Cenotes and cabañas

On arrival in Cancun airport, you'll be greeted in the arrivals hall by our local agent and transferred to Playa del Carmen, where you'll spend your first two nights. Your hotel is centrally located, between the wide beaches and the buzzing Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue). Sipping on a margarita in one of the outdoor cafes, Mexican guitar music in the background, the long flight becomes a distant memory and you'll gradually slip into Mexican 'mañana' holiday mode...

The next morning, you can head to the beach to soak up the Mexican sun. Enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the many beach bars or wander round the bustling shopping street Quinta Avenida. There's always plenty going on there, especially in the evening. After a day of relaxing you'll be ready to start your Yucatan itinerary tomorrow.
 

Today, you'll pick up your rental car in Playa del Carmen and armed with directions and information about all the sights you head inland. First stop on your Yucatan itinerary is the village Lagartos where you will have time for lunch (not included) before your boat trip through Rio Lagartos nature reserve. Floating past mangrove forests and lakes full of flamingos, pelicans, ibises, caimans and eagles you'll soon reach a surprisingly large salt lake where you can stop for a swim. The high salt content will keep you afloat in the warm water and turns your skin peachy soft. Just make sure you don't shave that morning...

After the boat trip it's a short 10km drive to San Felipe, a typical Caribbean village with colourful wooden houses.

Distance: approx 4 hours including rest breaks

San Felipe one of those rustic Mexican fishing villages where daily goings on are closely observed by old ladies sitting in their rocking chairs on the porch. You can take a walk through the village and along the boulevard before you drive on to the colonial town Valladolid. The central square is a great place to have some lunch. In the afternoon, you'll continue on to the ancient Mayan city Chichèn Itza where you will be spending the night close to the ruins in a comfortable hacienda set in lush tropical gardens.

Every night at 8pm the main square of Chichen Itza is lit up by a light show. A combination ticket for the light show, headphones and admission can be purchased at the entrance for around $US15.

Distance: approx 4 hours including rest breaks 

As your hotel is close to the entrance, you can set out early in the morning to explore Chichen Itza and enjoy the serene atmosphere of the ruins before the crowds of tourists arrive. Walk to El Castillo (the castle), a temple dedicated to the god Kulkulkan. It's a perfectly symmetrical pyramid, but because it's so steep, climbing the temple is no longer allowed. Nevertheless it's still one of the most prominent structures in the complex.

After exploring the ancient city you'll continue your Yucatan itinerary and set off on a short drive to Izamal. All the buildings in this exclusively Mexican town are painted bright yellow. There's a tour scheduled for 4pm, but don't worry - you won't find yourselves lost in a bus-load of tourists. This tour is local style - horse and carriage. It's the best way to experience the rural atmosphere of this town as the sun goes down.

Distance Chichèn - Izamal: approx 1½ hours including rest breaks

This morning, you'll wake up in the sea of pillows the hotel has lovingly arranged for you on the bed. You'll spend the entire day in Izamal, so you can explore the town at your own pace. Izamal was an important Mayan city until the Spanish invasion. The Spaniards destroyed most of the buildings in the town and built a Franciscan monastery in the main square (see photo). You can still visit the monastery today, as well as some of the remaining original Mayan buildings. In the town centre, you'll find the Mercado, or local market. For dinner, try a traditional Yucatan meal at Kinich, a restaurant next to the ruins and finish off your evening with a stroll through the town back to your hotel.

From Campeche, you'll first follow the road along the fishing village coast south, and then take the 'quota' highway (approx US$3). Palenque is in the heart of the jungle where it's hot and humid, which is why we've booked accommodation in rather more refreshing surroundings. Just outside the village surrounded by tropical gardens and with a large pool where you can cool off. The ruins of Palenque are 10 minutes drive away. You'll be able to visit the ruins on your own the next day. Don't forget to bring plenty of water - it's very hot but the amazing views across the jungle and the temples are completely worth it.

After the ruins you can take a refreshing dip in one of the waterfalls in the area. You'll find several hidden away in the jungle, like Misol Ha and Agua Azul (blue water).

Distance on Day 8 of the Yucatan itinerary: Campeche - Palenque: 6 hours including rest breaks.

You can spend this morning relaxing and enjoying the beautiful tropical surroundings. As we feel that the distance from Palenque to the Caribbean coast is a little too far to cover in one day, we've booked a night in an eco-village near Chicanna. There's no village here and no other hotels - you'll stay in the forest with just the hummingbirds, parrots and toucans as your neighbours. The eco-village is made up of wooden two-storey bungalows built around a swimming pool in beautiful surroundings. The rooms are spacious and have a modern bathroom. In the restaurant you can enjoy some delicious meals with home-grown vegetables.

Driving distance: 5 hours

If you leave Palenque early the next morning, you'll have time to visit the Mayan city of Calakmul on the way to Chicanna (another 1½ hours drive to your hotel). The complex is fairly unknown so it's a lot quieter than the ever popular Palenque, but with its colossal pyramids, dizzying steps, royal tombs, jade masks and rare vases it's no surprise this city once rivalled its larger counterpart Tikal. 

This morning, you can spend some time by the pool or listen to the birds twittering from the comfort of your rocking chair. Then it's time to head on to the Caribbean along the Mayan Riviera and Tulum. This will be your last stop on your Yucatan itinerary.

Distance: Chicanna - Tulum: 6 hours (7 if you include a visit to the recently discovered ruins of Kohunlich, or 8 hours if you also include a lunch on Lake Bacalar.)
 

You'll finish off your trip in style, with 2 nights in wonderful Tulum. Here, you can simply stretch out and enjoy the sun, sea and sand. You'll stay in a cabaña on the beach, 7km from the village and only a 15 minute drive from the famous cliff-top Mayan ruins.

There are a number of small hotels along the beach in Tulum (check out Palm trees and Palapas for more info). Most of them have a small bar and behind the hotels there's a sandy road with a handful of shops. Don't expect any wild discos here, Tulum is very low-key - which is part of its appeal. With an average temperature of 24°C (28°C in summer), it's the perfect place to recharge your batteries before your trip back home.
 

Day 14: Tulum - Cancun - End of the Yucatan itinerary