We loved Playa del Carmen on our first visit, a quiet 4 street town with sandy streets, now a city of over 1 million! When we returned we loved Akumal, with it's amazing bay full of turtles. Now the bay is fenced off and you are charged to enter the water. We need to find some places off the beaten path if we are to stick to our budget.
Here are some places you CAN visit on a budget in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
Located on the northern coast of the peninsula, this small fishing town us mostly famous for it's kite surfing and miles and miles of empty beaches. During the Summer months though the winds are alleged to drop a little and this quite little town becomes an untouched beach haven where you can unplug, unwind and relax.
Though accomodation isn't cheap, it's good value. Just look at the sea and sand on offer! Visitors talk about having miles of beach to themselves. Not a party place, it's attractions might not appeal to the typical Cancun visitor, but for us that's part of the attraction. Here's hoping that it avoids becoming another Isla Mujeres or Holbox Island which have been swamped by revellers.
This amazing colonial city is a must visit if you like a little city time away from the beach. Shopping, eating, hustle, bustle and people watching abound around the Centro area of the city. Museums, Art Galleries and many other cultural delights await in this truly Mayan city. Buy a panama hat, grab a hammock or look for other curios and collectables as you leisurely roam the streets. Best of all... it's so cheap! We recall visiting a little hotel called the Mucuy back in 1998 where the honesty bar prices were 2 pesos for a bottle of Corona or Sol. Well inflation has scuppered the 10p beers but there's still plentiful cheap food and drink on offer.
If Merida is just too busy but you still want a short city break, then quieter and calmer is Campeche. This coastal city has a long history of Piracy and is surrounded by a protective wall manned with cannons in times gone by to offer it protection. It's also an amazing bargain for a few nights of real Mexico!
OK it's not strictly in the Yucatan peninsula! But if you are feeling adventurous then excellent public transport or hire cars allow you the opportunity to head into nearby (well 5-6 hours drive) Chiapas to see the truly Indiana Jones like jungle ruins of Palenque. Accommodation can be really good value here but choose wisely.
Without wanting to give away all of our secret bolt holes, we hope you've had a little taster of where we might just end up if 2022 goes to plan.
Here's to travel returning to normal.