Hola Merida
After taking a short 3 hour ADO bus ride from Campeche at the cost of 613 pesos, we arrived in Merida, capital of Yucatan. We booked a two-week stay at an Airbnb (Pequeña Riviera – Bedroom, swimming pool, terrace) in Grand Santa Fe, a suburb just north of Merida with a pool and cooking facilities. It was time to sit back and relax, enjoy the pool, and enjoy some home cooking.
Flight + Hotel Deals: Save on Mexico, the Caribbean & more!
Truth be known, to save a little money as well, as our last couple of months have gone a little over our budget. We find it can be challenging to balance the tourist/traveler aspect; we know that being away from home for 5+ months, you can’t afford to play tourist all the time as the costs add up quickly. From our place in Santa Fe, we could catch the bus to Merida’s central historic district, as most buses traveled to that location. Bus price 8 pesos each, a real deal. Getting back to Santa Fe was not always that easy; we looked for a bus that said Caucel on it; this would normally get us close to home.
Excursions from Merida
Merida is a hub of sorts for side excursions to other outlying attractions. We did look into taking some of these excursions in but thought them to be rather expensive. Merida sees a lot of cruise excursion traffic, and therefore I believe that’s why they charge so much. Some of the excursions are to local area Cenotes which you can swim or go diving at. Nearby Mayan ruins Dzibilchaltun (just north of Merida), Chichen Itza (east), and Xumal (west of Merida) all fascinating sites and worth the visit. There are caves south of Xumal worth a visit called Grutas de Loltun, a must-see in the area.
Cute Apartment in Historic Chem Bech
After two weeks at our pool guesthouse, it was time to move to Merida; we had booked a week at another Airbnb (Cute apartment in historic Chem Bech). From this location, we were to experience the real Merida that you hear about. As it turned out, we lost several days due to stomach issues, and life goes on. We made the best of it but never got to experience all that Merida had to offer. We had a small Mercado near where we did some of our shopping and a bar nearby to visit and enjoy a Chelada and even tried a Michelada.
Palacio Canton (Palace)
Canton Palacio used to be a family residence that has been renovated into a Mayan museum, where ancient Mayan artifacts are on display. The cost of entry is 55 pesos per person. Great value to see some extraordinary pieces of Mayan history as it goes back several millennia. I find that I’m fascinated by the history and culture that surrounds these artifacts. Growing up in western Canada, we do not have much history, and nothing compares to these displays. I highly recommend visiting this Museum, besides walking the Paseo de Montejo is an experience all to its self.
Merida’s Zocalo
Merida’s main square is always a hub of activities; it is beautiful, comfortable, relaxing, busy with sights and shopping. Saturday evening, make sure that you are at the Zocalo to watch the Pok Ta Pok game (Mayan ball game); it starts around 8:30 pm but gets there by 7:30 to get a good seat. The game gives you an insight into how the game was played back when the Mayans used to play for real, do not miss it as it is something to see. Sundays are very busy with entertainment and local food stalls, tempting your taste buds with the Yucatan flavors. Their many other things to do and look at not from the main square, so take the time to explore.
Off to Progreso
We leave Merida after 3 weeks. Our stay in this gorgeous city was truly delightful; people are friendly, the historic center is entertaining. But it’s time to leave, just up the road to Progreso, a short 1-hour bus ride using Autoprogreso.
Final Thoughts On Merida
- We did enjoy Merida, downtown history, the Zocalo can be busy with activities. We would recommend, a great place to go visit some of the attractions nearby. Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Cenotes
Our Positives
- The museums, Mayan and Canton Palacio
- Friendly people
- Foods from street food to fine restaurants
- Walkable
Our Negatives
- It is a City
Would have, Could have, Should have
- Missed out on the Mayan Museum as it was closed when we went.
Next Stop
The next stop is Progreso for six weeks, the end of our winter away.
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Recommended Travel Essential
Cindy and I call ourselves nomadic so with this lifestyle, we use certain essentials to make this way of life easier and more comfortable. With this in mind, we have composed a list of what we feel are essentials and some tips you might use to plan or take your next travel adventure.
- Travel Packing Essentials to help organize and make this task less stressful
- Travel Safety Essentials to make your life on the road a little safer, giving you peace of mind
- Living Essentials to make life a little more comfortable, be this resting, working, or playing.
Accommodation Options While Traveling The World
- Booking.com is one of our go to’s when we are looking for a place to stay for a couple of days or longer
- Agoda.com we find is best to use when in Southeast Asia, but hey you never know what you might find
- Airbnb.com used to be our go-to but some of their cancelation policies are reasonable, give them a try as well
Travel Insurance
We always travel with some sort of travel Insurance be it just medical or complete trip coverage. We use Heymondo as we find their costs reasonable. Remember don’t travel and without coverage, the savings are not worth the possible costs.
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