Mexico - Yucatán Experience - 11 Day Trip
Tequila, tacos, sombreros, cenotes, fiestas & Cervezas, amigo!
The best Mexico backpacking trip for solo travellers!
Tequila, tacos, sombreros, cenotes, fiestas & Cervezas, amigo! If you know all those words, and like all of these things, then this epic trip to Central America is for you! If you don’t know all these words, you need to do this trip. This 11-day trip of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, like our other trips in some of the world's most spectacular destinations, gets the balance just right for young, fun, adventurous travellers like you. The beautiful Caribbean coastline, awe-inspiring fresh water Cenotes, 7 colour lagoons, the ancient Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, la fiesta in Merida and plenty of beach-side parties in Cancun and Tulum. Mexico has it all and we're desperate for you to go and see it! Are you ready?
Travel Style
When we say classic, we mean the perfect balance of culture, adventure, beaches and parties. High number of inclusions, low cost. Tru-ly authentic experiences from home-stays & hostels to beach huts, hotels and boats. A classic tour means maximum adventure, minimum hassle. Built for backpackers by backpackers.
What's Included
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Mexico - Yucatán Experience
11 Days
cancún - playa del carmen
Map
Bucket List
Itinerary
airport pick up
We're starting in Cancun! Caribbean ocean and white sand beaches - that's the vibe we're going for! We start the trip here because it’s near the airport and Cancun is as good a place as any to ease into Mexico! Let’s get this show on the road! Want to explore like a local? Wander over to Market 28, Plaza Las Americas, and Puerto Cancún to browse dozens of Mexican clothing boutiques and accessory stalls. In the evening, It’s time for our welcome dinner where you can get to know your new travel friends aka TruFam, over dinner and a few Cervezas by the pool or on the beach. Salud!
isla holbox
After a long flight and a night on the town getting to know your group a bit better, you probably could do with a bit of R&R, and we couldn’t think of anywhere better than the Island of Holbox for that. A real piece of paradise, seriously beautiful beaches, no cars, loads of funky beach bars with live music and zero stress or troubles insight. Isla Holbox is home to tropical marine life, so make sure you jump in and explore! Although, if you fancy something a little more chill then how do sea hammocks sound? Dreamy right, we told you it was paradise! If you need us, you’ll find us in the hammocks! Just hanging out, ya know (see what we did there). Spend your day relaxing and chillaxing getting ready for the next day as our Yucatan adventure continues tomorrow!
three island boat trip
Enjoy a lie-in before we jump onto a boat to explore 3 UNREAL locations, just you wait. First up is Bird Island, which is home to many beautiful birds that you will only find here! Next up is ‘’Eye Of The Water’’ cenote, a large natural pool with freshwater springs in the middle of mangroves, sounds like something straight out of a movie, but it’s real! The bright turquoise pool is located just a few metres away from the sea, so make sure your cameras are all charged as you won’t want to miss this very rare sight! Last but definitely not least, we’re off to Passion Island which is home to flocks of PINK FLAMINGOS! This is truly an amazing experience, to be able to see these wonderful birds in their natural habitat! And hey, now is a good time for us to remind you to be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons, TruFam! Next, it’s time to hop back onto our boat, enjoy a few beers if you fancy it (or drink of choice, you do you boo) and hopefully catch a stunning sunset! And if we’re even luckier we might see the bioluminescence in the ocean after dark, some immaculate vibes, let us tell you!
mayan site of chichen itza
Today is the day! We are off to one of the seven wonders of the world, The Mayan Site of Chichen Itza, a must-see when in Mexico (duh!). We will leave Holbox early to set off to the wondrous monument! Once we arrive, we’ll have a guided tour to learn about the fascinating history of the site and of the Mayan civilisation. Trust us, you won’t forget this moment! After marvelling at the site and ticking it off our bucket list, one of the seven wonders done, it’s time to head to Cenote Yokdzonot. Have a dip in the stunning turquoise water, go on, you know you want to, you are at one of Yucatan’s most incredible natural swimming pools after all! Once we’ve had an afternoon splashing about, floating on our backs and looking up to an unreal view, or just chilling and admiring the cenote, it’s, unfortunately, time to leave. Sigh. But fear not, more good times are pending as we head off to Merida and arrive in the early evening. We’ll go on an orientation walk around the city to see all the spectacular sights. Welcome to Merida!
three cenote tour & tequila tasting
Today we venture slightly outside of Merida, and we will be cycling between three stunning cenotes, with a spot of lunch along the way of course! After we’ve spent our day chilling and swimming in the Cenotes, we’ll head back to Merida to chill out for a few hours, before it’s time to get ready for our evening! Cycling shoes off, dancing shoes ON! Prepare to get those taste buds tingling as we head out to sample some delicious local food, or what we like to call, the ultimate Mexican feast! Tacos & burritos galore! So you are in Mexico (which you already know) but you can’t come to Mexico and not go tequila tasting. Which is why our next activity for the evening is just that! Well, it’s tequila and mescal tasting to be exact. Tequila is also the national liquor of Mexico! You know what they say when life gives you lemons.. Shot tequila! After we’re all tequila’d out, it’s time to put our salsa dancing skills to the test at one of the many bars with live music Merida has to offer. Told you we would need our dancing shoes!
travel to bacalar
Rise and shine! This morning we wave goodbye to Merida and set off to Bacalar, arriving in the early afternoon. This afternoon we’ll head to Bacalar Lagoon (which has the clearest blue water might we add!). Spend your time here either just chilling and lounging on the sand, taking a kayak/paddleboard out for a little exploring, or just taking a nice refreshing dip. Whatever you fancy! In the evening we’ll find a lovely spot by the water to watch the sunset *cue oooh’s and aaah’s* with a few beers (optional of course). 10/10 end to the day we’d say!
7 colour lagoon
We know what your thinking, we must really love lagoons because YES we are off to another one, but this time it’s the 7 colour lagoon! And it is totally worth it. Why it is 7 colours or how is it 7 colours you ask? Well, we’re no scientist’s, but we do know that it’s because the clear waters and white sandy bottom of the lagoon cause different shades of turquoise, blue and deep indigo to appear. But we can just pretend it’s magic because you’ve got to see it to believe just how amazing it is. Throughout the day we’ll stop at several places along the way to cool off, get those photos for the ‘gram and of course, we can’t be going hungry, so we’ll stop off for some lunch as well! What an epic week so far!
travel to tulum
Did someone say trendy beachside town? Hell yeah, we did! We are off to Tulum today, where we can spend the afternoon exploring the town and seeing what this funky beachside town has to offer or simply relax on the white sandy beaches. Vamos a La Playa!! Once we’ve had our beach fix, it’s time to head into own for tonight’s dinner and drinks with the rest of the TruFam, cheeeers!
tulum ancient ruins
In the morning, we head to Tulum archaeological site in the Riviera Maya to explore the ancient Mayan ruins. Sounds like a mesmerising sight to see anyway right? Well, now imagine the brightest of blue ocean and white sandy beach as a backdrop, it’s tru-ly one of a kind so make sure those cameras are all charged up and ready to go! Wait till the ‘gram hears about that *wink wink*. After marvelling at this spectacular view, we head down to the beach to take a refreshing dip as it looks extremely inviting, and enjoy a cocktail (or two, or three, you decide) at one of the groovy lil’ beach lounges. This is the life.
playa del carmen
Ok, so we have a thing for stunning lagoons, but we also have a thing for amazing beaches (if you didn’t figure that out already) and that’s why we are off to Playa Del Carmen, which is a popular resort town by the beach! You can spend your time here doing some shopping for souvenirs or just to treat yourself (you deserve it), or relax on the beach and top up that tan to fulfil that summer glow we all dream about. The choice is yours! All good things must come to an end, which means it’s time for our farewell dinner and drinks in this lively, exciting town. Let’s make this a night to remember or not to remember depending on how many tequila sunrises you have but we don’t judge!
chilled check out
Time really does fly when you’re having fun. How is it day 11 already? Well, we aren’t so sure either, but we know it’s been one heck of a trip, with memories and friends made for a lifetime. We’re sad to see you go, but that just means you’ll have to come back again soon! If your adventure doesn’t stop there, our TruNinjas will be happy to help with any onward travel but if it’s homebound then don’t be a stranger! Stay epic, TruFam, it’s been a dream!
Ready to get to Mexico? Check out our departure dates and get pumped for your Yucatán - Experience!
WHERE WE STAY
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FAQs
Where does the trip start & finish?
The trips start's in Cancún and finishes in Playa Del Carmen.
What airport do I need to fly into?
You will need to fly into Cancún International Airport (CUN).
What is the closest airport to the end destination?
Cancún International Airport (CUN).
How do I get back to the start destination and how much does it cost?
Takes approximately 1 hour via taxi & costs around £65. There is also a bus from Playa Del Carmen to Cancún International Airport (CUN). This can be arranged through your tour guide and it normally costs around £13.
How much do I need to budget for spending on this trip?
We get asked this question ALOT! The thing is it completely depends on how much you'll want to spend on souvenirs, drinks, food and extra activities. We'd say between £50-80 a day for Mexico but for you it might be much less or much more (if you are buying round-after-round!)
What kind of accommodation is included on this trip?
Twin-bed rooms! For more information on our hotels for this trip contact info@trutavels.com
How much is a pre-night accommodation?
If you would like to book a pre-night please contact our sales team on info@trutravels.com
What is the currency?
The currency used in Mexico is Mexican Peso.
What visa do I need for Mexico?
Depending on where you're travelling from it's likely that you won't need a visa to enter Mexico. You may need to complete an immigration form and have this with you when you enter and leave Mexico. Please note this is guidance only and is subject to change. Make sure to check visa requirements before you travel.
Is my money protected?
Yep! You’re protected. TruTravels is both ABTA and ATOL registered meaning your money is safe. We also offer 1 free date change before 60 days of your departure date.
Most of the people that join us on tour are 18-thirtysomethings! We have no strict upper age limit on our tours but all of our tours are specifically designed for those of this age group which is worth noting when browsing through our website.
Yes! Let us know when you are booking your trip about any requirements you might have we can plan ahead and make sure this doesn’t affect your trip!
Yes, the majority of our travellers will be travelling on their own! Roughly 65% of our TruTravellers come solo! We have designed our trips specifically with solo travellers in mind, so you can be assured you’ll meet lots of others travelling alone like yourself along the way. This of course doesn’t mean our trips are only for solo travellers, but it does mean that you don’t need to worry you’ll be surrounded by a group that already knows each other.