HOLIDAY IN MEXICO

Holiday in Yucatan Mexico 25-10-2025 to 1/11/2025

I arranged this trip through Trailfinders as usual. I was undecided between Canada and Mexico. The Mexico trip was £1000 cheaper. I went for it even though it did not include Mexico City. United Airlines flew me from London Heathrow to Cancun via Houston Texas. It was difficult to believe that leaving London at 10 am I got to Cancun at 7 pm on the same day. At Cancun airport I met the agent from Intrepid Travels who took me to the Calixta hotel at Playa del Carmen. The other members of my party had got there a few hours earlier and met up with our guide Alejandro Starcevic Dzib (Alex) who saw me later and explained what had happened up to my arrival and what the schedule was for the next day.

Others in the party I joined were Sue Bradbrook and Nigel Wills, a couple, Louise Paramore and Joe, a couple or just friends – all the above were Brits, Canadian friends Nina D’Andrea and Hunsa Jain and from Ireland Tony, Deirdre and Deirdre’s son Liam. For one day during the tour we had a very good and knowledgeable guide called Edwin. Edwin’s joke was that when the Spaniards arrived in Yucatan one of them asked a native the name of the area. The local fellow said in Mayan “I don’t know what you are talking about”. To the Spaniard it sounded like “Yucatan”. That’s how the place got its name.

Two pictures below show the party of tourists I joined:

Below is a map of the route we took anticlockwise

26/10/26

We left the Calixta Hotel in Playa del Carmen after breakfast for Chichen Itza and Merida. ..

Wandering around at Chichen Itza and we took pictures of the Mayan ruins.

Near Chichen Itza there is a cenote (Chi -No -Tay)

A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting when a collapse of limestone bedrock exposes groundwater.

With life jackets on we swam in the cenote. On the periphery of the cenote were trees with long roots stretching down to the water.. I attach below photos of the cenote and some of the Mayan ruins.

26/10/25- 27/10/25

We arrived in Merida and were given the option to visit the Mayan ruins in Uxmal with another guide, Edwin. I thought Edwin did an excellent job as a guide.

It was an enjoyable day.

These are the only pictures I can find of Uxmal.

28/10/25

We may have stayed in Merida for another day and night I think and moved on from there to to Campeche via Becal .

Above are pictures from a hat shop in Becal which is on the route from Merida to Campeche.showing me, Hunsa and Nina and the lady in a hat shop. The lady is working on a new hat. The hats are made from palm leaves and the shops are often underground

Below is a church in Merida (I think). But it might be Campeche

Some Mexicans dig out the bones of their relatives from their graves and preserve and worship them at mini-temples. We visited a site like that with mini-temples but I didn’t take any pictures. From what I read the place where this happens is Campeche where we went after Merida

30/10/25

From Campeche we moved on to Bacalar to enjoy the fresh water lagoons. This is what Alex refers to as “banos”

The first picture below shows us on our way to the paddling area of the lagoons.

In the pictures above

1 at the top a boatman taking us to the bathing area

2 Deirdre, Liam and Tony

3 Joe and Debbie

4 Sue and Nigel

5 Me

On 31st October we arrived in Tulum. I attach below three photos from there: from top

below

a lizard

Next, me with the sea behind

Next Templo de Los Frescos

Three more from Tulum: from the top

El Castillo

Me with parrots

Giant skeleton dancer

Of the three pictures above. El Castillo was one of the ruins. The parrots were a surprise inflicted on me when I emerged from the Tulum ruins by the wrong exit. The giant dancing skeleton is part of the “Day of the Dead” festival which Alex mentions below

Here are three pictures I was sent probably from Chichen Itza:

We got to Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan. Alex said it was going to be a “Most chaotic day”. We did an orientation walk with Alex and he gave us information about places at which to eat.

BELOW ARE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WHICH TOOK PLACE AT VARIOUS TIME.

IN ALEX’S WORDS

“Mérida’s evenings are warm, lively, and safe to explore — perfect for dinner, a cocktail, or a slow walk under the lights of Paseo Montejo.

UXMAL (and back to Merida)

 😊

Louise:

Hi Alex

Joe and I would like to do Uxmal basic please.

Sue:

Hi Alex.

Nigel and I would like to do the basic too. Thanks Sue

Wonderful, I’ll send you the details of pick up!

Alex:

Friends for the tour tomorrow it will depart at *8:00 a.m.* sharp from the hotel reception.

The guide will be Edwin Góngora. Please be on time so you can start the tour without any delays.

Enjoy it and have fun

Thank you

Devendra Gadgil: 

Hi Alex I am late to say this – I had problems accessing my hotel room but I would like to do the Uxmal basic trip.I should be ready at 8 pm.  Dev

Solved!

Devendra Gadgil:

Everybody. That was a great trip to Uxmal. Edwin is as enthusiastic and knowledgeable as you Alex

Alex: Devandra glad you liked, sure Edwin is and expert too!

I hope you all had an amazing day for those ones who went to Uxmal Ruins and same for those who stay here in Mérida ✨️ exploring the historic center and museums or just taking it easy 🙌🏻

Don’t forget that tonight we have the *”Yucatecan Jarana”*(typical dance of Yucatán) event in the historic center in front of the city hall at 9 PM.

It’s going to be a fantastic way to experience the local culture, especially with the Day of the Dead festivities starting close. If you can make it, I highly recommend checking it out.I’ll be sending out tomorrow’s itinerary shortly. Thanks, and have a great evening, don’t forget to keep yourselves hydrated.

Alex:

Tomorrow’s itinerary 🚐

Tomorrow will be nice cause we will be at the city of Campeche, another beautiful place to relax and keep enjoying the Mexican culture.

We will depart from the hotel at *9:00 a.m.*  Please don’t forget to take your *room key* with you.

I kindly request that you have your luggage ready to go, so we can depart on time and respect the time of others by being punctual. ⏰😊

Breakfast will be ready from 7:00 am / enough time to be ready at 9:00 am

We will make a stop at a local artisan in Becal town where you will have the opportunity to learn about the traditional craft of making *Jipijapa hats*.  Afterward, we will head to the city of Campeche, where you will have the chance to explore its historic charm.

Once we arrive to Campeche we are going to have our lunch at *El Pez Conde* local restaurant well know for its fresh seafood

Finally we will check into our hotel *Plaza Campeche* and later have our orientation walk in the small city.

We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow morning, keep enjoying Mérida.

Day of the dead celebrations from last night. X

Friends welcome to the lovely city of *Campeche* as I told you the place is to explore walking and walking 😎

Alex:

Tomorrow’s itinerary to *BACALAR* (7-8 hours drive)

Breakfast will be ready at 7:00 am try to take advantage of it cause there will be 2 big groups of Netherlands too!

We are going to be leaving from our hotel at 8:30 am

We will have some stops on the way for baños  🚻

Nice local restaurant

After that we will continue to our final destination Bacalar.

We also gonna have our short orientation walk , bacalar is smaller than Campeche.

Tips!

Get some snacks for the way! Get some cash from the ATMs here in Campeche / some change $$$ for baños and be super patient for the ride 😄

Have fun walking around Campeche

Buenos dias amigos 🙌🏻☀️  

For the breakfast just ask for our table, *Alejandro*

Bonne appétit 🥓🥞

Friends we’ll arrive to *Bacalar* a small town to keep enjoying and relax after the long ride 🥴

We are having a beautiful weather to jump into the pool and have some drinks!  🏊‍♀️

Then like in the other cities, just walk to explore the place and enjoy the ambiance of the little town.

Tony: Which bar has Devindra led you astray to?? Deirdre and I will meet you there.

We’re in the little market stands in the centre if the square just now

Spotted!

Devendra Gadgil: I shall accept that as a compliment Tony! I wanted to stay with all of you to be sure I got back to the right hotel. Good decision.

Buenos dias ☀️

Hope you have had a nice night tonight 🧘‍♂️

Sunscreen on before we leave from the hotel and be ready with your short and 👙🩴

Alex: Tomorrow’s itinerary

*TULUM*

The end of this beautiful trip. (4 hours drive)

Breakfast will be ready at 7:00am

We are going to be leaving from the hotel at 8:00 am

We are going to arrive to *TULUM RUINS* for a tour atfer, that we are going to have our lunch in a authentic local restaurant then:

Check-in! Our Hotel is

Mestizo Gallery

Finally our *Farewell Dinner* at 7:00 pm 🥲

Keep having a beautiful night ✨️ was a lovely day at the lagoon.

Buenos dias amigos ☀️ Hope you had enjoyed our last night in Bacalar Town.

Don’t forget to bring the Key Rooms

Provecho  🥞

Devendra Gadgil:

Hi DSA I am near the Subway store and the Mayan Market. Where are you? Or please find me. Dev

Me and José went to see Devandra

If he arrives at the gate let me know please.

Thanks

Yes we will

Check the other entrance/ gate. He would not have known which bus to get.

Yeap! That’s what we did with jose 😎

We got him 😎

Drinking a margarita, laying on the beach 😜:

Well done Sue and Jose 👏🏻

Me: The comment about the Margarita is Sue’s. I did pick up a taste for Margaritas though!

Our Tour ended in Tulum from where I got a taxi to Cancun. The return flights were Cancun to Washington DC and from there to London Heathrow