Things to do — The Yucatán Peninsula

The Yucatán is one of the most experience-rich regions in Latin America, for almost any traveler profile.

Maya archaeology: the sites are the peninsula's headline attraction. Chichén Itzá, UNESCO-listed and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, impresses by its scale and state of preservation — the Kukulcán pyramid (El Castillo) is one of the most refined structures in Mesoamerica. Less crowded and arguably more atmospheric, Uxmal (80 km from Mérida) unfolds its palaces with their finely carved stone friezes in the distinctive Puuc style. Cobá, half-swallowed by jungle and whose main pyramid (Nohoch Mul, 42 m) was still climbable until 2020, retains its stelae and sacbés (the white Maya roads). Ek Balam, near Valladolid, is the least-known of the major cities and one of the rare sites where climbing the acropolis is still allowed — the panoramic view over the jungle is unforgettable.

Cenotes: more than 6,000 are catalogued across the peninsula, formed by the slow dissolution of limestone over millennia. The most famous around Tulum — Grand Cenote, Dos Ojos, Cenote Calavera, Cenote Cristalino — are accessible by swimming or snorkeling. The cenotes of Valladolid (Zaci in town, Dzitnup a few kilometers out) offer dramatic swims under shafts of natural light. Further north, the Puuc Route cenotes (Lol-Há, Xtacumbilxunán) remain almost untouched by mass tourism.

Mérida and the culture: the Yucatán's capital deserves two full days to take in the Plaza Grande and the cathedral, the museums (Museo del Mundo Maya, Casa de Montejo), the restaurants serving Yucatec cuisine (cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, papadzules), and the evening danzón and traditional music sessions that bring Parque Hidalgo to life on weekends. The Caribbean coast — from Cancún south to Tulum via Playa del Carmen — offers turquoise water and excellent diving on the Mesoamerican Reef, with Cozumel as the region's premier dive destination.