Planning a trip to Mexico? Check out our top 10 things to do in Yucatán, one of Mexico’s most popular tourist regions.
Located in southeastern Mexico, the Yucatán Peninsula is an open-air museum. The state of Yucatán has a population of 2,097,175 (2015) spread over 39,612 km², but the province of Yucatán also encompasses the Mexican states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Quitana Roo and, to a lesser extent, Belize and part of Guatemala, with a population of around 5 million.
The peninsula runs northwards between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean coast to the east. With its breathtaking historical, architectural and cultural heritage, Yucatán is a must-see for any traveler to Mexico.
From heavenly tropical beaches and seaside resorts such as Playa del Carmen, to Mayan archaeological remains such as Tulum, to the cities of Cancun and Mérida, the question is not what to do in Yucatán, but rather how to optimize your visits among the countless must-sees in Yucatán. Here are our top 10 things to do in Yucatán.
1. Mérida
Photo credit: Flickr – Enrique Vázquez
Capital of the state of Yucatán, Mérida is nicknamed the « White City », and is located thirty kilometers off the northern coast of Yucatán. Founded on January 6, 1542 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Montejo (1479-1548), the city was built on the site of the ancient Mayan city of T’ho – Ichcaanzihó in Maya – « the city of the five hills ».
Mérida is described as a lively, friendly city with a surprisingly relaxed lifestyle. It’s a strategic location: you can stay here and discover the region, including the Chicxulub crater – known as the impact site of a meteorite that hit the ground at 90,000 km/h (several billion times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb), causing the extinction of the dinosaurs. Don’t miss a stroll through the central square (zocaló) and Montejo square, or the Lucas de Galvéz market.
2. Valladolid
Photo credit: Flickr – orientalizing
A small city of 48,973 inhabitants, Valladolid was built on the site of the Mayan city of Saki or Zaci-Val. A visit to Valladolid is an opportunity to discover a city that is quieter than Mérida, less crowded but still charming: a small village atmosphere, a tangle of cobbled streets and colorful facades typical of Central America.
3. Playa del Carmen
Photo credit: Flickr – Gabriel Garcia Marengo
Yucatán’s seaside resort par excellence, Playa del Carmen is another starting point for visiting southern Mexico, but the area is very busy with thousands of Western tourists. It’s a haven for beach parties and shopping: resorts, beachfront restaurants and bars, hordes of tourists on the beach and pedestrian shopping streets. A very touristy place, in other words.
4. Tulum
Photo credit: Flickr – Karen
Between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, the Caribbean coast of eastern Yucatán is revealed: cenotes and natural pools and the village of Akumal – where you can swim with sea turtles. We head to Tulum to admire the famous Mayan archaeological site, bordered by magnificent blue-green waters. It was an influential fishing and trading port in its heyday around 1200.
5. Coba
Photo credit: Flickr – TandV
Located an hour’s bus ride from Tulum, the ruins of the archaeological zone of Coba are one of the must-sees when visiting the Yucatán. It’s a vast Mayan site where you can climb to the top of the Nohoch Mul pyramid. This is the most important site on the Yucatán Peninsula, an ancient city estimated to have had as many as 50,000 inhabitants.
6. Chichen Itza
Photo credit: Flickr – Arian Zwegers
It’s on every traveler’s postcard to Mexico. We’re talking, of course, about the Mayan pyramid of Chichen Itza. Located between Valladolid and Mérida, the site has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1988 and recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (2007). In the 10th century, it was Yucatán’s main religious center. In this emblematic Mexican site, you can visit the great pyramid, the observatory, the wall of skulls, the ball court, the sacred Cenote, the thousand columns: a singular blend of Mayan and Toltec cultures. Click here to find out more about excursions to Chichen Itza.
7. Edzná ruins
Photo credit: Flickr – vladimix
Located in the state of Campeche, the ruins of Edzná – an ancient city founded in the 5th century B.C. – are very well preserved Mayan remains and much less visited than Tulum or Chichen Itza. It’s one of the few examples of a Mayan pyramid with vaulted chambers.
8. Sian Ka’an nature reserve
Photo credit: Flickr – Mr.PMCP
Located south of Tulum, the Sian Ka’an reserve is an immense natural park covering 5,281 km², classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site and recognized as a biosphere reserve since 1986. The area is home to a wealth of flora and fauna: lush vegetation, bright colors, mangroves, rainforest, marshes and over 300 species of birds.
9. Uxmal and the Ruta Puuc
Photo credit: Flickr – Andrea Schaffer
What to do in Yucatán: beaches, archaeological ruins, cities? It would be a shame to visit the Yucatán without visiting the ruins of Uxmal. The site of Uxmal – in the center of the Puuc region – is much less crowded than Chichen Itza, which will appeal to you if you don’t like crowded sites. Uxmal is reached from the road south of Merida. Uxmal is a pre-Columbian town founded around 700 AD, and home to up to 25,000 inhabitants.
10. Isla Mujeres
Photo credit: Flickr – Roberto Ventre
A small island off the coast of Cancun, Isla Mujeres is popular with tourists, but the crowds are tolerable, according to travelers’ accounts. It can be reached in 20 minutes by ferry from Cancun. The island is a must-see when visiting the Yucatán, especially if you’re into marine and nautical activities: snorkeling, lounging on Playa Norte beach, beautiful walks with your feet in crystal-clear water, diving and more.
Your successful stay in Yucatán
How to get to Yucatán
✈️ Cancun airport is particularly well served by flights to the Yucatán, with stopovers, but there are also direct flights from Paris. It takes around 12 hours to fly from Paris to Cancun. Cozumel airport has a few direct international flights, but the majority of flights arrive in Cancun and then transfer to the island. To find a cheap flight to Mexico and Yucatán, you can search on the website of our partner Ulysses.
Where to stay in Yucatán?
For accommodation in Yucatán, you can choose cities like Mérida or Valladolid to be at the heart of all the activities the region has to offer. You can find a cheap hotel in Yucatán by searching on this hotel comparator.
Alternatively, find our selections of the best accommodations in Yucatán:
🛎️Les 6 best hotels in Playa del Carmen
🏠The6 best Airbnb accommodations in Playa del Carmen
Getting around Yucatán
If you’d like to visit Yucatán on your own, i.e. without tour operators and other organized trips, we advise you to choose a rental car so that you can visit all the sites we’ve presented above. You can find attractive prices on the Rentalcars car rental comparator.
Main photo credit: Flickr – Roevin
Map of hotels and accommodations – Cancún,mx