June 2022. Although I have been in Mexico before, the last time was in 1994-1995. Twenty-seven years later, Oriol and I are doing a classic tour of the United Mexican States, featuring Mexico City (CDMX); Palenque in Chiapas; Villahermosa in Tabasco; Uxmal, Mérida, Chichen Itza, Ek’ Balam, Valladolid,  and a few cenotes (waterholes) in Yucatán and Tulum in Quintana Roo. We returned via Cancún to CDMX and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

We spent half of our vacation in the Yucatán Peninsula, were quite a few Maya archeological sites can be found. The Yucatán Peninsula, is formed by three states, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Campeche. We stayed in Yucatán and Quintana Roo. 

The peninsula is popular amongst tourist for its archeology and for beach and watersports holidays. The Riviera Maya, between Cancún and Tulum, is linked to the United States and to Europe with direct flights. 

More inland, tourism is different and there’s a very different vibe. Mérida and Valladolid felt ‘real’. Actual cities were actual people live.

Getting around

As I can’t hire a car and Oriol didn’t bring his driving license, we used buses when we didn’t book organised tours.

The Autobuses de Oriente or ADO offer modern, air-conditioned bus services in the eastern part of Mexico. To European standards, they can be cheap. But book your seats in advance. Prices rise when demand does and sometimes buses are full. 

The buses are comfortable and in theory offer WiFi. When it works. Intercity routes easily take two hours, so take that into account when you plan an excursion. 

Planning

Preparing the trip from Belgium, it looked complicated to navigate and planning excursions. We barely found tour operators to visit the archeological sites. But once there, it all made sense and it wasn’t complicated at all. Perhaps we shouldn’t have planned that much ahead.

Vibe

The warm and humid climate make people easygoing and friendly. Infrastructure is not always in a good state, but it all works. 

Think of cash

While in Mexico City we didn’t need cash, we did need in in Yucatán. We just managed not to withdraw more than the 500 euros worth of pesos I had brought with me. 

Certainly some restaurants only accept cash. Food is cheap, but you’re expected to tip (propina). Food is really good in Yucatán.

Mexico 2022

1. REVIEW | KLM Amsterdam Schiphol to Mexico City on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in economy.
2. MEXICO CITY | Zócalo.
3. MEXICO CITY | Templo Mayor.
4. REVIEW | Hotel Carlota in Mexico City.
5. MEXICO | Teotihuacan.
6. MEXICO CITY | National Museum of Anthropology or Museo Nacional de Antropología.
7. FORMULA 1 MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX | Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
8. MEXICO CITY | Museo Nacional de Historia at Castillo de Chapultepec.
9. MEXICO CITY | Frida Kahlo Museum.
10. MEXICO CITY | Coyoacán.
11. Mexico City 2022.
12. REVIEW | Mexico City – Villahermosa with Volaris.
13. MEXICO | Palenque.
14. REVIEW | Hotel Zyan Rooms in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.
15. MEXICO | Villahermosa in Tabasco.
16. REVIEW | Aeroméxico Villahermosa – Mexico City – Mérida on Boeing 737-8 MAX.
17. YUCATÁN | Uxmal.
18. REVIEW | Casa Chaká Boutique Ka’an Room in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
19. YUCATÁN | Mérida.
20. YUCATÁN | Chichen Itza.
21. YUCATÁN | Ek’ Balam.
22. REVIEW | Colonté Hotel Origen in Valladolid, Yucatán, Mexico.
23. Pride in Valladolid, Yucatán and queer encounters in Mexico.
24. MEXICO | Cenotes of Yucatán.
25. YUCATÁN | Valladolid.