Backpacking may not be something you’ve ever considered before. Certainly, I stayed in an all-inclusive hotel for my first visit to Cancun on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. As a 40-something Mum of 3, backpacking Yucatan was far from my mind as I celebrated my friend’s wedding at the luxurious Ritz Carlton hotel!
However, a one-off day trip from this hotel to Tulum awakened something inside of me. Tulum inspired me to discover more about the real Yucatan peninsula beyond the big hotels. Whilst walking around the Mayan ruins of Tulum, I admired the breath-taking coastal location and wondered whether this was the most beautiful place in Mexico. I promised myself that one day I would find out.
A few years later, Oliver and I returned to explore the Yucatan, Mexico with a backpack of essentials. Our aim was to see more of the Yucatan peninsula for less money and to have an authentic and immersive travel experience.
Backpacking Yucatan Route
We recommend starting/ending your backpacking Yucatan route in Cancun. Next, follow the Riviera Maya coast, head inland to the ruins, then visit Holbox Island. Our route includes stays in Puerto Morelos-Puerto del Carmen-Xpu Ha Beach-Tulum-Coba-Chichen Itza-Merida-Holbox Island-downtown Cancun.
Click Here for a map showing our route around the Yucatan peninsula.
1. Puerto Morelos
When planning our visit to the Yucatan peninsula, our first decision was whether or not to stay in Cancun overnight.
After a little research, we realised that we were either faced with a 30-minute bus ride north of the airport to downtown Cancun or an equal journey south to the smaller town of Puerto Morelos. We opted for the latter and decided to stay at the beach area to make the most of our time here.
How to Get to Puerto Morelos
To get to Puerto Morelos, we took an ADO bus from Cancun International Airport. You can easily download the ADO bus app in advance of your travels. It really helped us make smart choices about our route choices.
Click Here for the map from Cancun to Puerto Morelos.
When you arrive at Puerto Morelos, the bus will drop you outside a petrol station in the main town. This location is a short taxi ride from the beach area.
Undoubtedly, it is cheaper to stay where the bus drops you. Hotels and restaurants are less expensive here because they are away from the beach. If you decide to stay here, you will need to walk or take a taxi to the beach area. Some hotels offer bicycles.
What to Do in Puerto Morelos
For two nights, we rented a small apartment near the beach in the small fishing village of Puerto Morelos. From our first chilled Margarita and a slow sunrise on the beach with coffee, we fell in love with this place.
It’s a laid-back port with a wonky lighthouse right on the beach which seemed to stretch out forever in both directions. This Yucatan beach had a great vibe to it. At the southern end of the beach, you can sit, eat and drink in many restaurants and bars which spill out onto the beach. At night, it’s really romantic with soft lighting, no light pollution and a great atmosphere.
If you’re interested in snorkelling or scuba diving, Puerto Morelos is part of the National Marine Park. Off its shoreline lies the world’s 2nd largest barrier reef.
For us, a chance short-cut to the beach led us to meet a French diving instructor and her crew. The next day, we headed out on a boat and completed our first two scuba dives on a PADI Discovery course. Destiny seemed to have led us to this place and we were completely captivated by Puerto Morelos’ crystal Caribbean waters.
If you know you want to try snorkelling when backpacking Yucatan, why not book an organised activity in advance? You will spend time snorkelling the reef followed by lunch and time at the beach. Click on the banner below for more details.
Where to Stay in Puerto Morelos
If you are looking for the cheapest places to stay, look for accommodation in the main part of Puerto Morelos where the ADO bus drops you. In this area, you will find a lot of backpacking hotels and hostels for a very low price.
Another benefit of staying in the town centre of Puerto Morelos is that you will find the restaurants where locals go. You will have a great food experience for half the price of the beach area.
However, there is nothing much to do in this area. You will need to make your own way on foot or by taxi to the beach area every day to snorkel, dive or sunbathe. When we were in Puerto Morelos, there was a festival on the beach with concerts and activities all day. A lot of locals had picnics on the beach and camped overnight.
For us, it was a good choice to stay in the beach area. We rented an apart-hotel where we could self-cater to keep costs down. It was very convenient to be able to wake up casually with a cup of coffee. Then, wander down to the beach to see the sunrise. Another advantage was that we could go back to the apart-hotel to have a shower and relax with a book on the balcony.
In the beach area of Puerto Morelos, you will find some great restaurants where you can eat. There is a small strip of restaurants towards the main square. A parallel street runs along the beach front. Restaurants here have great views of the sea with tables set out on the sand. Of course, it is more expensive to eat here than in the town centre.
Puerto Morelos is a developing resort. If you decide to stay in the beach area, you will find two small supermarkets where you can buy your daily provisions. We bought some delicious local cheese and all the ingredients to make our own Margaritas!
If you want to discover more about this charming coastal town, check out the best prices for places to stay in Puerto Morelos.
2. Playa del Carmen
How to Get to Playa del Carmen
After Cancun, Playa del Carmen is one of the most well-known Yucatan cities in Quintana Roo. It is a popular destination located about 20-minutes south of Puerto Morelos.
Click Here for the map from Puerto Morelos to Playa del Carmen.
To get there, we opted to travel with the locals in a shared colectivo. Colectivos are air-conditioned mini-vans which only leave when they are full. They are a cheap means of reliable transport and a great way to meet the locals.
What to Do in Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is a great place to shop and enjoy nightlife. You can shop in the many international stores found along the palm tree lined 5th Avenue. Here there are also plenty of trendy restaurants, bars and nightclubs if you want to party!
If you want to shop for souvenirs and gifts, make sure you explore the streets beyond and parallel to 5th Avenue. Here we managed to find some interesting artisan shops. Whilst you are in Playa del Carmen, you could also explore the Frida Kahlo museum which displays many paintings from this famous Mexican artist.
If you want to find amazing beaches with clear water where you can enjoy snorkelling or diving, take a ferry from Playa del Carmen. You can choose to travel by boat to either of the nearby islands: Cozumel or Isla Mujeres.
If you are feeling more adventurous during your stay in Playa del Carmen, why not explore the underwater world of Rio Secreto? An experienced guide will take you through a stunning network of underwater rivers and caves. All equipment is provided to ensure your safety. Afterwards, enjoy an authentic light lunch. Click on the banner below for more details.
Where to Stay in Playa del Carmen
We stayed in a boutique hotel in the centre of Playa del Carmen called La Pasion Colonial Hotel Boutique. This hotel had a perfect location very close to the bus terminal and a short walk to the centre of Playa del Carmen.
It also had a fantastic rooftop swimming pool, jacuzzi and terrace which was a great way to relax after a day exploring Playa del Carmen. If you want the best prices for accommodation, check out the best prices for places to stay in Playa del Carmen
3. Xpu Ha Beach
How to Get to Xpu Ha Beach
The easiest way to get to Xpu Ha Beach (pronounced Shpoo Ha ) is to use a shared colectivo from Playa del Carmen.
Click Here for the map from Playa del Carmen to Xpu Ha.
Xpu Ha is a hidden bay area off Highway 307 which is often missed by tourists. Our advice is to write down the name of your hotel, show it to the driver and they will stop nearby. We were dropped literally opposite the gates of our hotel and the fare was a mere 35 Mexican Pesos each (approximately £1.50).
What to Do at Xpu Ha Beach
Close to our choice of hotel was the beautiful Xpu Ha beach. One of the perks of our hotel was a free shuttle transfer to a dedicated area of the Beach Club. The turquoise sea is crystal clear and calm here. Perfect for an afternoon snorkelling and enjoying the sun.
However, the Beach Club is open to the public. You pay 50 Mexican Pesos per person which is refunded when you spend over 200 Mexican Pesos on food and drink.
In the vicinity of Xpu Ha Beach, along Highway 307, there are also many cenotes which you can visit. Cenotes are deep, water-filled sinkholes in limestone which are scattered all over the Yucatan peninsula. It’s a fabulous experience swimming in a sinkhole!
If you are feeling adventurous, further down Highway 307, you will find the all-inclusive Xel-Ha theme park. Here, you can enjoy water activities and ecological attractions.
Where to Stay at Xpu Ha Beach
There are many hotels along the Mayan Riviera near Xpu Ha Beach. We got a great deal on an all-inclusive resort close to Xpu Ha Beach called the Bel Air Resort & Spa. It was obviously an older resort in need of some refurbishment, but we enjoyed our time here.
We spent two nights in a unique treetop room. It was like staying in a tree house! The room had an enormous balcony, hammock and private jacuzzi behind the bed!
After backpacking Yucatan, it was a relaxing walk to the restaurants and swimming pool through the tropical trees and plants. On the way, there were plenty of iguanas basking in the sun! We also enjoyed kayaking and swimming in the hotel’s private cenotes.
If you want the best prices for accommodation, check out the best prices for places to stay in Xpu Ha Beach
4. Tulum
How to Get to Tulum
To get to Tulum, we flagged down another colectivo. We found collectivos an easy, convenient and cheap method of transport. We loved that they literally drop you door-to-door.
If the colectivos have places inside, they flash their lights. Wave back if you want them to stop and pick you up!
Click Here for the map from Xpu Ha to Tulum.
