Forget Cabo San Lucas and Acapulco. According to the Mexico Tourism Board, the Yucatán Peninsula, a 180,000-square-mile rock shelf separating the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, is the most visited destination
in Mexico. And with good reason: where else can you spend the
morning sipping a margarita on a picture-perfect tropical beach and the afternoon navigating a city built by the ancient Mayan tribe? The Yucatán Peninsula is made up of three states—Yucatán to the north, Campeche to the southwest and Quintana Roo to the east—each of which offers so much to see and do that you could spend an entire weeklong vacation there and still
get only a small
taste. Whether you decide to spend your trip in just one state or tour the entire Peninsula, the information on the following pages will help you plan your journey.
YUCATÁN STATE Merida, the capital of Yucatán State and the largest city on the peninsula, is one of the safest and most tranquil cities in Mexico, making it an ideal spot to begin your adventure on the Yucatán Peninsula. The city’s unique combination of Mayan roots, colonial monuments and turn-of-the-19th-century architecture equals sightseeing opportunities around every corner—from the Government Palace, an ornate circa 1892 building with interesting murals, to the Museum of Anthropology, which showcases Mayan artifacts found at different sites on the
Yucatán Peninsula in the last 25 years. Plan to spend at least a full day in Merida, beginning with the free guided tour of the historic downtown area offered every day at 9:30 a.m. Make sure to work up an appetite; the city is known for its excellent restaurants, where you can sample local dishes such as pollo pibil (marinated chicken baked in a banana leaf), lime soup and sorbete (gelato).
Once you’ve seen the sights in Merida, head out of the city to marvel at the area’s ample Mayan ruins. (Many are within driving distance of Merida, so consider making that your home base.) One of the most impressive ruins is the city of Uxmal, perhaps the best-known archaeological site of the pre-Hispanic era. Declared a World
Heritage Site in 1997, Uxmal awes scientists and tourists alike with its intricate construction and delicate embossment, owing to the fact that Mayan builders didn’t possess metal tools. Remains include the 125-foot-tall Pyramid
of the Magician and the elegant Palace of the Governor, which covers
five acres. Other ruins near Merida include Chichén-Itzá, a city abandoned around 1400 with many fine stone buildings, and Labná,
a city abandoned around 1000 that is notable for its arch marking the limit where the priests, soldiers and nobles lived. When exploring Mayan ruins, we recommend that you start out in the morning when the weather
is coolest, wear comfortable shoes and bring
your camera.
WHO WERE THE MAYANS? The Mayans were an American Indian civilization of Central America and southern Mexico that reached its peak between A.D. 200 and 900. They were a highly developed people whose contributions were many, especially in the fields of language, astronomy and mathematics. Their decline is thought to have been caused by war, crop failure and disease. By the time the Spanish arrived around 1520, the Mayans were starkly diminished and their great cities were abandoned. Many of their carvings on stone have survived and provide much of what is known today about their civilization.
CAMPECHE STATE Largely undiscovered by tourists, Campeche State offers two types of must-see ancient sites: military forts and Mayan ruins. The military forts are in the capital city, also named Campeche, which was named a World Heritage Site in 1999. Originally, a Mayan trading port, Campeche was settled by the Spanish in 1540. Around that time, the Spanish settlers began shipping local timber, gold and silver to Europe, turning the town into a profitable trading port. Eager to get their hands on some of the loot, for years pirates pummeled Campeche with attacks. This prompted the Spanish to fortify the town with huge bulwarks, many of which are still standing. Two of the most impressive are the main forts, San Miguel and San José, which protected the town from nearby hills on either side. Today San Miguel is a museum with a collection of pre-Hispanic items on display, and San José houses a collection of boats and weapons of the period.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to
tour the forts, stroll through Campeche’s central town square to find information about booking a tour. Factor in time for perusing the local handicrafts, including textiles,
pottery and Panama hats. Outside of Campeche City, dramatic Mayan ruins are scattered throughout Campeche State, providing
a glimpse of a bygone era. One of the most-visited sites is Becán, located halfway between the towns of Campeche and Chetumal, a 36-acre city where you can wander amid restored pyramids, grand plazas, temples and palaces built around 600 B.C. Other well-known ruins include Edzná, located 37 miles southeast of Campeche City, once a thriving commercial city; and Reserva de la Biósfera Calakmul, located
67 miles southwest of Xpujil, where thousands
of structures lie under profuse greenery that is home
to howler monkeys and other tropical wildlife.
QUINTANA ROO STATE Quintana Roo State is a place for beach-lovers. Of course, being on the Yucatán Peninsula, there are plenty of Mayan ruins to visit on the rare days when the sun isn’t shining. If you want to hit the beach, a popular place to start is in world-famous Cancún, which offers state-of-the-art hotels, lively nightlife, sophisticated restaurants, great shopping and just about any other modern amenity you could want. Cancún consists of a medium-size coastal city, as well as a long, thin island (known
as
the “Hotel Zone”) connected to the mainland by a bridge on either side, north and south. There are many postcard-worthy beaches along Cancún’s shores, some facing Mujeres Bay and others facing the Caribbean Sea. If you plan to swim in the Caribbean, watch for the warning flags on the shore: green or blue indicates calm seas; yellow, proceed with caution; and red or black, danger.
From Cancún, those with a rental car have easy access to the famed Cancún-Tulum Corridor (Highway 307), which runs parallel to the Caribbean. Along this approximately 75-mile strip of road, almost every turnoff to the left offers an amazing sight to behold—from ancient Mayan ruins peeking through the palm trees to the Great Mayan Reef, the largest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere (and a hot spot among divers). The most popular destination on the “Mayan Riviera,” as this area is known, is Playa del Carmen, a once-sleepy beach town with a population that has doubled twice in
recent years. From Playa del Carmen, those looking for adventure can hop a ferry to Cozumel, Mexico’s largest island, located just off the coast. Although Cozumel doesn’t offer the glitz
of Cancún, it is charming in its own right, with crystal-clear water perfect for snorkeling and other water sports. After Playa del Carmen, the next major town is Tulum, the site of a small but beautiful Mayan ruin poised on
a cliff above the Caribbean. If you want
to cool off with a swim, you can do so from the pristine beach located in front
of the site.
TRAVEL TIPS The Yucatán Peninsula has two rainy seasons, April through May and September through
January, so plan your trip accordingly. The average temperature is in the 80s.
Passports are required to enter Mexico.
Drink only distilled or bottled water during your trip. When buying fresh fruits or vegetables, be sure to wash them with distilled or bottled water before eating; peel if
possible.
You must be 25 and have a valid
driver’s license and a major credit card to rent a car in Mexico. Reserve your vehicle before leaving home
to ensure the lowest rate and
availability.
In case of emergency, call (55) 5250-0123, the 24-hour hotline of the Mexico Ministry of Tourism, or dial 066 (the
Mexican equivalent of 911).
U.S. tourists are permitted to bring back $400 worth of
merchandise. The next $1,000 worth of items brought back is subject
to a duty of 10 percent.
For more information about
visiting the Yucatán Peninsula, visit www.yucatantoday.com.
