Available in :
What to see on a trip to Mexico? This is a question that can have endless answers! I personally stayed in Mexico 20 days, visiting the Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Chiapas states. I would gladly return to Mexico to visit other states and also to get to know other parts of these states, which I really enjoyed. So there are various itineraries to make an excellent trip to Mexico: here I describe mine, with a good mix of nature and history.
Day 1 – 3 of the trip to Mexico : Playa del Carmen
Landing in Cancun, I took an ADO bus to Playa del Carmen, where I got my diving license. In addition to lessons and my first dive tests, I went to visit Cenote Eden Garden and especially Akumel: here, with an hour-long snorkel, it is possible to see turtles and manta rays (these animals find their ideal food in this bay, which is why it is easy to find them).
Akumel is, in my opinion, the most beautiful part of this part of Mexico. In fact, Playa del Carmen is far from being my ideal place, but it was a great base for diving and for Akumel precisely.
Day 4 of the Mexico trip: Tulum
After officially getting my diver’s license, I rented the car I would leave in Merida.
As soon as I got into the car I had the feeling that my trip to Mexico was officially beginning. The first destination was Tulum: before reaching it, I stopped to visit its historic ruins, which I found to be really beautiful also because of their enviable location on the Caribbean Sea. A visit to the ruins of Tulum takes about two hours: in this time it is possible to visit the ancient Mayan archaeological ruins (which date back to the 5th century AD), among which the Castillo stands out for its beauty.
Tulum was the first Mayan city sighted by the Spanish, in 1517.
Day 5 of Mexico trip: Cenote Dos Ojos and Bacalar
In the morning I drove north for about twenty minutes to reach Cenote Dos Ojos. This Cenote is peculiar in that it consists of two caves, about a hundred meters apart and connected by an underground tunnel.The water is crystal clear and it is pleasant to swim here, although the first feeling in the water is ‘cold, icy!’
From the cenote I drove about two and a half hours to reach Bacalar. As soon as I arrived and just before sunset, I visited its fort, which houses a fine exhibit on the history of piracy. Bacalar fort, in fact, is historically famous for its assaults: its location, overlooking the lagoon, was certainly not easily conquered!
Day 6 of the trip to Mexico: Bacalar
At ten o’clock I took part in a boat trip to the lagoon: this tour is absolutely a must! In fact, with a three-hour boat tour you can visit the Cenotes Esmeralda and Negro (it is truly amazing to see the difference in color between the Cenotes and the lagoon, and it is even more amazing to learn that within a few meters of each other the water depth goes from a few centimeters to about a hundred meters) and then swim in the lagoon. Tours leave at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. and are just wonderful: in addition, kayaking and paddle boarding are available.
Before saying goodbye to Bacalar (with a magone, such is the beauty of this place) I went to see the Blue Cenote: from here, and especially from the drone, you can see the incredible charm of Bacalar! Just before sunset I left for Mahahual, about an hour’s drive away.
Day 7 – 8 of the Mexico trip: Mahahual
My trip to Mexico touched down in Mahahual to do four dives at Banco Chinchorro, the second largest coral reef in the world. The first two dives were quite difficult, mainly because of a current that I found to be decidedly strong; afterwards, however, I definitely enjoyed myself, and the ‘Tiburon Gato’ was a pleasant surprise!
Mahahual is a decidedly placid and quiet town. Effectively, it doesn’t offer much except spectacular tacos (I’ll point out to lovers of the genre the eyes, tongue and brains….) and a couple of bars where you can try some excellent mezcal.
Mahahual is basically a paradise for backpackers. There is no shortage, indeed it is well spread, of Europeans who have moved here to change their lives and forget the hectic pace.
Day 9 of the trip to Mexico : Coba, Cenote Suytun
From Mahahual I drove about four hours to Valladolid.
I had time to stop and visit the ruins of Coba, where the 42-meter pyramid stands out. The time of construction of this pyramid dates back to the 9th century AD, a time when Coba was a thriving city with as many as 50,000 inhabitants. Coba was discovered only in 1892: it is still possible to climb the great pyramid, although care must be taken with its staircase!
I arrived in Valladolid at 5:30 pm. In theory I had only half an hour to visit Cenote Suytun before its closing time set for 6 p.m.: when I arrived at the ticket office I learned that Valladolid is already in Yucatan, so thanks to the different time zone I had an hour and a half to fully appreciate this wonderful Cenote!
Day 10 of the Mexico trip : Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Izamal
After spending a couple of hours visiting the colorful town of Valladolid, I set off again in the direction of Chichen Itza.
These ruins are part of the Seven Wonders of the World and left me with a somewhat peculiar feeling: the beauty of the place is unquestionable (truly fascinating, especially the ‘Caracol’) but the chaos that arises from so many tourists and especially nagging and particularly noisy vendors at times is annoying. In essence, I was able to appreciate its beauty but was not totally enthralled.
Visiting Chichen Itza takes about three hours, as there are truly many archaeological remains. Prominent in beauty and size is the pyramid, which unfortunately is no longer climbable following a fatal accident in 2005.
In the afternoon I drove an hour or so to reach the little yellow town of Izamal (worth the little detour!), and then reached Merida after another hour.
Day 11 – 12 of the trip to Mexico : Merida
I took my time visiting the colonial city of Merida.
Among the things worth mentioning are the Mayan Museum, which can be visited in a couple of hours, Parque Santa Lucia, Parque Santa Ana, and especially Plaza Mayor. The next day I took an ADO bus that took me to Palenque (Chiapas) after an eight-hour ride.
Day 13 of the Mexico trip : from Palenque to San Cristobal
If I had to choose my favorite day of the trip I think I would definitely choose this one! In 14 intense hours I went from Palenque to San Cristobal de las Casas, thanks to a tour paid 30 USD. The tour started at 8 am.
The first visit was to the ruins of Palenque, which are about 7 km from the town: in three and a half hours I had plenty of time to visit these ruins, which I personally consider to be my favorite among those seen in Mexico. These ruins date back to the 7th century: the Temple of the Sun and the palace are the most important monuments. I definitely recommend hiring a guide to visit these ruins!
From Palenque we moved to the Misol-Ha waterfall: very beautiful, and also visitable ‘from behind’.
The last stop was at Agua Azul: here you can see the wonderful waterfalls and take a refreshing swim (obviously where the water is calmer).
I arrived in San Cristobal at 10 p.m., tired but definitely happy to have seen incredible natural and historical beauty.
Day 14 – 16 of the Mexico trip: San Cristobal
I used the beautiful town of San Cristobal de Las Casas to take tours nearby.
The first tour (20 USD) took me to Chiflon Falls and Montebello Lakes. Chiflon Falls are truly a marvel: they are about 120 meters high and it is possible to walk to the source of the waterfall (a hike that I absolutely recommend to those who are in excellent shape!). The Montebello Lakes are located near the Guatemalan border: amazingly, there is no customs here to cross from Mexico to Guatemala.
I devoted the second day to visiting San Juan Chamula, famous for its still well-established Mayan culture. Here I have no picture support inside the church because it is strictly forbidden to photograph what goes on inside. So what happens inside? Sacrifices still take place here! The floor of the church is covered with pine needles, which are considered sacred. There are no pews, and the candles make for unbearable heat at times. Music can be heard that sounds like a remake of Christmas songs. I was about to leave when I realized that a believer pulled a chicken out of a box: he placed some alcohol on its head and pulled its neck, and then placed it back in the box(in this way, according to Mayan belief, all evil is taken from the chicken, which is therefore sacrificed). I must admit that the visit to this church left me quite disturbed. In the afternoon I walked in a much more relaxed way through the beautiful narrow streets of San Cristobal.
Day 17 of the trip to Mexico: Canyon del Sumidero
From San Cristobal it is possible to arrange a tour to see the Sumidero Canyon. In the morning I visited this canyon with a boat ride of about two hours; later, by minibus, I visited the three main miradores: from one of them my Zeppelin drone crashed -.- I was dropped off in Chiapa de Corzo: from here you can take a cab to the airport in Tuxla. This was my last visit to Chiapas, which I consider wonderful. From Tuxla I took a plane to Cancun.
Day 18 – 20 of the Mexico trip : Ek Balam, Las Coloradas and Holbox
Arriving in Cancun, I rented another car.
I spent the first day visiting Ek Balam, with its 32-meter acropolis (you can see the view from the top) and then las coloradas, with its salt flats and flamingos.
On the second day I did a final Cozumel dive: I really enjoyed the lobster encounter!
From Cozumel I left for Holbox Island, where I spent 36 relaxing hours: the sunset at Punta Cocos is, in my opinion, my favorite moment of the day.
From Holbox I returned to Cancun, passing by one last wonderful Cenote: Dzitnup, which is near Valladolid, is really highly recommended! In Cancun ended my trip to Mexico, and I hope to return soon!
In addition to the trip to Mexico you might also be interested in …
Wonderful excursion in Chiapas!
Budget for a trip to Mexico
The budget for a twenty-day trip to Mexico is not very high. Going into detail, the average paid to sleep is 8-12 USD, a beer 1.50 USD, a taco 0.50 USD. Definitely more expensive are the Argentine restaurants, but in front of Argentine meat I often turned a blind eye. The car costs an average of 25 USD per day, including insurance. I took only one domestic plane, from Tuxla to Cancun: I booked it two days in advance at a price of 90 USD, including large carry-on luggage.
I struggle to understand, however, the prices of the archaeological sites: some cost less than 5 USD, while Ek Balam and Chichen Itza cost as much as 20 25 USD.
PLACES NOT TO BE MISSED
I particularly loved these three weeks, so it is hard to choose what I liked best. My personal podium of things to see on a trip to Mexico is: Bacalar with its lagoon, Chiflon Falls, and Palenque. The cenotes and diving are wonderful, however.
Travel to Mexico: When & how much
I recommend traveling to Mexico from January to April. In three weeks I saw a really minimal part of this wonderful country-I highly recommend focusing on only one area (next time I want to visit Oaxaca and Baja California!).
TIPS, SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A TRIP TO MEXICO
- There is no need to make reservations well in advance for practically anything.
- Renting a car is definitely recommended in Quintana Roo, especially to visit the Cenotes. Beware of topes: these speed bumps are often not marked and were built for a safe speed of about 15 km/h. Driving in Chiapas is not recommended. The price of renting cars is low (as in Europe): the quote goes up, to more than double the original price, with insurance and in case you leave the car in a different city (what happened to me: I took the car in Playa del Carmen and left it in Merida).
- The road from Palenque to San Cristobal that passes through Ocosingo is considered ‘quite’ dangerous: the tour idea I think is great (the ADO bus goes a different route, taking 9 hours).
- Favorite hostels in Mexico: highlight Yak Hostel in Bacalar, Bambu Hostel in Mahahual, Hostal Tribu in Holbox.
- Favorite food in Mexico: tacos in Mahahual, Restaurante Viva Zapata in Holbox, Mercado de la Carne in San Cristobal.
- As for breweries and entertainment I point out Pura Vida in Holbox hands down best brewery, Mezcalito 420 and Cafe bar Revolucion (beautiful!) in San Cristobal, Mezcaleria in Merida.
- For those who have time, a good suggestion is to combine the trip to Mexico with a trip to Guatemala !
