Maya cities, cenotes and the Caribbean coast in one compact peninsula.
Before you go
When to go
November to April is dry and cooler. Hurricane season peaks August to October.
- Dry Nov–Apr
- Hurricane season Jun–Nov
- Hot and humid in summer
- Whale sharks Jun–Sep
How long you need
Eight to twelve days covering Mérida, the ruins, the cenotes and a coast.
- 8–12 days
- Mérida as a base
- Tulum and Valladolid
- Beach at the end
Getting around
Good highways and a straightforward hire car, or ADO buses between the main towns.
- Hire car is easy
- ADO buses are comfortable
- Cancún or Mérida airport
- Cenotes need a car
The ruins
Chichén Itzá at opening, Uxmal for fewer people, Ek Balam to climb, and Tulum for the setting.
- Chichén Itzá early
- Uxmal is quieter
- Cobá and Ek Balam
- Tulum for the coast
Highlights
The Maya cities
Chichén Itzá is the famous one and the busiest; Uxmal is arguably finer with a fraction of the visitors, and Ek Balam can still be climbed.
- Chichén Itzá at opening
- Uxmal is quieter
- Ek Balam: climbable
- Cobá in the jungle
Cenotes
Thousands of freshwater sinkholes in the limestone, from open swimming holes to fully enclosed caverns.
- Cenotes near Valladolid
- Ik Kil is busy, Suytun photogenic
- Life jackets often required
- No sunscreen before swimming
Mérida and the coast
Mérida is a colonial city with a serious food scene, and the Caribbean coast runs from Tulum down to the Sian Ka'an reserve.
- Mérida as a base
- Tulum's clifftop ruins
- Sian Ka'an biosphere
- Holbox for whale sharks
Planning notes
The Yucatán is the easiest part of Mexico to travel independently — good highways, comfortable ADO buses and a straightforward hire car. Base yourself in Mérida or Valladolid rather than the Riviera Maya and you get the ruins and cenotes without the resort strip. November to April is dry and cooler; hurricane season runs June to November with the peak from August.
Where this leads
Blog attracts, things to do informs, tours convert — in that order.
- Journal in Yucatán
- Things to do in Yucatán
- Tours in Yucatán
- Talk to a Cooee travel specialist