I show you different routes and authentic travel tips for Mexico.
From diving, cenotes, ruins, beaches, food and more tips for your trip.
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Below you will find two routes.
One for a shorter trip in the Yucatan area (2-4 weeks)
and one route for a longer trip through the complete south of Mexico from Cancun to Mexico City. (4-6 weeks)
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FAQs Travel Tips for Mexico Diving Equipment, DiveBlog, Dive Trip Maldives May 2024
Travel tips for Mexico in the Yucatan and Quiantana Roo Area (2-4 weeks)
The standard route that many tourists do is:
Cancun Airport - Playa del Carmen - Cozumel - Tulum - Bacalar - Valladolid (Chichen Itza) - Holbox - Isla Mujeres - Playa del Carmen - Cancun Airport
Click here to view the Google Maps list of all locations in the Yucatan area.
Arrival at Cancun Airport
When you arrive at Cancun Airport you can take an ADO bus to Playa del Carmen . With this bus provider it is very easy to travel through Mexico. I recommend taking the bus instead of cars, or renting a shuttle. With the ADO bus you can get from town to town quickly and easily.
To see cenotes and things between two cities, I recommend taking a Collectivo. These are small vans that go between Cancun, Playa and Tulum and make stops at all the attractions. I am not a fan of Cancun myself, so I would recommend going directly to Playa del Carmen.
Playa del Carmen
In Playa del Carmen I can recommend diving, visiting the cenotes, chilling on the beach and if you want to enjoy the nightlife Playas. Playa is the perfect place to do day trips, try Mexican food and enjoy the Caribbean.
I added some restaurant tips to the Google Maps list.
I live and work as a dive instructor in Playa del Carmen and enjoy every day in paradise.
Here you have the opportunity to dive with turtles, sharks, hundreds of fish, as well as in a shipwreck. You can also discover the reefs of Cozumel by speedboat, or go diving in the cenotes.
More information can be found here under Diving Offers.
Cozumel
Cozumel has the second largest reef in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The island of Cozumel is shaped to protect the reefs, so underwater visibility is breathtaking. 30 meters of visibility is normal, which makes it easier to spot turtles, rays, sharks and other marine life. We can go to Cozumel by speedboat from Playa del Carmen and dive the wall of Cozumel, which goes down to 200 meters. That means we don't see the end of the wall because of course we don't go that deep diving.
When you take the ferry to Cozumel, you will be met by hundreds of locals who want to sell you scooters, cars or tours. I can recommend a snorkeling tour to "El Cielo". Otherwise, enjoy the day, go to a restaurant on the beach and enjoy the bright blue water .
The ferry back to Playa del Carmen runs every hour. There are two ferry providers. Ultramar and Winjet. You can book the return trip together. In this case, take into account the departure times and be at the terminal 20 minutes before.
Tulum
To go from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, I would again recommend the ADO bus. Collectivos are a bit cheaper, but if you have a lot of luggage, the ADO bus is a better choice.
Tulum has wonderful ruins, beaches and festivals on offer. Tulum has many beautiful corners and is perfect for going to adjacent cenotes or the beach. I recommend renting a bike and biking around Tulum. Cabs to the beach are outrageously expensive and beach clubs sell cocktails at $8-10 a piece. So it's up to you whether your Tulum stay is cost-prohibitive or not. I am not the biggest fan of Tulum, but it always depends on who you are there with and what you are doing.
Enjoy your time in Mexico, it's a wonderful country.'
From Tulum you can take the ADO bus on to Bacalar, or Valladolid. Both places are more Mexico than Cancun, Playa or Tulum.
Tip for the rest of Mexico. Have cash with you, as card payments are not available everywhere. As well as the 500 pesos bills are reluctantly accepted for small purchases.
Bacalar Lagoon
Bacalar Lagoon is also called the Lagoon of 7 Colors.
I recommend Bacalar for relaxing and taking a boat tour during sunset.
In the center of Bacalar is a fortress and a small park surrounded by restaurants and food stalls. I have added a few restaurants to the Google Maps list.
I recommend staying in Bacalar for about 2-3 days and really relaxing.
From Bacalar you can easily take the ADO bus to Valladolid via Tulum, or if you want to travel further through Mexico, then take the night bus to Palenque.
Valladolid (Chichen Itza)
Valladolid is a cute little town next to the wonder of the world, Chichen Itza.
With good, inexpensive local food and accommodations, it is the perfect stopover to see the ruins of Chichen Itza, Ek-Balam, as well as some cenotes nearby.
Here, most restaurants only accept cash, so it's good to have enough cash on you before arriving in Valladolid.
To go to Chichen Itza, I recommend taking a collectivo and leaving early so you arrive before all the tourist crowds from Cancun and Playa del Carmen. There are many vendors there who want to sell you small statues of Chichen Itza. These are super cheap, for other offers I recommend to negotiate the price.
Holbox Island
On Holbox Island (pronounced Holbosch) you will find relaxation, bioluminescence, and a dune in the water leading to the flamingo lookout. You can explore the island by golf cart or bicycle.
The sunset on the west side of the island is beautiful.
Bring insect repellent! Depending on the season and weather, mosquitoes can be numerous.
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is a beautiful island with stunning beaches, beautiful hotels and a lot of good restaurants. The island is right next to Cancun and is very Americanized. This means that many American tourists are there and the prices are adjusted accordingly.
Playa del Carmen
I would end up going back to Playa del Carmen as it is perfect for relaxing, diving, or partying before flying back .
If you didn't manage to go diving at the beginning of the trip, now you have another chance to see turtles, sharks, beautiful reefs, hundreds of fish, as well as the cenotes. If you are interested, just send me a message and we can go diving together, Yay!
More information can be found here under Diving Offers.
Cancun Airport
To get back to Cancun Airport, I recommend either taking the ADO bus again for about $15. To go by cab it is about 50 dollars, but negotiate the price in advance!
Check in advance in which terminal your flight leaves, because Cancun Airport has different terminals.
I hope these tips help you plan your Mexico trip and see you diving in Playa del Carmen.
Let me know if you need more information about diving, or your trip.
Travel tips for Mexico in Yucatan, Quiantana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Mexico City (4-6 weeks)
The route I recommend if you have more than 4 weeks is the following:
Cancun Airport - Isla Mujeres - Playa del Carmen - Cozumel - Holbox - Valladolid - Tulum - Bacalar - Palenque - San Christobal - Puerto Escondido - Oaxaca City - Mexico City
Click here to view Google Maps list of all locations from Cancun to Mexico City.
The first part from the arrival in Cancun airport, about traveling in Yucatan you will find described above.
Here we continue with the Ado bus from Bacalar to Palenque.
Spanish is important for this part of Mexico, as not everyone here speaks English.
It is helpful to be able to speak a little Spanish yourself, or to travel with someone who speaks Spanish. Otherwise, a translator will work as well.
Palenque
With the night bus you can easily go from Bacalar to Palenque and arrive early the next morning.
In Palenque there are wonderful ruins and waterfalls to explore. I have put an accommodation near the ruins, as well as waterfalls in the Google Maps list. You can either take a cab or a collectivo (public van) to the ruins and the waterfalls, or book a tour there.
San Christobal
San Christobal is a beautiful city in the mountains, which combines the Mexican life with travelers in an optimal way. Prices are a lot cheaper than in the Yucatan region. San Christobal attracts with good food, local markets, a beautiful cathedral, as well as a lively nightlife. This place is perfect for climbers, as San Christobal is surrounded by mountains and good climbing spots.
With classic tours you can go to beautiful waterfalls, or explore the indigenous villages. I was in the village of Chamula and went there with the Collectivo.
In the church of San Juan Chamula, the locals performed their rituals and sacrificed a chicken right next to us. Really wild!
But my highlight was the boat trip through the canyon of the "Cañón de Sumidero", next to and above Tuxtla. From San Christobal you can take a Collectivo and get off before the bridge "Puente Dr. Belisario Domínguez". It's a 5 minute walk to the river where you can rent a place on a boat that will take you through the canyon and tell you the story behind Tuxtla and the canyon. At the end, take a collectivo back to San Christobal.
I have noted all the points in the Google Maps list.
Puerto Escondido
From San Christobal you can take an ADO night bus to Puerto Escondido.
Puerto Escondido is a beautiful place to surf, relax and party.
The town itself is not very beautiful, but the beach sections "Zicatela" and "la Punta" are even more so. I recommend you to look for an accomodation there, go surfing, watch the breathtaking sunsets.
Be sure to go to the beach "Playa Coral". This is for me the most beautiful beach in Puerto Escondido.
For surfing for beginners I recommend "Playa Carrizalillo" and for professionals "Playa Zicatela".
Puerto Escondido is for me one of the most beautiful places I've been to in Mexico!
But if you want it a little quieter, you can take the Collectivo to Mazunte, or Zipolite and relax in the small beach towns.
Laguna de Chacahua
My favorite place in Mexico is Laguna de Chacahua, a remote village in the Lagunas de Chacahua National Park. It's the perfect place to get away for a few days, go surfing, watch the sunset at the lighthouse and do the bioluminescence tour. Here the internet reception is not the best and there are no ATMs, so bring cash and enjoy the peace and quiet that this magical place has in store for you.
To get to Chacahua take a cab or the Collectivo to El Zapotalito and from there take a boat ("lancha") to Chacahua. Take the same way back to Puerto Escondido.
Oaxaca City
From Puerto Escondido you can either take the ADO bus to Oaxaca City, or fly by plane.
Oaxaca City is a beautiful city in the interior of Oaxaca with nice cafes and numerous restaurants. I was at the rooftop terrace of the "Café Boca del Monte" with a breathtaking view over the city center.
Mexico City
From Oaxaca City you can take the ADO bus or the plane to Mexico City. Mexico City is huge and there are endless things to do and see.
If you like history, you can go to one of the many museums.
With numerous restaurants in the center, as well as parks, palaces and markets, you can spend a few days in Mexico City and have seen only a fraction of the city.
I would recommend you use "Uber" in Mexico City. It's super cheap and you can easily get to your destination. In the center of Mexico City you should be safe at all times. However, it is advised not to walk around alone, drunk at night with a lot of money.
From Mexico City you can fly back to Cancun for your return flight.
If you have a few days left, we can go diving together again in Playa del Carmen!
I hope these tips help you plan your Mexico trip and I'll see you diving in Playa del Carmen.
Let me know if you need more information about diving or your trip.
Click here for more information on my website:
About Us Reviews Prices Contact
FAQs Travel Tips for Mexico Diving Equipment, DiveBlog, Dive Trip Maldives May 2024