It\u2019s no surprise Mexico is one of the most visited countries in the world. 35 UNESCO World Heritage sites, friendly people, sunshine, tacos, and tequila \u2013 need I say more? If you want to explore the Yucat\u00e1n Peninsula away from the resorts of Cancun and Playa del Carmen, these popular places are a good place to start.<\/p>\n
After flying into Cancun, head:<\/p>\n
This photogenic little town\u2019s popularity may have skyrocketed recently thanks to Instagram, but it\u2019s for good reason. 1,000-year-old ruins, cenotes, and white, sandy beaches are just some of its major drawcards, and don\u2019t miss La Eufemia \u2013 a waterfront taco joint serving some of the best fish tacos that lets you hang out in their beach chairs all day. Tulum\u2019s cenotes (natural sinkholes) are hidden treasures predating the Mayans by thousands of years, and swimming in them will soon become your favorite activity. Gran Cenote and Cenote Dos Ojos are two of the most beautiful.<\/p>\n
Dating back to 550AD, Chich\u00e9n Itz\u00e1 is one of the Seven \u201cNew\u201d Wonders of the World, and these ancient Mayan temple ruins are shrouded in mystery. You\u2019ll be surprised to find out there\u2019s more to see than the crowning glory, El Castillo, including the intricate Temple of Warriors, the Great Ballcourt where Mayan athletes used to compete, and the Observatory. Many people travel from the coast to see the ruins within a day, but it\u2019s suggested to stay one or two nights nearby in the town of Valladolid. Doing so will give you a chance to visit some of the cenotes in the area (Cenote Samul\u00e1 and Ik Kil cenote) and staying close to the ruins means you\u2019ll beat the tour bus crowds by a few hours.<\/p>\n
This tiny Mexican fishing village sits on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. Local guides will often take visitors out on their boats where pink lakes, mud baths, flamingos and crocodiles won\u2019t disappoint you. The region is part of the R\u00edo Lagartos Biosphere Reserve \u2013 a protected wetlands area also home to turtles, jaguars, and sea birds. But the main attraction is the cotton candy pink lakes which get their color from the red-colored algae and plankton thriving in the salty environment.<\/p>\n
With the Caribbean Coast cluttered by all-inclusive resorts, Isla Holbox is a breath of fresh air. With no roads or cars, it\u2019s the epitome of \u2018slow living.\u2019 The beach is like a shallow pool, extending far beyond the shore, and hammocks are hung from wooden stilts in the water allowing you to watch the sun sink slowly while pink-reflected sea laps over you. If you\u2019re in Holbox between mid-May and mid-September, it\u2019s one of the best places to swim with whale sharks, and on nights when the moon isn\u2019t too bright, you can see bioluminescent phytoplankton.<\/p>\n
Before you leave, make sure to visit Alma Beach Bar \u2013 a rooftop pool bar overlooking azure Caribbean waters. And getting back to the mainland is easy; ferries leave every 30 minutes, or it\u2019s a two-hour drive back to Cancun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s no surprise Mexico is one of the most visited countries in the world. 35 UNESCO World Heritage sites, friendly people, sunshine, tacos, and tequila \u2013 need I say more? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":10463,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[267],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mexico-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n