Yucatán Itinerary - Winter 2020 — Tuljak! Travel Blog

It is no secret that Mexico has had the most relaxed border restriction since the beginning of this pandemic. So, when I had a forced vacation over the holiday season, Mexico became quite an enticing destination to satisfy my wanderlust. This was only my second visit to Mexico, and I sometimes forget just how wonderful my trip to Mexico City was nearly eight years ago. From the distinct national culture to the vibrant colors, Mexico is the antidote to the cold and soulless winter of New Jersey.

Since the start of the pandemic, Cancún and the Maya Riviera have been the most popular international destinations for Americans. With nearly a dozen direct flights from the New York City area, we were quite wary of the abundance of reckless Americans abroad. Luckily, I am not much of a beach person, so we decided to spend most of our time in and around Mérida, the capital of the State of Yucatan. Long considered the heartbeat of Mayan culture, Mérida was just what we sought on this long overdue trip.

Day 1: Newark - Cancún - Temozón - Valladolid

After the early morning flight out of Newark, we arrived at Cancun International Airport. Despite all the travel warnings and surging COVID cases on both sides of the border, passport control in Mexico is among the laxest that I have been through in quite some time. Just as we were a little giddy about how smooth this trip had been, we were confronted by our rental car reservation disaster. The agent at National flat-out told us they had run out of the car for the day and could not honor our reservation. I asked him exactly what the reservation was for if you didn’t provide a guarantee. When asked about vehicle availability at their sister company, Enterprise, their agent quickly became defensive and insisted that all available cars are reserved for their VIP members, which also makes no sense. Ironically, there were still cars available for rent on their online reservation. After a frustrating 30 minutes and complaining about National’s customer service, we ended up going with a deal with Europcar, albeit more than twice the amount of our reservation.

While that was an inauspicious start to the trip, things quickly turned around when we were on the way. We spent our night in Valladolid, a two-hour drive on Yucantan’s only toll highway. At 320 pesos, the toll was surprisingly steep but pure joy to drive not. Before getting to town, we made a detour to the small town of Temozón, a place known for smoked meat. We stopped for lunch at the unfortunately named El Negrito Ahumado Don Juanito. It was one of those places with no menu, and our rusty Spanish certainly made lunch a typical comedy of error.

Colonté Hotel Origen, our home for the next two nights, is a simple delight. After taking a quick nap on the Yucatan hammock, we took a leisure stroll around Valldolid’s central historic district. The gentle light of dusk cast a gentle glow on the main cathedral and the pastel-colored buildings all around us. We wrapped up our first day with a dip in the hotel pool before a wonderful dinner at IX CAT IK Tradicional Cocina Maya.

Day 2: Valladolid - Chichén Itzá - Valladolid

After a beautiful breakfast at Colonté Hotel Origen, we jumped at the chance to cross off perhaps the most important sight on this trip: Chichén Itzá. The weather was gorgeous, as the high for the day was projected to be in the high 70s, the crisp blue sky. It was a pleasant 45-minute drive through the Yucatan countryside, and we arrived at the gate just around 9 am, which allowed us to avoid the crowd from big bus tours from Maya Riviera. After declining multiple offers from ‘official guides and 428 pesos admission, we were free to roam around. Perhaps due to good planning, the first ruin any visitor would see is the Temple of Kukulcán, the most iconic and largest monument in all of Yucatan. The pyramid seems a little smaller than I imagined, but perhaps it is situated in such a large open field. Interestingly, the other part of the Chichén Itzá complex is far more interesting, such as the Grand Ballcourt, Observatory, and the Nunnery Complex.

We have been warned about the deluge of vendors on site. Many were still setting up since our visit was in the early part of the day. So, we did not get to experience the vendor’s full-on assault on visitors until the last hour of our visit. For whatever reason, everything they sell is supposedly 1 US dollar. Observing the interaction between vendors and tourists is quite an entertainment.

Following a morning of ruins, we stopped for a plate of charcoal-grilled fruit and chicken at Polleria Los Pajaros at nearby Pisté. Afterward, we headed to the first cenotes of this trip: Cenote Samulá and Cenote Xkeken. Located just on the outskirts of Valladolid, the 120 pesos allow access to both sinkholes. However, what we did not account for is that there was a separate rental charge for lockers and life jackets for each sinkhole. That aside, cenotes were an awesome experience not to be missed. I could imagine just how Yucatan could be such a wonderful playground for the inner child in all of us.

After a few beers back at the hotel, we had dinner at Yakunaj Cocina Mexicana, a prime Mexican fusion restaurant a few blocks from the main square. Some of the most interesting dishes on the menu are spaghetti with chipotle cream sauce and tangerine cheesecake. It was as strange as it was good. We also sampled one of the best drinks on this trip: Tanuk'uul, a Mayan cold chocolate latte drink.

Day 3 - Valladolid - Uayma - Mérida

After another beautiful breakfast at the hotel, we took our time to take a relaxing stroll around Valladolid. In addition to spending some time at Main Square, we had a lovely walk down Calle Calz de Los Frailes toward the Convent of San Bernardino of Siena. One of the largest convents in the Yucatan, the seemingly unassuming complex was quite a delight to visit. We witnessed the Baptism ceremony during our visit and enjoyed some festive Mexican music. The attached convent museum has a lovely pink-color courtyard and exhibits various artifacts from colonial times. But by far, the best feature must be the cenote that once supplied the water to the convent.

On our way out of Valladolid, we drove 25 minutes northwest toward the unassuming town of Uayma. I first read about this town because of a post on Atlas Obscura, featuring the town’s unusual-looking Santo Domingo de Guzman Church and Convent. The restored church is unlikely any church I have ever visited; the decoration is more reminiscent of a Mayan temple than a Catholic one. The double-headed eagle on the front represents the Habsburg imperial house, which was quite unusual in Mexico. Just beneath the eagle, a portion of the stone was purposefully exposed to reveal the Mayan inscription. It was said that the church was constructed out of the rubble of the Mayan temple that once stood at this site.

Uayma's impressive and unusual Santo Domingo de Guzman Church and Convent.

It was a solid two-hour drive from Uayma to Mérida. Before checking in at our Airbnb, we stopped at Hacienda Teya on the outskirts of town. Unfortunately, we got turned away because of their reduced capacity. This is just one of the realities during the pandemic age that we all had to be patient with. So, after checking into our lovely Airbnb in central Mérida, we had dinner with the first restaurant we came across: La Tratto Santa Lucía. It was not the best choice in a city known for Yucatecan cuisine. Their shrimp scampi is among the strangest things I had on this trip. However, the ambiance of Parque de Santa Lucía more than made up for it.

After our very late lunch, we were eager to explore much of the historic center, which is surprisingly compact. Centered around the Plaza Grande, it seems like the whole city is oriented around this place. The plaza was teeming with locals and vendors from the main cathedral to the municipal hall. Even well after the sunset, the plaza remained bustling with energy. Ironically, we wrapped up our day at a local hypermarket, shopping for provisions for the next four days in our Airbnb. It is a ritual we often undertake whenever we visit a new country to see what kind of products and local specialties are available.

Day 4 - Mérida - Telchaquillo - Homún - Mérida

We had a little bit of a late start today and were greeted with glorious weather. After a beautiful night of sleep, we felt refreshed and decided to have a nice breakfast. The first place we visited was the highly recommended Manjar Blanco. Like the day before, they turned us away because of the COVID restriction. Luckily, we did get a table at the nearby El Barrio Comfort Food. Everything from their coffee and pastry to enchiladas was excellent. Just across the street from the cafe are Casas Gemelas/Cámara, the famed twin mansions along the Paseo de Montejo, the Champs Elysee of Merida.

As we returned to the historic center and were ready to explore many of Mérida's museums, we quickly discovered that nearly all places were closed because of Sunday or COVID-related closures. At this point, I was a little frustrated. Our visit to Mérida had not been as eventful as I first imagined. After half an hour of lounging in the hammock, I decided to head out of town to visit the Architectural Ruins at Mayapan. At only 45 pesos per person, the admission to Mayapan was only a tenth of Chichén Itzá, and it was double the fun because there was no vendor, and we could climb every structure in the complex. It was quite an exhilarating experience to be on top of the pyramid. It is no doubt that we enjoyed this ruin complex more than Chichén Itzá.

Afterward, we decided we had enough time to visit one cenote before sunset. About 50 minutes away from Mayapan were several popular cenotes. Without much thought, I picked one that had the most positive Google reviews in the region: Cenote Santa Barbara. But as the cell signal went in and out, I had to re-input the destinations and erroneously entered the nearby Cenote Santa Rosa. While still a pleasant cenote experience, our fond memory of Cenote Santa Rosa has got to be the little girl who serves as our guide. By the time we realized we had come to the wrong cenote and got to the Cenote Santa Barbara, they had closed for the day. Thankfully, this was not our last day in the region, and we took comfort that we could return for a second visit. We finished our day with an early dinner at an empty La Prospe del Xtup.

Day 5 - Mérida - Uxmal - Mérida

It was another morning in Mérida with great weather. I went to local bakeries to pick up authentic Mexican bread and pastries. After breakfast, I decided to visit another major sight I had planned for this trip: the pre-Hispanic city of Uxmal. Located just over an hour southwest of Mérida, Uxmal is among the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Yucatan Peninsula. While I have read that the site is comparably quiet compared to the much more famous Chichén Itzá, we were amazed at how quiet and peaceful Uxmal was. Just beyond the point of ticketing, there were no vendors to be found. Due to COVID-19, the site has been organized into an easy-to-follow route. Aside from the unique architecture, we were particularly impressed by Uxmal's complex landscape. Unlike Chichén Itzá, Uxmal is

After Uxmal, we stopped for lunch at the nearby Restaurante Halach - Huinic. It is one of the restaurants that catered to big bus tours, and it was painfully clear that the pandemic has been brutal for local businesses like this. And to our surprise, the food was great! As we wrapped up the meal, the clouds gathered, and we headed to a popular cenote: Cenote Kankirixche. The cenote is located at the end of a long unpaved road and was the most basic for amenities. It was undoubtedly a great cenote, but the lack of social distancing was a concern. Upon returning to Mérida, I visited many public marketplaces around the city center. We ended our day with a wonderful dinner at the aptly named Museo de la Gastronomia Yucateca, among the most elegant dining in Mérida.

Day 6 - Mérida

Today was our laundry day. The one laundromat that our Airbnb host recommended was unexpectedly closed. But fortunately, the other laundromat was only four blocks away. For about 90 pesos, our clean and folded laundry would be ready for pick up in about four hours. Afterward, we ate a ‘quick’ breakfast at Chilakilez Morning Food & Treats. This is another spot recommended by the couple behind foodfuntravel.com blog and recommended for their chilaquiles. This supposedly quick and on-the-go dish took more than fifty minutes to prepare, and it was the first local dish I was genuinely disappointed with. Afterward, we contemplated what was the agenda for the day. For a brief moment, I thought of perhaps visiting the beachside town of Celestún to take a tour to see the famous flamingos. But after some discussions, we decided to take a slow day in Mérida.

We decided to revisit many of the attractions that we didn’t get to explore further a few days ago. The Museum of Contemporary Art of Yucatan (MACAY) is chief among them. Housed in a former colonial palace, the collections and exhibits were surprisingly interesting and exciting. And best of all, it was free! For the rest of the day, we decided to live just like the locals and visited various local businesses such as bakeries, sorbet shops, and public markets. It was definitely the time to slow down and to experience Mérida, not as tourists. We also discovered many other lovely public spaces, such as Parque Santiago, just west of Main Square. Around sunset, we went on a passeggiata along Paseo de Montejo.

For dinner, we headed north to the Paseo 60, a modern upscale shopping mall that is a 20-minute from the historic center. We managed to make a reservation at TEYA - Gastronomía Yucateca Viva, a modern outpost of Hacienda Teya, where we did not get a table a few days ago. It was undoubtedly the most beautiful fine dining experience we had in Mérida. The chaya empanada and octopus were particularly memorable; It was a fitting final meal for our last day in the city.

Day 7 - Mérida - Izamal - Puerto Morelos

Before breakfast, I took a final walk around the historic center and visited some monuments I somehow missed in previous days. It includes the Church of San Cristobal and the characteristic colonial-era city gate. After checking out our beloved Airbnb, we made a final Mérida stop at Monumento a la Patria, the city’s main monument dedicated to the Mayan civilization and its people. It is undoubtedly the most fascinating work of public art in Mérida.

Before making our way to Cancún, we stopped in the Izamal. Appropriately named the “Yellow City”, this colonial town is best known for its uniformly yellow-painted buildings in the center of town. The yellow color celebrated a visit by Pope John Paul II in 1993. Serendipitously, it has made Izamal one of the most visited towns in Yucatan. The center of town is dominated by the imposing Convento of San Antonio, built on top of a Mayan pyramid. Although the interior was closed to visitors due to COVID-19, the elevated forecourt of the convent was beautiful. After a visit to the adjacent public market and the boutique handicraft shop Taller Maya, we stopped for a wonderful lunch at Kinich Izamal. But our favorite experience in Izmal is climbing the nearby Pirámide Kinich Kakmó, just one of the several Mayan pyramids that dot the town to this day.

After Izamal, we were on our way to Puerto Morelos. I was quite excited since it was my first experience with an all-inclusive resort. I only booked the resort just the night before after days of research. Haven Riviera Cancun made a good impression with its modern architecture and beautiful pool. But it didn’t take long for things to go downhill. Our dinner at Agua Bendita, their Mexican steakhouse, was our first introduction to the absolute COVID horror show that we experienced during our stay.

While all the staff is double-masked and aware of their health and safety, nearly none of the other guests masked up in public areas, as all were advised during check-in. Worst of all, practically all tables were in an air-conditioned room with very nominal social distance. Indoor dining could only work when all guests are masked and not at their assigned tables. For the first time during our trip, we felt unsafe and angry. The next two days will surely be stressful.

Day 8 - Puerto Morelos

Our first full day at the resort started with a trip to the breakfast buffet. To our dismay, the breakfast buffet was crowded. More than half of the guests chose not to wear masks despite the clear signage indicating that face masking is requested or recommended in the buffet area. Thankfully, we could grab a table at the covered terrace, albeit too enclosed. After breakfast, we stopped by the reservation desk to make a mandatory reservation for their special “New Year’s Eve celebration dinner.”

After quite a long wait, the reservationist told us that all outdoor seating was only available to the higher-paying guests (for their so-called Serenity Club). When we expressed concern about the lack of mask-wearing among guests and indoor dining, the staff told us that we should consider room services. Such a response certainly did not sit well with us.

The circular pool seemed to be the only public area where social distancing was somewhat observed. The shallow pool was surprisingly cold and is the only one not heated on the property. Perhaps this is the only reason we could get some peace and quiet. Unfortunately, lunch at their main restaurant was not particularly great, and even half the food items ran out. I later learned from a few staff members that the resort hiked the occupancy rate from 20% to 80% just in time for the New Year. That explains why the service was lacking and social distancing was challenging. Ironically, our room service dinner was our best meal at this resort.

Day 9 - Puerto Morelos

After a rowdy night of the “New Year celebration,” we were delighted that the breakfast area was unusually empty. Only God knows how rowdy the “Moulin Rouge” theme party from the night was and how much of a super spreader event it was. We were happy in bed before midnight and away from all the madness. We imagine that half of the guests were hungover until noon. We finally got to enjoy the main pool, which was rowdy and crowded the day before. Of course, by the time the afternoon rolled around, we had to retreat to the cold pool to avoid potential infections.

Our bad experience with the resort culminated with the dinner at Satsu, their Asian fusion restaurant. It was undoubtedly the slowest restaurant experience we had to date. Two hours after being seated, we did something we had never done before: walking out before our food arrived. And the saddest thing was that the couple seated just before us only got tiny appetizers after more than two hours. It was undoubtedly one of the most infuriating dining experiences we ever had. But the worst thing? The staff was doing the best they could. The pandemic and understaffing made this a horrible resort experience. This may be the last time I will stay at an all-inclusive resort.

Day 10 - Puerto Morelos - Cancún - Newark

Given the surprisingly subpar food offerings that we experienced so far, we opted for the complimentary room service for breakfast. We spent our remaining few hours in the morning by the main pool. Oddly enough, we felt an enormous relief once we checked out the resort. My disappointment with my first all-inclusive experience suddenly subsided. As we sipped coffee at the viewing terrace after check-out, we felt a sense of peace for the first time since our arrival.

Our first scheduled stop in Cancún is the archaeological ruins of El Meco. It is supposedly the largest Mayan ruin in and around Cancún. Although I have checked the opening time on Google and the website of the National Cultural Ministry, we were greeted with a closed entry gate. We headed for lunch at Lonchería El Pocito. I was determined to have one authentic Mexican meal before we left. It had my last bowl of sopa de lima and one of the finest plates of relleno negro.

After lunch, it was only a five-minute drive to the most infamous market in Cancún: Mercardo 28. It is perhaps the showcase of how an authentic local market has been completely cannibalized by tacky tourist shops, selling all kinds of interchangeable knick-knacks. It was quite unfortunate that this is perhaps the one ‘authentic’ Mexican market experience many foreign visitors to Cancún got to experience. Not surprisingly, we did not make any purchases and did some last-minute shopping at a local 7-Eleven by the airport to let go of some of our excess pesos. Luckily, the rental car return went far smoother than our car rental fiasco at the beginning of the trip. We were only glad that VivaAerobús is a real airline.

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Yucatán Itinerary - Winter 2020