Yucatán Itinerary—2 Weeks Full of the Best Places to Visit
When traveling across Mexico, a Yucatán trip has to be on your “to-do list”, okay? Even though two weeks probably won't be enough to see all the wonders and Mayan monuments, you can still see most of them. Including one of the 7 New Wonders of the World!
But it's not all just about Mayan culture, pyramids and history. That would probably exhaust you, sooner or later. So, I've put together an itinerary that has both historical monuments and natural wonders and beaches that will take your breath away!
You might also be interested in reading
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Yucatán map and itinerary overview
2 weeks Yucatán Itinerary:
Day 1: Merida + Uxmal (sleep in Merida)
Day 2: Reserva Estatal Geohidrológica Anillo de Cenotes (sleep in Merida)
Day 3: Izamal (sleep in Merida)
Day 4: Chichén Itzá (sleep in Tulum)
Day 5: Tulum (sleep in Tulum)
Day 6 and 7: Palenque (sleep in Palenque)
Day 8: Bacalar Lagoon (sleep in Tulum)
Day 9: Laguna de Kaan Luum + Santuario de Cenotes (sleep in Tulum)
Day 10: Cozumel (sleep in Cancun)
Day 11: Playa del Carmen + Cenote Cristalino (sleep in Cancun)
Day 12: La Ruta de los Cenotes (sleep in Cancun)
Day 13: Akumal + Zona arqueológica de Coba (sleep in Cancun)
Day 14: Lagunas Rosadas "Las Coloradas" + Holbox (sleep in Cancun)
Day 1 of Yucatán Itinerary: Merida + Uxmal
Main sites visited on day 1: Merida, Mercado Lucas De Galvéz, Plaza Grande, Parque de Santa Lucia, Uxmal
Restaurant tips: La Chaya Maya | Taquería de La Unión | Mercado Lucas De Galvéz
Hotel recommendations: Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel
Further reading: Best Food in Mexico | 12 Facts About Mexico | 33 Mexico Travel Tips
Day 1, stop 1: Merida
This itinerary will start in Merida, the capital city of Yucatán. It's a big city with many cultural and architectural gems. Ideal way to feel the atmosphere of the city is to stroll through the streets, and just enjoy the wonderful squares, cathedrals and colorful houses. And if you also can't survive your day without a good cup of coffee, you'll love Merida's cozy cafés.
Foodies will enjoy bustling markets full of Mexican food with local fruits and vegetables. In the center of Merida visit Mercado Lucas De Galvéz. It’s a renowned market offering everything from food to handcrafted items, clothes, and many other things you haven’t even thought you could need.
The heart of the city is Plaza Grande. A square lined with many spectacular buildings such as The Cathedral of Mérida, the City Hall, or the Government Palace of the State of Yucatán. But just a few meters away as a contrast is Parque de Santa Lucia, a piece of lush vegetation in the middle of the city with nice restaurants and famous huge white chairs.
Day 1, stop 2: Uxmal
Uxmal is a one of many Mayan cities in Mexico, but I would say it's one of a kind. And not only because Star Wars was shot there! The main pyramid is the tallest structure in the city—about 35 meters/115 feet—and it's just breathtaking. Unlike some other Mayan pyramids, it has an elliptical base and rounded sides, which makes it unique.
Uxmal's buildings are built in typical Puuc style: smooth walls, columns, detailed cut stones (stucco) reliefs representing snakes. The large complex will take you about 2 hours to explore. You unfortunately can't climb up the highest pyramid, but you can basically discover everything else inside and out. And the best views of the city are from the Grand Pyramid!
I think it's the most breathtaking Mayan city I've visited. And I'm probably not the only one that thinks that, judging from the lines at the ticket desk. f you don’t buy your tickets in advance through a tour operator, you will wait in the queue longer than the pyramids took to build. But like I said, it's worth it.
- Google Maps link
- Opening hours: daily 8 am—5 pm
- Price: 495 Mexican pesos (26 US dollars)
Hotel in Merida
Merida will be your trip base for the next few days. I like to stay at hotels up to my standard of spacious, clean rooms with comfortable beds and a nice fresh breakfast. And Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel checked all the boxes. And the hotel pool is a nice benefit, too!
Day 2 of Yucatán Itinerary: Reserva Estatal Geohidrológica Anillo de Cenotes
Main sites visited on day 2: Reserva Estatal Geohidrológica Anillo de Cenotes
Restaurant tips: La Chaya Maya | Taquería de La Unión | Mercado Lucas De Galvéz
Hotel recommendations: Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel
Further reading: 16 Things About Driving in Mexico | 9 Top Places in Yucatán | 10 Best Hikes in Mexico
This Yucatán Itinerary will be full of cenotes, as your vacation in Mexico should be! Cenotes are a unique natural phenomenon in Yucatán. They are sinkholes filled with water, and swimming in them is something you just need to do in Yucatán! I didn’t expect cenotes to become my favorite activity at all, but after my first swim I couldn’t be more excited.
A couple of beautiful cenotes for swimming or just adoring—if you're afraid—are in Reserva Estatal Geohidrológica Anillo de Cenotes just an hour from Merida. The water there is much warmer than I expected and so clear that you can see little fish jiggling in there.
Swimming is safe (in designated locations, obviously), the only thing that might slightly scare you is the depth of the water. Cenotes are often more than 60 meters (200 feet) deep. And I get that the feeling of being in a dark cave and a deep mass of water lying under you is not for everyone. But otherwise, it’s just perfect. And healthy as well! The water is full of minerals and your skin will be soft as a baby's bottom. This is a skincare routine I could get used to!
The locals offer a guided tour of the Cenotes, which I highly recommend. They show you the best way to get there and will teach you many interesting facts about the place and Mayan culture. If you get there early, you won't meet many tourists either.
Day 3 of Yucatán Itinerary: Izamal
Main sites visited on day 3: Izamal, San Antonio de Padua, pyramid of Kinich Kakmó
Restaurant tips: La Chaya Maya | Taquería de La Unión | Mercado Lucas De Galvéz
Hotel recommendations: Casa Lecanda Boutique Hotel
Further reading: 16 Things About Driving in Mexico | 9 Top Places in Yucatán | 5 Top Mayan Cities
Izamal is also known as a Yellow City of Mexico, and that’s because the yellow houses the colonials built over the monuments of Mayan city. The architecture is a mixture of debris of Mayan culture and colonial influence. Perfect example is the church of San Antonio de Padua right in the heart of the town. It dominates the main square, and you can peek inside if the church is open.
Just a short walk from the church is the pyramid of Kinich Kakmó as a remain of Mayan times. It's open to the public and you can climb it for free. When you get to the top, the view from there is spectacular. But be careful when climbing, it can be very slippery.
I have a reminder for you. When you have a day trip in Mexico like this, where you spend the most of your day just walking through the streets and climbing up the monuments, have enough of water with you. Everywhere you go, you should remember that, because the weather is insanely hot, especially during summer and you don’t want to spend your vacation in a hotel room with heatstroke, don’t you?
Day 4 of Yucatán Itinerary: Chichén Itzá
Main sites visited on day 4: Chichén Itzá
Restaurant tips: Safari Comedor | Gitano Jungle| Verdant
Hotel recommendations: Hotel Bardo
Further reading: 16 Things About Driving in Mexico | 10 Best Hikes in Mexico | 5 Top Mayan Cities | Chichén Itzá Tips
An absolute gem of Yucatán and one of 7 New Wonders of the World. The ancient city of Chichén Itzá belongs to the best of Mayan cultural heritage and it's one of the best things to do in Yucatán without a doubt.
Chichén Itzá is one of the largest cities of Mayan times, so don’t expect to be done with it in half an hour. I think spending at least 3–5 hours is a must. It's perfect for a day trip, as the drive from Merida will take you about 1.5 hours and then to Tulum—where you'll spend the night—another 2 hours.
There are so many incredible monuments and buildings you can explore. But you shouldn’t miss the 4 main attractions I'm about to name.
The most famous pyramid in Chichén Itzá is called El Castillo (The Castle) and known more as The Temple of Kukulcán, and it's 30 meters (98 feet) high.
The next site is called The Colonnade, which is a thousand columns with carving of people, gods and snakes on them.
Next, like every Mayan city, Chichén Itzá also has to have a field for tlachtli, old Mayan ball game. The field there is called The Great Ball Court and it's simply gigantic.
And last but not least Platform of the Skulls. It's a display of carved heads in the wall of the dead to memorize them.
Every year, about 2.6 million tourists visit Chichén Itzá. And 2.6 million tourists don’t go without queues, for sure. Long, tedious queues, to be more precise. You can skip them by booking your tickets online.
- Google Maps link
- Opening hours: daily 8 am—4:30 pm
- Price: 610 Mexican pesos (32 US dollars)
Hotel in Tulum
Amazing, paradise-like, cozy. That's how I would describe our stay at Hotel Bardo. Make no mistake, the place is very luxurious and modern with a great location in the center, on the other hand, you are surrounded by nature all around. The staff was really helpful and made our stay even more pleasant.
Day 5 of Yucatán Itinerary: Tulum
Main sites visited on day 5: Tulum, Zacil-Ha cenote, Playa Pescadores
Restaurant tips: Safari Comedor | Gitano Jungle| Verdant
Hotel recommendations: Hotel Bardo
Further reading: 9 Top Places in Yucatán | 10 Top Places in Mexico | 5 Top Mayan Cities
Tulum is one of the top Mayan cities in Mexico, hands down. It used to be the main port in the region and an important trading center. Therefore, the city was rich and built many gorgeous monuments, now beautiful ruins. All this results in it being a very, and I mean very touristic place.
The hype that Tulum gets also means that prices are as high as Mayan pyramids and parking is a nightmare. Be ready for that and prepare yourself with nerves of steel and a wallet of gold.
The ruins are right above the sandy beaches, which adds to the attraction, as does the surrounding jungle. Even though I mentioned how expensive the actual city is, the ticket price to get into the ruins is only $4. Ironic, right?
- Google Maps link
- Opening hours: daily 8 am—4 pm
- Price: 80 Mexican pesos (4 US dollars)
When you've had enough Mayan history for the day, once again it's cenotes time! If you want to swim in peace, choose some of the less popular ones, like Zacil-Ha. The crowds of Tulum will seem light years away from there.
Another option I have for you guys is just chilling at the beach. You know I'm not exactly a fan of lazy beach vacations, because I'm not a hundred years old. But the beaches of Tulum are probably the most beautiful ones I've ever seen. Especially Playa Pescadores showed me that heaven is really a place on Earth.
Day 6 and 7 of Yucatán Itinerary: Palenque
Main sites visited on day 6 and 7: Palenque
Restaurant tips: Cafe Jade | La Chiapaneca
Hotel recommendations: Hotel Chablis Palenque
Further reading: 16 Things About Driving in Mexico | 5 Top Mayan Cities | 7 Best Aztec Ruins
The next two days in our Yucatán itinerary will be dedicated to one place. Palenque is quite far away from all the other stops I've put together on this list for you. From Tulum it's an 8.5-hour long drive, so let's take it more like a one small road trip Yucatán peninsula offers you. However, I believe it's definitely worth visiting, because it's one of the top 5 Mayan cities in Mexico.
Palenque is the ruin of a Mayan city state, hidden in the jungle. It’s smaller than Tulum or Chichén Itzá that you've seen in previous days, but its beauty is incomparable. It’s just so remarkable. You can feel the exotic and mysterious atmosphere of the Mayan city of Palenque, discover the architectural monuments full of carvings and hieroglyphs. And the interesting fact is, that probably only 10% of the city has been discovered—the rest is waiting silently in the jungle for its discovery.
Be careful! Palenque is absolutely breathtaking and beautiful, but at the same time known for armed robberies, which take place in the area from time to time. So, as you are walking around absolutely astonished by the Mayan wonders with your jaws dropped, stay sharp. Palenque is wild, quite remote, and slightly dangerous. But even if it doesn't sound like that right now, it's still worth it.
- Google Maps link
- Opening hours: daily 8 am—4:30 pm
- Price: 75 Mexican pesos (4 US dollars)
Hotel in Palenque
Only 15 minutes by car is your hotel for the next two nights. It’s not as luxurious as the previous one, but I couldn’t be more satisfied with my stay there. At Hotel Chablis Palenque you stay in very spacious and clean air-conditioned rooms. It gets extra points from me as it was probably the cleanest hotel in Mexico. Any other germaphobes here?
Day 8 of Yucatán Itinerary: Bacalar Lagoon
Main sites visited on day 8: Bacalar Lagoon
Restaurant tips:Safari Comedor | Gitano Jungle| Verdant
Hotel recommendations: Hotel Bardo
Further reading: Best Food in Mexico | 12 Facts About Mexico | 33 Mexico Travel Tips
On your way back to the north part of the Yucatán peninsula you can stop by Bacalar Lagoon. From Palenque you get there in 7 hours (510 km / 317 miles).
Bacalar Lagoon is a 42 kilometers (26 miles) long lake in Quintana Roo. The place is also nicknamed “the lake of seven colors” as the lake water has multiple shades of blue.
There is the town of Bacalar on the southern tip of the lake, that's declared one of the Magical Towns of Mexico. Even though it’s a small city, it’s absolutely ready for tourists, full of hotels, lovely restaurants and bars, but they're pretty pricey.
What to do in the lagoon? There can't even be more options. Go for a swim, rent a kayak, take a guided tour, or visit local cenotes! You can easily spend many hours there to relax after a long drive from Palenque on the beach or take a boat ride on the lake.
After you see probably the most breathtaking sunset ever, hit the road again. Tulum, where you'll spend the next two nights, is 2.5 hours of driving away (197 km / 122 miles).
Day 9 of Yucatán Itinerary: Laguna de Kaan Luum + Santuario de Cenotes
Main sites visited on day 9: Laguna de Kaan Luum, Santuario de Cenotes, Cenote Corazón del Paraíso
Restaurant tips:Safari Comedor | Gitano Jungle| Verdant
Hotel recommendations: Hotel Bardo
Further reading: 5 Top Mayan Cities | 7 Best Aztec Ruins | 12 Best Places in Chiapas
Day 9, stop 1: Santuario de Cenotes
After a long day of driving, I'll give you a bit of a rest today.
This day you will spend in close surroundings of Tulum. Only 20 minutes (27 km / 17 miles) away from Tulum lies Santurio de Cenotes. It's another wonderful place away from crowds, where you have the cenotes basically just for yourselves. The two cenotes, that are open to the public, are hidden in a jungle. They are probably the most beautiful and natural cenotes we've swum in.
Day 9, stop 2: Laguna de Kaan Luum
There are many interesting places on the way back to Tulum. One of them is Laguna de Kaan Luum after 15 minutes (17 km / 10.5 miles) of your drive. The lagoon is huge, it looks more like a lake with pure turquoise water on the edges with a dark blue spot in the center. The middle of Laguna de Kaan Luum is so deep that visitors are not allowed to swim in there.
Day 9, stop 3: Cenote Corazón del Paraíso
If you don’t have enough of swimming in cenotes for the day—if that's even possible! —you can find many of them on your way back. I can guarantee you that basically every cenote you'll find will be just amazing. But if you are the type of person who doesn’t leave anything to chance and doesn’t want to discover them by himself, try Cenote Corazón del Paraíso.
Day 10 of Yucatán Itinerary: Cozumel
Main sites visited on day 10: Cozumel
Restaurant tips: Super Taqueria El Pique | K’ooben Laab | Corazon Contento
Hotel recommendations: Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun
Further reading: Best Food in Mexico | 9 Top Places in Yucatán | 5 Top Mayan Cities
There are two options to get to Cozumel Island. You can fly from Cancun or take a ferry from Playa del Carmen, that takes only 40 minutes. If you are going to Cozumel as a day trip, as this Itinerary advises you, it's better taking the ferry.
When you get to Cozumel Island, you feel like you have entered paradise. Stunning. Heart-poundingly beautiful. There aren’t enough words to describe the place. Even though its main characteristics are without a doubt the clear white beaches and see-through water, relaxing in the resort slurping cocktails with little umbrellas in them is only one of its wonders.
Nature lovers will appreciate Punta Sur Ecological Park, being home to many species (crocodiles, birds and more) and exotic flowers, and guarded by a lighthouse. The tickets are 19 dollars.
In Cozumel you can admire the sea from all possible angles! Dive in submarine into the depths of 30 meters (100 feet) and admire the underwater scenery or ride local catamarans and observe sea level from above. Moreover, there are Pearl Farm excursions, introducing you to pearl farming techniques and even allowing you to snorkel and see the pearl growing for yourself.
Get back to Yucatán peninsula and move to Cancun, where you'll spend the rest of the nights of this Yucatán Itinerary.
Hotel in Cancun
After long day trips you need a place to relax and enjoy a little siesta. And Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun is a perfect place for that! Even though you spend your days swimming in cenotes, you would want to enjoy a nice evening swim in the hotel's pool. The food was exceptional, I don’t have a single thing I can complain about!
Day 11 of Yucatán Itinerary: Playa del Carmen + Cenote Cristalino
Main sites visited on day 11: Playa del Carmen, Cenote Cristalino
Restaurant tips: Porfirio's | Peter's Restaurante | El Oasis
Hotel recommendations: Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun
Further reading: 10 Top Places in Mexico | 10 Best Hikes in Mexico | 5 Top Mayan Cities
Day 11, stop 1: Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is much more than a place to take a ferry to Cozumel. It would be such a shame not to go back and discover this city a bit more.
First check out the beaches in Playa del Carmen. All the beaches are public there, so you won't pay any entrance fee. Insanely clean shallow sea and white sandy beach Playa Punta Esmeralda is one of the busier beaches in the city. The coast of Playa del Carmen is close to the barrier of Mesoamerican reef system and that means only one thing. Scuba diving! Discovering underwater world of Mexican coast is just like a dream as everything is so astonishingly colorful.
In the afternoon take a stroll through Fifth Avenue, which runs close to the coastline. Stop by for a cup of coffee, enjoy a nice meal or watch street performers keeping the streets alive.
Day 11, stop 2: Cenote Cristalino
Further south, about 20 minutes by car there is Cenote Cristalino waiting for you to snorkel through its depths. If you are lucky enough, maybe you would swim with a few turtle buddies, that live in the waters! But who would definitely welcome you the first second you put your leg in the water are the little fish nibbling at you.
Day 12 of Yucatán Itinerary: La Ruta de los Cenotes
Main sites visited on day 12: La Ruta de los Cenotes
Restaurant tips: Porfirio's | Peter's Restaurante | El Oasis
Hotel recommendations: Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun
Further reading: Best Food in Mexico | 5 Top Mayan Cities | 7 Best Aztec Ruins
As the cenotes are truly unique phenomena which you can't get enough of in Yucatán, this whole day trip would be about a hike taking you through many of them.
La Ruta de los Cenotes is a 37 kilometers (23 miles) long paved road connecting several cenotes. You don’t need to walk the whole distance, just explore as many sinkholes as you want and then turn back. Some of the cenotes rest peacefully in nature and astonish visitors with their crystal-clear water and divine atmosphere, whereas others are transformed into adventure parks including zip-lines and swimming activities.
On your way you will see literally cenote after cenote. They are everywhere, different shapes, depths and colors. You can discover as many of them as you want and have energy to. All the cenotes are properly marked with signs on the road, you can't miss them.
Day 13 of Yucatán Itinerary: Akumal + Zona arqueológica de Coba
Main sites visited on day 13: Akumal, Zona arqueológica de Coba
Restaurant tips: Porfirio's | Peter's Restaurante | El Oasis
Hotel recommendations: Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun
Further reading: 10 Top Places in Mexico | 10 Best Hikes in Mexico | 5 Top Mayan Cities
Day 13, stop 1: Akumal
Do you feel like you have had enough of people for a while? Exchange them for turtles.
In Akumal, you can swim with them! Snorkel along the green sea turtles that are used to people and will let you come super close to them. This amazing experience will be the highlight of your Yucatán peninsula trip.
Snorkeling is suitable even for beginners, as the bay is protected by a reef and there are no big waves. There is a parking lot near Akumal Dive Shop. Leave the car there and get to the beach by walking through the Shop. You'll pay 6 USD dollars for entrance.
Once you get to the beach, you’ll spot a bazillion vendors renting snorkels and other equipment. I recommend arriving as early as possible; unless you want to swim among tourists instead of turtles. Even though many scammers will try to prove you otherwise, you can still snorkel on your own. You can get a guide if you want, but it's not mandatory!
Day 13, stop 2: Zona arqueológica de Coba
To stay away from the crowds for a little longer, visit another Mayan city ruin close to Akumal. Drive for an hour west and after 73 kilometers (45 miles) and you reach Coba. Leave the car at this parking lot.
Tall temples rise above two lagoons, Laguna Cobá and Laguna Macanxoc, and the land area of the Mayan city expands to 80 square kilometers (30 square miles) of the jungle. It includes temples, pyramids, and clusters of houses.
It's time to get a little adrenaline to your veins! Climb one of the highest Mayan pyramids in the world Nohoch Mul Pyramid, which is 42 meters (137 feet) tall and offers a helping hand to all adventurous tourists—a rope, hanging down the stairs to help you get up.
- Google Maps link
- Opening hours: daily 8 am—5 pm
- Price: 80 Mexican pesos (4 US dollars)
Day 14 of Yucatán Itinerary: Laguna Rosada + Holbox
Main sites visited on day 14: Laguna Rosada, Holbox
Restaurant tips: Porfirio's | Peter's Restaurante | El Oasis
Hotel recommendations: Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun
Further reading: 33 Mexico Travel Tips | 9 Top Places in Yucatán | 10 Top Places in Mexico|
Day 14, stop 1: Laguna Rosada
The last day of is again more “road trip Yucatán”, so be ready for a little more driving again.
From Cancun you'll get to Laguna Rosada in 3.5 hours (268 km / 166.5 miles). Laguna Rosada is not as famous as other Yucatán lagoons, so it's possible that you will be the only one there! However, thanks to Instagram hype it has gotten more famous lately. Why? Because it's picturesque and pink!
The higher the sun is, the more pink the water gets. In summer it gets pink around 11 am, if you visit before, you will get just a regular lake with a little splash of pink and that’s not worth it at all. But once the sun hits it, the vibrant pink will occur in seconds. There are no designated parking spots in the area, so leave the car somewhere along the road. The visit is also a bit pricey, you pay 300 pesos (16 USD dollars) just to enter.
Day 14, stop 2: Holbox
From Laguna Rosada drive 3 hours (196 km / 122 miles) to Chiquilá, where you take a ferry to Holbox Island. It's only 15 minutes and the tickets are 220 pesos (12 USD dollars).
Holbox is an island straight from a postcard picture! It has amazing clean beaches and paradise-like scenery. What is special about the island is that you can swim with some buddies again. And I don’t mean turtles, this time whale sharks will be your company. From June to August, they swim to Yucatán peninsula and then migrate away again. Pretty cool, right?
Another thing Holbox is famous for is the street art. This vibrant city changes its colors thanks to murals local artists paint on the walls of buildings. Wandering around the town is an amazing way to spend time and admire the artwork, that is never the same.
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