Your expert guide to the best day trips from Mérida

Published by Cassie on

green text box: your expert guide to day trips from mérida. 4 photos. 1 of pink water and beach, 1 of palapas on beach, 1 of stone step pyramid and 1 of Takax main plaza, its town letter and church

You’re reading this article because you’ve booked a trip to Mérida, Mexico and now you’re looking to find the very best day trips from Mérida, right?

Great, you’re in the right place because I reckon I’m one of Yucatán’s biggest fans and I love, love, love, adventuring and exploring around Yucatán. I’m excited to share my thoughts on day trips from Mérida with you.

In this article you’ll we’ll discuss the most popular sites, the places everyone’s heard or and wants to visit and I’ll also share some of my ‘local knowledge’ so that if you want to, you can get off-the-beaten-path and leave the tourists behind.

There are affiliate links in this article. If you click and make a purchase I could make a small sum at zero cost to you. Thank you!

A few useful Mérida notes

✅ Not only is Yucatán the safest state in Mexico but Mérida is also one of the safest cities in the Americas. The roads are well maintained and there’s no worry about your safety if you’re driving after dark.

Read the MexicoCassie guide to safety in Yucatán.

👧🏽 There’s so much to do for the whole family in Mérida.

→ Read the MexicoCassie guide to Mérida with kids to help you plan the very best family vacation.

✈️ There is a decent sized airport that receives visitors from all over Mexico, Canada and the USA.

🏨 If you’re looking for hotel recommendations, my full Mérida article has some great ideas.

♻️ If sustainable travel is your thing, read the full MexicoCassie article about sustainable tourism in Mérida

And of course, Mérida’s location is fabulous: from here you’ve got easy access to it all: beaches, cenotes, jungle, ruins, culture and more. Oh friend, this city is bursting at the seams with culture and much of it is free! Restaurants are amazing, hotels are plentiful and the city is just gorgeous.

How to take day trips from Mérida

You have options when it comes to arranging your day trips from Mérida. You can:

🚗 Rent a car and drive yourself around. This is always my preference as it allows the freedom to come and go as I please without having to worrying about schedules. The roads connecting Mérida with cities, towns & locations around the peninsula are well maintained, safe to drive and patrolled by the famous Angeles Verdes, a free breakdown service.

→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to renting a car and driving around Yucatán

Check your car rental options now

🚌 Public Transportation is a possibility for anyone on a budget or who doesn’t want to rent a car/use tours. Buses are the cheapest option, they’re also the most restrictive in terms of timetables and locations. ADO is a modern and reliable network of buses that connects cities across much of Mexico. There are also smaller colectivos (white minibuses) that run on more informal timetables that serve populations living in small cities & towns.

ADO main bus station is in the centro historico (on Calle 69, x68 y70)and colectivo buses leave from their designated stations, which are easily locatable on the map with a quick search.

→ Check bus timetables and buy tickets via BusBud

🚆 The Tren Maya isn’t really set up for day trippers yet but in the future it might be. There just aren’t enough trains running to allow for a trip to Campeche from Mérida in the morning and back again in the early evening, for example.

👣 Guided tours are a great option as local guides are always keen to share their knowledge of their homes and by using them you’re adding to the local economy too. With a tour you’ll often find you cram a lot more into a day than you might be able to alone.

→ I always use Viator & GetYourGuide to at least check out what day trips are possible from any given location. I will often book through these sites too as I like that they allow local tour guides to reach an international audience, and they let me pick from all the tours in one place. 

➕ You will also find tour operators once you’re in Mérida, via your hotel and on the streets (particularly along Calle 60 from the main square, Gran Plaza).

Day trips from Mérida

The adventures await! If you already know what you’re looking for, use the section headers below to jump straight to that section, if not, read it all to figure out what appeals to you.

→ If you are interested, then the MexicoCassie guide to the most popular places to visit on the Yucatán Peninsula is also a helpful read.

Archaeological sites | Beaches | Cenotes | Towns & villages | Other

Archaeological sites

Yucatan is home to dozens of archaeological sites so choosing just one or two to visit can be difficult. Let’s take a look at the your Maya ruins options from Mérida.

Chichén Itzá – the most famous ruin of all

Cass standing in front of a pyramid with arms outstretched

This iconic Maya ruin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the seven modern wonders of the world and of course, one of the most popular places to visit on the Yucatán Peninsula. While most people will recognise the famous Temple of Kukulcan (el Castillo), there is so much more to Chichén Itzá than that: don’t miss the ball court, the temple of warriors, the observatory and the sacred cenote. 

👣 Tours to Chichén Itzá generally include a swim in a cenote, lunch and a quick trip into the gorgeous city of Valladolid or Izamal.

Chichén Itzá – the practicalities

🗺 120 km (1 hr 30) drive from Mérida

⏱ Give Chichén Itzá as long as you can for a visit. Some will be content to go in, take a few photos and leave, others will want to spend all day exploring the enormous site.

If you’re travelling independently, I recommend starting out early so you beat the majority of the tours. Try to arrive Chichén Itzá by 9 am, spend at least 3 hours exploring the site then go for lunch and a swim in a cenote (Yokdzonot is my favourite) before nipping into Valladolid or Izamal for an hour or two after lunch. It’s a long day but it’s worth it. 

🌮 It is possible to get something to eat at the entrance to Chichén Itzá but I don’t recommend it unless there’s no option. Better to head into Piste, Valladolid or to a nearby cenote that has a restaurant for something to eat.

🎒 Note that this photo was taken in early 2026. Just after I was there, backpacks were banned. There are lockers on site where you can store your bags as you explore.

⭐️ MexicoCassie tour recommendation: Full day tour to Chichén Itzá, a cenote, and Izamal with included buffet lunch and air-con van. 

Reserve now

Useful MexicoCassie guides

→ MexicoCassie guide to cenotes near Chichén Itzá

→ MexicoCassie guide to ruins in Yucatan

→ MexicoCassie guide to Valladolid

→ MexicoCassie guide to Izamal

Uxmal – the leader of the Puuc gang

close up of the pyramid at uxmal nothing else but grass and blue sky

South of Merida are the incredible Uxmal ruins (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site). This is one of the most popular of all Mayan ruins in Yucatán and with good reason. The pyramid of the magician that greets you as you enter the site will take your breath away. 

Uxmal is the biggest and best known ruin of the Ruta Puuc archaeological sites.

Uxmal – the practicalities

🗺 85 km (1 hr 15) drive from Mérida

⏱The site is larger than you might expect so be prepared to spend a hot few hours exploring.

Just across the road from Uxmal is the gorgeous Choco-Story Museum, which is well worth an hour or two of your time if you’re interested in the history or chocolate and strolling around a beautiful hacienda grounds. 

If you have any energy left, you could stop for a cenote swim on the way back to Mérida. If you don’t fancy a cenote swim, there are a number of other great ruins in the area. There’s also a small ‘Mummy Museum’ in Santa Elena.

🌮 There are restaurants in the Uxmal area but my top recommendation is to have a leisurely lunch at Finca Puuc (take your swim stuff as they have a pool) just outside the nearby pueblo of Muna.

⭐️ MexicoCassie’s tour recommendation: Full day tour of Uxmal that includes guided tour around the site, free time there, lunch and visits with time to swim in 2 gorgeous cenotes.

Reserve now

Useful MexicoCassie guides

→ MexicoCassie guide to cenotes to visit near Mérida

→  MexicoCassie guide to the Maya ruins in Yucatán

Off-the-beaten-path ruins

Chichén Itzá & Uxmal might get most of the attention but what if you fancy exploring a ruin all on your own? What if you don’t want to see hoards of other people? Well then, try:

Xcambo – pretend you’re an explorer at this jungle site

Cassie sitting on the lowest level of the 4 step pyramid

Close to Progreso is Xcambo, a small jungle ruin site that very few people ever visit, which makes it a perfect choice for people who have already visited the bigger name sites and are looking for something a little off the beaten-path. 

Xcambo – the practicalities

🗺 60 km (1 hr) drive from Mérida either along the coastal road via Progreso or inland via Motul.

⏱ You can easily make this into a full day trip. Be sure to stop to see the Xtampu salt flats and stop to watch the flamingos along the Laguna Rosá. You could also go for lunch and a kayak at Sayachaltun (one of my favourite spots in this area), or head to the beach anywhere along the coast here.

🌮 There are many great options if you’re going solo for this day. Consider having lunch in Progreso, seeing the meteor museum, or the dinosaur walk, or hanging on the beach.

⭐️ MexicoCassie’s recommended tour: 5 hr tour of the Xcambo ruins, Xtampu salt flats, flamingos plus paddle boarding/kayaking adventure from a private beach club.

Reserve now

Ruta Puuc (Puuc Route) – gorgeous solitude

two kids sitting on a mayan wall with long mayan building behind them

The Ruta Puuc is the name given to a group of five archaeological sites all built in the same style: Labna, Sayil, Xlapak, Kabah and Uxmal. Some of the best examples of ancient Maya architecture, are, in my opinion, found here.

Ruta Puuc means Hill Route, so called because the land starts to be marginally less flat around here. The sites are all part of a UNESCO world heritage site.

Ruta Puuc – the practicalities

🗺 120 km (1hr 40) drive from Mérida.

⏱The Ruta Puuc is definitely manageable in one day as long as you’re ready for some exercise!

🏨 Although Uxmal is technically part of the Ruta Puuc ruins, I’d recommend not trying to manage Uxmal and the Ruta Puuc all in one day unless you’re on a tourr. If you really wanted to do this, you’d be better off staying at somewhere fabulous like The Lodge at Uxmal and spending two days down here. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommended tour: Full day private tour of the Ruta Puuc sites including Uxmal. Includes lunch but not entry price for Uxmal.

Reserve now

Useful MexicoCassie guides

→ Ruins in Yucatán

→ Cenotes near Mérida

Oxkintok – Indiana Jones has got nothing on you

Maya wall, green grass

Practically no one visits the site of Oxkintok. This is one of the very oldest Maya archaeological sites and the different architectural styles found here are what make it particularly interesting. 

Oxkintok – the practicalities

🗺 74 km (1 hr) drive from Mérida

⏱ Because you’re driving out this way you might as well see something else too. The ruin itself won’t take more than an hour or so.

🌮 After you’ve finished here, drive on into the state of Campeche for lunch in either Becal or Pomuch. Both small towns, well off the tourist trail, have much to recommend them to visitors. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommended tour: Spend the day exploring Hacienda Mucuyche, swimming its cenotes and exploring Oxkintok. There is time to eat in the Mucuyche restaurant (not included in price).

Reserve now

Useful MexicoCassie guides

→ Ruins in Yucatán

→ What to do in Becal

→ What to do in Campeche

→ Celebrating Day of the Dead (to learn about Pomuch)

Beach days

Mérida is not on the beach but it is beautifully situated so that it’s perfectly possible to spend the day at the beach without too much effort. Some of my favourite beach moments in Mérida include getting up early for pre-breakfast beach walks or deciding, spur of the moment, to go to the beach for supper. That’s how easy a beach trip from Mérida is. 

The closest beach to Merida is in the town of Progreso but there are some incredible beaches along the Gulf of Mexico if you’re willing to drive more than 30 minutes. Let’s check out some of the best beaches to visit on day trips from Mérida. 

Puerto Progreso – busy beach fun

man pretending to throw child into very clean ocean. blue sky

Progreso is the primary beach town in the state of Yucatán. It’s a regular stop for cruise ships and it’s also home to the world’s longest pier! It’s important to know that cruise ships dock in Progreso so there are days when the beaches are more crowded than others. 

This is the beach to head to if you love a thriving, bustling beach-town scene.

Highlights of Progreso: gorgeous beaches with plenty of restaurants, piers, museums, El Corchito cenote. It’s even possible to head into the next door town of Chicxulub to see the underwhelming but still interesting plaque in honour of the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Progreso – the practicalities

🗺 30 km (30 minutes) from the north of Mérida. There are also plenty of regular buses going to Progreso from Mérida, it’s so close you can even take a cab between the two cities.

⏱You can spend all day in Progreso very easily whether you’re into exploring or relaxing in a beach club.

⭐️ You don’t need a tour to explore Progreso, you just need a cab/bus/car to get yourself there.

Useful MexicoCassie guides

→ Best beaches in Yucatán

→ What to do in Progreso

Celestún – flamingos and beaches

Day Trips From Mérida

The Celestún Biosphere Reserve is famous for being home to much of Yucatan’s flamingo population and is always a winner with nature lovers. This sleepy fishing village does a great trade in flamingo tours on the ria (estuary). The beach itself lovely and is good for a swim and sunbathe as well as a good meal in one of the beachside restaurants.

Note: Once you arrive in Celestun you have the choice to stop at the bridge or drive to the beach. You can pick up a tour at both places although the bridge is the more formal tour option. Prices are per boat, not per person so try to find others to join you to keep your price low.

Celestun – the practicalities

🗺 100 km (1 hr 20) drive from Mérida

⏱ I don’t recommend rushing this. Why not give the whole day over to Celestún and its glorious nature?

⭐️ MexicoCassie’s tour recommendation: full day trip to Celestun that includes your flamingo adventure on the ría, lunch & beach time.

Reserve now

Please note that the reason I choose this tour when they’re all basically the same is that this one does not charge a fake $500 peso ‘dock’ fee whereas others do.

Useful MexicoCassie guides

→ MexicoCassie guide to the best beaches in Yucatán

Las Coloradas – pink lakes, flamingos and crocs

pink water, blue sky, cloud reflected into water

Along the north coast of Yucatan is Las Coloradas, one of my favourite spots for a day trip from Mérida. Las Coloradas is home to the world famous pink lakes that you’ve probably seen on Instagram. There are various different tours available to people visiting Las Coloradas, whether you visit under your own steam or with a group. Explore the lakes, learn why they’re so pink, take a boat trip through the mangroves, commune with nature (crocodiles!) and even get a view of the famous pink lakes before heading to the beach. 

⭐️ As of 2026 it’s actually permitted to swim in the water here – just imagine yourself in this salty pink water!!

Las Coloradas – the practicalities

🗺 235 km (3 hr) from Mérida but it is a really worthwhile long day

⏱ A day trip to Las Coloradas is long, no doubt about it but I’ve done it. It’s fun, worth it and totally possible. If you visit the Las Coloradas with your own car you can also include a visit to one of the tiny fishing villages of San Felipe or Rio Lagartos for lunch and a fun time exploring them too. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie tour recommendation: Full day tour to explore the famous pink salt lakes, visit Cancunito Beach and take a boat ride through the mangroves at Las Coloradas. Includes entrance fees and lunch

Reserve now

Off-the-beaten-path: beaches

Sisal – tranquility abounds

white sand, emerald ocean, blue sky

Sisal is a small fishing village with a gorgeous white sand beach that will make your jaw drop. Until fairly recently very few people visited Sisal but it was named a pueblo magico a few years ago and since then it has seen more visitors. Please be aware, however, that it really does remain a fishing village with very few tourist amenities. This is part of its draw. 

Sisal – the practicalities

🗺 75 km (1 hr 15) from Mérida. It is possible to take a bus between Mérida and Sisal.

⏱ Either take a picnic to enjoy on the beach or plan to eat delicious fish tacos in one of the many restaurants in town. Stroll around town, browse the few tourist shops and relax on the beach. If you can, stay for sunset, it’s worth it. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie tour recommendationFull day Sisal tour that includes a kayak tour through the mangroves before heading to the beach to relax and enjoy the laid back Yucatan beach life. 

Reserve now

Cenotes

There are thousands of cenotes across the Yucatán Peninsula. Those that are easily accessible from Mérida tend to be either deep open cenotes or cave cenotes. They are all wonderfully mysterious and a great way to cool down on a hot Yucatecan day.

✅ Do you want to drive out to some of the most wild and inaccessible cenotes or do you wish to take a tour to the more ‘sanitized’ cenotes (these are still, absolutely breathtaking, they just have more facilities)?  

✅ Do you want to go alone or take a tour?

Homun cenote ring

looking down on a cenote from above, circular splash where someone has just entered the water

Homun is a small town with many cenotes, making it a great option for people who feel like trying out different cenotes while never being too far from lunch! It’s also near the small town of Acanceh, which I love for the incredible pyramid site in the middle of town. Very few people ever stop to check it – definitely recommended though.

Homun cenote circle – the practicalities

🗺 55 km (1 hr) from Mérida

⏱ Once you’re there you’ll have many cenotes to choose from including some that offer lunch and hammocks for a post swim siesta.

⭐️ MexicoCassie tour recommendation: take a trip to four of Homun’s cenotes.

Reserve now

Hacienda cenote options

people in lifejackets swimming along a calm channel of water, small waterfall, vines and jungle plants all around

If you’d like a more gentle introduction to cenotes, consider Santa Barbara, Hacienda Yaxcopoil, Hacienda Mucuyche or Sotuta de Péon hacienda cenote options. Here you’ll find cenotes with changing rooms, easy access to the water, and fabulous restaurants. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie’s tour recommendation – Tour Sotuta de Peón hacienda, take a ride through the agave fields, visit a traditional Maya house and swim in a cenote before enjoying a traditional snack. 

Reserve now

Off-the-beaten-path cenotes

man jumping into a cenote from a wooden platform

Homun isn’t super ON the tourist trail but if you’re really keen to escape the tourists, head for somewhere like Yaal Utzil near Mayapan, K’ax Ek in Tinum or Noh-Mozon in Pixya.

​Towns & villages

Mérida is a beautiful big city absolutely bursting with museums, art galleries and culture (much of it free to experience) but what if you are looking for interesting cultural experiences outside of the big city, or you simply want to visit different towns? What are your options?

Pueblos Magicos (Magic towns)

Mexico, as a way to highlight smaller, less famous towns and villages, instituted the appellation, “Pueblo Mágico” or Magic Town. This title is officially bestowed on small towns that have something interesting to offer visitors and are interested in doing so. 

In the past there has been some question as to whether the title really means anything and certainly, there are pueblos magicos that are more appealing than others. Recently, I’ve noticed a trend where those we might think of being “less interesting” are sprucing themselves up.

The two most interesting and most famous pueblos magicos near Mérida are Izamal and Valladolid

Izamal – 🎶 and it was allllll yellowwwww
izamal letters with yellow convent building behind

The main draw of Izamal is that it’s a yellow city. The majority of the buildings are yellow, including an enormous convent in the middle of the town. It is known that there were some 12 pyramids here before the Conquistadors arrived and destroyed them all. Three of these have been at least partially restored and you can climb up Kinich-Kakmo, the largest of them, for free.

Izamal is also well known for the quality of its artisanias (crafts) so be sure to take cash or you’ll be leaving some amazing souvenirs behind! You’ll see plenty of people exploring the city by horse-drawn cart. Personally I don’t recommend this as I’m not convinced the horses are well looked after. It’s a small enough town you can see it all on foot.

Izamal – the practicalities

🗺 The famous ‘Yellow City’ of Izamal is about 60 km (just over one hour’s drive) from the centre of Merida. It’s an easy drive or you can take a bus or colectivo from downtown Merida. 

⭐️ MexicoCassie’s tour recommendation – Full day tour, spend the day exploring two gorgeous cenotes and the fabulous yellow town of Izamal.

Reserve now

Valladolid – a foodie delight
church with 2 towers as dusk approaches. 4 palm trees in front

Valladolid is one of the larger pueblos magicos, in fact it’s the second biggest city in Yucatán. It’s really easy to spend a whole day in Valladolid exploring its gorgeous streets, experiencing the foodie reputation the city has garnered and shopping in small, boutique and artisan stores. Don’t forget that there’s a beautiful old ex-convent in the city, plenty of museums (including the famous Casa de Los Venados) and even a cenote right in the centre of town.

Valladolid – the practicalities

🗺 At 160 km distance, It’s an easy drive from Mérida to Valladolid (just under 2 hrs) and there’s plenty to do and see on the way should you wish to include a ruin or a cenote too. There are also regular buses and even the train between the two cities.

⭐️ MexicoCassie’s tour recommendation: I recommend taking a bus/train and exploring the town on your own. However, if you’re looking for a tour, I recommend this tour, which includes time to swim in 2 cenotes as well as lunch and a guided tour around Valladolid.

Reserve now

Campeche

yellow fort sticking out over grass. blue sky

The capital of Campeche state is a nice day trip from Mérida. Campeche is a gorgeous small town that receives far fewer tourists than the other cities on the peninsula. It is a UNESCO World Heritage city that’s a delight to explore. It’s located on the coast so the seafood is excellent. There are some wonderful museums where visitors can learn about the area’s Maya past as well as it’s pirate history! Don’t miss Fort San José just outside town.

Campeche – the practicalities

🗺 180 km (2 hr 10) drive from Mérida.

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommended tour: enjoy a day trip to Campeche that includes a happy stop in Becal, lunch and a guided tour of Campeche.

Reserve now

Useful MexicoCassie guides

MexicoCassie guide to Campeche

Ruins in Campeche

Off-the-beaten-path

Give the big cities a miss and head to small towns or pueblos for a day of real exploration and adventure.

Tekax
view looking down on plaza an dlarge red church, TEKAX letters in plaza

Tekax, a lovely pueblo magico invites visitors to take part in outdoor adventures when they visit the eco-tourism sites of Kaalmankal or Chocantes. Here you’ll find excellent caving opportunities and ziplining, tarzan swings and more.

There’s also a fabulous Maya ruin not far from Tekax – Chacmultún.

Tekax – the practicalities

🗺 116 km (1 hr 30) from Mérida

⏱ It’s a great place to spend all day, you don’t need a tour but you do need your own transport or private driver if you’re going to spend a day here.

Oxkutzkab
train made of oranges - cassie sitting on one side

Oxkutzkab is known as the orchard of the state of Yucatán. This small town is somewhere to keep in mind for early December when they hold their annual citrus fruit festival. It’s a lot of fun to check out the citrus sculptures and browse the stalls. It’s not a big festival but it’s still a cool thing to do. I also really liked seeing the church here and the market. In my opinion, eating at Restaurante El Principe Tutul-Xiu makes a day trip to Oxkutzkab worthwhile at any time of the year, so excellent is the food.

🗺 110 km (1 hr 25) drive from Mérida

Becal
man and boy in hat shop - white hats with black bands on table in front of them, colourful hats on wall behind them

Becal is a small town just over the border into Campeche. This is the town where jipi hats are made. If you visit here, you’ll want to stop in at some of the small hat stores and factories to learn about this hat making village. It’s a good place to combine with somewhere or something else to make a full day trip.

🗺 85 km (1 hour) from Mérida

⭐️ MexicoCassie recommended tour: enjoy a day trip to Campeche that includes a happy stop in Becal, lunch and a guided tour of Campeche.

Reserve now

Useful MexicoCassie guides

Read the full MexicoCassie guide to visiting Becal

Other cool options

A few final awesome options that don’t quite fit under the headings above

​​Reserva de Cuxtal

Just on the southern outskirts of Merida is Reserva de Cuxtal. While only small sections are currently open to the public, it’s a lovely place to unwind and get away from the city for a few hours. The best way to access the reserve is through Hacienda Dzoyaxche where you can stroll around the grounds, and have a swim. This certainly isn’t a beautifully restored hacienda but it is still fascinating as somewhere local families enjoy spending time and where you’ll get a good feel for the area.

Sotuta de Péon

This is the only “living hacienda” in Yucatán. Visit here to learn about how haciendas ran, see henequen production demonstrations, swim in their incredible pool (or in the cenotes), ride horses or ATVs and enjoy a fabulous traditional Yucatecan lunch.

Check tour options now

Go kayaking on the ría

Spend the day kayaking at Sayachaltun just outside Telchac Puerto. See flamingos as you explore the mangroves and the ría. Enjoy a delicious lunch in their small restaurant, you’ll probably get to see some gorgeous pink flamingos as you do. 

⭐️ Check our ready made Yucatan Itineraries ⭐️

🚗 1 week in Yucatan

🚗 10 days in Yucatan

🚗 Off-the-beaten-track in Yucatan

🚗 2 weeks exploring Yucatán

➕ Read the MexicoCassie guide to renting cars and driving in Yucatán

⭐️ Is Mérida worth visiting? – check the answer to this question now!

⭐️ Read up on the Maya Train Route to see if it’s something you could enjoy

Categories: MexicoYucatan

Cassie

Cassie is a British-born travel writer who lives in southern Spain. Prior to moving to Spain, Cassie and her family lived in Yucatán, Mexico for many years. Something of a self-confessed-all-round travel-nerd, Cassie has a deep love of adventure, and of learning as much as possible about every place visited. This blog is testament to that.

27 Comments

zoe · 15/12/2017 at 6:25 pm

Great post, I’ve never been but it sure looks interesting and doable!

Carmelatte · 15/12/2017 at 6:58 pm

My total dream destination <3 wow!

Carmelatte

Max · 16/12/2017 at 1:51 pm

The Chocolate Museum?! Count me in for Uxmal! When I was taking a course in Playa del Carmen I managed to make it to Tulum and a few cenotes, but I’m sad that I missed out on all of these other Yucatan treasures. I suppose that just means more reasons to return!

Anya · 16/12/2017 at 6:42 pm

My boyfriend and I were just saying how we wanted to go to Mexico! I’ll definitely have to share this with him! This is SOOOO helpful, can’t wait to go on some fabulous day trips!

Cassie · 17/12/2017 at 2:34 pm

Thanks. Hope you make it

Lisa · 19/12/2017 at 11:42 am

I totally fell in love with Merida when I was last in Mexico. However, i didn’t get to see much beyond the city as I was on a short schedule. After reading this, I’ll return to see the flamingos in Celestun, and that amazing Mayan chocolate museum. A truly beautiful place!

James · 19/12/2017 at 11:47 am

I have still to visit Merida, Mexico but I’ve heard it is the safest city in the country. I didn’t know about the temples of Mayapan or Uxmal. As I’ve visited several of the more popular ones but prefer less touristy sites like these. My friend lives in Merida and keeps inviting me – you’ve made a Merida visit a priority now!

Dada · 19/12/2017 at 1:01 pm

I have been to Tulum and Playa del
Carmen but I have been never been to Merida! I now wish I had gone to Merida instead of Playa del carmen because it was not our cup of tea. Reading your post now I am sure we would have enjoyed Merida more!

Mary | Bambinos Without Borders · 19/12/2017 at 6:23 pm

You had me at flamingos. This looks amazing!!! I’ve always wanted to go to Mexico and now I think I have a destination!

Lois Alter Mark · 19/12/2017 at 11:28 pm

As someone who lives in San Diego, I’m embarrassed by how little time I’ve spent exploring Mexico. I’d love to check out Celestun to see the Flamingos or head to Yokdzonot for the cenote there. Seems like there’s such a rich variety of things to do in and near Merida- will definitely have to head there soon.

Samah · 20/12/2017 at 4:44 am

If I ever go the Mexico, I’ll make sure it’s to Merida! Progresso looks like a beautiful beach to just unwind and only 20 min from Merida isn’t bad. I would love to climb the El Castillo de Kukulcan as well. Feeding the monkeys at the chocolate museum sound like such a unique experience.

Cassie · 20/12/2017 at 1:22 pm

You should get to Mexico asap! It is so beautiful and diverse. See you there soon!

Cassie · 20/12/2017 at 1:22 pm

Yay! Do it!

Cassie · 20/12/2017 at 1:23 pm

I think PDC has a lot to offer a certain type of person but Merida is just more laid back and has a more chilled out vibe to it. You will just have to return asap!

Cassie · 20/12/2017 at 1:24 pm

Glad to hear it!

Cassie · 20/12/2017 at 1:25 pm

Yeah, the chocolate museum is right up your street, huh (for some reason my keyboard is refusing to do question marks today)

Kate Storm · 21/12/2017 at 5:59 pm

It’s amazing how much the Yucatan peninsula has to offer outside of beaches! The cenotes alone are such a huge draw, we went to quite a few around Valladolid and loved every one. I’ve only spent one day in Merida, and it was Christmas day, so everything is closed–I’d love to go back and do it right.

Cassie · 22/12/2017 at 12:24 am

I love that there are so many cenotes and that they all have such different personalities. Means we can never stop exploring.

Bhusha · 23/12/2017 at 5:54 pm

As someone who loves to explore ruins & archaeological sites, this is awesome for me! Thanks for the virtual tour of Merida. Cenote is just so beautiful. I’d totally love to jump into it!

Cassie · 23/12/2017 at 8:15 pm

Thanks for stopping by.

Suma · 25/12/2017 at 9:13 am

Wiw, so many quaint little towns to explore for day trips. I would love to visit the old ruins and the chocolate factory, they sound incredible. The flamingos at Celestun looks so beautiful, the tour would be definitely a lovely experience.

Brianna · 19/10/2018 at 8:02 pm

For my first time in Mexico, Merida was the perfect place! I loved my day trip to Uxmal, and I loved how easily I could get to so many other fun attractions.

sue · 19/10/2018 at 9:44 pm

Nice list of things to do in Merida and Yucatan Pennisula. Uxmal looks great.

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