I’ve at all times needed 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 just lately, it has remained largely off the crushed path.
Nonetheless, in 2022, famend journey publications similar to Lonely Planet and Journey and Leisure have acknowledged little Merida as being the most effective locations to go to this yr. Not like different cities within the Yucatan peninsula similar to Cancun and Tulum, which have began to turn out to be gentrified and are occupied by giant swathes of western vacationers, Merida, for now, stays unchanged by tourism.
The town retains its conventional Mexican allure. Now’s the very best 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) growth 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 big sprawling mansions and haciendas. In the present day, many of those gorgeous buildings have been transformed into luxurious resorts, espresso retailers, and eating places. Merida is a photographer’s paradise.
Arriving in Merida
Merida is house to a global airport (MID) which is definitely situated 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’ll be able to fly into Merida from Miami, Houston, Guatemala Metropolis, and Havana, Cuba. If you’re flying from elsewhere, it is sensible 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 instances a day.
The journey takes roughly 4 hours and tickets value round US$25 every method. 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 lots to be desired. Decide to remain within the historic heart so as to attain many of the metropolis’s essential historic and cultural highlights on foot.
Opting to remain in an Airbnb (get $15+ credit score with Airbnb whenever you guide for the primary time utilizing the hyperlink) or homestay within the japanese or western elements of the town can prevent a good amount of cash. Nonetheless, you’ll most probably need to depend 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 type. So, you haven’t 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 best way 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 house 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 you could’t get a great night time’s sleep in case you base your self right here.
The environment is especially great 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’ll be able to hire a bicycle and be a part of them.
Paseo Montejo has one thing for each price range. Under are a few of the most respected price range resorts within the space, with costs per room for 2 individuals.
You’ll be able to guide through Reserving.com; simply click on the hyperlink to the properties above. Ensure that to learn the evaluations so that you’ll know which one most closely fits your wants.
Parque Santa Lucia
Parque Santa Lucia is an effective place to base your self if you wish to expertise Merida by night time. Lots of the greatest bars and nightclubs are only a 5-minute stroll away from right here.
Listed below 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. It’s also the most effective issues to do in Merida. A free strolling tour departs day by 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 offers you much more data and context on the assorted buildings that you just see. You’ll go by notable constructions such because the Merida cathedral, the Palacio de Gobierno, the Teatro Peón Contreras, and varied Merida parks and plazas.
Though the tour is free, it’s tip-based and for the reason that guides dedicate their time to exhibiting vacationers round their metropolis in tremendous sizzling climate, it’s well mannered to at all times tip. It’s honest to present US$5-10 (100-200 pesos) per particular person.
The opposite wonderful thing about exploring the town on a strolling tour? You might have a neighborhood knowledgeable available to ask for his or her suggestions for the very best issues to see and do within the metropolis and the very best locations to hang around, amongst others.
Eat your method round city
The delicacies in Merida and the Yucatan could be very totally different from the delicacies that one can find elsewhere in Mexico. It’s because Yucatecan meals is pre-Hispanic.
Lots of the recipes listed below are the identical ones that have been utilized by the Historic Mayans centuries in the past and conventional cooking strategies are nonetheless used. Well-known regional dishes that it’s best to add to your radar embrace cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork cooked underground) and relleno negro (floor meat served with turkey and chopped egg).
There are numerous conventional eating places you could attempt. Habaneros (Calle 20-A Num 302 X 5b Y 5c, Xcumpich, 97204) is a neighborhood favourite and though it sits on the outskirts of city, it’s definitely worth the effort to get to.
Expertise Merida by night time
For those who thought that Merida was beautiful by day, you’ll possible discover it much more magical by night time. That is when the town actually involves life.
Each night time of the week, one can find 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 by day of the week.
This is among the hottest nightlife spots on the town, though it does get very crowded and you must cease by earlier than 8 p.m. to safe a desk. Alternatively, Cantina Dzalbay (Calle 64 x 53, Esquina, No. 443, Centro) provides lessons the place you’ll be able to dance with locals.
Deal with your self to a day on the seaside
Merida itself is just not located on the coast, however there are a number of beautiful seaside cities that may be reached in simply an hour’s drive from the town heart. Yucatan seashores are sometimes missed in favor of the better-known seashores of the Mexican Caribbean (the areas round Cancun, Tulum, and many others).
Nonetheless, they’re simply as lovely and deserving of your time. The seashores right here boast miles upon miles of powdery white sand coastlines that reach so far as the attention can see. The waters are a surprising shade of crystal-clear turquoise.
Progreso is the closest seaside city to Merida, located simply 43km north of the town. Take a stroll alongside the Malecon, sip piña coladas in one of many seaside 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, probably the most well-known Mayan wreck on this a part of Mexico. Hundreds of individuals go by means of its gates day by day.
Whereas a go to to Chichen Itza is among the greatest issues you are able to do in Mexico, this isn’t the one Mayan wreck 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 one of the vital vital Mayan settlements. It may be discovered simply an hour south of Merida and the positioning 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 Ideas for Solo Vacationers in Merida
Merida is a really secure metropolis, even for solo vacationers. The Yucatan capital is acknowledged again and again as being the most secure metropolis in Mexico, and one of many most secure cities in your entire North American continent.
Sure, Merida is statistically lots safer than a variety of cities within the United States. Mexico, typically, is lots safer than stereotypes and media representations would have you ever assume.
Nonetheless, the tradition in Merida and the Yucatan feels markedly totally different. Right here, you’ll be able to really feel comparatively snug strolling alone across the metropolis even within the evenings.
Individuals are very well mannered and respectful and also you by no means really feel that it’s a must to be frequently trying over your shoulder. Nonetheless, it pays to take some extra precautions when touring anyplace independently. A number of security issues in your solo journey to Merida are detailed under.
Most Mexicans want to make use of Uber moderately than taking random road taxis. Whereas individuals in some international locations could query the protection of Uber, that’s not the Mexican perspective.
After all, getting right into a automotive on Uber often means that there’s extra accountability than getting right into a random automotive on the road. You might 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 aren’t unparalleled in Mexico and also you usually tend to be ripped off or taken on a roundabout route by means of city in case you get right into a random road taxi. When utilizing Uber right here, there are just a few precautions you could take.
Examine your driver’s profile and solely journey with drivers which have accomplished a number of thousand journeys and have a ranking of 4.5 or above. If you’re uncomfortable with the look of your driver or they’re utterly new to the app, you’ll be able to 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 just shouldn’t use widespread sense or not concentrate on your environment.
Strive to not stroll alone at night time, notably in case your route takes you down quiet aspect streets and alleyways. Principally, in case you wouldn’t do one thing in your hometown, you shouldn’t do it in Merida.
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