An unmistakable Yucatecan identity and sense of their own culture distinguishes towns like Valladolid or Tizimín, with Spanish colonial churches and squares, Mayan women selling colorful fruit and flowers, and a gently paced street life. The ancestors of the modern Maya built some of their greatest creations here, at Ek-Balam and the city of Chichén Itzá. Giant underground caverns and magical cenote pools lie beneath the landscape.
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Day One
Stay the night in Valladolid or, better, the little town of Pisté just outside Chichén Itzá, and get to the ruins as early as possible. Once inside, tackle the climb up the Castillo for an overview of the ancient city in all its majesty. Spend at least three hours around Chichén, then regain your strength with lunch at the charming Las Mestizas in Pisté.
In the afternoon, make a choice: if you’re interested in the ancient Maya, go up to Ek-Balam, or head into Valladolid for a wander around its plaza, San Bernardino monastery, and the dramatic town cenote. Before it’s too late in the day, head north to Río Lagartos (104 km/65 miles) to book a flamingo tour for the next morning. Stay at the Hotel San Felipe in San Felipe.
Day Two
The flamingos are best seen early, so you’ll need to be off around 7am. A 2-or 4-hour tour takes you into an exuberant, rare natural world, through broad lagoons and narrow creeks. Afterward, for lunch, have a ceviche at Isla Contoy on the water-front, or head down to Tizimín for steaks at the Tres Reyes on its broad Colonial square.
From Tizimín, turn westward through miles and miles of cattle ranches to reach Izamal. Here you can look out on the town from the monastery’s arcaded courtyard. The town’s golden colors are especially lovely in the warm, early evening light.
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From his ramshackle shop, former baseball player Antonio “Negro” Aguilar provides information, sells sports goods, and rents out cheap rooms and bikes at low rates.
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This ruined city west of Izamal is a great mystery, as its thick, drum-shaped columns and huge ramp-like stairways are unlike any other Mayan buildings. The local village church was built on an ancient pyramid.
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This great labyrinthine complex of caves extends several miles under the Yucatán forest. Caves were sacred for the ancient Maya and, in one spectacular chamber, the sanctuary, remains were found of over 100 ritual incense burners. The compulsory tour ends in a magical chamber with a perfectly still pool, in which the cave bottom seen through the water is a mirror image of the roof.
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A rumbustious village bar with a salsa soundtrack. The men of El Cuyo go out to fish before dawn, and when they come back many spend much of the day by the beach at La Conchita, which serves up wonderful grilled fish.
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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.
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Valladolid’s main street has everything a country town should: shoe stores, electrical shops, barbers, and stalls selling fruit and herbal medicines.
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Between Valladolid and Tizimín, this is another hot country town that has a fine church (1749) with a magnificently ornate Baroque altarpiece.
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This is the most spectacular of the easily accessible, swim-mable cenotes, and one of the great sights of the Yucatán. Entering through a cramped tunnel, you emerge into a vast, cathedral-like cavern, with towers of strangely shaped rock around an exquisite turquoise pool. In the middle, a shaft of sunlight falls dead straight onto the water from a hole in the roof. Everyone automatically swims through it, to be touched by this magical light.
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The most famous and awe-inspiring of all the great ancient Mayan cities, and the one with the most spine-tingling images of war and sacrifice. The great pyramid of El Castillo, the giant Ball Court, the Sacred Cenote, and the Temple of the Warriors are all must-sees.
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Restaurant price categories
For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
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