Whether you are looking for white sandy beaches and water in many shades of blue where you can enjoy a relaxed vacation and soak up the sun or if you are looking for adventure trecking through lush green jungles, swimming in the crystal clear waters of a limestone sinkhole (Cenote), diving coral reefs or exploring ancient ruins, the Yucatan Peninsula is an amazing part of mexico that has something to offer every kind of traveler.
In this Travel guide of the Yucatan Peninsula, i will try to help you find the Best Places to Stay, the Best Places to Eat, and the Best Things to See and Do, to make your trip unforgettable.
All Information and prices are updated to 2024.
" Mexico is a Mosaic of different Realities and Beauties" -Enrique Pena Nieto
Table of Contents
Top Things to know about theYucatan Peninsula
When to visit?: November is the best time to visit, with fewer crowds and the end of the hurricane season.
The best time to see or even swim with Whale Sharks is from June till September.
December and April are the busiest months to visit, and during Spring break.
Language: The main language spoken is Spanish, but in almost all the tourist areas, English is widely used. If you should decide to go off the beaten track, you will need to know a little more Spanish.
It never hurts to learn a few important words in the language of the country you are visiting. It will be appreciated.
Currency: The local currency is the Mexican Peso, but USD is also widely accepted. As are credit cards. Use the Wise credit card for great exchange rates.
Getting around?: Taxi, Bus, Colectivo or rent a car.
Safety: The Yucatán Peninsula is very safe, just be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on your belongings.
Do not drink tap water in Mexico!
SIM-Card: Local prepaid SIM-cards from Telcel. Make sure your phone is unlocked and buy it at an official retail store. Avoid buying at the airport.
How to spend 2 Weeks on the Yucatan Peninsula
Day#1 to 5: Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is one of the jewels along the Mexican Riviera Maya with beautiful beaches, turquoise water and great nightlife, more affordable than popular Cancun.
Find out more about Playa del Carmen and the best hotels to stay at, in the link below.....
How to get from Cancun InternationalAirport to Playa del Carmen?
Depending on which form of transportation you decide to take, it will take about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to drive from Cancun International Airport (CUN) to Playa del Carmen city center.
One way is to take a shared shuttle transfer. This will cost about 29usd per person one way.
The cheapest way is to use the ADO bus. It is the only public bus company allowed to offer transfers from the airport. A one-way ticket will cost around 300 pesos per person.
The bus stops on 5th Avenue and Juarez Avenue in Playa del Carmen.
You could also decide to hop on a taxi from Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen, but I don’t recommend it! It is expensive and hard to get a fair price. We got scammed! It should cost around 70-80usd.
One of the best and most flexible options is to rent a car. Find the best deals with
The only downside to renting a car is finding parking in Playa del Carmen, so check if your hotel offers free parking.
Day#6&7: Chichén Itzá
In Mayan, Chichen Itza means "At the brim of the well, where the wise men of the water live."
It was one of the most important city-states of pre-Hispanic America and is now one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico.
Find out more about Chichen Itza and where to stay, in the link below......
How to get to Chichén Itzá from Playa del Carmen?
We used the ADO bus from Playa del Carmen and took us about 4 hours without having to change buses.
It cost us around 15usd per person, one way.
If you just want to do a day trip from Playa del Carmen to Chichen Itza, you will only have about 4 hours to enjoy this magnificent archeological site.
Day#8 & 9: Tulum and Akumal
Tulum has become an extraordinary Jem on the Mexican Riviera Maya due to its Mayan ruins directly on the coast.
And
Akumal is a small beach community between Playa del Carmen and Tulum in the Riviera Maya. It is one of the best places to see and swim with sea turtles. Akumal comes from the Mayan word for "place of the turtles".
Find out more about Tulum and Akumal and where to stay, in the link below.....
How to get to Tulum from Playa del Carmen?
Take the ADO bus, Taxi or Rent a car.
The cheapest way to get here is to use a Colectivo (Mexivan public transportation minivan) or ADO Bus. The Colectivo will cost around 50pesos/ 3usd per person one way. Just let the driver know where you want to get out. In Tulum you get out infront of the ADO station. This is also where you catch the bus back to playa del carmen.
If you decide to use the ADO bus, you can book your bus ticket online on the ADO website or buy it at the bus terminal. Go to the terminal Playa del carmen turistica and take the bus heading to Tulum zona Arqueologica. It will cost between 55 and 114pesos.
You can also take a taxi. The official taxis are white cars with a light blue stripe and writing on the sides. This will cost around 700 to 900pesos one way. Make sure to agree on a price before you enter the taxi.
Or rent a car with Discovercars.com.
How to get to Akumal from Playa del Carmen?
You can use your Rental car to get to Akumal. It is a scenic 20-minute drive.
Take a Taxi from anywhere in Playa del Carmen. Be sure to agree on a price with the taxi driver before you get into the taxi! It should cost around 250 to 300 pesos one way.
Or take public transportation, the Colectivo. These are minivans found on Calle 2 with 15 Avenue, and it takes about 30 minutes to reach Akumal. These only cost around 25 to 30 Pesos per person, one way.
Day#10-14: Cozumel and Isla Mujeres
Cozumel is an incredible island to visit, just a 40-minute ferry ride from Playa del Carmen. It is here where you can experience world-class diving and snorkeling and many other exciting activities above the waves.
And
Isla Mujeres is a magical tropical island in the Caribbean Sea with gorgeous beaches, turquoise waters and a chill vibe. A must-do here is to rent a golf cart and explore the island.
Find out more about Cozumel and Isla Mujeres in the link below......
How to get to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen?
The only way to get to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen is to take a 40-minute ferry ride.
There are 2 ferry companies to choose from at Playa del Carmen ferry terminal, Ultramar and Winjet.
A one-way ticket costs around 8-13usd and a round trip 17-25usd.
How to get to Isla Mujeres?
Take the ferry.
From Cancun international Airport, take the ADO airport bus to downtown Cancun and from there a taxi to Puerta Juarez.
The ferry leaves every 30 min from 5a.m till 9:30p.m. It takes about 15 min and costs about 30usd per person round-trip.
How much did this trip cost?
Our flight from Zurich to Cancun cost us around €2300 for 2 people.
4 Nights in Playa del Carmen cost us around €1000 in an all-inclusive resort.
A full day admission ticket to Xcaret Park cost us €112 per Person.
Food, Drinks and transport in and around Playa del Carmen cost us around €150 for 2 people for 5 Days. (This was mostly due to our All inclusive hotel in Playa del Carmen. We might otherwise have used more money).
One night in Chichen Itza cost us around €150 plus 615 Pesos (around €30) per person to enter the Chichen Itza Ruins.
One night in Akumal cost us around €100.
4 Nights in Cozumel cost us around €600.
Parasailing in Cozumel cost us €160 for 2 people.
All other activities in Tulum, Cozumel, Akumal and Isla Mujeres plus food and drinks cost us about €400 for 2 people for 6 days.
So all in all, our trip to the Yucatán Peninsula cost us about €5200.
* We paid for this Mexico vacation out of our own pocket. All tips given are our own. Some links are advertising links. This means that, if you book something through these links, we receive a small commission. Every month we donate 20% of our earnings to an animal shelter, animal sanctuary or animal welfare organization around the world.
Thank you for your support!
Travel Essentials for the Yucatan Peninsula
LARUTA N Outdoor Picnic Blanket, 200 x 200 cm, Beach Blanket, Sand-Free, Portable Washable Beach Mat, Picnic Blanket for Dry Beach, BBQ, Picnic, Hiking, Travel, Camping Blanket, Green
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