8 Fun Day Trips from Merida You Must Take

Last Updated on 26th June 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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Historic compounds of ruins that stretch on for miles, brilliant blue cenotes beckoning to be jumped into, powdery white sand beaches… these are all visitable on day trips from Merida. This guide is all about some of the best day trips from the city, as well as useful travel tips.

The capital and largest city of the Yucatan state, Merida’s renowned for its charming colonial streets and lively local customs. There’s so much dynamic culture in this pulsating city, you could spend months here without being bored!

Merida’s also the ideal base for exploring the Yucatan peninsula on a range of day trips. Whatever your travel style, you’ll find somewhere fascinating to visit on this list! If you’re spending some time in Merida itself, be sure to check out our suggested Merida itinerary and how to spend 2 weeks in Mexico.

Best day trips from Merida

Chichen Itza

Sprawling over four square miles, the ancient city of Chichen Itza is the most famous and arguably most impressive Mayan archaeological site in Mexico. 

Located just a two-hour drive from Merida (there are also ADO buses that connect the city directly with Chichen Itza!), this complex is one of the New Wonders of the World.

Here, you’ll explore the ruins of temples, sports courts, observatories and even sites of human sacrifices. 

While you’re exploring Chichen Itza, don’t miss the iconic El Castillo pyramid, the Great Ball Court where Mayans played pok-ta-pok, the enigmatic Temple of the Warriors where games and festivities were held, and the Sacred Cenote where sacrifices were made. 

You can easily spend a few hours strolling around the complex; arrive early in the morning for fewer crowds and cooler temperatures. 

Organised tours leave Merida for Chichen Itza; check out this excursion, which includes visiting the ancient city, along with Valladolid, cenotes and Izamal.

Valladolid

Located just a 20 minute drive to Chichen Itza and around two hours from Merida, Valladolid is usually visited as an add-on to a day trip to the Mayan site. 

If you have the time, it’s worth extending your trip and spending a little time in Valladolid as well. With stunning colonial streets winding around the main square, which is landmarked by the 15th century Gothic cathedral. 

From the cathedral, walk down the Calzada de los Frailes, which is the most colourful and vibrant street in the city. There are often parades and festivals leading through this road. It leads to the convent of San Bernardino de Siena, which is a historic building with a contentious past – built by the Spanish, its purpose was to convert Indigenous people to Christianity. 

Valladolid’s also one of the best places in Mexico to access cenotes. These are large pools of water in the ground, often in caves or collapsed caves. 

Cenote Zaci is right in the centre of the city, but it’s currently (in March 2023) closed for restoration. Just outside of the city, you’ll find Cenote Saamal. You can take a taxi or collectivo (shared taxi) here; descend down the steps into the cool water and admire the cliffs towering above you! 

Back in town, try out some traditional Yucatecan dishes, including Conchita pibil (pulled pork shoulder) or pibihuajes (doughy bread stuffed with beans).

There’s an abundance of local restaurants or street food stalls where you can purchase any of these. Yucatan food is typically meat-heavy, but don’t worry if you’re plant-based – the city has a few excellent vegetarian restaurants such as Le Kaat. 

Celestun

Head to the west coast of the Yucatan peninsula to the fishing village of Celestun. a 1.5 hour drive from Merida. If you don’t have a car, there’s an hourly bus from the Noreste bus terminal; this takes about 2.5 hours to travel the 65 mile distance. 

Celestun has a laid-back beach and relaxed atmosphere, but it’s most famous for its biosphere reserve which sits between the village and the mainland.

Pink flamingos flock to this area from November to April; the best time to encounter them is typically the winter months from December to February. To find the flamingoes, take a boat tour through the reserve. Along with the bright pink birds, you’ll see a variety of other birdlife and potentially even spot crocodiles – be careful with these creatures and stay in the boat!

You don’t need to book these tours in advance; simply disembark the bus at Parador Turístico Celestún and ask about tours there. Most are in Spanish, but they’re self-explanatory if you don’t speak the language! 

Once you’ve finished your tour, head to the beach where you can sit back on the sand at La Palapa Restaurante & Snack Bar, where you’ll be served fresh fish dishes and ice-cold margaritas!

There’s also a charming, traditionally Mexican square in the town centre. If you fancy all of the transport details taken care of, check out this Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve Tour from Merida.

Uxmal and Kabah

Chichen Itza might be the most famous archaeological site in the area, but Uxmal and Kabah are easier to reach from Merida; they both sit about an hour’s drive from the city and are a 20 minute drive from each other. 

Head to Uxmal first. This ancient city was founded in A.D. 700, with around 25,000 inhabitants at its peak. Here, you’ll encounter the Pyramid of the Magician where you can gaze at an impressive example of Mayan history and engineering. 

The Governer’s Palace was a shrine to the gods and has carvings of Chac, who was the god of rain and fertility. You’ll also find the Nunnery Quadrangle, which dates back to 900 AD and represented a holy convent. 

Kabah is Uxmal’s little sister, dating back to around 600-300 B.C, with a few smaller-scale ruins but lots of majestic mosaics, which it’s most famous for. 

There aren’t any collectivos or tour buses that run to Uxmal or Kabah; to visit, you’ll either need to arrange your own private transfer (like this one) or self-drive.

However, this means that they’re much quieter than Chichen Itza and other Mayan ruins, enabling you to learn about ancient history without the hordes of tourists! 

Izamal

Welcome to the sunniest town in the Yucatan! 

Known as the “Yellow City”, Izamal is entirely painted in sunny hues; it’s thought that the town was adorned so to represent the god of Kinich Kakmó, the Mayan god of the sun, although many people also believe that it was painted prior to Pope John Paul II visiting the town and apologising to the native people for brutal mistreatment under colonial rule. 

While you’re in town, don’t miss the Franciscan monastery of San Antonio de Padua. This is one of the oldest monasteries in the Americas; it’s pre-hispanic and was the first building in the town that was painted in yellow hues for Kinich Kakmó. It’s thought that the town took inspiration from the monastery and then painted the rest of the buildings yellow!

Also, don’t miss the Kinich Kakmó pyramid, an artificial limestone pyramid which is dedicated to the deity of the sun. You can reach Izamal by driving – it’s around an hour’s journey – or public buses are available. 

Progreso

While Progreso isn’t as stunning as other beaches on the Yucatan peninsula, it’s only a 30 minute drive from Merida so is ideal for an easy day trip or quick beach break from the city. 

Bask on the beach and enjoy a few cervezas, head out kitesurfing or jetskiing, or walk along the pier and enjoy the views back to the town. 

There are plenty of seafood restaurants in town, along with a fresh fish market. Regular buses connect Merida to Progreso and run until fairly late at night, so you can stay on the beach until sunset and enjoy a few drinks before taking the bus back to Merida! 

Campeche

Campeche isn’t one of the most popular day trips from Merida, but it’s worth the journey out of the city, whether you hop on a two-hour ADO bus to the colonial city or self-drive. 

While Campeche is nowhere near as touristy as other spots in the Yucatan, the fortified town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with colourful buildings and charming streets. 

It’s coastal, which makes Campeche quite a little cooler than Merida; the Malecon is a beautiful promenade where you can take in both sea and city views. Also, don’t miss Fuerte de San Miguel, which is an 18th-century fortress with beautiful city and Gulf of Mexico views. 

Camino del Mayab

Camino del Mayab is Mexico’s first long-distance hiking and cycling trail. It connects Mayan sites, cenotes, haciendas and towns, offering community-based tourism in areas that are often overlooked. 

Most Camino del Mayab journeys take place over two or three days, but if you have your own vehicle you could drive to any of the stops on the route, such as Yaxnic or Yaxcopoil haciendas and walk a little of the surrounding trail. 

If you don’t want to explore independently, organised hiking and cycling excursions are arranged by the administrators of the Camino del Mayab trail. Read more about the project, including places to visit to explore independently and tour options, by clicking here.

Are you ready to enjoy these Merida day trips?

Go back in thousands of years of history, head to the coastline, absorb Mexico’s wonderful authentic customs or jump into a fresh cenote. These day trips from Merida combine lush tropical scenery with fascinating ancient cultures, and the capital of the Yucatan is a prime location to see it all! 

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