To start off our backpacking adventure of we spent our first 2 weeks travelling around the Yutucan Peninsular. There is so much to see and do in this area you will not find yourself wondering what to do while on holiday here.
How to travel around the Yucatan Peninsular
There are several different transport options you can use to navigate your way around the area. The main bus company is ADO which travels from all the major tourist towns and is relatively cheap to use. The buses are air-conditioned, with recliner seats and are very safe to use. We also hired a car with Europcar which was only US$25 a day for a week including mandatory Third-Party Liability Insurance. Driving around we found the roads well maintained, easy to navigate and had no issues with police on the roads which was one of the biggest worries we had.
The must see places of the Yucatan Peninsular
Cancun – One of the most popular beach towns for tourists. It is made of two main areas. Hotelier zone which is where all the big beach resorts and hotels are based. Then Cancun town where you can find restaurants where the locals like to eat, the flea market for cheap souvenirs and the ADO bus terminal where all the buses depart to other towns along the Peninsular.
Puerto Morelos – About 30 minutes drive south of Cancun is a smaller beach town/ fishing village. We stayed on the colonial side of Puerto Morelos for our base camp. Puerto Morelos has a lovely beach which is where you will find the main spot for tourists as you can do snorkel tours our the 2nd largest reef in the world, as well as some great seafood restaurants. On the colonial side you will find some great cheap eat restaurants and you can catch the ADO bus line from here also to other towns.
Playa Del Carmen – 1 hour south of Cancun, this once sleepy fishing town is now a major hot spot with tourists. A lot like Cancun with many big beach resorts and hotels. There are plenty of restaurant options to choose from for all different cuisines. If wanting to visit the island of Cozumel you will catch the ferry from here also. If staying in Puerto Morelos you can catch an ADO bus here for just 37 pesos per person one way, the bus runs about every half hour.
Tulum – Home to ruins of an ancient Mayan port city. The Tulum Ruins cost 75 pesos per person for entry, you can pay cash or card. I would recommend arriving early morning or late afternoon to beat the tour bus crowds and the heat, as there is not much shade around. After spending time walking around the ruins, you can make your way into Tulum town for a bite to eat, you will have choice of many different restaurant options as well supermarkets, bank and souvenir stores.
Coba – An ancient Mayan city with one of the only places on the Yucatan Peninsular you can climb one of the ancient pyramids. The entry fee is 75 pesos per person. The grounds are quite spaced out and would recommend hiring one of the bikes to make it easier to get around. Bike hire is 50 pesos per person per bike, paid in cash. If you don’t want to ride around the grounds, you can walk but you will be walking about 5km, The grounds are covered in shade which is nice as you can visit any time of the day. After exploring the Coba ruins you can make your way to one of the nearby Cenotes for a refreshing swim in one of the many natural sinkholes that are dotted all over Mexico.
Chichen Itza – One of the new seventh wonders of the new world. Chichen Itza is one of the more popular Mayan ruins sites to visit. It will take approximately 2 hour drive from Cancun inland, you can visit the site by local ADO bus, your own rental car or on tour. If driving your own rental car, you will need to pay for 2 tolls which are 320 pesos and 75 pesos one way, you will need to pay the same on the return if taking the toll road back. If parking onsite you will need to pay 80 pesos for parking. Entry to Chichen Itza costs 480 pesos per person which can be paid by credit card or cash. The site is quite large so make sure to bring hats, sunscreen and water if visiting in summer.
Recommended places to dine:
Puerto Morelos :
Quesadillas de la Colonia – a cheap eat restaurant for quesadillas
The Burger Underground – great place to go if in the mood for burgers
La Sirena – Nice Greek inspired restaurant and rooftop bar with over the ocean
Playa Del Carmen: La Cueva del Chango – Great restaurant away from the main tourist area
Tulum:
Burrito Amor – Great tasting burritos
Restaurante La Zebra – Perfect beach restaurant to enjoy sunset drinks or a nice meal
