3 Weeks In Yucatan, Mexico: Coworking, Adventures, + Healthy Eats

Isaac + I spent 3 weeks traveling the Yucatan in Mexico… while working the entire time. The Yucatan Peninsula is so popular [Cancun + Tulum, anyone?], but I was surprised by the cities I had never heard of that were so magical.

I wrote wellness guides on each city, but I also wanted a place where I could share my entire itinerary, highlights, + “do’s + don’ts.” I hope this helps you plan your best trip! 🥰

Day 1] Arrival: Cancun Airport

The largest airport on the Yucatan Peninsula is the Cancun Airport… so chances are, this is where you’ll fly in! We did not spend anytime in Cancun — but instead, booked a taxi + went straight to Playa Del Carmen.

Day 1–8] Playa Del Carmen

We originally had planned for two weeks in Playa because we heard it was amazing for digital nomads. While the wifi was great, we didn’t love the vibe + ended up cutting our stay short. It was too much of a party scene, the beaches were *SO* crowded, + the food was mediocre [although we did find some gems!]. I would not recommend Playa… instead, head straight to Tulum or Valladolid.

• Stay: Airbnb
• Best Coworking: NEST
• Best Coffee: Liquid Prana
• Best Gym: Deportivo Mario Villanueva Madrid
• Best Healthy Restaurant: Lara + Luca
• Wellness Treat: Massage with Emily Schwarze
• Full Wellness Guide To Playa Del Carmen

Day 8–10] Valladolid

Valladolid was pure magic! We were only here for a weekend — but I wish we were able to stay longer. It’s such a beautiful, colorful city with amazing eats + very quaint. It’s also perfectly located to many adventures [cenotes, Chichén Itzá, Izamal, + more]. This is a must stop!

• Stay: Posada San Juan
• Best Coworking: Canto Encanto
• Best Coffee: Yerbabuena del Sisal
• Best Gym: N/A
• Best Healthy Restaurant: Casa Maca
• Wellness Treat: Swim in all the cenotes… Cenote Xcanahaltun + Cenote Secreto Maya were the BEST
• Full Wellness Guide To Valladolid

Day 10] Izamal

We stopped in Izamal for dinner on our way from Valladolid to Merida. Izamal is known as “The Yellow City”— literally all the buildings are yellow! It’s so beautiful to wander around. It’s a very small town, so you only need an hour or two to explore + walk the streets. We went to Kinich El Sabor de Izamal for dinner!

Day 10–13] Merida

Merida is the largest city in the Yucatan + also the capital — full of culture, big plazas, + local markets. It reminded me of a city in Europe… particularly walking down Paseo de Montejo. We only spent two full days in Merida… + it wasn’t nearly enough time as we were working full days. We actually regretted making a stop since it was so much driving. I’d recommend *at least* 3–4 full days in Merida… or, skip it.

• Stay: Didn't love the Airbnb we stayed at, so won’t link it up. I did love the location though — we stayed on Paseo de Montejo, which is where all the restaurants + cute boutiques were.
• Best Coworking: Marago Coffee
• Best Coffee: Latte Quattro Sette
• Best Gym: N/A
• Best Healthy Restaurant: Rosa Sur 32
• Wellness Treat: Ya’axtal [lol, clearly we didn’t do much in Merida, if our fav spot was a small organic grocery store + cafe… but it was good!]

Day 13–25] Tulum

Oh Tulum… filled with yoga retreat centers, healthy + incredible [but very expensive] restaurants, all the healing + spirituality vibes you can ask for, high end bottle service, crazy traffic jams, + instagram influencers everywhere. You’ll either love or hate Tulum. I really liked it. Isaac on the other hand… hated it. It’s 100% worth a stop to see for yourself which side you are on 😉

• Stay: Wrote it depth about this in my full Tulum guide — ultimately, it depends on how long you’re staying in Tulum!
• Best Coworking: Digital Jungle
• Best Coffee: Holy Deer
• Best Yoga: Sanara
• Best Healthy Restaurant: The Real Coconut
• Wellness Treat: Literally, all the things. Cacao ceremony, temazcal, sound bath, massage on the beach… don’t make me choose!
• Full Wellness Guide To Tulum

Day 25] Departure: Cancun Airport

Aaaaand, back where we started — the Cancun Airport! Off to Chiapas we went! Read my Wellness Guide To San Cristobal to discover if Chiapas might be for you [spoiler alert: we were obsessed!].

What I Wish We Would Have Added To The Itinerary

Since we were working the entire time, we didn’t have as much time to explore + adventure. These are the stops I *wish* we would have been able to add… hopefully, you can add them to your trip:

#1] Holbox: I had heard mixed reviews on Holbox — some people were obsessed, some people hated it [just like how Tulum gets mixed reviews!]. We ended up not going here because the wifi is apparently terrible *plus* it’s a bit of a pain to get to. If I did the trip all over again, I’d end in Holbox for a long weekend vacation.

#2] Bacalar: We were planning on going here, but were actually advised against it because the colors haven’t been as brilliant as normal. I would check with a local before making a stop!

#3] Chichén Itzá: I seriously cannot believe we didn’t get to see one of the 7 wonders of the world! Reason to come back! I also really wanted to see the ruins at Uxmal.

Dos + Dont’s

Do’s

• Do take advantage of the Facebook groups
• Do get a Mexican SIM card
• Do rent a car… but you don’t need it the whole time
• Do get settled on a Sunday
• Do get a Google Translate App — speaking Spanish is particularly important, particularly outside the main tourist cities

Don’ts

• Don’t be too worried about the food — we didn’t get sick at all in the Yucatan… although my friend did get very sick in Tulum.
• Don’t become an overly confident driver… be aware of the speed bumps!

Have you spent time in the Yucatan Peninsula? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Love,
Elisabeth