Best Ways to Enjoy a Luxury Trip to Yucatan, Mexico

Image: Beach in San Crisanto, Yucatan, Mexico. (Photo Credit: Ar1Hkstr1/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Image: Beach in San Crisanto, Yucatan, Mexico. (Photo Credit: Ar1Hkstr1/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
by Juan Antonio (Oso) Oseguera
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Sun November 5, 2023

Yucatan is one of the destinations that has it all for travelers: a great variety of ecosystems, culture, gastronomy, adventure, and tourist products that, without a doubt, will keep you busy and amazed from beginning to end.

If you visit Yucatan, a spectacular destination, whether for vacation or a short getaway, we recommend incredible experiences in luxury. The destination is flexible for those who don't want to spend a lot and those who wish to pamper themselves and treat themselves, creating an unforgettable experience.

DISCOVERING WHITE MERIDA

The Historic Center of Merida is a mixture of buildings, museums, houses, and activities that coexist in time, keeping alive the essence of the land of the Mayab. During your stay, we recommend taking a free tour from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m., which consists of walking through the most representative places of the Historical Center, among them are The Municipal Palace, Plaza Grande, Casa de Montejo, Ateneo Peninsular, San Ildefonso Cathedral, Government Palace and the Murals of Fernando Castro Pacheco, always accompanied by a certified guide.

Visitors can enjoy the Night of Legends Tour, a fusion of theater and tourism with a historical approach whose objective is to learn about the essential points that created the personality of the city of Mérida interactively. It is a show where the characters are in contact with the public in real scenarios that show the history of Mérida in different places such as the Peón Contreras Theater, the Third Order Church, the Cathedral, the Casa de los Montejo, the tunnels of the Casa de Los Ladrillos, the Convent of the Conceptionist Mothers, among others.

Tickets are on sale starting at 5 p.m. in front of the cathedral. This tour can be enjoyed on Thursdays and Saturdays for $20 for adults and $5 for children.

As eating is a must in this state, visit the Taqueria La Lupita, located inside the Santiago Market, where visitors can enjoy the most emblematic cochinita tacos (pork meat) of the city, or you can make a stop at the Palace of Music and enjoy a delicious meal at the Kexti'i restaurant, in any of these places you will eat satisfactorily for less than $15 per person, and then visit the museum that tells the history of traditional and popular Mexican music for only $20 per person.

ADVENTURE IN THE MAGICAL TOWN OF IZAMAL

Izamal is part of the Magical Towns of Mexico, in addition to being considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and noted for the beauty of its yellow houses. The city of the 3 Cultures is located one hour from Merida by car and 1.5 hours by public transportation, leaving from the center of the Yucatan capital at an approximate cost of $5 (round trip).

Once there, it is possible to tour the streets on foot, by bicycle or ATV, for approximately $20 per person. Put on a helmet, get on the ATV, accelerate, and safely take an exciting ride through the beautiful streets of the Magical Town of Izamal.

Yucatan tour in a Land Rover.

Yucatan tour in a Land Rover. (Photo Credit: Oso Oseguera)

During the tour, you will be accompanied by an expert local guide, who will take guests through a picturesque and elegant city, a lively and animated town. Visit the majestic Franciscan convent with the most enormous atrium in Latin America and the second largest worldwide. You will also admire Mayan pyramids, colonial buildings, and artisan workshops, making the ancient holy city of Izamal an actual open museum, considered the most important cultural destination in the Mayan World.

On the gastronomic side, we recommend two icons of local cuisine, Zamna Restaurant and Kinich Restaurant. In both, you will be able to taste authentic food from the Mayan world and discover why these places are gastronomic ambassadors of the region. The average bill per person ranges from $20-$55, and, without a doubt, it will be completely worth it.

A LITTLE LUXURY IN UXMAL

Just an hour away from the state capital, it is possible to find an excellent experience for adrenaline and culture lovers. This is a tour around the archaeological site of Uxmal in a Land Rover; in this adventure, you can feel like an old landowner while you involve all your senses, enjoying the water of a cenote and admiring incredible landscapes that culminates with a visit to the remains of the Hacienda Uxmal. The approximate cost of this activity is $65 per person.

Another option in this area is to visit the beer spa of the Hotel Uxmal Resort Maya, where it is possible to undergo a unique practice of its kind. This service includes a relaxing foot massage with barley, a hot bath in a jacuzzi-like barrel, and a neck and head relaxation massage with hot beer while tasting two regional beers. This experience costs around $100 per person, not including food.

Spa de Cerveza in Uxmal.

Spa de Cerveza in Uxmal. (Photo Credit: Oso Oseguera)

Last is Echoes of Uxmal, a night tour through this majestic archaeological site and a play of light and sound. You will be transported to the past of this ancient town and its impressive legends. Admission per person to this event is around $35.

Take your time, and on your next vacation, visit Yucatan, one of the safest destinations in the country, and enjoy these and more of its 365 tourist experiences. Use the travel planner of yucatan.travel and enjoy a unique trip to the lands of the Mayab, where you can find paradisiacal beaches, exotic nature, extraordinary haciendas, ancient culture, and gastronomy of significant levels in a cosmopolitan city considered one of the best cities to visit in 2023.


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Juan Antonio (Oso) Oseguera

Co Editor - Mexico & Latin America

Oso Oseguera is an experienced journalist with more than 30 years of practice. His coverage of different topics makes him an...

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