Danielle & Niclas
Things To Do
Celestún
Venture to Celestun—one of the Yucatan coast's most picturesque ecological reserves—for an up-close look at vibrant pink Caribbean flamingos. Go for a refreshing dip and enjoy time for lunch at a beachfront restaurant. After pickup from your hotel, ride to the coastal town of Celestun, home to the Parque Natural del Flamenco Mexicano. This 147,500-acre (59,691-ha) biosphere reserve is home to sea turtles, pelicans, and crocodiles, as well as huge flocks of pink flamingos in the winter. Hop on a boat for a tranquil cruise through the mangroves and admire these colorful birds. Take a dip in the cool waters—Celestun has a mix of freshwater from the estuary and saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico. As you admire the beaches and scenery, your knowledgeable guide shares facts about this pristine ecosystem and the creatures that inhabit it. Dry off and take a seat at a local beachfront restaurant for an optional lunch of regional specialties before you return to Merida.
Uxmal Ruin
Spend a day getting to know what life was like in an ancient Mayan civilization. Visit the Temple of the Magician, which according to mythology was built by a dwarf king. Admire the towering Nunnery Quadrangle, which highlights the striking features of the Puuc architectural style, characterized by smooth walls and decorated frieze. Visit the Governor's Palace, with its façade comprised of more than 20,000 tiles that's widely considered among the most beautiful of all Mayan buildings. This magnificent structure and its grand stairway sit on a raised plateau and represent some of the area's finest examples of Puuc-style architecture in existence.
Cuzama Cenotes Day Tour with Lunch
On this tour there is three cenotes: Cascabel, Chaksikin and Pool Cocom. Each one with impressive characteristics. The natural beauty of this creation of nature will astonish you. You’ll be able to bathe in their waters. We’ll arrive on board a truck. This type of truck was used to transport the henequen. The first visit will be to cenote Cascabel, where the greatness of its natural formations will dazzle you. Next, you’ll be able to enjoy cenote Chaksikin and its deep waters. Here, as in the previous cenote, you’ll enjoy more of a free swim, as they’re underground cenotes. We continue the journey on the cenote Pool Cocom, which is open and allows you to enjoy of the nature around you. The visit ends with a delicious meal in a local restaurant. Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit and a towel.
Uxmal & Kabah Tour with Choco-Story México
Spend a day exploring the Maya metropolis of Uxmal and the excavated temples at Kabah. Walk the sabecs (pathways), stand before the Pyramid of the Magician, and marvel at the ornate carvings on the Palace of the Masks. Then visit the Choco-Story Museum to learn all about the history of cocoa. Admire the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Uxmal, where the well-preserved temples and grounds provide a genuine feel for what life was once like at this ceremonial center. Walk across the ball court, where a ritual Mesoamerican ball game was played. Continue to the Choco-Story Museum to learn more about the cultivation of cocoa, its history, and the methods of chocolate preparation. Next, make your way to Kabah—the 2 sites are connected via an 11-mile (18-km) pedestrian path, or sabec—and stand before the dizzying façade of the Palace of the Masks. With no freshwater cenotes welling up from the ground in this part of the Yucatán, the Maya here relied solely on rain.
Yucatecan Cooking Class with a Local Market Tour
Your morning begins with a walk through downtown Merida toward Lucas de Galvez, one of the main markets in the city. Stroll through the vibrant stalls selling brightly colored produce and aromatic herbs while your guide shares insight into the popular ingredients of the region. As you shop for ingredients to cook with later—from sour oranges and creamy avocados to habanero chilis—sample bites of authentic street food like empanadas, tamales, and panuchos. Following your market visit, you board a bus for your host's home, where you unpack your groceries and begin cooking up traditional Yucatecan cuisine. Learn how to make age-old recipes such as tomato-and-pumpkin seed sikilpak dip, empanadas made with Chaya leaves, chicken roasted with achiote, and grilled pork marinated in sour orange. As you chop, fry, and roast to get your dishes ready, your host explains some of the area's cooking traditions and the influence of other cultures from the ancient Mayas to the Lebanese.
Izamal Town
Izamal is a small city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, 72 km east of state capital Mérida, in southern Mexico.
Centro Historico Merida
The beautiful “Centro Histórico de Mérida” is one of the largest in México. Here you can find many buildings constructed during the colonial era.
Museum of the City of Merida
The Museum of the City of Merida is located near Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, and is home to a large amount of archeological pieces that help to understand the development of the city from the pre-Hispanic to contemporary times.
Mayan World Museum of Mérida
Striking, modern Mayan cultural museum with many exhibits of art, handicrafts & history.