Overview
The states of Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo form the huge wedge of low-lying, forest-covered territory of Mexico’s south-east. It is here that vestiges of the Mayan civilisation loom out of the undergrowth at every turn. Sites replete with temples and pyramids festooned with sacred carvings were, once abandoned, swallowed up by a rapacious jungle but are now gradually being revealed. The best known sites, Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Tulum are easily accessible and have been spruced up for visitors. There are lesser-known sites rising from an untouched natural setting including Edzná, a huge ceremonial centre featuring the 30m high Temple of the Five Storeys, and Calakmul, the biggest archaeological area in Mesoamerica with 7,000 buildings in the central zone.
There are some pretty Spanish colonial towns too, the arched colonnades of Izamal and Mérida, a bustling place where colonial churches and mansions cram the grid of streets; plazas host markets and impromptu musical and theatrical performances.
The nearby Riviera Maya spans the peninsula’s soft-sand Caribbean coast with its resort hotels and fishing villages, while the coastal mangrove-draped marshes at Sian Ka’an host a biosphere reserve heaving with wildlife.
Holidays Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan
From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.
Group - Classic
Mexico
Eagle: Aztecs, Mayas and conquistadores
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Belize / Guatemala / Mexico
Highlights of the Mayan world
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Mexico
Self-drive Mexico: Discover the Yucatan Peninsula
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Things to do
We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.
Accommodation
Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.
Where to go when - our guide to Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan
The weather in Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan is wide and varied
Explore pretty colonial towns, soft white-sand beaches and sacred Mayan temples hidden in lush, tangled jungles. The Yucatán Peninsula and Mayan Riviera enjoy hot and sunny weather throughout the best part of the year, with temperatures which rarely drop below 25°C. From May to July, humidity can be uncomfortably high and there is a risk of tropical storms and hurricanes between August and October. The best months to visit for dry weather and clear skies are December to April.
View our Mérida, Chichén Itzá and the Yucatan weather guidePapagaio
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