A week in the Yucatan Peninsula - Mexico

Between palm trees, white sand, crystal clear sea and amazing food, Mexico is definitely a destination not to be missed! With only seven full days available, I opted to visit only part of the Yucatan Peninsula.

FLIGHT: booked on Confronta Voli Low Cost, Hotel e Noleggio Auto | Skyscanner

Dublin - Toronto (6.5h). Toronto - Cancun (4h). I flew with Air Canada. The cost of the flight was 550EU return. To make a stopover in Canada it is mandatory to pay the entry visa (which is valid for five years) at the modest sum of $7. Home (e-travelonline.com)

WHEN TO GO: The best period is from November to April, during the dry season. I went there between April and May and I found a beautiful climate! What I visited:

CANCUN

Hostel: Hostel Nomads ($9 a night) booked on Hostelworld - Esplora i migliori ostelli al mondo

- Mercado 28: it's the local market in Cancun.

Empanadas (1,14Euros)

Churros (1Euros)

- Playa Langosta: easily accessible by bus R-1 or R-2, it's a really nice beach where you can relax during the day.

ISLA MUJERES

Easily accessible from Cancun by ferry (22Euros return) Rutas y Horarios :: Ultramar (ultramarferry.com),it is a paradise island that is worth discovering.

Ferry

Hostel: Selina ($30 per night) booked on Hostelworld - Esplora i migliori ostelli al mondo

The hostel is beautiful. Equipped with large and spacious dormitories, a beach restaurant, a beach volleyball court, a swimming pool and an outdoor relaxation area equipped with hammocks and sofas.

The hostel also organizes various excursions around the island and to other parts of Mexico. I booked snorkelling to see the MUSA (underwater museum) which is located in a protected park. The museum is spectacular: there are underwater installations that are easily visible whether you snorkel or dive - I also saw a sea turtle!!! The cost is $50.

Snorkeling crew

The island is quite small and it is possible to visit it with shared taxis, buses or bicycles. I rented a bike for a whole day for 200 pesos.

What to see on the island:

- Playa Norte: certainly the most picturesque beach on the whole island. The color of the ocean is a really deep blue.

- Hermosa Caleta: white sand, coconut palms and crystal clear water. It looks like it came out of a postcard.

- Punta Sur

It is the southernmost part of the island (where many iguanas reign undisturbed). The cost of entry is $2

I then went back to the same hostel in Cancun and did two excursions with the hostel guys; excursions can also be booked a day in advance and on site. 1- TULUM ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK + COBA PYRAMID (69$) What to bring: - hat - sunscreen - mosquito repellent The tour includes the entrance ticket to the archaeological park, transport, water and lunch and lasts 7/8 hours. The archaeological park is really beautiful and interesting!

Iguanas everywhere!

Another curious little animal that I met in the archaeological park of Tulum

After the visit to the park we go to visit Coba, the highest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan region. To enter the park you need to pay 100 pesos (4.90 euros). The entrance to the reserve is 2km from the pyramid itself. You can decide to rent a bike, a bike-taxi or go on foot. Truly majestic and evocative!

2- CHICHEN ITZA (ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD) + CENOTES (69$) Absolutely essential (in my opinion) from a trip to Mexico, is one of the seven wonders of the world, Chichen Itza. To enter the archaeological site, it is mandatory to have an entrance ticket. I leave you the site where you can buy it Chichen Itza Tickets | Entrance fee | Chichen Itza

Another natural wonder that attracts so many visitors to this beautiful country are the cenotes. Cenotes are underground caves, created thanks to the collapse of the surface, which contain water. Many cenotes are accessible (for a fee). I swam in the cenote near Chichen Itza, paying 50 pesos. It is mandatory to use a life jacket, which will be provided by the cenote managers. Don't go swimming if you are afraid of the dark (the water is dark due to little sunlight) and if you are afraid of catfish, there are plenty of them!

BUEN VIAJE!

#messico #ontheroad #yucatan #solofemaletraveler