I’ve at all times wished to journey solo to Mexico and spend a minimal of 6 months there. Sadly, I haven’t had that probability but. Melissa Douglas, who has a Mexico-focused journey weblog, contributed this solo journey tricks to Merida.
The charming colonial metropolis of Merida, Mexico is the capital of the Yucatan state in Southern Mexico. Till not too long ago, it has remained largely off the crushed path.
Nonetheless, in 2022, famend journey publications akin to Lonely Planet and Journey and Leisure have acknowledged little Merida as being among the best locations to go to this 12 months. In contrast to different cities within the Yucatan peninsula akin to Cancun and Tulum, which have began to develop into gentrified and are occupied by massive swathes of western vacationers, Merida, for now, stays unchanged by tourism.
The town retains its conventional Mexican appeal. Now’s the perfect time to go to Merida earlier than phrase will get out.
As soon as upon a time, Merida was one of many richest cities on the planet. It thrived through the henequen (uncooked fiber from the henequen plant) increase when native farmers would domesticate the sisal plant and use it to make clothes and textiles.
With their newfound wealth, the individuals of Merida constructed enormous sprawling mansions and haciendas. As we speak, many of those gorgeous buildings have been transformed into luxurious motels, espresso retailers, and eating places. Merida is a photographer’s paradise.
Arriving in Merida
Merida is dwelling to a global airport (MID) which is definitely positioned proper within the coronary heart of the town, simply quarter-hour away from the historic heart. Nonetheless, there are solely a really restricted variety of worldwide flight routes that service this airport.
You possibly can fly into Merida from Miami, Houston, Guatemala Metropolis, and Havana, Cuba. If you’re flying from elsewhere, it is smart to both switch flights in Mexico Metropolis, or to fly into Cancun.
Cancun is the most important worldwide airport near Merida, located within the coastal metropolis of Cancun 303km away. ADO buses present common connections between Cancun and Merida a number of occasions a day.
The journey takes roughly 4 hours and tickets value round US$25 every manner. The bus terminates at Merida Centro station, proper within the coronary heart of city.
The place to Keep in Merida
Merida is a big, sprawling metropolis and the general public transport right here leaves quite a bit to be desired. Decide to remain within the historic heart so that you could attain a lot of the metropolis’s major historic and cultural highlights on foot.
Opting to remain in an Airbnb (get $15+ credit score with Airbnb if you ebook for the primary time utilizing the hyperlink) or homestay within the jap or western elements of the town can prevent a good sum of money. Nonetheless, you’ll almost definitely should rely upon Uber and cabs to get round because the buses listed below are neither dependable nor straightforward to navigate.
Lodging in central Merida is inexpensive and there’s something right here for each style and journey fashion. So, you don’t have any actual purpose to have to remain outdoors of the primary zones.
Paseo Montejo
Paseo Montejo is the primary boulevard in Merida. It runs from the historic heart, all the way in which as much as the northern suburbs.
The road was named after Merida’s founder, Francisco de Montejo. You’ll find the Monumento a la Patria right here—an enormous sculpture created by sculptor Rómulo Rozo that shows the historical past of Mexico by means of the ages.
Paseo Montejo is dwelling to a various vary of eating places, cafes, and shops promoting artisanal merchandise, conventional Yucatecan clothes, and road meals. It’s vigorous no matter time you cease by, nevertheless it isn’t so noisy that you could’t get a superb night time’s sleep if you happen to base your self right here.
The ambiance is especially fantastic on Sundays when the road is pedestrianized and closed to site visitors. Hundreds of Merida locals come to jog/stroll/cycle the size of the road and there are a lot of locations the place you may hire a bicycle and be a part of them.
Paseo Montejo has one thing for each finances. Beneath are a few of the most respected finances motels within the space, with costs per room for 2 individuals.
You possibly can ebook by way of Reserving.com; simply click on the hyperlink to the properties above. Be certain to learn the evaluations so that you’ll know which one most closely fits your wants.
Parque Santa Lucia
Parque Santa Lucia is an efficient place to base your self if you wish to expertise Merida by night time. Most of the finest bars and nightclubs are only a 5-minute stroll away from right here.
Listed here are a few of the most respected hostels within the space, with costs per room for 2 individuals.
Greatest Issues to Do in Merida
Take a free strolling tour
A strolling tour is a good way to get your bearings in any new metropolis. Additionally it is among the best issues to do in Merida. A free strolling tour departs day-after-day at 10 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. from outdoors the Casa Montejo museum in the primary sq., with guides talking each English and Spanish.
The tour takes you round the primary Merida landmarks and historic websites and provides you much more data and context on the assorted buildings that you simply see. You’ll go by notable buildings such because the Merida cathedral, the Palacio de Gobierno, the Teatro Peón Contreras, and numerous Merida parks and plazas.
Though the tour is free, it’s tip-based and because the guides dedicate their time to exhibiting vacationers round their metropolis in tremendous scorching climate, it’s well mannered to at all times tip. It’s honest to present US$5-10 (100-200 pesos) per individual.
The opposite beauty of exploring the town on a strolling tour? You could have an area professional readily available to ask for his or her suggestions for the perfect issues to see and do within the metropolis and the perfect locations to hang around, amongst others.
Eat your manner round city
The delicacies in Merida and the Yucatan could be very completely different from the delicacies that you will see elsewhere in Mexico. It is because Yucatecan meals is pre-Hispanic.
Most of the recipes listed below are the identical ones that had been utilized by the Historic Mayans centuries in the past and conventional cooking strategies are nonetheless used. Well-known regional dishes that you must add to your radar embody cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork cooked underground) and relleno negro (floor meat served with turkey and chopped egg).
There are numerous conventional eating places that you could attempt. Habaneros (Calle 20-A Num 302 X 5b Y 5c, Xcumpich, 97204) is an area favourite and though it sits on the outskirts of city, it’s definitely worth the effort to get to.
Expertise Merida by night time
If you happen to thought that Merida was beautiful by day, you’ll probably discover it much more magical by night time. That is when the town actually involves life.
Each night time of the week, you will see dwell music hosted across the metropolis. On Tuesdays, there’s dwell music at Santiago Park and on Thursdays, there’s a dwell band that performs in Santa Lucia.
If you wish to attempt your hand at studying to salsa dance, there are an enormous quantity of native bars and conventional cantinas that host common salsa nights. Cantina Negrita (Calle 62 esquina, C. 49 415, Centro) hosts dwell salsa music day-after-day of the week.
This is likely one of the hottest nightlife spots on the town, though it does get very crowded and it is advisable to cease by earlier than 8 p.m. to safe a desk. Alternatively, Cantina Dzalbay (Calle 64 x 53, Esquina, No. 443, Centro) provides courses the place you may dance with locals.
Deal with your self to a day on the seashore
Merida itself isn’t located on the coast, however there are a number of beautiful seashore cities that may be reached in simply an hour’s drive from the town heart. Yucatan seashores are sometimes neglected in favor of the better-known seashores of the Mexican Caribbean (the areas round Cancun, Tulum, and so forth).
Nonetheless, they’re simply as stunning and deserving of your time. The seashores right here boast miles upon miles of powdery white sand coastlines that stretch so far as the attention can see. The waters are a surprising shade of crystal-clear turquoise.
Progreso is the closest seashore city to Merida, located simply 43km north of the town. Take a stroll alongside the Malecon, sip piña coladas in one of many seashore bars overlooking the water, and spend a day lounging on the sand. Most eating places and bars right here allow you to hire a sunbed and an umbrella for the day for just some pesos.
Discover lesser-known Mayan ruins
Chichen Itza is with out hesitation, essentially the most well-known Mayan smash on this a part of Mexico. Hundreds of individuals go by means of its gates day-after-day.
Whereas a go to to Chichen Itza is likely one of the finest issues you are able to do in Mexico, this isn’t the one Mayan smash within the space. There are a number of different Mayan cities that may be reached on a day journey from Merida and are solely 1-2 hours away.
As an illustration, few individuals have heard of Mayapan, however this was some of the necessary Mayan settlements. It may be discovered simply an hour south of Merida and the location is expansive and rarely sees many vacationers. Mayapan was the final nice Mayan metropolis and it’s right here the place King Kukulkan II and his individuals moved after the downfall of Chichen Itza.
Security Suggestions for Solo Vacationers in Merida
Merida is a really secure metropolis, even for solo vacationers. The Yucatan capital is acknowledged repeatedly as being the most secure metropolis in Mexico, and one of many most secure cities in the whole North American continent.
Sure, Merida is statistically quite a bit safer than loads of cities in the US. Mexico, on the whole, is quite a bit safer than stereotypes and media representations would have you ever assume.
Nonetheless, the tradition in Merida and the Yucatan feels markedly completely different. Right here, you may really feel comparatively snug strolling alone across the metropolis even within the evenings.
Persons are very well mannered and respectful and also you by no means really feel that you need to be regularly trying over your shoulder. Nonetheless, it pays to take some further precautions when touring anyplace independently. Just a few security issues to your solo journey to Merida are detailed beneath.
Most Mexicans choose to make use of Uber somewhat than taking random road taxis. Whereas individuals in some international locations could query the security of Uber, that isn’t the Mexican perspective.
After all, getting right into a automobile on Uber normally means that there’s extra accountability than getting right into a random automobile on the road. You could have the driving force’s particulars and their license plate quantity, and you may share your journey data along with your family and friends members.
Sadly, scams should not exceptional in Mexico and also you usually tend to be ripped off or taken on a roundabout route by means of city if you happen to get right into a random road taxi. When utilizing Uber right here, there are a number of precautions that you could take.
Examine your driver’s profile and solely experience with drivers which have completed a number of thousand journeys and have a score of 4.5 or above. If you’re uncomfortable with the look of your driver or they’re utterly new to the app, you may cancel and discover a new driver for no cost.
Watch out when heading out at night time alone
Merida is a secure metropolis, even within the evenings. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply that you simply shouldn’t use frequent sense or not concentrate on your environment.
Strive to not stroll alone at night time, significantly in case your route takes you down quiet facet streets and alleyways. Principally, if you happen to wouldn’t do one thing in your hometown, you shouldn’t do it in Merida.
If you happen to head out to bars or dwell music venues alone or with new buddies, watch your drink and by no means depart it unattended. Be cautious of over-friendly strangers and at all times belief your intestine intuition.
Watch your belongings in crowded areas
The one actual crime that you need to fear about in Merida is petty crime and issues like bag snatchings. Nonetheless, this stuff are unusual and solely actually occur in crowded areas.
Watch your belongings in busy marketplaces such because the Lucas de Galvez market or the Mercado San Benito. A theft-proof backpack is an efficient funding. Ideally, you must carry your backpack in entrance of you and be sure that any valuables are securely tucked away.
Merida is a secure and fantastic colonial metropolis within the coronary heart of the Yucatan. It makes a fantastic getaway vacation spot in itself, nevertheless it additionally completely enhances a wider Yucatan journey itinerary.
Have you ever been to Merida? What different ideas are you able to give to solo vacationers?
