Yucatan & Cancún: Merida, Mayan Ruins, & Beachside Livin' Tour with 8 Reviews by G Adventures

9 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants, maximum 18 travelers

12 peopleMaximum group size

18 - 35 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Easy

Light physical activity suitable for most people with average fitness levels.

Starts

Merida, Mexico

Ends

Cancún, Mexico

Highlights

Bike and swim your way through cenotes in the jungle.

Take a guided tour of the massive Mayan site of Chichen Itzá.

Descend into a cenote for a delicious spread of Yucatecan cuisine cooked over the fire.

Hit the beach after visiting the ruins of Tulum.

Stay at hostel near the beach in Cancún.

Venture away from the Cancún hotel zone to prepare a meal in a local community.

Enjoy free time for optional activities or hanging out at the hostels

Venture away from the Cancún hotel zone to prepare a meal in a local community.

Enjoy free time for optional activities or hanging out at the hostels

Itinerary

Want to cap off your Yucatán exploration with a splash of beachside bliss? The "Yucatan & Cancún: Merida, Mayan Ruins, & Beachside Livin'" tour brings you from Merida to Cancún in 9 days of art, architecture, and adventure. Swim in cenotes, explore Chichen Itzá with a guided tour, and enjoy a memorable local dinner by firelight inside a cenote. Relax in Tulum’s easy-going atmosphere before arriving in Cancún for a behind-the-scenes look at the city, away from the tourist crowds. The unique draw here is the combination of ancient Mayan culture, community experiences, and plenty of beach downtime, all wrapped into one easygoing itinerary.

day 1 - Mérida

Arrive at any time, and kick back at the hostel or head out to explore the city before meeting up with fellow Roamies in the evening. Later on, head to one of the many bars and restaurants near the hostel for some eats and make sure to check out the main plaza at night.

Accomodation:Che Merida Hostel (or similar)

Included Activity:Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group Duration : 1.0 hr

day 2 - Mérida

Ok, so every Day on this trip is amazing but we'll venture to say that this one is ridiculous. You'll explore some of the many cenotes in the area, giant sinkholes in the earth formed by underground freshwater rivers. Hop on a bike to cycle between a few of them and swim in the crystal-clear waters to take a break from the heat. After a yummy lunch, return to Mérida and spend the rest of the Day wandering the city or relaxing in a hammock at the hostel. Sound about right?

Meal:Breakfast and Lunch

Accomodation:Che Merida Hostel (or similar)

Included Activity:Santa Barbara Cenotes Visit Duration : 4.0 hr

day 3 - Mérida/Valladolid

Ready for another epic day? Keep your sunscreen and the camera handy today as you'll be checking a major bucket item off of your list. Head into the jungle to the massive Mayan ruins of Chichen Itzá for a guided tour and time to walk around on your own. Then continue to Valladolid to drop off your stuff at the hostel and chill for a bit before heading out for dinner, where you’ll learn about the Mayas and have a chance to devour a spread of delicious Yucatan dishes cooked over the fire, like pollo pibil and tamales with fresh handmade tortillas.

Meal:Breakfast and Dinner

Accomodation:Valladolid 48 Hostal (or similar)

Transport:Transport

Included Activity:Chichen Itzá Guided Tour Duration : 2.0 hr

day 4 - Valladolid/Tulum

Pile into the bus and head to the white sand and turquoise waters of the Mayan Riviera. But before you hit the beach we have more ruins to see - Tulum! The only of the Mayan temples to be built right next to the ocean, you will be filling your feed with jaw-dropping photos in no time. Spend the rest of the Day on the beach, hanging out at the hostel or at one of the many bars and cafes in town.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Che Tulum Hostel (or similar)

Transport:Local Bus Distance : 102 km

Included Activity:Tulum Ruins Visit Duration : 1.0 hr - 4.0 hr

day 5 - Tulum

The beach at Tulum is pretty stellar that's for sure, and today is yours to do with it what you want. Feeling active and want to explore more? Go snorkelling at the natural waterpark of Xel-Há or visit some more cenotes. Feeling the ocean vibes instead? Stay local and hit the beach before shoring up at the hostel bar for a cold beverage. After dinner head to one of the beach clubs to dance the night away under the stars.

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Che Tulum Hostel (or similar)

Optional Activities:Cenote Visit Pack your swimsuit, hail a shared van (colectivo) and ask for directions to one of Yucatan’s many cenotes. These natural swimming holes were formed thousands of years ago, when the peninsula's porous limestone collapsed to reveal fresh water pools fed by underground systems of canals and rivers. Dive into the turquoise waters surrounded by cave walls or tropical foliage, watch fish dart in and out of the shafts of sunlight and realize why the Maya called cenotes “sacred wells”.

day 6 - Tulum/Cancún

Squeeze in a bit more beach time in Tulum before heading north to Playa del Carmen in the late morning. Have lunch at El Hongo, a community project that supports youth art initiatives that also happens to have delicious food. After, take some time to browse the shops along the vibrant pedestrian strip of "la quinta." Next stop, Cancún - where more beach, adventure and nightlife await! Check into the comfy hostel in the hotel zone and laze about by the pool with a cold beverage before deciding what's on for the evening.

Meal:Breakfast and Lunch

Accomodation:Selina Cancun Hotel Zone (or similar)

Transport:Private Vehicle Distance : 65 km, Private Vehicle Distance : 68 km

Included Activity:El Hongo Mexican Community Restaurant & Youth Art Program

day 7 - Cancún

Day trip! Head away from the tourists into the jungle of the Yucatán to a local community. You'll learn all about the delicious regional cuisine and help prepare some of the dishes before scarfing it down on the spot for lunch. Later, top it all off with a swim in a nearby cenote to cool off from the midday heat. Don’t worry, you’ll still have time to hit the beach or hang out at the hostel pool when we get back to Cancún in the afternoon.

Meal:Breakfast and Lunch

Accomodation:Selina Cancun Hotel Zone (or similar)

Included Activity:Yucatecan Community Lunch Experience and Cenote Swim

day 8 - Cancún

A free Day in Cancún, how good does that sound? If you're craving more adventure you could head out on a Day trip to Isla Mujeres or Playa del Carmen, or stay local and squeeze every last moment out of that white sand beach or the hostel hang-out spots. Your CEO is always on hand to give recommendations or to show you the best local stretches of beach, the rest is up to you. Ready to party? Of course you are! Your CEO knows all the best bars and clubs Cancún has to offer. Who needs sleep anyways?

Meal:Breakfast

Accomodation:Selina Cancun Hotel Zone (or similar)

day 9 - Cancún

Depart at any time, or maybe decide to add on a few more nights at the beach.

Meal:Breakfast

Yucatan & Cancún: Merida, Mayan Ruins, & Beachside Livin'

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What's Included

Accommodation

Hostels (8 nts)

Meals

8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner
Note: Allow USD155-205 for meals not included.

Transport

Private vehicle, public air-conditioned bus, taxi.All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Guide

CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.

Included activities

Your G for Good Moment: El Hongo Mexican Community Restaurant & Youth Art Program, Playa del CarmenYour Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and GroupYour Foodie Moment: Yucatecan Community Lunch Experience and Cenote Swim, CancúnExcursion from Mérida to cycle between and swim in cenotesGuided tour of Chichen Itzá and Tulum ruinsDinner inside a cenote near ValladolidBeach time at Tulum and CancúnVisit to an insect museumBeach time at Cancún

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

Read what other travelers have to say about Yucatan & Cancún: Merida, Mayan Ruins, & Beachside Livin'

5.0

based on 8 reviews

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