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A secluded spot to get away from just about everything, set at the end of the bumpy beach road north from Puerto Morelos. There’s a small cabaña hotel and a camping site.

On one side of the square of this remarkable little town is an 18th-century church, while on another is a very ancient Mayan pyramid, perhaps begun around 300 BC.

Another fine swimming-hole cenote amid rocks and woods toward Cobá. Snorkelers can explore the huge main cavern; divers (with guides) can go further.

Another Campeche specialty: a delicious warm salad that’s much lighter than many local dishes on a hot, hot day. Rice (arroz ) is mixed together with chopped octopus (pulpo ), red peppers, onion, coriander, and other herbs, and often mango, papaya, and other fruits, in a refreshing blend of sweet juice and salty seafood flavors.

This vast area of uninhabited mangroves west of San Felipe is remote and wild. There are no regular tours, but boatmen in San Felipe or Dzilam may offer a trip.

Between Valladolid and Tizimín, this is another hot country town that has a fine church (1749) with a magnificently ornate Baroque altarpiece.

All around the coasts, fish and seafood are restaurant staples. One of the simplest and most delicious ways of cooking the likes of camarón (prawns/shrimp) and caracol (conch) is al mojo de ajo , fried quickly in hot oil and loads of garlic. When ingredients are fresh, nothing more is needed.

The cenotes and underwater rivers in western Yucatán are far less well explored than those around Tulum. Snorkeling and diving trips are beginning to be organized from Mérida; Yucatán Trails agency (see Tours and Special Interests) can book tours.