Yucatan Holidays & Accommodation
Mexico, Central America
The Yucatan Peninsula is Mexico's major tourist destinations, with plenty of sights and landmarks for travellers to see from the stunning beaches to the great variety of Mayan ruins that dot the peninsula. The major resort town is Cancun, hanging on to the easterly point of the peninsula, and has a vibrant nightlife with excellent restauarants and there are a great many tours and touts selling trips to the ruins, snorkelling cruises in the lagoon and a whole plethora of adventure activities from buggy tours to zip-lining. The classical town of Merida slightly inland from the north coast is more sedate.
Map of Yucatan
Yucatan - Limestone Pool
Yucatan Holidays Planner
The Yucatan Peninsula, once a coral reef, is the site of the Chicxulub Crater, dated at over 65 million years old and probably resulted from the collision of the earth with a meteorite. This collision and the resulting effect on the earth's atmosphere has been tentatively linked with the end of the dinosaurs. The unique geology of the Yucatan has led to the formation of hundreds of cenotes throughout the region, these underwater sinkholes were thought by the Mayans to be gateways to the underworld. Today, with the aid of a guide and some snorkelling gear, they make a unique opportunity to explore subterranean caverns for visitors.When the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in the sixteenth century, they discovered a long-standing Mesoamerican civilization of the Mayans, and they overthrew it. Some of the temples in existence had been in use for over 1500 years, and today visitors can visit these monuments to this lost civilization.
One of the most visited sites on the Yucatan is Chichen Itza, a day trip from the coastal resort city of Cancun. This was a site of pilgrimage for the Maya and later integrated deities of the Toltec people of central Mexico who worshipped a feathered serpent deity. Highlights include an observatory, the Platform of the Skulls, the Pyramid of Kukulcan, and the Temple of the Jaguars.
For an unusual site of Mayan ruins, you may want to visit Uxmal, which is a short drive out of the city of Merida. At this site you can see the rare elliptical Mayan pyramid, as well as a nunnery and a ballcourt.
After the arrival of the Spanish, trade in the Yucatan flourished, thanks to henequen production, a kind of agave plant that produces a thick strong fibre that became popular for use in ropes, cables, and heavy fabrics. Throughout the Yucatan, there are various tourist-oriented historical haciendas open to visitors that allow people to see for themselves how a working hacienda functions.
Merida is a beautiful colonial city, capital of the state of the Yucatan. There you can stroll the streets and explore this picturesque city until 7pm when every night the city sponsors cultural events like music and dances. Within the city itself, you can visit the Mayapan ruins that are still undergoing archaeological work and have various frescoes for view as well as a Mayan pyramid. The city boasts the oldest cathedral in Mexico, and there is also a beach for sun worshippers as well as a bustling night life.
For a great beach holiday, there is Cancun and neighbouring Playa del Carmen. There are plenty of white sand beaches, watersports, snorkelling, and scuba opportunities throughout the area. After a short ferry ride, you will find yourself in the largest inhabited island of Mexico, called Cozumel. Here, you may want to rent a vehicle, drive around the island until you find a secluded beach, and simply lounge or snorkel, whatever you prefer. Just be sure to avoid the inland freshwater lakes and ponds as there are often alligators in the water.