As Mexico is one of the few countries currently open for tourism, it’s a top travel choice. The Yucatan Peninsula is the most visited part of Mexico, specifically the Riviera Maya (the Mayan coast). As it has a lot to offer, like gorgeous beaches, jungle, impressive Mayan ruins, cenotes and wildlife this is no wonder! This ultimate backpacking guide to the Yucatan Peninsula will help you pick the best and must-visit destinations to add to your travel itinerary when backpacking to Mexico.
This post follows a route from Cancun to Rio Lagartos, from where you can easily get back to Cancun, or head to Chiapas via Merida and Campeche. Described places color-coded as a must-visit, highly recommended and if time permits.
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Did you know: The Yucatan Peninsula consists of the states Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Campeche. These states used to be just one: Yucatan. Hence the name.
Traveling the Yucatan - Tips and tricks
Currency – The local currency is Mexican Pesos, check XE.com for current exchange rates. In tourist hotspots USD and EUR are often accepted as well, but normally for a slightly lower exchange rate than at the exchange offices.
Transport – Colectivos tend to be a little cheaper than busses. So try to find a colectivo heading your direction before looking at the busses. The biggest bus company serving the peninsula is ADO. They’re also the most expensive. If you book a few days ahead, you can find some good deals however. There are a few other companies that serve the peninsula and are a little cheaper. If you want to save even more, ask for an Ahorro bus card. The pass costs 10 pesos and you’ll get extra credit when you top up which you can use for your next ride with Oriente, Sur, Mayab, and ATS. For prices of the other busses, ask in the terminal, as they are usually not found online, only ADO.
ATMs – Free ATMs don’t exist in this part of the world, but prices vary greatly. I found the cheapest ones to be Santander, Banorte, and Banamex, with fees between 30-40 pesos. Do note that this may depend on your bank. If you have a USD-account, it might work out cheaper to take out USD and change at an exchange office. They often offer better exchange rates.
Food: Mexicans love spicy, without some good chili peppers, food has no flavor according to them. You will find tacos everywhere and they are the cheapest eat around. A standard meal includes meat/fish, rice, beans and of course tortillas and a spicy sauce. Typical local drinks served are Agua de Jamaica (a cold tea from hibiscus flower) and Horchata (ricemilk).
Cancun
Cancun mainly caters to people who want to stay at resorts. As that is not us, we decided to skip Cancun altogether. This is not to say it doesn’t offer anything to backpackers of course. You’ll find plenty of hostels both at the hotel zone and downtown as well. The airport is well connected so there probably isn’t any need to spend time in Cancun and you can head to your next destination right away. If you do want to stay in Cancun just for the night before continuing on, consider staying Downtown, as that’s where you’ll take the transport from. If you want to spend a few days on the beach, look at the hotel zone.
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres makes for a nice stop to spend a day or 2. Spend (half) a day at the gorgeous Playa Norte (or Playa Centro). The color of the water is just incredible! Use your other half a day, or the morning before leaving, to visit Punta Sur (entry 30 pesos). No beaches or swimming here, but the rock formations are cool and the water super clear. There is a Mayan ruin as well, but don’t get too excited about this one.
I recommend staying close to Playa Norte, as you’ll be close to the beach there and closer to the ferry. Rent a golf cart, take a taxi or the bus (single and hop-on-hop-off tickets available) to Punta Sur. It’s a long walk from the northern tip, especially in the burning heat.
Cancun Downtown to Isla Mujeres – From the ADO-terminal/colectivos, you’ll either need to take 2 city-colectivos or a taxi to the ferry terminal. The 2 colectivos will come down to about 40 pesos per person (for the 2 of them), a taxi 100-150 pesos. The Ferry is 380 for an (open) return, or 208 pesos one way. If you’re also planning on visiting Cozumel you can get a discount if you buy both tickets at the same time.
Cancun Airport to Isla Mujeres – You’ll have to take an ADO/colectivo to Cancun downtown. From here take a taxi or 2 colectivos to reach the ferry (see above). You can take a taxi as well of course, but as the airport is on the other side of the city, this will work out quite expensive.
Isla Holbox
My favorite place in the Yucatan! In fact, we loved it so much that we rented a studio and stayed for a whole month. It was the perfect place to wait for my computer to get fixed (in Canun). You can get to know the island in two days however. 1 if renting a golf cart or a bike but it’ll be rushed. Visit Punta Coco one day and the beach behind hotel Las Nubes. This is also where you’ll find the sandbanks heading to punto mosquito.
The bay behind Punta Coco is the best place to see the bioluminescence. Note that it depends on the season how many you will see. Also, the smaller the moon, the better you’ll see them. Summer is the best for watching wildlife. This is when the majority of migratory animals arrive, including the whale shark. This doesn’t mean there are no animals during the rest of the year though, or that you should only visit in summer. You’ll see lots of birds, iguanas and fish year round. Flamengo season is meant to be April-October, but we didn’t see any during the whole month of April. We did get to see some horseshoe crabs though, which was really awesome!
An upside of visiting in winter/spring, is that is not as hot and spring is low season, meaning the island isn’t as busy and you’ll get a lot more of the chill/sleepy vibe that Holbox is known for. A lot of older blogs will describe this, and Holbox is indeed still very far away from turning in an Isla Mujeres, but it has gotten touristy over the past few years. Summer is actually the rain season, which is a downside of visiting this time a year.
Regarding nightlife, check out Tribu hostel (also open for people not staying there) for daily events and during the weekend the party is at Hot Corner and Hostel Che is also known for its parties. Other than that there are plenty of other bars and restaurants to check out.
Cancun to Isla Holbox – In order to get to Holbox, you’ll need to take a ferry or a boat (a lancha) from the small town of Chiquila. The ferry is 220 pesos and goes every half hour between 2 companies, from 6 am to 9:30 pm. The trip takes about about 25 minutes. Small boats (lanchas) will take you there a little faster, for the same price or some will take you for 200 pesos.
The cheapest way to get to Chiquila is by colectivo, which costs 250 pesos. Colectivos leave from the parking lot next to Soriana, in front of the ADO-terminal. Confirm the time schedule as there are limited vans going and make a reservation to make sure you’ll have a seat. Another option is the ADO bus for 300 pesos.
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is great for partying, centrally located to visit nearby cenotes. From November till March you can dive with bull sharks (if you have a diving certificate).
If you’re limited on time, or just don’t like to move around a lot, this is a great base to visit other sites like Coba, Tulum and even Chitzen Itza.
Another day trip from Playa del Carmen is Puerto Aventuras. The part on the beach is basically all private property, but you can enter. The beach is pretty with lots of palm trees offering shade. To the side you’ll find a river of water flowing into the sea from a cenote (meaning cold and fresh water). At the Marina you can see the dolphins from the Dolphins Discovery. They swim around the Marina where you can walk around freely and eat/drink something at the many restaurants around. It’s nice to be able to observe dolphins from so closeby without directly contributing to keeping them enclosed. On the other hand, I found it very sad to see the poor things obviously suffering in the small enclosures.
If you’re looking for a bit more peace and quiet than Playa’s chaotic center, find somewhere to stay out of the center like Tikun-Ha. The hostel is very basic, but at 100 pesos per night, this is pretty much to be expected. The beach here on this side of town is a lot quieter than in the center as well. If you keep walking in the direction away from the center, you’ll reach Punta Esmeralda, where you’ll find a cenote.
Playacar on the other side of the center also offers a nice escape from the city chaos. To reach the beach, either walk from the beach in the center, or you’ll have to cross a private property, like a closed suburb, where you’ll need to show your ID in order to pass.
Safety tips: Note that it’s a really common scam at night for the police to stop and revise you. While revising they will take your cash from your wallet. I’ve also heard that a lot of ATMs at 5th avenue dispensing USD have card-readers on them. I didn’t use them as I don’t have a USD account, but just to be on the save side, maybe use ATMs on other blocks.
Isla Mujeres to Playa del Carmen – Take the ferry from Isla Mujeres to the main port in Cancun and either take a taxi (100-150 pesos) or 2 colectivos (40 pesos per person for the 2 of them) to the ADO terminal. Colectivos leave from the Soriana parking lot across the road (45 pesos, 1 hour) or take an ADO if you want to travel more comfortably.
Cancun Downtown to Playa del Carmen – Colectivos leave from the Soriana parking lot across the road (45 pesos, 1 hour) or take an ADO if you want to travel in more comfort.
Cancun Airpot to Playa del Carmen – The most common and comfortable way is the ADO, but this will set you back about 218 pesos. Colectivos coming from Cancun pass by the airport as well. Just walk down to the highway and wave one down. Or you can of course take a taxi if you want to travel even more comfortably.
Cozumel
Cozumel is great for diving and snorkeling. We didn’t go diving but took the standard snorkel tour. They took us to 3 different snorkel places and a beach with shallow water. One of these snorkel places is the famous El Cielo (the sky) where you’ll find lots of big starfish. Negotiate the price of your tour, you should be able to get it for 650-700 pesos. Note that these snorkel places are rather close to the island and they won’t take you to the Mesoamerican reef which runs past the island. Most diving schools will take you but do inquire where they will take you exactly before booking.
Another great activity is to rent a scooter for the day and drive around the island. It’s not possible to go around the whole island, the north is closed off. But you can go around the south and come back through the center. Rent some snorkel gear as you can snorkel on the coast facing the peninsula, so between town and Punta Sur. Be very careful on the rest of the coastline as the waves get very strong! Best to stick to the coast between town and Punta Sur if you want to go for a swim.
I can highly recommend staying at Casa Samay. This place is run by a lovely Mexican/Argentinian couple and offers all the comfort you’ll need.
Tulum
Tulum is a favorite destination of many, but I wasn’t too impressed by the town itself to be honest. This could have something to do with recent shootings between the drug cartels, but I did not like the atmosphere here. It’s also incredibly expensive and the beach is far from the town so you’ll have to decide whether you want the comfort of having everything close to town or staying close to the beach.
This doesn’t mean that Tulum doesn’t have anything to offer though, which is why I marked it in green anyway. The Tulum Ruins are spectacular due to the location on the cliffs, right in front of the beach. The color of the water at the beach is incredible. The Sian Ka’an reserve is excellent for wildlife watching. So either stay for a night or 2 to visit these spots, or visit from nearby Playa del Carmen which is only an hour away.
If you want to stay in Tulum, a good compromise between town and the beach could be staying close to the zona archeologica (Tulum ruins). This way you can visit the ruins early in the morning (and beat the crowds) and continue walking for half an hour to reach the beach. Transport stops here as well, so no need to walk for ages with heavy backpacks or pay for a taxi. Check out The Free Hostel where you will receive your payment for accommodation in credit to spend at the hostel! Still a bit above budget? Daytripper hostel in the center is probably the cheapest you’ll be able to find.
Playa del Carmen to Tulum – The cheapest way to get from Playa to Tulum is by colectivo (50 pesos), but busses are available as well. The ride takes about 1 hour.
Bacalar
Bacalar is famous for its clear blue lake. Unfortunately, due to climate changes, the lake isn’t as blue during most of the year. It is still a nice spot to stop for a day or 2 however. If you’re looking to take a boat tour of the lake, contact Agustín (+52 983 732 6779)! He is super knowledgeable and will tell you everything there is to know about Bacalar and the lake with so much enthusiasm. He really made this tour special. His tours are usually in Spanish, but he speaks a little English as well.
Unfortunately the whole lakeshore in Bacalar is privatized (meaning full of restaurants, hotels, etc.). So if you want to enjoy a day at the lake, take a colectivo or bus heading to Chetumal and get off at Xul-Ha (20 pesos). Walk down to the shore from where you get off and you’ll find a grassy bit right at the lakeshore. The lake is also a lot bluer here than in Bacalar, making it for an excellent (half) day out.
The most popular hostel in Bacalar is Yaxche. Yaxche is located on the lakeside and offers lots of activities. Casa Eek Balaam is slightly cheaper and only a couple of blocks from the terminal and a bit quieter if that’s what you’re after.
Tulum to Bacalar – There are no colectivos for this leg, but ADO busses are 300 pesos and take about 3 hours.
Valladolid
Valladolid is a small colonial city in the state of Yucatan and close to Mayan ruins of Chitzén Itzá. The city itself is small and pretty. I would usually always recommend doing a free walking tour, but I was very disappointed with the one here. Instead, head to the Convent of San Bernardino at 9:30 pm (or 9 pm if you want to practice your Spanish) for a cool video presentation about the history of Valladolid. Tired of the heat in the city? Take a dip in cenote Zací right in the center! Entry is only 30 pesos, or free if you consume in the restaurant on site. Despite being right in the center, it doesn’t get super crowded. A little during the weekend, but especially during the week it’s surprisingly quiet for being in the center.
Even though it is possible to visit Chitzén Itzá from most popular places in the Yucatan, I would really recommend visiting from Valladolid. Mostly, so you can beat the crowds and the vendors. Unfortunately, vendors are allowed to sell their souvenirs inside which takes a lot of the magic away from the place. Luckily, they seem to aim to be set up for when the tours arrive from Cancun, Playa del Carmen etc., at around 10 am. This is also when it gets busy.
So make the effort of getting up early and take a colectivo at 7-7:30 am and be one of the first ones to enter. You’ll be able to enjoy the place in peace for about 2 hours. Currently, it doesn’t get as busy as it used to before corona. We thought it got quite busy around 10:30-11:00 am, but it wasn’t as bad as expected. We spoke to some workers and they mentioned that nowadays, about 1200 people visit Chitzén Itzá in a day. Before Corona, this was close to 20.000! So yes, we can see the complaints of people visiting before saying that Chitzén Itzá being too busy to enjoy! But don’t worry about that too much if you’re visiting while restrictions are still in place. Yes, there will be other people, but you’ll still be able to enjoy it and take your pictures. Especially when entering early.
Chitzén Itzá still not for you, or can’t get enough of Mayan ruins? Check out the nearby Ek Balam ruins. Here you are still allowed to climb the ruins, offering amazing views over the area. Do double check current restrictions if visiting while covid-restrictions are in place. Rules tend to change a lot and at some zonas archealogicas where you can normally climb the ruins you can’t at the moment.
Valladolid is also close to some great cenotes, like Samula and Xkeken (which are on the same terrain) and Oxman. They are close to each other and close to the city, so can even be visited on the same day. Rent a bike, grab a taxi or you can even reach them walking.
Bacalar to Valladolid – The quickest and easiest way to is by bus, for 215 pesos. Tight budget and plenty of time? You can grab a colectivo from Bacalar to Felipe Carillo Puerto and change to another colectivo from there.
Rio Lagartos
This was one of the places I was probably most excited about before visiting, but in the end I was a little disappointed. I had imagined thousands of flamingos in lakes of different shades of pink. The reality, however, is that the pink ‘lakes’ are where the salt is extracted from. The pink color actually comes from the chemicals they put in. Originally this was done to speed up the process, but since they have discovered it attracts tourists, they put in more to make them pinker and charge 250 pesos to take your photo there… Apparently there is a naturally pink lake closer to the coastal town of El Cuyo, but this is a reserve to protect the flamingo’s and you can’t actually go here.
Regarding the flamingos, yes you will see them, but how many and how close depends on the tour you take and with whom. So inquire beforehand.
Even though we were a bit disappointed with the typical tour, we loved the sendero Petén Mac! It’s a 20 minute walk from the center and free to enter. You might find a guy with some printed ‘tickets’ trying to charge you 10 pesos to enter, but just insist that you know it’s free and he’ll let you pass. We went twice, the first day he rushed over on his motor when he saw us. He let us pass when we insisted that we knew it’s free. When we left he wasn’t there anymore and the day after we didn’t see him at all.
The path leads to a waterhole with 2-3 residing crocodiles and lots of other wildlife, like birds, frogs, lizards, fish and we even saw a snake! Most people just do a quick round and snap a couple of pictures of the crocs, but we spend 2 entire afternoons there with our cameras observing the wildlife, drinking maté and eating biscuits.
A quick heads up especially for solo travelers: There are no hostels in Rio Lagartos and private rooms start from about 500 pesos per night.
Valladolid to Rio Lagartos – From Valladolid take a bus to Tizimín. Prices are roughly between 30-55 pesos. Note that there only 2 buses per day, at 10:30 and at 13:00. Our bus from Valladolid was supposed to take 50 minutes, but took about 1.5 hours, so do keep this in mind. If you miss this, you can either take a colectivo later in the afternoon. Not sure how reliable they are however, as we everyone we asked gave us a different schedule. If you’re with a group, it might be worth it to just grab a taxi. We negotiated one for 300 pesos a little too easy, so you can probably get them for less. A bus is 50 pesos and a colectivo 60-70 pesos.
Other places to visit
A little north of Playa del Carmen you’ll find Puerto Morales. It’s a small beach town which isn’t that touristy (yet). It makes for a good alternative for Playa del Carmen. Just note that Playa serves better as a base to explore other parts from, as Puerto Morales doens’t lie directly on the highway.
A lot of people are raving about Akumal, because of the snorkeling with turtles. The access to the beach has been privatized though and now you need to visit the turtles with a guide. As we already planned to go to the Sian Ka’an reserve, we decided to skip this one.
If you’re looking for tiny super laidback beach towns check out El Cuyo and Mahahual. As we spend so much time in Holbox, we skipped.
If you’re more into cities than beach towns, you’ll probably love Merida. Merida is well known to offer lots of culture and there are things to explore around as well, like beach towns, cenotes and Mayan ruins. Just be aware that it gets super hot during summer and you’ll likely just want to lock yourself up in your ho(s)telroom with airconditioning during the day.
Another colonial city is Campeche. The walled historical center is very well preserved and makes for a nice stroll. There is also plenty to explore around, like the bioreserve of Calakmul and of course mayan ruins and cenotes.
This was: The Ultimate Backpacking Guide to the Yucatan Peninsula
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