Yucatan Peninsula Week

Arrive in Cancun — head straight to the Zona Hotelera

Check in to a hotel zone resort for the first night. Zona Hotelera is expensive but the beach access is the best. Tomorrow you start moving; tonight you decompress.

Tip

Rent a car in Cancun — do not rely on ADO buses

ADO buses connect major towns but the schedule doesn't match sightseeing timing. A rental car costs $35/day and puts you on your schedule. Book through Rentalcars.com or directly with Budget Mexico.

Morning Excursion

Half Day

Chichen Itza day trip

El Castillo pyramid, the Ball Court, the Cenote Sagrado. The biggest and most famous Maya site. Arrive at opening (8am) to beat the tour buses that start arriving at 10. Plan 3 hours on site.

6h~$32

Afternoon

Activity

Swim at Cenote Ik Kil

The most photogenic cenote in Mexico — a 130-foot circular sinkhole with vines hanging from the rim. Attached to a resort near Chichen Itza. Pack your snorkel.

1h 30m~$12

Drive to Valladolid

Valladolid is a colonial town 40 minutes from Chichen Itza. Pastel buildings, great food, much cheaper than the coast. Cenote Zaci is in the center of town — swim for $3.

Afternoon

Meal

Market lunch in Valladolid

The municipal market on Calle 32 has the cheapest and most authentic Yucatecan food on the peninsula. Panuchos, salbutes, and poc chuc at lunch prices. Under 100 pesos per person.

~$5

Tulum ruins and cenote circuit

Tulum is the only Maya site overlooking the Caribbean. The ruins are smaller than Chichen Itza but the cliff-top setting is unmatched. Pair with one of the cenotes in the jungle behind town.

Afternoon Excursion

Half Day

Dos Ojos cenote system

One of the longest underwater cave systems in the world. Snorkeling tour covers the shallow sections. The stalactite chamber visible from above water is otherworldly.

3h~$40

Coba ruins and jungle bike ride

Coba has the last climbable pyramid in Mexico — a 138-foot climb on steep steps to a view above the jungle canopy. Rent bikes inside the park to cover the 6km between sites.

Bacalar — Lake of Seven Colors

Bacalar is 3 hours south of Tulum on Highway 307. The lake has seven distinct shades of blue and green from minerals and depth. Rent a sailing catamaran for the afternoon.

Return north and depart from Cancun

Drive back north on 307 — the straight highway through the jungle. Stop at Playa del Carmen for a final swim at Mamitas Beach. Then north to Cancun for the flight home.