· MEXICO ·
Adventures in and Around Merida
Scribbled by Claire ◊ 11 Sep 2024
If you are planning a trip to the Yucatan, check out our favourite things to do in and around its biggest city, Merida, including cenotes, ruins, museums, markets and more.
Merida is the official and cultural capital of the Yucatan region in Mexico. It is also the largest city on the peninsula, renowned for its vibrant colonial architecture, year-round scorching temperatures and Mayan history which is on display across many of the museums around the city.
If you are contemplating a visit, Merida boasts many attractions within the city itself. These include lively markets, museums, unique food and striking churches. It also offers a fantastic base for various explorations outside the city limits. Cenotes, quiet beaches, coastal drives, fishing villages, flamingos and ancient Mayan ruins can all be found within an hour or so from the centre.
It is easy to spend a week or more in the area, although many people pass by in only a few days. Here are some of our favourite experiences!
IN THIS GUIDE //
Adventures in and Around Merida
THINGS TO DO IN MERIDA
THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE MERIDA
– PROGRESO
– COASTAL DRIVE
– CENOTES AROUND MERIDA
– RUINS NEAR MERIDA
– CELESTUN
FINAL THOUGHTS
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Things to do within Merida
There are loads of things to do in Merida.
It’s a much bigger place than it seems, despite the small-town vibes. Merida is actually a sprawling city of nearly 1.2 million people and is modern and metropolitan, with splashes of tradition. It is also full of music, art, culture and fantastic food. Below are a few things we suggest when staying within the city:
Museums
Art lovers | Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY) – Fernando García Ponce (the only contemporary art museum on the Yucatan Peninsula)
Music lovers | Palacio de la Música (showcasing mostly indigenous music of the region)
Culture lovers | Gran Museo de Mundo Maya Merida (museum detailing Mayan history and culture)
The Plaza Grande and Catedral de Merida
The Plaza Grande is the central park of the city, teeming with activity at night (and during the day). There are often music and dance events to enjoy from the shaded paths and many benches. Nearby, the imposing Catedral de Merida looms over the square with its renaissance architecture.
Markets
Experience the beauty and the madness of the Mercado San Benito, Mercado Municipal and especially the Mercado Lucas de Galvez. These were some of our favourite markets across the entirety of Mexico due to the little restaurants, interesting shops and extra-friendly people (even though I’m a vegetarian and wouldn’t eat their al pastor!). The markets and streets surrounding are huge – there’s so much to see. As usual we bought fruit, unidentifiable drinks and some snacks.
Cuisine
Get yourself some Salbutes, Gorditas, Panuchos and, if you really don’t care about your diet, a Queso Relleno! Along with local style foods, there is a respectable selection of fares on offer in Merida (it’s a big city after all!). Upmarket restaurants are found in droves around and just north of the Plaza Grande. The markets are the place to go however, for very affordable, decent food. There is even an entire street pretty much dedicated to al pastor.
Cycle the Biciruta Merida and visit the Monumento a la Patria
Every Sunday between 8am-12:30pm and on the first Saturday of the month between 6-10pm the Paseo de Montejo is closed to motor vehicles. This is a pretty street lined with grand buildings a little north of the Plaza Grande. You can hire a bike and join in anywhere near the street itself, just head on down. If cycling in the Merida heat is not your jam then walking up the Paseo de Montejo to the Monumento a la Patria is another great option. Stop for ice cream or coffee on the way.
Outside Merida
Progreso
This is a little coastal town less than an hour north of Merida. If you avoid cruise ship days (it turns into a circus), it’s a lively, friendly little town that is (in my opinion) the antithesis of Tulum. There are restaurants, a few places playing loud music and of course the beach but it doesn’t offend in the typical Riviera Maya way! In the area you can take kayaking tours in the lagoon and see all sorts of wildlife, including flamingos! The coastal drive east from Progreso (see below) is another great thing to do in the area.
The Coastal Drive From Progreso
The drive east from Progreso takes you up to 80 kilometres along the coast, through tiny villages, wetlands full of birds and wild beaches. You don’t need too much luck to spot flamingos, just from the car!
About half an hour down the coastal road is the small, quiet Mayan ruins of Xcambo. These are an interesting one since the Catholics plonked a church on top of the ruins about half a century ago. It is still technically in use too! There’s a meagre entry fee of MX$75 and the road to the ruins sometimes has pink lakes due to the salt and flamingos frequent the area often. There are also several cenotes down the turn off – this area is chock-full of stuff to do!
The rest of the route is pretty, wild, full of wildlife and small villages. Go and explore! We saw three snakes crossing the roads down here too (and a bunch of panicked local people trying to remove one!).
Cenotes Around Merida
Other than the cenote in the Merida Costco carpark (no, really) there are hundreds more of these water marvels dotted about. Along with the cenotes mentioned above, we particularly liked X’Batun (MX$100 or US$5) and Kankirixche (MX$60 or US$3). Be aware that the roads that lead to many of the cenotes are not really fit for purpose though. They are often bumpy, uncomfortable potholed mud tracks. We managed in a low clearance vehicle though, so you will be fine too.
There are the more famous cenotes over towards Valladolid (like Suytun) which you can drive to from Merida, but it would be better to stay closer by and we don’t consider those ‘nearby’ to Merida.
Ruins Near Merida
The entire Yucatan area is famous for Mayan archaeological sites, and the area surrounding Merida is no exception.
Apart from the famous Uxmal ruins which are worth visiting Merida for alone, there are also the smaller sites of Mayapan, Dzibilchaltun, Xcambo, and lots more!
If you are after some assistance deciding which Mayan ruins to visit on your trip to the Yucatan (or some in depth guides), check out our favourite Mayan ruins.
Celestún
If Progreso sounds a little too touristy or busy as a beach destination, then Celestún is the place for you.
This little fishing village doesn’t get too many visitors and has an empty white, sandy beach stretching all the way along the length of the town. Don’t expect lively beach clubs here – this is definitely not the Riviera Maya! Surrounding the region is the Celestún Biosphere Reserve where you can spot the less-than-elusive flamingo and other birds, such as pelicans.
It’s a genuinely lovely place to spend some time – probably my favourite on the Yucatan Peninsula. The tiny village square is picturesque perfect and the people did not stop smiling at me the entire time we were there.
Final Thoughts – Exploring Merida
Merida and the surrounding area, in our opinion, has the best things to do in the entire Yucatan region. There’s a bit of everything, without the mass tourism and crowds that come with the Riviera Maya. It’s also a huge city, so has all the conveniences that you could possibly need for an extended stay. We fully recommend you visit!
If you are considering an extended trip around the Yucatan, check out our in-depth Yucatan itinerary for more less-touristy destinations and activities.
We hope you have a great holiday!
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Thank you, Claire + Nick
Great content! Keep up the good work!