Our suggested route for a 2-week round trip on the Yucatán
We think two weeks is perfect for an individual round trip on the Península Yucatán in Mexico. If you would like to see other parts of Mexico, we recommend staying at least three weeks.
Also read our tips for a 3-week round trip through Mexico
But now on with the Yucatán round trip!
Our route for 2 weeks in the Yucatán on a map
Our program suggestion for an individual round trip:
- Day 1-2: Cancún & Isla Mujeres
- Day 3: Holbox
- Day 4: Valladolid
- Day 5: Chichén Itzá & Izamal
- Day 6: Mérida
- Day 7: Uxmal
- Day 8-9: Bacalar
- Day 10: Sian Ka’an Bioreserve
- Day 11-12: Tulum
- Day 13: Akumal
- Day 14: Playa del Carmen
To give you a better overview, we have marked the stops on our round trip on a map.
Rental car or bus?
The best option for a Yucatán round trip is a rental car. It gives you flexibility and is the quickest way to get from A to B. As you arrive and depart from Cancún Airport, you can pick up and drop off the rental car there.
Book a rental car for Yucatán
Note: The roads in the Yucatán are safe. You can easily drive here by car.
However, remember to only travel during the day. Mexico is not Germany and it is better not to drive on deserted roads at night.
If you don’t want to rent a car, buses are also a great way to make a round trip on the Yucatán. The best option is to take the ADO buses. Tickets are available online on the ADO website or at the bus terminals.
Our round trip is primarily designed for self-drivers, but we also explain how to get around by bus for all routes.
Day 1-2: Cancún & Isla Mujeres
Day 1: Arrival in Cancún
On day 1, you land at the airport in Cancún. Pick up your rental car there and drive to your hotel in Cancún. After the long flight, it’s best to just relax on the beach.
Playa Delfines is the most beautiful public beach in Cancún. Alternatively, book a beach hotel and you’ll have a dream beach right in front of you.
Day 2: Excursion to Isla Mujeres
The Caribbean island of Isla Mujeres is located directly off Cancún. You can travel there by ferry in 30 minutes and lie down on the Playa Norte beach. Or you can book a boat tour.
To the boat tour to Isla Mujeres
If you’re in the mood for sightseeing instead of the beach, visit Cancún’s underwater museum. The museum consists of sculptures on the seabed off Isla Mujeres – really cool!
To the snorkeling tour at MUSA
To the glass-bottom boat tour at MUSA
Where to stay in Cancún?
You can find beach hotels in the Zona Hotelera of Cancún. However, they are quite expensive. Cheaper accommodation can be found in the center of Cancún. We have picked out tips for hotels with free parking for both areas.
Our tip for a beach hotel: Hyatt Zilara
Our hotel tip in the city center: The Quetzal
You can find more tips on hotels and sights in Cancún here:
Day 3: Holbox
On the third day, you start early in the morning and drive to the town of Chiquilá. It takes 2 hours by car and a little longer on the ADO buses.
Leave your car in the parking lot at the port of Chiquilá. Then take the ferry to Holbox. This departs every hour. Tickets are best bought online in advance on the Holboxexpress website.
There are neither paved roads nor much infrastructure on Holbox, so the peninsula is perfect for simply relaxing for a day on one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico.
Where to stay on Holbox?
There are many cool and stylish hotels on Holbox right on the beach.
Our hotel tip: Palapas del Sol
Day 4: Valladolid
On day 4, you take a ferry back to Chiquilá in the morning after breakfast and continue on to Valladolid. It takes 2 hours by car and 2.5 hours by ADO.
Around midday, you will arrive in the beautiful colonial city and can take your time to explore the center and drive to a cenote. Cenotes are karst caves where you can swim and take cool photos.
Our tip for cenotes in Valladolid: Cenote Suytun, Cenote Xkeken, Cenote Zaci and Cenote Oxman.
Our hotel tip for Valladolid
Casa Tia Micha: Nice hotel in the center of Valladolid with free parking.
Day 5: Chichén Itzá & Izamal
The morning: Chichén Itzá
We recommend going to the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá early in the morning. The Mayan site opens at 8 a.m. and this is when it is still the least busy. It will take you just under 45 minutes by car.
It is best to take a guide for your visit, as they can tell you more about the buildings and culture. Plan a total of 3-4 hours for Chichén Itzá.
You buy the ticket on site.
Book a guide for Chichén Itzá (without entrance fee)
The afternoon: Izamal
From Chichén Itzá, it’s about an hour’s drive to the yellow town of Izamal. There you can visit the old Convento de San Antonio and walk through the yellow alleyways – yes, almost all the houses really are yellow. You can also climb the Pirámide Kinich Kakmó.
Note: The ADO buses will not take you from Chichén Itzá to Izamal. You should therefore travel directly to Mérida and make an excursion to Izamal from there the next day.
Our hotel tip for Izamal
To avoid driving to Mérida late in the evening, it’s best to spend the night in Izamal. As not so many people do this, most of the accommodation is super cheap.
Hotel Quinta Izamal: Affordable accommodation in a yellow house with free parking.
Day 6: Mérida
From Izamal you only need just under an hour to get to Mérida. It’s best to leave early in the morning.
In Mérida, you can enjoy a leisurely brunch and take a look around the city. Highlights include the cathedral, the Pasaje de la Revolución exhibition and the Paseo de Montejo street.
Our hotel tip for Mérida
Kuka y Naranjo: Central hotel with free parking.
Day 7: Uxmal
On day 7, you will drive an hour by car to the archaeological site of Uxmal in the morning. It is an insider tip among Mexico’s Mayan temples. You can easily spend a few hours here and marvel at the ancient ruins.
Our tip: There is a chocolate museum next to the Mayan site. Well worth a visit!
Don’t leave Uxmal too late around midday, as you still have a good 4 hours’ drive to go. You will be driving across the Yucatán to Bacalar. In the next section, we will show you the best place to spend the night.
If you are traveling without a car, book a day trip from Mérida to Uxmal and take the ADO from Mérida to Bacalar the next day.
Day 8-9: Bacalar
Day 8: Laguna de Bacalar
The small village of Bacalar is located directly on the Laguna de Bacalar of the same name. It is a paradise on earth, as it is huge and shines in a turquoise-blue hue. Be sure to take a boat tour on the lagoon or hire a stand-up paddleboard.
To the boat tour on the Laguna de Bacalar
Day 9: Relax or excursion to Belize
So that you don’t have to change accommodation every day, Bacalar is the perfect place to take a second day without a big program and simply relax.
If you are full of energy, you can also make a detour to neighboring Belize. A new country always has its charm. The small coastal town of Corozal is just a 50-minute drive away.
Information on entering Belize can be found at the Federal Foreign Office.
Where to stay in Bacalar?
It’s worth spending a little more money here and staying right by the lagoon. You can find cheaper accommodation in the center of Bacalar. Our hotel tips both have free parking.
Our hotel tip on the Bacalar lagoon: Khaban Bacalar Hotel Boutique
Our hotel tip in the center of Bacalar: Gran Jaguar Hotel
Day 10: Sian Ka’an Bioreserve
The morning: Sian Ka’an
On day 12, you continue towards Tulum. Before you arrive there after a 2.5-hour drive, you will make a stop at the Sian Ka’an bioreserve.
To do this, stop at the archaeological site of Muyil. There is a parking lot there.
We recommend taking a boat tour on the Muyil lagoon here. You book it on site. It’s worth it because you can drift along the so-called Maya Canal for 2 kilometers – it’s a really cool experience.
The afternoon: Onward journey to Tulum
It’s not far from Sian Ka’an to Tulum. There you can end the day on a beach in Tulum.
Note: If you are traveling by bus, book a ticket from Bacalar to Tulum and take a guided excursion to Sian Ka’an on one of the following days.
Day 11-12: Tulum
Day 11: Mayan ruins and Playa Paraíso
The next morning, you will travel to the Mayan ruins of Tulum. You buy the ticket on site. You can park your car there or cycle there. The best way to explore the ruins is to book a guide. They will tell you more about the archaeological site.
To the guide for the Mayan site of Tulum (without entrance fee)
From the Mayan ruins, it’s about a 15-minute walk to Playa Paraíso – the most beautiful beach in Tulum. Make yourself comfortable there.
Day 12: Beach and cenote
On day 12, you first spend a relaxing day on the beach. Then you continue on to Cenote Dos Ojos. It is located directly on the way to Akumal, where you will spend the night.
Note: Opposite the ADO terminal in Tulum, colectivos leave for Playa del Carmen approximately every 10 minutes. These stop at Cenote Dos Ojos and in Akumal.
Where to stay in Tulum?
You will find the most beautiful hotels in Tulum in the Zona Hotelera. Cheaper accommodation can be found in the center. We have a tip for you in both areas – parking spaces are included.
Our tip for a beach hotel: Radhoo Tulum
Our tip for a hotel in the center: Casa Almendro
Day 13: Akumal
Day 13 is spent on the beach at Akumal. Entrance to the beach costs 120 MXN, which includes lockers, showers and toilets.
On the beach, you can swim with turtles, get a tan in the sun or go for a long walk. From Akumal, you continue on to Playa del Carmen in the afternoon.
Without a car, you take a colectivo to Playa del Carmen at the same place where you got off yesterday.
Where to stay in Akumal?
Las Villas Akumal: Beautiful bungalows on the beach in Akumal. Parking is included and you save the entrance fee to the beach when you stay here.
Day 14: Playa del Carmen
On the last day of your Yucatán tour, you can buy a few souvenirs for home or jump into the sea one last time on the 5th Avenue shopping street in Playa del Carmen.
Then it’s back to Cancún airport, where you return your car. The drive from Playa del Carmen to the airport takes just under an hour.
Where to stay in Playa del Carmen?
Most hotels in the city center do not have parking spaces. That’s why it’s best to stay a little outside, but still close to the city center.
Riviera Maya Suites: Beautiful hotel on 5th Avenue with free parking.
Our Yucatán round trip for 3 weeks
If you have three weeks for Yucatán, that’s even better. We recommend that you take exactly the same route and simply take more time in some places.
You can also make a few additional stops and go on excursions. These are our tips:
- Take a day trip from Mérida to the Ria Celestún bioreserve. Flamingos live there.
- Take the ferry from Playa del Carmen to the island of Cozumel. On the island, you can take a boat tour to dream beaches, including snorkeling.
- After your visit to Uxmal, you will travel to the colonial city of Campeche and from there to the Mayan ruins of Calakmul. Only then do you continue on to Bacalar.
- Visit one of the many theme parks on the Yucatán. Our tip is the famous Xcaret theme park near Playa del Carmen: get your ticket for Xcaret Park.
Practical tips for your Yucatán round trip
Finally, a few important tips for your round trip on the Yucatán.
Are there tolls on the Yucatán?
Yes, but only a few roads are subject to tolls. As far as we know, you currently only pay tolls on the highway from Cancún to Mérida on the Yucatán. On our round trip, you only pay something on day 3 – when you drive from Cancún to Holbox.
How safe is a round trip through the Yucatán?
Yucatán is one of the safest areas in Mexico. If you travel during the day and stay in the tourist resorts, you don’t have to worry too much about your safety. Driving is also no problem on the Yucatán – but avoid driving at night.
But we’ll tell you more about this topic in another article.
When is the best time to travel to the Yucatán?
The best time to visit the Yucatán is during the dry season from November to April. Our favorite months are November and December. We explain more about this in a separate article. The climate in Cancún is representative of Yucatán.
This was our route for a 2-week round trip on the Yucatán
How did you like it? Do you have any other tips for a Yucatán round trip? Or do you still have questions? We look forward to your comment!