México: Yucatán Diving and Adventure
Beaches, Ruins & Cenotes
Yucatán diving and adventure the peninsula, a radiant paradise in the Caribbean Sea, welcomes travellers with a warm and inviting climate – ideal for days spent on picturesque beaches, swimming in clear waters or enjoying a cool beer under the radiant sun. But the true magic of the Yucatán lies in its unspoilt nature and rich history. Here, where mysterious cenotes invite you to extraordinary diving adventures, you come face to face with the quiet splendour of the Mayan ruins and the bright colours of the colonial cities.
From the exciting dives in Playa del Carmen, where I did my PADI Open Water Diver, to visiting the impressive ruins of Tulum and Chichen Itza, to the cosy days in Mérida and the quiet moments in the cenotes, this trip was a discovery of the contrasts and beauty of the Yucatán.
Key Data
Population:
2’320’898 (Yucatan); 1’857’985 (Quintana Roo)
Area:
39’6122 (Yucatan); 44’7052 (Quintan Roo)
Highest elevation:
210 m (Yucatan); 230 m (Quintana Roo)
Lowest elevation: 0 m (Caribbean Sea)
Capital:
Yucatan: Mérida; Quintana Roo: Chetumal
Table of Contents
Playa del Carmen:
Where My Diving Adventure Begins
Quite spontaneously, I decided to do my diving licence in Mexico. We found a very good diving school – deepdivemexico. I was also lucky enough to get private lessons, so I was able to improve my diving skills quickly and easily. The first dive wasn’t that exciting in the pool, so I first familiarised myself with the equipment. The second dive was my first time in the sea, I still had difficulties with coordination, I was constantly going up and down, the aim would have been to stay at the same depth.
On the second dive the next day the weather wasn’t so good, the sea was quite choppy and after we got back on the boat I felt a bit sick. I don’t normally get sick on a boat. It was probably because we were always being rocked back and forth by the waves underwater.
Tulum:
A Day Among the Ruins
We only spent one day in Tulum, visiting the ruins in the morning. There were by far the most tourists there. This was probably because Tulum was very hyped, it felt like every YouTuber was in Dubai and Tulum during corona. I really liked the ruins and enjoyed the afternoon there despite the crowds.
Chichen Itza:
Diving into the Majesty of the Maya
As one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza offers a breathtaking insight into the engineering skills and cosmological ideas of the Mayan civilisation. The Kukulcán temple with its impressive pyramid-shaped structure stands at the centre of this ancient city and attracts thousands of visitors every year. The temple complex was very impressive and in very good condition. We could easily spend several hours there without getting bored. Compared to other places, there were relatively many visitors to the site, but unlike normal years, it was probably not overcrowded. I also had the opportunity to take some photos of the buildings without other people in the foreground.
Mérida:
The Heart of Yucatán
After visiting Chizen Iza, we travelled on to Mérida. As we didn’t want to drive into the night, we made a stopover in Valadolit. The town was quite small, but also had a beautiful historic centre. The next day we travelled on to Mérida. We spent the next few days in the city and made ourselves comfortable. From there, we went on an excursion to Cozumel and one to a cenote. I really liked the town, unlike Playa del Carmen and Tulum, it is not touristy at all, we felt like we were some of the few tourists in town.
Cozumel: Tracing Ancient Pyramids
Compared to Chichen Itza, this site is much smaller, but this has the advantage that it is much less frequented by tourists. We were also able to climb the pyramids – a real highlight of our trip. You don’t often get the opportunity to climb a centuries-old pyramid. The steps were very worn, which made the ascent a challenge, especially for those not free from vertigo. The descent required all the more caution, but the breathtaking view from the top was worth all the effort.
Cenotes: Hidden Gems Beneath the Earth
We went on a short cenote tour, the journey by horse-drawn cart was very exciting and fun, the tracks were not so good, but it was enough for the small cart. We were alone in all the cenotes and had the opportunity to bathe in the water. I can well imagine that there would have been a lot more visitors if everyone hadn’t been in corona lockdown. There were two of us and we had two guides to ourselves. The dive in a cenote that we did towards the end of our trip was also very exciting, although I didn’t have that much diving experience yet, it went quite well.
Cancún: Beaches in Paradise
For the last few days of our adventure, we stayed in a 5-star hotel, which turned out to be the best of our entire trip and was therefore a little more expensive than the others. Although we didn’t make extensive use of the all-inclusive offer, we still enjoyed a few drinks by the pool and the sea, which made for a pleasant break. One small downside was that the hotel zone in Cancún is heavily geared towards American tourists, which is reflected in the higher prices compared to the rest of the country.
Yucatán:
Unforgettable Moments and Tips
I can only recommend the Yucatán Peninsula, even if we didn’t visit all the areas. I would have loved to visit the other countries too, but I will certainly do that another time. It’s nice and warm there all year round, we had almost no rain and we felt safe the whole time. The locals are not at all intrusive and are friendly.
If you like ruins, it’s definitely worth visiting the various Mayan cities. I can’t really recommend a longer stay in Cancún, it’s too touristy for me. Apart from the ruins, there are also great beaches there. We rented a car for the time and had no problems, only once, when we didn’t have enough money for the toll, were we allowed to turn around and leave the motorway at the next exit. A little knowledge of Spanish would certainly have been an advantage when communicating with the toll officer.