Tips for the Yucatan Peninsula

With places like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, colonial cities, many Mayan sites and Isla Holbox, the Yucatan peninsula combines culture, history, nature, beaches and sports. The Yucatan Peninsula connects the Gulf of Mexico with the Caribbean Sea. It is diverse and has destinations for every taste. Here are some tips for the Yucatan Peninsula.

What to expect

Yes, there are hot spots. But these are far from Mexico’s tourist destinations. The latter are still safe and popular destinations for visitors from all over the world.  Common sense applies when traveling in Mexico, just as it does anywhere in the world.

Tips for the Yucatan Peninsula: Which sights are worthwhile?

To get a complete impression of the Yucatan Peninsula, consider a small Yucatan round trip of ten days minimum. This should include at least one beach stay, one Mayan site and one colonial site.

One of almost everybody’s favorite locations is Tulum in the Riviera Maya. This offers the perfect combination of beach and Mayan culture.

Tips for the Yucatan Peninsula: Izamal

For visiting colonial places, consider visiting Izamal as well as Merida in Yucatan. Izamal is located between Cancun and Merida. A morning or afternoon on the way to/from Merida is enough to explore picturesque Izamal. Almost the entire village is painted golden yellow, which makes photographers’ hearts beat faster. A visit to the San Padua monastery is also worthwhile. By the way, it is the oldest monastery in the Americas.

Merida is the vibrant capital of Yucatan. It is rich in culture and history. A walk along the magnificent “Paseo de Montejo” (Mexico’s answer to the Champs Élysées), past proud mansions and horse-drawn carriages, is like a journey back in time to colonial Mexico.

Tips for the Yucatan Peninsula: Holbox island

Sandy beaches, a white, breathtaking beach, the most beautiful sunsets in the world and still hardly any cell phone or internet reception: This is Holbox. Paradise on earth. If you are lucky and the hotel guests get along with each other, Villas Flamingos offers spontaneous barbecues. With fresh fish and lobsters, from the sea directly onto the grill. The hotel’s tables and pool are lit by candlelight and torches. And late in the evening, the tequila bottle is passed around.

Which food is typical for Yucatan?

Mexico’s cuisine and its specialties have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And for a good reason. Mexico gave the world not only avocados, chocolate and tequila. But it offers many flavorful treats, which vary by region.

In Yucatan, the Mayan influence is unmistakable in the local cuisine. The tropical, dense jungle of the Yucatan Peninsula was not only home to the Mayans, but was also their main source of food for centuries. Achiote and habanero chilies, citrus, local vegetables such as the zucchini-like “chaya” and all sorts of smoked foods still provide the basic building block for many of the peninsula’s flavor bombs. Like “Cochinita Pibil”, a kind of roast pork served on small corn tortillas, which is probably the most famous dish of the region.