What's up guys? It's Zac and Ine from World Wild Hearts
And in this video we're going to give you the best
of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
So we spent about 2 months here in the Yucatan
visiting everything from beaches to cities,
cenotes, and ancient ruins. There was a lot to
explore so we thought we would make this
video on the top 10 of the Yucatan so you can
explore it yourself and have a great trip.
So enjoy the video!
The 10th best place to visit in the Yucatan Peninsula
is Rio Lagartos. This small fishing village is
located along the Gulf Coast. It is an untouched
and less touristic area filled with wildlife and
pristine nature. You can explore its protected
biosphere by taking a boat tour where you will
observe hundreds of flamingos, alligators, and pelicans.
We visited this town as a day trip from Valladolid,
which is about 1 and a half hour away.
However, you can also spend more time in
the area and combine a tour of the biosphere
reserve with an excursion to the nearby Las Coloradas,
which are pink water lagoons formed by salt mines.
This is the Mayan bath. And it's very good for the skin.
At number 9, we have Playa del Carmen.
While the town itself is very touristic,
it is a great base to visit nearby cenotes and attractions.
There are tons of unique cenotes, Mayan ruins,
and gorgeous islands at your fingertips.
We recommend visiting the nearby cenotes
Sac Actun and cenote Azul.
And while you’re in Playa del Carmen itself,
make sure to enjoy the beach and walk around
5th Avenue to take in the international vibe.
A vibrant nightlife, delicious food and lots of
entertainment are awaiting you!
Cozumel is next on our list of the best destinations
of the Yucatan Peninsula. Cozumel is only a
30 minute ferry ride from Playa del Carmen.
It’s known for its white sand beaches and
excellent diving and snorkeling.
Home to the second-largest reef system in the world,
there is extensive coral and sea life with incredible visibility.
Whether you’re a beginner or expert diver,
there’s something for everyone around Cozumel.
We did a snorkel tour to the famous El Cielo
where we spotted stingrays and starfish.
But the highlight was relaxing at El Cielito, which was
the most beautiful beach we’d ever seen in our lives.
For number 7 we have Isla Mujeres.
This island is located right across the shore
from the bustling city of Cancun.
Isla Mujeres is a beautiful, peaceful paradise
known for its white sand beaches, crystal clear waters
and the friendliest locals in the Mexican Caribbean.
We explored this laid-back island for about
three days and chose to ride bikes for our transportation,
which is perfectly doable considering its size.
Make sure to visit the ancient Mayan ruins and cliffs
at Punta Sur and watch the sunset at North Beach.
Bacalar is our 6th favorite destination in the
Yucatan Peninsula. Famous for its immense
deep-blue lake, Bacalar is located in the south
of Quintana Roo near the border of Belize.
The lake boasts seven brilliant shades of blue,
formed by cenotes of all different shapes and sizes.
But besides that, this lake is also home to an
ancient population of stromatolites, the earliest
fossil evidence of life on Earth.
We spent a few days in Bacalar and enjoyed the
lake to the fullest. We highly recommend exploring
the lake by motorboat, sailboat, or kayak.
There are tons of interesting sights such as
los rapidos, pirate’s channel, and cenote azul.
The fifth best of the Yucatan Peninsula is Akumal.
Situated between Playa del Carmen and Tulum,
this little beach town is the perfect day-trip destination.
Akumal means "place of turtles" in Mayan and
this is where hundreds of turtles arrive to
lay their eggs every year in the summer months.
Although summer is the high point, you can still
see many turtles year round in the shallow bay.
To protect this fragile habitat, there are only 200
people allowed to swim in the protected area each day.
You have to hire an official National Park guide
who will take you to the turtle viewing spots
and tell you about the history of this place.
It’s absolutely worth it as you’ll see
so many turtles up close!
So if you want to enjoy the beach of Akumal
and you don't want to go to the turtle spot or
you've already done that and you're in-between
Half Moon Bay, then you can look for this sign
and like, there's a little path that brings you to
the beach. Public access.
Number 4 goes to one of the 7 world wonders…
Chichen Itza. As one of the most important
city-states in pre-Hispanic America,
Chichen Itza was a vibrant city with a diverse
population of Mayan people extending well
into the tens of thousands.
Today, Chichen Itza is one of the most visited
archeological sites in Mexico.
The “El Castillo” pyramid in the site’s center
is the most spectacular and well-preserved
Mayan Ruin of the archeological site.
Located 45 minutes outside of Valladolid,
you can easily visit Chichen Itza during the day.
But it is also possible to arrange a day trip from Tulum,
Playa del Carmen and Cancun.
Our 3rd favorite destination in the Yucatan Peninsula
is Tulum. With a spectacular coastline,
Tulum has become a popular tourism destination.
And even though we don’t really like how crowded
the town is, we do like the many activities that
the area offers. From the interesting Tulum Ruins
to the unique Kaan Luum lagoon and multiple
stunning cenotes that are a short bike ride away,
this place has it all. We absolutely fell in love with
all the natural attractions and highly recommend
swimming in the Gran Cenote and Cenote Calavera.
The runner-up best destination is Valladolid.
Located deep in the Yucatan Jungle, Valladolid
is authentic Mexico at its best.
From wandering its colorful streets, to exploring
the most beautiful cenotes of the Yucatan,
and immersing yourself in the Mayan culture and history,
there are so many things to do here.
And as we’ve mentioned before, it is the ideal base
to visit Chichen Itza from. We spent about 4 days
in the town and highly recommend visiting the
cave cenotes, such as cenote Suytun, cenote Xkeken and Samula.
Our favorite ruin is also only a short drive away…
the ancient ruins of Ek Balam.
Being able to climb up the stairs on both of the major pyramids,
these ruins brought us closer to understanding the Mayan culture.
And the absolute best of the Yucatan Peninsula is Isla Holbox.
Imagine white-sand beaches, calm azure waters,
and pure relaxation… That is Isla Holbox.
This car-free island between the Caribbean Sea
and the Gulf of Mexico is truly unique.
It has a rich marine life and a laid back vibe.
We spent a few days on the island and wished we
had stayed longer. Make sure to indulge yourself
in the delicious food, walk the sandbars of Punta Mosquito,
and watch the sunset and bioluminescence at Punta Cocos.
And if you are visiting from June to September,
you will also have the opportunity to swim with gentle giants…
the whale sharks!
Thank you guys for watching our video about
the best of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
We really hope you enjoyed it.
And don't forget to subscribe to our channel
because we have a lot of other videos about
Mexico. As well, we have a giveaway
in the description below which you can
download for free. So, we'll catch you on
the next adventure!