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 lately, it has remained largely off the overwhelmed path.
Nevertheless, in 2022, famend journey publications reminiscent of Lonely Planet and Travel and Leisure have acknowledged little Merida as being among the best locations to go to this 12 months. Not like different cities within the Yucatan peninsula reminiscent of Cancun and Tulum, which have began to turn into 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 could be 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 this planet. It thrived in the course of 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 enormous sprawling mansions and haciendas. Right this moment, many of those beautiful 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 positioned proper within the coronary heart of the town, simply quarter-hour away from the historic middle. Nevertheless, there are solely a really restricted variety of worldwide flight routes that service this airport.
You may fly into Merida from Miami, Houston, Guatemala Metropolis, and Havana, Cuba. In case you are flying from elsewhere, it is sensible to both switch flights in Mexico City, or to fly into Cancun.
Cancun is the biggest 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 approach. 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 so much to be desired. Choose to remain within the historic middle as a way to 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 whenever you ebook for the primary time utilizing the hyperlink) or homestay within the jap or western components of the town can prevent a good sum of money. Nevertheless, you’ll most certainly 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 reasonably priced and there’s something right here for each style and journey model. So, you don’t have any actual cause to have to remain outdoors of the principle zones.
Paseo Montejo
Paseo Montejo is the principle boulevard in Merida. It runs from the historic middle, all the way in which as much as the northern suburbs.
The road was named after Merida’s founder, Francisco de Montejo. One can find the Monumento a la Patria right here—an enormous sculpture created by sculptor Rómulo Rozo that shows the historical past of Mexico by 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 energetic no matter time you cease by, nevertheless it isn’t so noisy that you could’t get evening’s sleep in the event you base your self right here.
The ambiance is especially fantastic on Sundays when the road is pedestrianized and closed to visitors. Hundreds of Merida locals come to jog/stroll/cycle the size of the road and there are numerous locations the place you possibly can lease a bicycle and be part of them.
Paseo Montejo has one thing for each finances. Beneath are a few of the most respected finances resorts within the space, with costs per room for 2 individuals.
You may ebook through Reserving.com; simply click on the hyperlink to the properties above. Make sure 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 efficient place to base your self if you wish to expertise Merida by evening. 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. It is usually among the best 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 principle sq., with guides talking each English and Spanish.
The tour takes you round the principle Merida landmarks and historic websites and offers 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 varied Merida parks and plazas.
Though the tour is free, it’s tip-based and because the guides dedicate their time to displaying vacationers round their metropolis in tremendous scorching climate, it’s well mannered to at all times tip. It’s honest to offer US$5-10 (100-200 pesos) per individual.
The opposite beauty of exploring the town on a strolling tour? You’ve got 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 approach round city
The delicacies in Merida and the Yucatan may be very completely different from the delicacies that you’ll find elsewhere in Mexico. It’s because Yucatecan meals is pre-Hispanic.
Most of the recipes listed below are the identical ones that have been utilized by the Historical Mayans centuries in the past and conventional cooking strategies are nonetheless used. Well-known regional dishes that you need 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 that you could strive. 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 evening
When you thought that Merida was beautiful by day, you’ll probably discover it much more magical by evening. That is when the town actually involves life.
Each evening of the week, you’ll find reside music hosted across the metropolis. On Tuesdays, there may be reside music at Santiago Park and on Thursdays, there’s a reside band that performs in Santa Lucia.
If you wish to strive 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 reside salsa music day by day of the week.
This is without doubt one of the hottest nightlife spots on the town, though it does get very crowded and it’s essential cease by earlier than 8 p.m. to safe a desk. Alternatively, Cantina Dzalbay (Calle 64 x 53, Esquina, No. 443, Centro) gives courses the place you possibly can dance with locals.
Deal with your self to a day on the seashore
Merida itself shouldn’t be located on the coast, however there are a number of attractive seashore cities that may be reached in simply an hour’s drive from the town middle. Yucatan seashores are sometimes missed in favor of the better-known seashores of the Mexican Caribbean (the areas round Cancun, Tulum, and so on).
Nevertheless, they’re simply as lovely 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 lease 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 break on this a part of Mexico. Hundreds of individuals go by its gates day by day.
Whereas a go to to Chichen Itza is without doubt one of the finest issues you are able to do in Mexico, this isn’t the one Mayan break within the space. There are a number of different Mayan cities that may be reached on a day trip from Merida and are solely 1-2 hours away.
For example, few individuals have heard of Mayapan, however this was one of the crucial necessary Mayan settlements. It may be discovered simply an hour south of Merida and the location is expansive and infrequently 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 very safe city, even for solo travelers. The Yucatan capital is acknowledged repeatedly 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 so much safer than quite a lot of cities within the United States. Mexico, generally, is so much safer than stereotypes and media representations would have you ever assume.
Nevertheless, the tradition in Merida and the Yucatan feels markedly completely different. Right here, you possibly can 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 safety considerations for your solo trip to Merida are detailed beneath.
Most Mexicans want to make use of Uber relatively than taking random road taxis. Whereas individuals in some nations could query the protection of Uber, that’s not the Mexican perspective.
After all, getting right into a automobile on Uber often means that there’s extra accountability than getting right into a random automobile on the road. You’ve got the driving force’s particulars and their license plate quantity, and you may share your journey data together with your family and friends members.
Sadly, scams will not be exceptional in Mexico and also you usually tend to be ripped off or taken on a roundabout route by city in the event you get right into a random road taxi. When utilizing Uber right here, there are just a few precautions that you could take.
Test your driver’s profile and solely journey with drivers which have finished a number of thousand journeys and have a ranking of 4.5 or above. In case you are uncomfortable with the look of your driver or they’re fully new to the app, you possibly can cancel and discover a new driver for no cost.
Watch out when heading out at evening alone
Merida is a secure metropolis, even within the evenings. Nevertheless, that doesn’t imply that you simply shouldn’t use frequent sense or not pay attention to your environment.
Strive to not stroll alone at evening, notably in case your route takes you down quiet aspect streets and alleyways. Principally, in the event you wouldn’t do one thing in your hometown, you shouldn’t do it in Merida.
When you head out to bars or reside music venues alone or with new pals, watch your drink and by no means go away 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 need to carry your backpack in entrance of you and guarantee that any valuables are securely tucked away.
Merida is a secure and fantastic colonial metropolis within the coronary heart of the Yucatan. It makes an important 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?
