How we spent 10 days in the Yucatan Peninsula

After spending a week exploring Mexico City and Oaxaca, we flew to the Yucatan Peninsula. Our trip began with a night in Cancun before driving around the region. This is where we spent ten days in Yucatan Peninsula.

Two nights in Xcalak
Three nights in Tulum
Two nights in Valladolid
Two nights in Isla Holbox

We planned our itinerary around not just the things we wanted to do most, but the things that were physically possible to achieve in such a short time.

Ten days in the Yucatan Peninsula isn't as much time as it sounds. The region is huge, and we didn’t get to see everything – such as Lake Bacalar, Campeche, and Uxmal.

Things to do in Yucatan

After landing in Cancun we drove five hours down the eastern coast to a remote village called Xcalak. Here, we stayed in an idyllic beach hut for two nights and three days. Where we relaxed on the beach surrounded by pelicans and palm trees.

The drive there was out first experience behind the wheel. You can read more about it in my blog: Driving in Mexico: the lowdown.

Tulum

We then spent three days in Tulum, mostly visiting cenotes, the beaches, and eating out. Our plan had been to go to a day festival at a beach club here. But the weather wasn’t great and we were tired from the driving, so instead we opted for more relaxing things to do.

You can read about our three days in Tulum here.

Valladolid

From Tulum we spent two days in Valladolid, which is the closest town to Chichen Itza. We actually drove from Tulum to the Coba Ruins, then to Chichen Itza via Multum Ha cenote, and then on to our hotel in Valladolid. It was a packed day, which is something you need to get used to if you’re trying to cram as much of Mexico as possible into under three weeks!

The colonial town of Valladolid is quiet and traditional, and though there are plenty of tourists around, it felt pleasantly different from the gentrification of Tulum. We spent two nights at the Colonte Hotel Origen which had a pool, free parking, on-site bar and restaurant, and a very comfy room.

It was a short walk from the man square, the bars and restaurants of the city, and the bus terminal. It was from here that where we caught the ADO bus to Merida for a day trip. We wanted to visit cenote Zaci, but it was closed during our visit. So we spent most of our time there wandering the cobbled streets and relaxing with micheladas by our pool.

Chichen Itza

One of the seven wonders of the world, Chichen Itza is definitely worth visiting if you’re in Mexico… if not just to say you’ve been. It’s a vast site of Mayan ruins where you will learn more about the ancient history of Mexico than anywhere else.

We drove here from Tulum via the Coba Ruins, and then went on to Valladoild. Which took about 45 minutes. The public car park is free and secure, though there is some street parking around the area as well.

From the iconic main temple to smaller pyramids and even a Mayan sports field, it’s fascinating to see where this ancient civilisation lived, and how similar parts of their lives were to our own. We spent about 1.5 hours wandering the grounds on our own. But you could spend much longer – or be in and out much quicker if you’re in a hurry. There are also walking tours and audio tours that can guide you around the different ruins at Chichen Itza.

Controversy around Chichen Itza

The only downside is that the ticket queue can be long – especially if you arrive at the same time as a coach tour. And the pathways around the site are absolutely packed with local Maya vendors shouting, whistling, and sampling loud toys and trinkets.

This is a tricky issue. As many Mayas, who have ancestral rights to the land, have been displaced from their homes due to rising tourism in Yucatan. However, with over 800 vendors fighting to keep their spot on the grounds of Chichen Itza, many visitors complain about this ruining the atmosphere. As a result, it is putting the site’s title as one of the seven wonders of the world at risk.

The main areas of Chichen Itza are wide open and under scorching sunlight. But there is some shade to be found in the tree-lined paths around the ruins. However take plenty of water and cover-ups with you. Because during the morning and afternoon it’s boiling to walk around. There are also shops, food stalls, and coffee stands in the main entrance where you can stock up either before or after your trip.

Cenote Ik Kil

If you’re visiting Chichen Itza, then you should definitely stop at Cenote Ik Kil, just 10 minutes drive away. In the subterranean depths of a sunken cave formation, Ik Kil has a tropical vibe. It walls are covered in greenery and waterfalls that rush into the cenote from above. This was the only cenote we visited where life jackets were mandatory. But it was also the only one we visited with a proper changing room and shower.

Ik Kil is on the site of a resort hotel, so it does feel a bit more polished and touristy than other cenotes. But after Cenote Cristal, it was probably my second favourite. We went within an hour of closing time so it wasn’t as busy as it could have been. The lifeguard lets visitors jump in from a large ledge at the side (no pressure though… I just used the steps!) and it’s a relaxing place to float for a while.

Merida

From Valladolid’s bus station we got the ADO bus to Merida. A colonial town on the west coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. This took about 2 hours and, unless you’re fluent in Spanish you’ll need to keep a close eye on the bus departure board… But it was overall a stress-free trip – and we needed a day off from driving!

In Merida, the main attraction is the town itself. We wandered the traditional Spanish-style streets and along the Pasajo Montejo into the affluent neighbourhoods. The fancy streets here are scrawled with socialist graffiti expressing disdain about politics in Yucatan’s capital city.

We spent about 4 hours walking around Merida. This included stopping for food and drink in a couple of central spots, and checking out the colonial architecture. Then it was time to catch the bus back to Valladolid.

You could easily spend a couple of days here if you want to dive deeper into the town. There are plenty of museums, markets, and surrounding archeological sites to explore. But since we only had ten days in the Yucatan Peninsula, we only had one day to get a feel for Merida.