Down Mexico Way

I had never been to Mexico before and was not entirely sure what to expect apart from the usual stereotypes of siestas, sombreros and tequila!  I was delighted to find that Mexico had so much more to offer and is rich in history and culture as well as having delicious food and exciting traditional music and dance. 

Merida is a perfect place to stay if you want to experience Mexican culture while staying relatively close to the Caribbean Sea.  There is plenty to see and do in Merida town itself from shops and markets to art galleries and museums to a gentle stroll down the stunning Paseo de Montejo, the famous boulevard fashioned after Paris' Champs Eylsee for an ice cream at Colon.   Being centrally located, Merida is an ideal place to also explore numerous ruin sites and ecological wonders outside of Merida.

There is so much choice for places to stay from boutique hotels in the centre of Merida including Piedra de Augua Hotel which is set in an old colonial building and offers quirky bedrooms, delicious food and a trendy outdoor bar, to the decadent luxury of traditional haciendas transformed into luxury hotels on the outskirts of Merida including Hacienda Xcanatun which also offers an award winning restaurant. 

From Merida I did several day trips to visit various hotels, haciendas and archeological sites.  The first archaeological site I encountered was the late-Classic Mayan site of Uxmal, built around 10th century AD to watch the light and sound show in the evening.  I was completely blown away with what I saw and how these vast and complicated structures had been built and such a long time ago.  It is considered one of the most complex and beautiful expressions of Puuc architecture which is characterized by elaborate horizontal stonework.  The Light and Sound show gave a useful and exciting insight into the Mayan history and the Toltec invaders who eventually took over the site and the rest of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The next day I went to visit one of the most famous archaeological sites in the area, Chichén Itzá, which was once the most powerful of the Mayan cities.  The Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichén Itzá, known as "El Castillo" (the castle), is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is absolutely breathtaking.  One of the most fascinating things about the structure is that it acted as a calendar and was built with perfect mathematical accuracy.  Twice a year during March and September the sun projects an undulating pattern of light on the northern stairway for a few hours in the late afternoon which lights up the massive stone carvings of snake heads at the base of the stairs, depicting a huge serpent snaking down the structure.

I then went to stay at an amazing private hacienda called San José Cholul, located south east of Merida, which had been turned into a luxury boutique hotel.  There are only 15 rooms and suites which are all beautifully decorated and are located around the main 18th century building, surrounded by beautiful gardens.   After having a few hours to cool off in the pool and relax in a hammock I went to the nearby city of Izamal, a beautiful colonial town which is also surrounded by numerous Mayan sites and was taken around the town and sites by a horse drawn carriage which is traditional to Izamal.

My last day in Mexico was spent visiting the archaeological site of Ek'Balam, an ancient Mayan city built around 800 AD or later. At that time, the city was ruled by a powerful leader, Ukil-Kan-Lek-Tok, whose tomb, called Acropolis, is located on the site. The Acropolis has remarkable sculptures and is considered to be one of the tallest structures in the Yucatan. The view from the top is stunning although the climb can seem quite daunting on the way up and down!  By the time we had finished the tour the midday sun was beating down and it was scorching hot, but our drivers welcomed us back to the vehicles with ice cold coronas and refreshing wet towels - pure bliss! We were then taken to a private ranch, Xchen Ranch, for a swim in their Cenote (an underground freshwater pool) followed by a delicious typical Yucatan lunch including freshly made corn tacos, Cochinita Pibil (baked marinated pork) and fresh guacamole.

I had such an amazing time in Mexico and although I only experienced just a small area of the Yucatan, I certainly got a feel of the culture and heritage and look forward to going back to explore other parts of Mexico very soon.

Email or call our Central America Team on 020 7386 4646 for further information.

Costs for our 15-day 'Ultimate Mexico' start at £2,625 per person inclusive of flights from London.