Great food, fantastic climate, picture-perfect beaches, exciting wildlife and an interesting history. We almost do not know where to start – Mexico simply covers the full scale. This tour gives a wonderful sample of the country’s diversity and combines relaxation, adventure and history in beautiful tropical surroundings. All this within relatively short distances, which means that the tour also caters for travellers with children.
On this tour, you will experience both the must-see areas and less visited places of the Yucatán Peninsula. Look forward to the beaches at the beach town of Playa del Carmen, the impressive Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, the colourful colonial city of Valladolid, which oozes Mexican charm, and the charming island of Isla Holbox, where the atmosphere is relaxed and carefree – a perfect place to end your tour.
So this tour offers something for both those who appreciate lovely temperatures, azure waters and paradise beaches with swaying palm trees and those looking for an insight into Mexican history and culture. Extra excursions can be purchased as add-ons to tailor the tour to precisely your needs and dreams.
Viva Mexico!
Today, there is departure from your chosen airport, and the tour heads towards Cancún on the Yucatán Peninsula in fantastic Mexico.
After you have collected your luggage and gone through immigration, a driver will be ready to greet you and drive you to your hotel in Playa del Carmen. The drive takes about one hour.
Upon arrival in Playa del Carmen, it is hard to imagine that it was once (back in the 90s) just a sleepy fishing village with dirt roads. It is not anymore! The lovely climate, the delicious food and, not least, the beautiful beach and azure sea attract travellers from all over the world, and Playa del Carmen is today one of the most popular cities on the Riviera Maya, as the coast from Cancún down to Tulum is called.
You can choose to dine at the hotel if you are tired after your flight, but you can already today also explore Playa del Carmen’s famous main street, La Quinta Avenida, also known as Fifth Avenue. The street is lined with shops, restaurants, cafés and bars and offers a lively atmosphere both day and night. The menus are full of delicious Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, quesadillas and, of course, nachos and guacamole, but there is obviously also plenty of delicious seafood on offer here.
You will have the next couple of days to explore Playa del Carmen and its surroundings on your own. The climate is tropical, the air is warm, and we think that you are itching to grab a towel, head for the beautiful Caribbean beach and jump into the warm sea. It is well deserved. Enjoy that your tour has begun!
The lovely beach invites you to both relax and swim, but also offers a wealth of water sports activities such as stand-up paddle, windsurfing and jet skiing.
Off Playa del Carmen is the island of Cozumel. It is the third largest island in Mexico and is almost 500 km2. There are good hiking trails on the island, and you can also rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace some of the island’s beautiful beaches and the San Gervasio Mayan Ruins.
Cozumel is actually most famous for its life beneath the sea, and you can have a unique diving or snorkelling experience with corals, tropical fish, rays and perhaps even sea turtles. There is a ferry service to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen several times a day. It takes about 45 minutes to get there.
Learn more about one of Mexico’s most famous painters, Frida Kahlo, at the small Frida Kahlo Museum, which is located centrally in a side street to the pedestrian main street. It is a museum that tells her interesting life story, but note that none of her original works are on display here.
You can also visit the fun 3D art museum, Museum of Wonders, where great works by artists such as Da Vinci and Michelangelo are illustrated in 3D, and where it is possible to take a lot of crazy photos. The museum is also a fun activity for children.
When the day is coming to an end, we can recommend going down to one of the cozy beach bars to enjoy a cold juice or drink. Down here, the atmosphere is a little calmer than on the town’s main street.
After breakfast, the tour proceeds inland to the charming and historic colonial city of Valladolid – a journey of about two hours.
Valladolid was founded in 1543 by the Spanish conquistadors and was named after the city of Valladolid in Spain. The city was originally established at the current location of the town of Campeche, but it was moved to its current location in 1545 to take advantage of better water supply and to avoid the many mosquitoes.
The city is known for its rich history, beautiful architecture and laid-back atmosphere, and it is an ideal place to experience traditional Mexican culture.
Spend the afternoon in the city’s central square, Parque Francisco Cantón Rosado, which is always buzzing with life, and where you will also find the beautiful cathedral, Catedral de San Gervasio.
For dinner, try some of the area’s specialties such as ‘Sopa de Lima’, a traditional lime soup with chicken or ‘Cochinita Pibil’, a delicious dish of marinated pork wrapped in banana leaves and served with tortillas and pickled red onion.
Today, you can buy a sightseeing transfer as an add-on, so that you do not drive directly to Valladolid, but make stops en route in Akumal, where you can experience sea turtles on a snorkelling trip, and in Tulum, where you visit the town’s popular Mayan ruins, which have a unique location on a cliff overlooking the azure sea.
Today, one of the great highlights of the tour awaits: the visit to Chichen Itza – among the most famous and well-preserved Mayan ruins in the world and for the same reason named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Chichen Itza was founded around the 6th Century and experienced its heyday between the 9th and 12th Centuries. The town was an important religious, political and economic centre for the Maya people, and played a crucial role in the development of the region’s culture. The name ‘Chichen Itza’ means ‘at the mouth of the Itza well’ in the Mayan language, and it refers to the cenotes (natural wells/freshwater holes) which are found in the area, and which were vital sources of water for the town.
Look forward to getting an exciting insight into the history of Mayan civilisation, including with a visit to El Castillo, which is a pyramid-shaped temple that is especially known for its astronomical significance. Twice a year, during the spring equinox and autumn equinox, you can experience a shadow play effect that resembles a snake moving down the stairs of the pyramid – a tribute to the serpent god Kukulkan.
Your guide will give you an exciting tour of the area’s most significant ruins, which, in addition to El Castillo, include the Observatory (El Caracol), the Temple of the Warriors (Templo de los Guerreros) and the Great Ball Court (Gran Juego de Pelota). We dare say that it was not always an advantage to win a match back then!
After the guided tour, you will have time to explore the area on your own.
Chichen Itza is by far the greatest attraction on the Yucatán Peninsula and has thousands of visitors every day. It is a great advantage for you that you are staying in Valladolid, which is located just an hour from the ruins, so that you arrive just as they open. It provides a more authentic experience of the place in the first few hours before the many visitors arrive from Riviera Maya. Even if you arrive early in Chichen Itza, remember a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. It can get really hot here! Please note that GoPro cameras are not allowed at the archaeological site.
At noon, you will be driven out to the beautiful cenote, San Lorenzo Oxman, where a refreshing dip awaits you. A cenote is a natural, underground freshwater hole, and it is something unique for Yucatán. The Cenote Oxman is open, so that the sunlight hits the fresh water and highlights the green colour. Lush vegetation and tree roots grow down the sides of the cenote, giving it a completely fairytale look. There are toilets and changing rooms here, and you can rent a locker for your valuables and a life jacket for a small fee.
In fact, there are more than 6,000 cenotes on the Yucatán Peninsula. You can read more about cenotes in our blog here.
After the visit to the cenote, you will be driven back to your hotel in Valladolid, and you will have the rest of the afternoon at your own disposal. There is no specific lunch stop included in today’s excursion, but it is possible to buy light meals at both Chichen Itza and the Cenote Oxman.
You have the day on your own in Valladolid. Immerse yourself in the local life on the cobbled streets and discover the colourful and photogenic houses on the street Calzada de los Frailes. Visit the historic San Bernardino de Siena Monastery and Cenote Zaci, which is located in the middle of the city and is a refreshing oasis in the midday heat.
If you want to experience more Mayan ruins, you can visit the interesting and much less visited Mayan ruins of Ek Balam, located approx. 25 km north of Valladolid – a hidden gem in the area.
We can also highly recommend purchasing a trip to the spectacular nature area at Rio Lagartos, where you can experience flamingos and crocodiles in their natural habitat. This trip also includes a stop at the Ek Balam ruins.
After some eventful days, the tour proceeds towards the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula to the island of Isla Holbox (pronounced Holbosh), where paradise beaches and spectacular natural scenery await you.
You will be picked up at your hotel and driven to the small town of Chiquila – a trip of about two hours. From here, you will take a ferry across to the island. You can sit both inside and outside on the deck with the wind in your hair and enjoy the view of the small lagoon. The boat trip takes just 30 minutes, but it is like entering a completely different world when you set foot on Holbox.
The island is known for its relaxed and bohemian atmosphere, and, on Holbox, they also attach importance to sustainable tourism, so visitors do not damage the local wildlife and environment. It is really difficult not to fall in love with this place.
There are no asphalted roads, and the sand-covered streets give the island a rustic charm. Transportation around the island is on foot, by bicycle or in a golf cart. So, yes, you will of course be picked up in a golf cart at the ferry and driven to your hotel. The island is completely flat, which may cause some challenges during the wettest periods of the year when some of the streets get flooded. Fortunately, the golf carts are fitted with large tires, and they will get you to the hotel and back to the ferry even if you travel during the rainy season.
There is only one actual town on the island, and here you will find small charming and colourful restaurants, bars and shops. The beautiful endless beach is located on the north coast of the island, where you will find most of the hotels, along with small stalls selling excursions, fresh coconuts and, of course, cool beverages.
Look forward to getting sand between your toes and taking a dip in the warm sea.
There are no plans for the next couple of days, and you decide the pace yourself. Relax in a sun lounger in the shade of a palm tree at the white sandy beaches or take a swim in the crystal-clear sea to cool off. The waters around Holbox are shallow and child-friendly, and also perfect for kayaking, stand-up paddling and kitesurfing.
You can also rent a small golf cart or bicycle and explore the island on your own. For example, visit Punta Coco on the west coast of the island at sunset and watch the sky become painted in a beautiful palette of colours.
Isla Holbox is known for its rich biodiversity and is part of the protected Yum Balam Nature Reserve. Crocodiles, flamingos, pelicans and many other tropical birds live here. The lagoon around Holbox is an important habitat for these species. You can purchase several different trips as add-ons where you can experience the unique flora and fauna of the island and get close to the wildlife both above and below the sea.
On Holbox, you can also experience the magical natural phenomenon of bioluminescence. Microorganisms in the sea emit a blue light when they are disturbed, creating a surreal glow in the waves. It can only be experienced at night and is best around the new moon, when there is the least light disturbance.
After a day of relaxation and adventure, charming eateries await with a large selection of Mexican food and a wealth of seafood. In many places, live music completes the experience.
It has become time to say goodbye to this little piece of paradise.
You will be picked up at the hotel, driven to the ferry and taken across to Chiquila. Here, a car will be waiting for you and will take you to the airport in Cancún, from where your return journey will start. The trip to the airport takes approx. three hours.
You will land at your chosen airport after an exciting tour in Mexico.
Children under 12 years from £1989
Single room supplement from £789
Emily loves to travel and is extremely passionate about helping others achieve their travel dreams.
