Yucatán and Campeche States: Places to Explore

Campeche City has to be one of the best kept secrets in the Yucatán. Its beautifully preserved colonial district is brimming with historic sites, museums, cafés, and restaurants—all... Read more

This tranquil and humble fishing village sits at the end of a spit of land separating the Celestún estuary from the Gulf of Mexico.... Read more

Although hordes of buses arrive daily at Chichén Itzá, dropping off groups of tourists only to whisk them away a few hours later, visiting the area this way is almost criminal. The area around... Read more

Tiny Isla Holbox (25 km [16 miles] long) sits at the eastern end of the Ría Lagartos estuary and just across the Quintana Roo state line. A fishing fan's heaven because of the hordes of pampano... Read more

In the beautiful town of Izamal you may not find too many sights, but you'll almost certainly be taken by the town's color and carefully cared for colonial architecture. Although unsophisticated, Izamal... Read more

Bustling streets, lively parks, a tropical version of the Champs-Elysées, endless cultural activities, and a varied nightlife: Mérida is the beating urban heart of the Yucatán. The... Read more

22 km (14 mi) southeast of Ticul, 122 km (76 mi) south of Mérida.... This market town, hungry for tourism, is a good alternative to Ticul for those who want to spend the night in the Puuc area. Strangers... Read more

The town of Pisté serves primarily as a base camp for travelers to Chichén Itzá. Hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, and handicrafts shops tend to be less expensive here than those at... Read more

The waterfront town closest to Mérida, Progreso is not particularly historic. It's also not terribly picturesque; still, it provokes a certain sentimental fondness for those who know it well. On... Read more

One of the larger cities in the Yucatán (with a population of around 20,000), and a busy market town, Ticul is a good base for exploring the Puuc region—if you don't mind rudimentary hotels... Read more

If Chichén Itzá is the most expansive Mayan ruin in Yucatán, Uxmal is arguably the most elegant. The architecture here reflects the late classical renaissance of the 7th to 9th centuries... Read more

The second-largest city in Yucatán State, Valladolid (vay-ah-do-lid), is a picturesque provincial town that's been growing popular among travelers en route to or from Chichén Itzá... Read more