
- one optional diving paradise
Every journey is unique so some modesty is required of my side.
For now travel with me and find out for yourself one day!
We travel not to escape life
But for life not to escape us
* Click on the pictures to bring up bigger images
Day 1 – Acclimatizing in Cancún
Before hitting the road have a day to acclimatize. Get used to the hot weather conditions and take some time to read about the area you´ll be exploring the next 11 days if you haven´t done so yet. Cancún was built for tourism meaning there isn´t much to distract you from the beach and the beautiful turquoise blue Caribbean Sea. A perfect day to start your holiday. While sipping your first tequila-squirt observe the nightlife because tomorrow will be a busy day. There will be plenty of time to go out at the end of your trip.
Cancún in the background seen from Isla Mujeres
Day 2 – Cenotes & Chichén Itzá
We picked up our rental car at 9AM which gave us perfectly enough time for today´s program. With our bathing suits on and towels at hand we headed towards our first destination: Pueblo Mágico Valladolid. The city center of this Spanish settlement hosts a beautiful Cathedral and Ex-Convent. A couple of blocks away you´ll find cenote Zaci which is a lovely, calm place to relax, however, pools for better swimming are only a stone throw away. Grab a bite and move on because the best is yet to come.
Peaceful Cenote Zaci in the middle of town
One of various colonial churches in Valladolid
Just 7 km southwest of Valladolid you´ll encounter the stunning underground cenotes of Dzitnup. Buy definitely tickets for both as they are very different from each other. It´s a true pleasure to swim in the clear fresh water and observe the surroundings: Impressive stalactites and tree roots dangling from the ground-level roof all the way down to the water adorn the cenotes.
Cenotes of Dzitnup: X’kekén
Cenotes of Dzitnup: Samulá
Less than an hour away awaits your gateway to ancient Maya culture: Chichén Itzá. Mexico´s most visited archeological site after Mexico City´s Teotihuacán. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is great place to start your journey into the wonderful Mayan World. Eat something before entering though because you´ll be needing your energy to explore the fundamentals of Maya history, architecture, astronomy, mythology, political and social structures, ceremonies, and sports.
El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan
Mayan ball court at Chichén Itzá
After a long day in the hot sunshine, I have exactly what you need: Ik Kil. A perfectly round cenote ideally for a swim only 3 km away from Chichén Itzá. The host to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is about 26 meters below ground level and its rich vegetation, multiple waterfalls and tropical birdlife make this place feel like paradise. A spectacular scene that you won´t easily forget. Chichén Itzá closes at 5PM which gives you at least one hour at Ik kil (closing time 6PM).
Cenote Ik-kil – picture of expatior.com
Day 3 – Izamal, Mérida & Uxmal
We stayed the night in Izamal and explored this historical, yellow town in the morning by carriage. A local tour guide took us along the pre Hispanic structures as well as the colonial buildings constructed atop of them. This tiny, almost undiscovered village is considered as one of the oldest cities of the Mayans and was named Pueblo Mágico in 2002 by Mexico´s Tourism Secretariat. Nice detail: Ask your charioteer about his language, he´ll be happy to teach you some Mayan words.
Yellow street view of Izamal
Carriage Tours along the Mayan Ruins
The drive into Mérida is a long, busy street that feels like forever. The Zócalo, a lively center, is nice though. I´m not the biggest fan of Mérida, but who I am to tell you not to go there. Especially when Lonely Planet selects Mérida as Mexico´s number 1 must-see, I surely must have missed out on something. I hope you´ll find it, let me know! If you have the time to spend the night here, consider visiting the thousands of wild, pink flamingos in Celestún.
City Center of Mérida
Patria Monument in Paseo de Montejo
Continue to UNESCO site Uxmal that gives a really good idea of how a Maya city looked like in ancient times. Its well-preserved Puuc style buildings make Uxmal an absolute beauty that must be seen from the top of the Great Pyramid: A steep climb for an amazing panorama of Uxmal and its green surroundings. Besides the archeological site, there are only a few hotels in the surroundings, so be prepared for a quiet evening.
Pyramid of the Magician
Panorama of Uxmal
Day 4 – Edzná & Campeche
The next morning, your Maya journey continues at the Edzná ruins. Edzná is well-known for its sophisticated canal system that radiated out from the center to the agricultural areas beyond. The most recognizable building of the site is the 31m-high Five-Story Pyramid which cannot be climbed anymore. Get an impressive panoramic view of the Gran Acrópolis by carefully descending the building on the left side of the Five-Story Pyramid.
Five-Story Pyramid at Edzná
View over the Gran Acrópolis
Less than one hour driving, you´ll arrive at the Gulf of Mexico where Campeche fought its battles. In colonial times, Campeche was Yucatán´s most important port and the Spanish constructed a defensive wall which partly survived. In Campeche´s city center so many buildings were renovated that they harmonize its street view perfectly in pretty pastel colors. An interesting and colorful town to stroll around and conclude the day at the quiet malecón.
Campeche´s lively Zócalo
Remains of Campeche´s defensive wall
Some of the restored pastel colored buildings
Restaurant tip: Luz de Luna. Enjoy good service and excellent food at any hour of the day for reasonable prices in a Mexican gallery atmosphere.
Day 5 – Calakmul
Today will be a day to be cherished forever – as long as you prepare yourself well. I don´t want to worry you, I´m just warning: If you don´t focus today, you could end up either dehydrated or stranded. Despite many hours of online research we hadn’t found any about the absence of gas stations and kiosks in the area. Two things to be aware of:
- Off the highway it´s 60km southwards into the semi-jungle of Yucatán until Calakmul. The first 20km are easy; the last part is very curvy. Make sure to have enough gasoline for at least 130 kilometers to make it till the next gas station.
- Bring plenty of water and something to eat. Whereas Chichen Itzá is full of restaurants and tourist shops, you won´t find ANY of that at Calakmul. At the entrance works only one employee at the reception and he won´t share his two-week provision with daily travelers.
Not many people visit Calakmul, don´t let that scare you off!
When arriving well-prepared, there is really nothing that can ruin an unforgettable Calakmul experience. Choose the short track directly to the two big pyramids, look out for howler monkeys and ignore the jaguar signs that are basically a tourist marketing trick. Jaguars do live in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, however, it´s very unlikely to encounter one especially in the middle of the day.
Walk about 30 minutes and there they are: Two hidden treasures waiting to be found by you. So-called structures I and II are two of the largest pyramid temples ever built by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It´s size and historical importance, which can be compared to those of its long-running rival Tikal, make Calakmul a truly memorable site. Climb up both pyramids for indescribable 360° views over the peaceful jungle leaving you impressed and speechless. If you have some energy left, descend Structure VI for a striking view of the entire Structure II pyramid.
Ruins with Mayan Stelae being one with nature
On top of Structure II in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Structure I seen from the top of Structure II
Astonished we drove back up to the highway to stay at the Jungalows of Rio Bec Dreams, an excellent back-to-basics option in the jungle near Calakmul. Note to search a bit farther than km marker 145 because the road has been resigned.
Day 6 – On the Road
The next day we drove to Chetumal, the capital of the state of Quintana Roo, which I recommend skipping. You better search for something interesting to do in the area, for instance visiting Kohunlich, the Rio Bec Sites or one of the other ruins. Spend the night at lovely Lagoon Bacalar.
Day 7 – Bacalar
Bacalar is a welcome relaxation spot after intense pyramid climbing. Bacalar was the first Maya city in the region which the Spanish succeeded in taking over. The Spanish finished the Bacalar Fort in 1729 that may still be visited today. Though Bacalar was named a Pueblo Mágico in 2006, besides the modest fort and the lagoon there isn´t much to admire. Enjoy your day at the natural pool in a paddle boat or on shore rocking in your hammock.
Pure relaxation at Hotel Rancho Encantado
Fort of San Felipe and Bacalar Lagoon
Day 8 & 9 – Tulum
Welcome to the Riviera Maya, Mexico´s Carribean coastline known for its exquisite beaches. Five days at the beach should be enough to soak up some sunshine to return home fulfilled and reenergized. Archeological zone Tulum was one of the last cities inhabited by the Mayans and only survived for about 70 years until the conquistadores arrived. It´s idyllically location on a rocky cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea makes Tulum a truly remarkable site.
Tulum on the rocky cliff…
…overlooking the Caribbean Sea
Due to its relatively small size, the Maya ruins of Tulum won´t take up much of your precious time at the beach. Tulum’s zona hotelera is still unaffected from mass tourism. Little cabañas or smaller hotels directly at the white sandy beach make the difference between Tulum and larger tourist towns Playa del Carmen and Cancún. Visit Ziggy beach for some excellent cocktails and find your slice of Riviera Maya heaven.
Small hotels at the white sandy beach of Tulum…
…and cute cabañas.
If you´re planning on visiting biosphere reserve Cian Ka´an or one of its virgin beaches, inform yourself well. We left with too little information. There are no signs and no one along the way could help us out. The boat trips turned out to be quite expensive and we returned without having seen anything. We had better stayed at the hotel beach.
Day 10 & 11 – Playa del Carmen
Between Tulum and Playa del Carmen there are dozens of great things to do. Choose among various cenotes, endless beach opportunities, and theme parks Xcaret, Xplor and Xel-Ha. Satisfied from the last couple of adventurous days we decided to limit our activities to cenote Dos Ojos and gorgeous but quite crowded Akumal.
At Dos Ojos local Mayans organize snorkeling and diving trips, dividing their earnings among the entire community. The individual tours are fairly priced and offer a fantastic look inside one of world’s largest underwater cave systems. In the middle of the woods you enter the cenote to snorkel or dive amongst the stalactites and stalagmites in crystal clear water.
We did the easy accessible snorkeling tour. They gave us underwater flashlights and wet suits and they looked after us all the time. An extremely rare must-do experience.
Snorkeling at Cenote Dos Ojos – flashpackersguide.wordpress.com
Playa del Carmen is the second biggest resort town at the Riviera Maya after Cancún. The energized beach area, exceptional nightlife and overall relaxed atmosphere make Playa a nice place to spend a couple of nights. The quinta avenida, a pedestrian promenade running parallel to the ocean, has many stores and nice restaurants. Some good places to party: Mamitas at the beach for during day and Coco Bongo pulling off a spectacular show seven nights a week.
Beach area of Playa del Carmen
Strolling along the Quinta Avenida
We brought our rental car back in Playa del Carmen, however, you could also choose to save some money and return the car in Tulum. Public transport between Tulum and Cancún is cheap and accessible.
Day 12 – Cozumel/Isla Mujeres
If you´re a scuba diver: go to Cozumel. I´ve heard many stories about Cozumel’s excellent diving opportunities at the second longest coral reef in the world. The absence of currents provides safe and reliable diving conditions. Isla Mujeres is a better option for non-divers. Hire a golf cart to explore this laid-back island completely surrounded by beautifully turquoise blue water. The ferry takes about 20 minutes from Cancún.
Ferry Isla Mujeres – Cancún
Laid-back atmosphere at “Isla”
*Considering the short length of the journey, I recommend booking hotels on beforehand especially during high season. **Spanish basics would make your journey inland easier but fluency isn´t necessarily.
Memorable Moments in Mexico
Nearby unique travel destinations make my expatriate experience extra special. Losing yourself at places of breathtaking beauty are the privileged moments of traveling. I hope I´ve given you a reason to visit my new country of residence Mexico and explore its treasures.
From Mexico with love
