· MEXICO ·
A 2-4 Week, Less-Touristy, Yucatan Itinerary (for road trips or backpackers)
Scribbled by Claire ◊ 07 June 2025
Have you been eying a trip to the Yucatan but are put off by the rowdy Tulum and Cancun crowds? Well, this offbeat Yucatan itinerary takes you far from the tourist hubs, exploring remote Mayan ruins, hidden jungle cenotes, quiet colonial towns, isolated flamingo habitats and more, perfect for both road trips and backpackers!
The Yucatan Peninsula – accurately depicted as a beach lined, jungle shrouded paradise.
With distinctive cuisine, numerous Mayan ruins, comfortable accommodation, vibrant colonial cities with affordable prices, this Yucatan itinerary is ideal for an exciting road trip or backpacking adventure. Include the well maintained, drivable roads, and it becomes a contender for one of the best road trips in Mexico!
This Yucatan itinerary is perfect for first-time backpackers and solo travellers, or seasoned adventurers who want to see the less touristy regions on the peninsula. After spending two months slowly travelling across this sensational section of Mexico, we’ve picked out the prettiest, most genuine destinations, while avoiding the conventional, overcrowded, mass-tourism hubs.
Our route includes suggestions for lodging, activities, add-ons if you have extra days, driving information and more. We hope this helps you plan your perfect trip!
IN THIS GUIDE //
A Less-Touristy Yucatan Itinerary
WHERE IS THE YUCATAN PENINSULA?
WHY VISIT THE YUCATAN?
IS THE YUCATAN SAFE?
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO THE YUCATAN
GETTING AROUND THE YUCATAN
– CANCUN CAR RENTAL
– BUSES IN THE YUCATAN
THE YUCATAN ITINERARY
– CANCUN
– BACALAR
– CALAKMUL
– CAMPECHE CITY
– MERIDA
– VALLODOLID
– BEACH OPTIONS
FINAL THOUGHTS
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Where is the Yucatan Peninsula?
The Yucatan Peninsula is in far southeastern Mexico, bordering Guatemala and Belize.
If you hear people refer to the Yucatan, it is not always in reference to the peninsula! Yucatan is also an individual state in Mexico, within the Yucatan Peninsula. The states of Quintana Roo and Campeche make up the total of the Mexican Peninsula. Geographically, the entire peninsula includes parts of Chiapas, northern Guatemala and Belize too, but our Yucatan itinerary refers to a trip through the Mexican states of Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan.
Anytime we refer to ‘the Yucatan’ here in this itinerary, it’s referring to these three Mexican states.
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO THE YUCATAN
The month you land in Cancun can dictate the type of activities you do on your trip. Having said that, we have spent time in this area of Mexico during both the wet and dry seasons and can confirm – it is a great holiday or backpacking destination at any time of year!
Peak season | in the Yucatan, high season runs from December through April. This is when the weather is best, however, as expected, the crowds also roll in too during this time of year. Christmas and New Year, in particular, are very busy and expensive.
Shoulder seasons | these can be excellent, both for prices and crowds. Consider visiting in November or May, when the full monsoon season has only just begun or is easing off. The weather can still be great!
Rainy season | in the Yucatan runs from May/June to October and the weather can be unpredictable during this period. Prospects of heavy rain are higher and there is a risk of hurricanes. We spent two months in the Yucatan during July and August and really enjoyed it; the weather was not an issue. It is also really green and pretty! We did get caught in a hurricane in Belize from not paying attention to the forecasts, so would recommend staying up to date, just in case. There is also a sargassum (seaweed) issue on (mostly) the Riviera Maya beaches during this time of year (see further down for more information).
Temperatures | the Yucatan is hot and humid all year around, with March to August being the warmest on average.
Easter | avoid this like the plague; in Mexico, this holiday is huge, so prices and crowds shoot way up.
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Why Visit the Yucatan?
The Yucatan Peninsula has attained legendary status as a vacation paradise of pristine white sand beaches, perfectly azure waters and plentiful sunshine. I’m guessing this draws in most of the crowds!
It is also a great introduction to Mexico – distinct in culture, gastronomy and terrain to the rest of the country but with familiar characteristics that makes it feel quintessentially Mexican.
Additionally, the tourist and backpacking infrastructure in the Yucatan is simply top notch. The quality roads, numerous bus connections, abundant hotels and hostels, plus almost endless activities to suit all interests makes it a fantastic option for a Mexico vacation. It is also very child-friendly.
It is also a great longer-term travelling destination. Although this Yucatan itinerary is designed to suit a vacation length of two weeks to a month, an extended road trip or backpacking Yucatan adventure is also possible following essentially this same route.
IS THE YUCATAN SAFE?
Yes, the Yucatan is safe to travel as a tourist.
As with most tourist destinations, petty crime happens, but is rare. It’s almost completely avoidable by taking the usual precautions, such as not getting too drunk or walking around in the dark alone, late at night.
The region has recently been in the headlines due to several isolated incidents relating to drug cartels. These offences never intentionally target tourists, and you are extremely unlikely to ever have any contact with organised crime.
Mexico gets a bad reputation due to these drug rings, however in reality, the crime you are most likely to have happen to you is someone pickpockets your phone (happened to me on the Mexico City subway). Violent crime is extremely rare.
Having said that, this itinerary avoids the tourist hubs of Tulum, Cancun and Playa Del Carmen. These are hotspots for tourist-related petty crime (unsurprising since they are big party centres and drunk, careless people equate to opportunistic crime). If you decide to avoid these towns, the chances of you even just being a victim of theft is extremely minimal.
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Getting Around on this Yucatan Itinerary
We have hopped across the Yucatan on tourist class buses, in rental cars and on little collectivos (minivans that leave when full). All these methods of transport were great, however for a shorter trip with strict time constraints we would recommend a rental car. This option adds additional flexibility and saves lots of time if your Yucatan itinerary is pressed for time.
Yucatan Car Rental
We have always rented our vehicles from Playa Del Carmen, along the Riviera Maya south of Cancun, or Merida. However, as almost all international flights arrive in Cancun, we would recommend getting a car rental from there.
There are all the usual international rental options in airport arrivals, you can’t miss them! We always book through Discover Cars because their insurance is top notch, so if you get a little scuff or dink in your car, they’ll pay for it.
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR YUCATAN TRIP
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in the United States, Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
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TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR CHECK CAR RENTAL
Buses in the Yucatan
Tourist buses in the Yucatan are predominantly run by ADO, a company which covers most routes from Cancun all the way across to Mexico City. The standards are high, the buses are safe and we fully recommend this option if you do not have the choice of renting a car.
ADO have a website and an app, where booking early often gets you discounts (they’re a bit pricey so worth doing!). Both the website and app can be translated into English. Your ticket is saved to your phone, so you don’t need to print anything. The app can crash occasionally, so be patient!
All the main stops on this Yucatan itinerary are reachable with ADO buses. For smaller destinations, collectivos or a rental car will be your best bet – we’ve noted any locations where you might have difficulty.
WHY THIS YUCATAN ITINERARY MISSES LOTS IN THE RIVIERA MAYA
Quintana Roo has the highest number of tourists out of the Yucatan states. These vacationers tend to clump into densely packed zones around Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and the chaos that is Tulum.
Tulum, in particular, is an environmental disaster, where no number of additional visitors is practical, especially during peak season. For that reason, we leave these destinations off our itinerary. It would be easy enough to incorporate them into your Yucatan tour, if you choose to. However, we hope you will avoid them and visit some less well-known but far more welcoming, value-centric and environmentally ethical locations.
We’ve written a little about some problems the Riviera Maya faces if you’re interested to know more.
Honestly, those towns all kind of suck, anyway.
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The Ultimate Yucatan Itinerary
This route can be done in either direction, there is no difference. We have incorporated lots of little extras in case you have more time, or just like to jam-pack your itinerary!
We’ve mentioned any noteworthy accommodations, fees for attractions and other helpful recommendations.
Cancun (1 night)
Cancun is not really a focal point on this Yucatan itinerary. It’s a mega-hub for all-inclusive resorts, cruise ships and international arrivals. However, we quite enjoy spending a night in Cancun Centro when we pass through.
Parque de las Palapas is the central square with a small stage, lots of affordable food stalls, music, restaurants, and entertainment. It’s not uncommon to see little children playing and families celebrating. Cancun Centro is a far cry from the hotel zone which is basically segregated from the residents.
This area is our go-to for a cheap evening out before we head onto our next destination. There are many excellent value hotels around the perimeter of the square and the ADO bus station only a few minutes away on foot.
CANCUN HOTEL SUGGESTION
We thoroughly recommend The Quetzal ($$) in Cancun Centro. We’ve stayed in loads of Cancun hotels and The Quetzal is a clear winner!
This absolutely beautiful little guest house is a perfect, peaceful sanctuary right next to Park de las Palapas, with a lovely pool, thoughtfully decorated rooms and a cool rooftop that we had breakfast on. The owner speaks amazing English, too.
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CANCUN EXIT OPTIONS
It is possible to skip this night in Cancun entirely if your flight arrival is in the morning. Grab your ADO bus immediately at the airport to your onward location.
From the airport, there is the option of travelling directly to Cancun Centro, Playa Del Carmen or Tulum. If you have a different bus destination (such as Bacalar below), grab a bus to Cancun Centro and connect from there. The ADO buses leave regularly from outside airport arrivals.
There is no need to secure a ticket in advance for the airport bus. Use the ADO app or website to check up-to-date routes and prices.
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PUNTA ALLEN – OPTIONAL DETOUR
Punta Allen is an extraordinary hidden gem in the Sian Ka’an Bioreserve. Located along three hours of bumpy, jungle-clad roads south of Tulum, you’ll need to prep for some careful driving for this one!
It is possible to get to Punta Allen by collectivos and/or boat from Tulum if you are unable to rent a vehicle. Check with your accommodation in advance if this is an option you’d like to pursue. Another option is paying for a taxi, but this will be pricey!
Reviews of the road to Punta Allen may make you fearful, but it is fine. Take it slow, you don’t need a four-wheel drive vehicle.
At the end of the miniscule peninsula, you will find one of the most remote areas along the Maya Riviera coastline. With only a handful of lodging and dining options, it attracts just a trickle of tourists. If you are looking for a laidback, complete-opposite-of-Tulum beach-vibe, this is the place for you.
Punta Allen has boat tours available for snorkelling, dolphin spotting and viewing the many birds of the Yucatan! All just off the quietest, most peaceful slither of jungle and beach.
Hotel | Cielo y Selva – this awesome, rustic beachfront hotel is perfect for a few nights of glamping (or stay in a double for more comfort). It’s just as beautiful and a world away from Cancun!
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Bacalar (2-4 Nights)
The Bacalar lagoon is a can’t-miss destination. The ‘lagoon of seven colours’ is known for dazzling azure-blue shades of water. This little Pueblo Magico is mostly sleepy and quiet, but with enough food, activity and lodging options to keep you comfortable and entertained for several days. It’s lovely to have such little traffic around!
The most popular activity here is to (obviously) get out on the lake. Whether it’s kayaking, stand up paddle boarding or taking a regular boat, you need to spend time on the lagoon. There are a lot of companies that can provide these services when you arrive, but if you like to book in advance, or just want to see representative prices, check Get Your Guide.
Restaurants in Bacalar
We had some particularly memorable food in Bacalar and (surprisingly) some of the cheapest wine we found in Mexico over six months. There are a lot of decent vegetarian options too.
Mango y Chile | a dedicated vegan restaurant with great views, WiFi and vibes, we fully recommend.
Mi Burrito Bacalar | we also loved the vegetarian options and the portion sizes, plus the staff were lovely.
Pizzeria Bertilla | the pizza here was a standout meal (not that cheap though).
Restaurante Sazon a la Mexicana Bacalar | a charming, good value, traditional restaurant with great prices and outstanding food.
Word of Warning – Los Rapidos Bacalar
One of the most ‘Instagrammable’ places is just south of the lagoon, called Los Rapidos Laguna de Bacalar.
Contrary to the positive online reviews, we do not recommend visiting this place. There are many stromatolites in the region which are continually being damaged by irresponsible and inexperienced kayakers and the ecosystems in this region are being degraded by visitors’ sunscreen.
The staff don’t exactly care about the rules either – we saw some pretty terrible things. Also, it’s loud, busy and not exactly chill.
Getting from Cancun to Bacalar
Bus | it takes 5 hours and 40 minutes from Cancun Centro to the bus station in Bacalar, via the direct ADO bus. There are 15 or more departures throughout the day. The AU (Autobuses Unidos) bus services are slightly cheaper but normally don’t have a toilet onboard (still run by ADO and depart from the same place).
Car | alternatively, you can drive which takes around four hours on very straightforward roads.
BACALAR HOTEL SUGGESTIONS
We’ve stayed in quite a few hotels in Bacalar, with a few different budget ranges:
Bluebayou Bacalar ($$$) | this one is a favourite of ours, with beautiful little huts in an enviable location right on the lagoon. They have free kayaks and paddleboards you can use, too! It’s a little way out of the town centre, so having a car is particularly convenient here (or you can rent a bicycle!).
Hotel Sur Bacalar ($$) | this cute little hotel is a fantastic find, almost adjacent to the central square, with lovely staff, perfectly kitted out rooms and outstanding cleanliness. The included breakfast is also worth a stay! We think it’s incredible value for money.
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Calakmul (1-2 Nights)
Calakmul is the biggest and best Mayan ruin in the entire of central America, behind only Guatemala’s Tikal (in our opinion).
Where | the small town of Xpujil, in Campeche State, is the most logical place to stay for your visit to Calakmul. It is a simple 90-minute drive from Bacalar, through continually thicker and thicker jungle (but great quality roads).
Transport | you may need to stay two nights if you are travelling to Xpujil by bus. There are daily but infrequent ADO buses and lots of collectivos that run this route. However, with a car, there are more opportunities to set off early and be more flexible.
Access | to reach the ruins of Calakmul from Xpujil, is an easy two-hour drive, ever deeper into the overgrown and wild jungle. It’s just 30 kilometres from the border with Guatemala when the entrance to the ruins comes into view.
Wildlife | the entire region is contained within a biosphere reserve, so your chances of seeing all sorts of wildlife is exceptionally high, far better than at other Mayan ruins (or anywhere across the Yucatan Peninsula in fact). We even saw a jaguar!
There are more logistical details for visiting this epic Mayan ruin in our separate post about visiting Calakmul.
CALAKMUL HOTEL SUGGESTIONS
In Xpujil, we stayed in Hotel Villa Calakmul ($), which is a cheap, rough around the edges hotel in the centre of town. If you’re on a major budget, we’d recommend it. However, if we were to book a stay today near Calakmul, we’d definitely choose one of the two hotels below:
Hotel Cabanas Aldea Maya ($$$) | elegantly deocrated jungle huts, with all the mod-cons, including television, aircon, comfy beds and hot water. Situated in the jungle, on the edge of town.
Hotel Casa Las Lolas ($$) | cute little hut-style bungalows with patios and hammocks, situated on the edge of town but also kind of in the jungle, with reliable hot water and surprisingly nice decor.
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Campeche City (2-3 Nights)
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Campeche City, also known as San Francisco de Campeche, is an overlooked gem on the western coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Few international visitors come here, which is a huge shame for them!
The impeccably preserved, baroque colonial city situated on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico still has original Spanish built walls, intended to safeguard from pirates. Inside, the fortified urban centre is exquisitely beautiful, with quiet, colourful streets and a beautiful zocalo which has light shows and entertainment in the evenings. The purpose-built pedestrian walkways along the seafront (the Malecon) are excellent for a long evening wander while watching the sunset.
A major highlight of the region are the Mayan ruins of Edzna. Around 45 minutes away by bus or car from Campeche City, these almost unknown ruins are an unforgettable experience. We’ve written a detailed guide to visiting Edzna if you’re interested.
Arriving at Capeche by Bus
Unlike all the other cities and towns you may visit across this Yucatan itinerary, the bus station in Campeche City is a reasonable distance from the historic city centre. It’s not super far, maybe a 35-40 minute walk, but Campeche gets hot so you may not fancy this in the middle of the day with baggage!
It’s also probably not the best plan to walk this route alone late at night with all your stuff (it’s pretty safe, i’m just being cautious).
Taxis don’t really hang around the bus station as much as in other cities, which is a refreshing change to not be hassled. This does mean that you will occasionally have to wait a short while for a taxi to show up. You can walk out to the road and flag one down, too. The cost should be about 30-40 pesos.
Small minibuses also run the route to centro, however i’m not sure if there is any schedule! These cost less than 10 pesos.
CAMPECHE HOTEL SUGGESTIONS
Campeche has loads of lovely accommodation options, full of character and class. Be aware that parking is going to be in public lots if you stay in the central old town. All hotels will tell where their nearest parking is.
We stayed in Castelmar Hotel ($$), perfectly located near the Zocalo in Campeche. This hotel had a lovely small pool, really characterful rooms and a beautiful courtyard-type area. It’s honestly a bargain!
Casa Don Gustavo, Campeche ($$$) | this very popular boutique hotel has bright rooms that ooze classic Mexican style and have all the comforts you’d expect from a quality establishment. This is the place we’d choose on our next visit!
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ACCOMMODATION IN COLONIAL CITIES
Imagine it: you’re planning your Yucatan itinerary, pouring over images of beautiful Mexican streets, full of classic colonial architecture. You develop a romantic notion of staying in those colourful buildings with exquisite courtyards, the ones you see in photographs and on hotel websites.
However, this is not always the reality!
In many colonial cities in Mexico, you must pay a significant premium to get a view or much daylight in your hotel room. Most accommodation is in old buildings with internal courtyards – so you often get a slightly damp room with little/no sunshine or privacy, surrounding a small, loud, open-air central courtyard. If you are lucky, maybe you’ll get a room overlooking an often-busy road. The internet is frequently appalling in these buildings, plus the pictures on hotel portals we found to be hugely misleading, too.
In San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, we viewed 24 rooms across 12 hotels before we found one with natural light, a window and no damp that was mildly quiet. The internet did not stretch to the room, though – you can’t win everything!
I guess what I’m saying is that decent rooms with elegant, historic architecture in central locations often come at a substantial price. So, budget to spend more than you otherwise would expect to!
Try to get a room with a balcony if you can – it guarantees a certain amount of daylight.
The other option is to look for purpose-built, modern hotels, but they tend to be further away from the city centres and are rarely local owned, which we do not recommend. Try to keep your money local whenever possible!
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Merida (3-5 Nights)
Merida is the capital of Yucatan State and the largest city on the Peninsula. Despite its size, this colourful colonial city exudes charm and feels quietly modest and unpretentious. It is also a major hub for cuisine, drinks and culture; there’s museums, exciting foodie markets and distinctive shopping. The city even shuts down the prettiest roads on Sundays just for cyclists.
Outside of the city, there are some of the prettiest cenotes in the Yucatan, tranquil beach towns, flamingos and the incredibly ornate Mayan ruins of Uxmal.
Amenities | as a city with over a million people, Merida also has lots of amenities and services you won’t find elsewhere, like shopping malls, large cinemas, various big supermarkets and more. This makes it a great place to stock up if you need to buy anything and just chill out for a couple of days.
Ruins | along with Calakmul, Uxmal is our top recommendation for Mayan ruins in the Yucatan region. We’ve written a full guide to the Uxmal ruins if you are considering a visit.
Beaches | the beach towns around Merida range from the popular port city of Progreso, to the tiny fishing villages of Sisal and Celestun. With beautiful sandy beaches, friendly restaurants and only a fraction of the tourism that the Riviera Maya receives, they’re all a great addition to your Yucatan itinerary.
We’ve written in detail about activities in and around Merida in a separate post.
Getting from Capeche to Merida
It is a straightforward 2.5-hour journey via either ADO bus or rental vehicle from Campeche City to Merida. There are at least 20 daily bus departures, plus the bus station in Merida is right in the centre so it’s even easier to navigate to your next lodging.
Tip | make sure you get a bus to ADO Centro Historico TAME station in Merida – this is the central one.
MERIDA HOTEL SUGGESTIONS
We’ve stayed in loads of hotels in Merida – they’re always rustic, colonial and generally excellent value for money. Here are a few we recommend:
Hotel Boutique La Casona ($$) | this hotel is set around a really cool, striking courtyard. The rooms were brand new when we stayed and were hyper modern, with decent television, amazing fitted bathroom with hot water, comfy beds and a generally cool vibe. The location is excellent and neat to everything, too.
Gamma Merida El Castellano ($$$) | this is a surprisingly modern, semi high-rise in the centre of the old town of Merida. It’s got a larger outdoor pool and simple, modern, clean rooms. We liked this hotel because we really needed a break after months of dark, colonial hotel rooms! If you’re looking for something a bit more modern, consider this one.
Viva Merida Hotel Boutique ($$$) | this hotel is just beautiful – the decor is just special and you can tell effort has made, especially in the bright central courtyard. It’s fantastic value for what you get. Situated in central Merida, everything is within easy walking distance. This is probably my favourite on this list.
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Vallodolid (2-4 Nights)
Vallodolid is the sweetheart of the Yucatan. A small colonial city surrounding a beautiful central square, it’s most well-known for being the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Chichen Itza and some of the more famous cenotes.
This vibrant city isn’t just about World Wonders and Instagrammable cenotes, though. It has a character all of its own and is surprisingly untouched by tourism considering the proximity to one of our planet’s most celebrated sites. The accommodation is incredibly good value and there’s every type of restaurant and bar you could wish for.
Ek’ Balam, one of the more exhilarating Mayan ruins, is only a short distance away from Vallodolid. Do not miss this one if you are a ruins enthusiast like us! You can climb all the structures and the views from the top are some of the finest of any site. We thoroughly recommend Ek’ Balam over Chichen Itza – it’s a much more pleasant experience (and slightly cheaper). Check out favourite Mayan ruins in the Yucatan, for more information, including prices.
Cenotes | the best in the region include the made-popular-by-Instagram Cenote Suytun, plus Cenote Zaci, Cenote Saamal, Dzitnup and San Lorenzo Oxman. They are all pretty touristy compared with most around Merida, so we suggest you focus your cenote days there if you’d like one to yourself!
VALLODOLID HOTEL SUGGESTIONS
Our favourite lodging in Valladolid is Margarett Hotel, a surprisingly good-value hotel. Situated just off the centre square, it provides free water, modern rooms and a small pool, all for half the cost of most other hotels in the area.
If you want something a little more upmarket, check out Casa Tia Micha or Le Muuch Hotel Boutique (this last one is particularly stunning!). They’re both just exquisite options and I don’t know how to choose between them. both have impeccably appointed rooms and just have the best vibes.
There are some other super spectacular places to stay further out from the city if you have a car. For a seriously unique hotel, check out the Hotel Zentik Project and Saline Cave – it’s magical.
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RIO LAGARTOS – OPTIONAL EXTRA (1-2 NIGHTS)
Rio Lagartos is a tiny fishing village on the northern coast of the Yucatan. It is the premier region to see the best birds of the Yucatan, including thousands of flamingos in the right season. It’s also known for the super-pink Mexico salt lakes at Las Colorados.
We absolutely recommend this optional detour on our Yucatan itinerary; it was another highlight of our trip. I’m not sure what we liked most; wading through questionable mud to find flamingos, spotting crocodiles and huge pelicans, covering ourselves in (apparently) healing mud or visiting the crazy pink salt pools.
There are a few cute restaurants with excellent, super-fresh seafood, local basketball games in the centre of the village and lovely walks along the promenade. We also saw the prettiest sunrise of our entire trip here.
To reach Rio Lagartos, you can hire a car from Cancun, Playa Del Carmen or Merida, or catch an ADO bus to Tizimin and grab a quick collectivo from there. It is possible to visit here from Vallodolid after going to Ek’ Balam as they are in the same direction, but it could be a long day!
There is no doubt that the best place to stay in Rio Lagartos is the Hotel Rio Lagartos. It has really lovely architecture and style, with vast views from the top (we had a wander around). Our choice was the Hotel Tabasco Rio, which was simple, quiet, clean and very affordable for us at the time. The staff even let us know we had left our camera behind, which was hugely appreciated.
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The Best Yucatan Beaches (4-5 Nights)
So, by this point on your Yucatan backpacking adventure or road trip, you may fancy a conventional beach getaway!
Deciding where the best offbeat, less touristy Yucatan beaches and dive locations are is a contentious issue, though. We recommend you visit either Isla Holbox, Isla Mujeres or Cozumel depending on what type of vibe is more your cup of tea. We’ve listed some thoughts further down to help you design your Yucatan itinerary.
After as much beach time as you can fit in, it’s an easy commute from any of these beaches back to the airport in Cancun (especially easy from Isla Mujeres).
You could always include all three of these Yucatan beaches on your itinerary if you have time. Cozumel could be added right at the start of your trip, immediately after landing in Cancun.
As mentioned above, we recommend avoiding the beaches at Playa Del Carmen, Cancun, and especially Tulum, due to overtourism and environmental concerns (particularly during the high season between December and April). Plus, they are devoid of any character or soul.
Isla Holbox
This beautiful stretch of land is fantastic for anyone backpacking the Yucatan, looking for more chill backpacker vibes with a splash of party. It is further from Cancun, so takes slightly longer to get there (although not difficult at all) and has more rustic accommodation (not particularly cheap though!). Isla Holbox definitely has some of the Yucatan’s best beaches with the least number of tourists.
To reach Isla Holbox, get an ADO bus to Chiquila, the port town where it is easy to catch a short boat across. If you have a car, either return it to Cancun then get the bus, or you can drive to Chiquila where there are private places (often people’s houses!) that you can pay a little park.
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is ideal for families, anyone fancying some upmarket lodging or fantastic snorkelling and diving. It is a tiny island situated right next to Cancun (this means it can get busy sometimes with day trippers) so is very easy to access and makes for a quick getaway to catch your flight home.
It’s so easy to reach Isla Mujeres, at only eight miles away from Cancun, accessed by a 30-minute ferry. They run all day from around 5.30am until mid-evening. The ferry port is called Puerto Juarez, just north of the city, and is less than 10 minutes away by car from Cancun Centro. The public bus R-1 also goes to Puerto Juarez for about 9 Mexican pesos, or you can grab a taxi for 150-200 pesos.
Cozumel
Cozumel, a little further south, is just offshore from Playa Del Carmen and is another solid Yucatan beach alternative. It’s a much larger island, so there is more to see and do, with epic snorkelling right off the beaches. It’s common to get around via golf-buggy, which can be quite expensive. Cruises also stop in Cozumel, so be mindful of the possibility of crowds – this is the worst pick of the three in terms of sustainable, responsible travel.
From Playa Del Carmen, ferries run regularly throughout the day, take about 35-45 minutes and pick you up right in downtown. It’s a super-easy journey.
SARGASSUM IN CANCUN AND AROUND
Be cautious when organising a beach trip to the Maya Riviera.
During certain months, the beaches get completely covered in a gross, smelly seaweed that really could put a bit of a downer on the beach part of your itinerary. When you see photos of those pristine Tulum beaches, that’s only during certain times of the year! The seaweed problem occurs between April and October, with the worst likely to be during the summer months of May to August.
Check online for the current sargassum status.
The western beach towns over towards Merida do not suffer from the same sargassum issues, so consider visiting those instead during this part of the year.
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Final Thoughts – Yucatan Itinerary
This Yucatan itinerary provides an extensive, hugely diverse road trip or backpacking experience. It includes Mayan ruins, colonial cities and small fishing communities; unique wildlife, including primates, many birds of the Yucatan and even big cats, in their natural habitats. There are abundant world class, picture-perfect beaches in the Yucatan to suit every taste. Thousands of cenotes dot the terrain, many with zero visitors. It’s a fantastic place!
The recommendations on this itinerary are some of our favourite places in Mexico. We absolutely loved losing the crowds! When it comes to road trips, this is easily up there with the best.
We hope you have the most amazing holiday!
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Thank you, Claire + Nick
Hello! We are doing exactly the itinerary as a roadtrip in Yucatan with my family in January next year. Thanks for so much info, it looks great!. I’ve got a question though: Where did you spend the night after Calakmul? Did you go back to Xpujil? Asking because everyone advices us not to drive when its dark, so we won’t make it to Campeche after visiting Calakmul and Xpujil would technically be going backwards… thanks in advance, G
Hi! Lovely to hear from you 🙂
I think we went straight to Campeche and got in as it was getting dark. If you get in before six, it will still be light. Driving is okay in the evening/twilight if you are on main roads or in cities (we did this many times).
If you won’t be out of Calakmul in time, the area around Conhaus/La Selva at the junction to the Calakmul turn-off on the 186 has several decent accommodation options.
I hope you have an incredible trip!