Roadtrip de 1 semana em Yucatán, no México - Melhor Itinerário (2023)

FAQs

Is Yucatan road trip safe? ›

Yes! The state of the Yucatan is one of the safest in all of Mexico. According to the Yucatan Times, this federal district was ranked among the four states with the lowest crime rates in Mexico. In fact, the capital, Mérida, is the second safest city in all of the Americas.

Driving in Yucatán is safe and easy

The most common road hazards are topes, or speed bumps, encountered mostly in villages and on rural roads.

We recommend budgeting two to three weeks to explore Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula at a leisurely pace. This will allow you enough time to visit all the major sights, from Chichen Itza to the cenotes and the islands.

TRAVELING AT NIGHT

Driving at night in the Yucatan is generally no more dangerous than driving where you live at night. If you stick to highway 307 along the Riviera or any major highway in Merida you will be safe.

Mexico doesn't care what state the car is registered in or what tag it wears as long as it's valid and current.

Best time to visit the Yucatán

Weather-wise, the dry high season winter months of December to April are the best time to visit, when calm skies and clear, more predictable seas make for the best snorkelling, diving and fishing.

In general, going from Cancun to Merida by car is considered safe. If possible, don't drive at night, stick to the toll roads (info on this below ⤵), don't speed, don't be on on your phone — and you should be safe, and give the police no reason to pull you over.

Requirements for driving to Mexico. To drive into Mexico from the U.S., you're required to bring the appropriate identification, a couple permits (depending on how far into Mexico you're going), and your proof of Mexico auto insurance. If your car is financed, you'll also need a letter of permission from your lender.

Merida is widely considered the safest city in Mexico. It is located in Yucatan state, which is said to be one of the safest states in Mexico.

Is the Yucatan expensive? ›

Although Mexico is generally very affordable, the Yucatan region is slightly more expensive than the rest of the country due to its popularity and location.

Yes — Yucatan state is a unique destination that so many types of travelers will want to check out. This area of the country has the largest Mayan population in Mexico, and you can visit numerous Mayan Ruins in Mexico, like Uxmal Ruins, and Chichen Itza Ruins, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Waiters working at restaurants and bars should always be tipped for good service; a sum equivalent to 10-15% of the total bill is appropriate.

Cochinita Pibil | Most Popular Yucatan Food

The king of Yucatan foods, cochinita pibil is essentially Mayan BBQ! This beloved dish is made with marinated cochinita (suckling pig), that's wrapped in banana leaves and slow-roasted underground in an oven called a pib — hence the “pibil” in cochinita pibil.

Can locals drink the water in Merida? No — Merida locals drink bottled water. Tap water in all Mexico is not safe to drink for anyone, so no one drinks straight tap water in Merida.

All service stations in Mexico are “Full service.” An attendant will flag you to the pumping bay and pump the gasoline into your vehicle. Here are some tips for using service stations in Mexico: Check that the counter on the pump is set to zero before the attendant begins to dispense the fuel.

Night driving is dangerous because, even with high-beam headlights on, visibility is limited to about 500 feet (250 feet for normal headlights) creating less time to react to something in the road, especially when driving at higher speeds. What should you do to combat darkness?

If you don't drive the vehicle out of Mexico before the TIP's expiry date, the vehicle will become illegal in Mexico and: the insurance coverage will become invalid; your vehicle may be confiscated and impounded; and. you will lose the deposit you paid to Banjercito.

Never drive at night, in any part of Mexico. The reason is that some parts of Mexico are known for assaults at night, but most of all because it's not safe in general. You won't see path-holes, also many roads are not lit and you wouldn't see people or animals walking with the risk of running them over.

How hot is Yucatan in July? ›

In the Yucatán Peninsula, you can expect warm weather as well. Despite the hurricane season starting, the chance of experiencing here is low. Temperatures are around 90 -95°F during the day and about 80-85 °F during the night.

In July in Yucatan, the average air temperature ranges from 33 °C (91 °F) during the day to 24 °C (74 °F) at night. There are 11 days of rain on average, where the rainfall is 112 mm (4.40 in).

In Yucatan in March, there are ideal conditions for a vacation. The daily temperatures in this month reach pleasant 31 °C (87 °F). The seawater temperature reaches ideal 26 °C (78 °F). At night, temperatures hover around a pleasant 20 °C (67 °F).

Merida's central and downtown areas are generally safe at night, so we can answer “yes” to this frequently-asked question about Merida.

Uber in Merida is very safe. Merida, on the whole, is widely regarded as being the safest city in Mexico and one of the safest cities in the Americas overall. So, this isn't a part of Mexico where you have to be worried about getting into a car with a stranger.

To rent or to not rent a car. Merida is quite walkable — though the walks are only pleasant in the cooler winter months. The public transportation isn't great, but the main part of town visitors flock to, Centro Historico (Historic Downtown) is on the smaller side, so walking and using Ubers or taxis will suffice.

Your U.S. auto insurance won't cover you after crossing the border of Mexico. You'll need a special Mexican auto insurance policy to legally drive in Mexico, which can be acquired through an insurance agent.

Can I Use My US Health Insurance in Mexico? No, in most cases, you will not be able to use the health insurance you have in the US for treatment in Mexico. Your American health insurance policy, such as Medicare, will not extend outside the borders.

Authorities have identified four drug cartels operating in the greater Cancún region: the Sinaloa Cartel, the New Generation Jalisco Cartel (CJNG for its acronym in Spanish), the Gulf Cartel and a smaller organization known as Grupo Regional, a cartel formed of former Zetas cartel members and local street gangs.

Is Merida Mexico safe from cartels? ›

Yes, Merida, Mexico is generally considered to be safe from the drug cartels that have been active in other parts of the country. The Yucatan region, where Merida is located, has a lower level of violence and crime compared to other parts of Mexico.

Since the Yucatan peninsula is considered a sub-tropical region, you'll find plenty of these little guys flying around, swarming, and looking for yummy individuals to feast on. Fortunately, during the late fall and the winter, the amount of mosquitos declines significantly. Unfortunately, they don't vanish entirely.

A good rule of thumb is to bring 25% of your overall budget in cash to avoid carrying around huge wads of money. What is this? For example, if your daily budget is $50 and you'll be in Mexico for six days, you should plan to bring $60-70 in cash.

How far is Merida from the U.S. border? The physical distance is only about 1,449 miles (2331 km). However, the road distance is 3,200 miles (5150 km), so it's quite a far drive.

Dining Out Costs – $354

We didn't realize how much it could add up eating out in Merida. The average meal turned out to cost us around $28 USD which is pretty high for 2 people in Mexico.

Everyone speaks English in popular places like Chichen Itza. Known for its white-sand beaches, dense tropical jungle, crystal-clear cenotes (natural wells), ancient Maya ruins, and colonial cities, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is the most spectacular region of the country.

Yucatan Peninsula is one of the warmest regions in Mexico with an average daily high temperature of 33 degrees. High humidity and hot temperatures make the weather pleasant at times but also tropical humid. It is warm to hot all year round, inviting bathing at average water temperatures of 28 degrees.

The Yucatan Peninsula is hot year-round. The two distinguishable seasons are the wet season and the dry season.

Breakfast is desayuno, your 'proper', heartier breakfast/ brunch is more of an almuerzo, whereas lunch is comida (hence the abundance of comida corrida places that only serve food from around 1 p.m.-4 p.m.) and dinner is cena.

What is the big meal in Mexico? ›

Comida is the main meal of the day; in English it translates to lunch or dinner, depending where you're from. Traditionally this meal is taken at around 2 p.m. and will include soup, a substantial main course, aguas frescas, a soda or beer, dessert and coffee.

It's up to you how much you tip, but the recommended amount in Mexico is between 10% – 20% (15% is a good standard in tourist areas) of the bill or ticket price.

In Mexico, a good rule of thumb for tips is to leave 10-15% of the bill. 50 pesos would be a standard tip for a bill that was around 500 pesos. For example, if you go out for dinner and get drinks, you should expect to spend around 400 MXN. That would mean your tip would be between 40-60 MXN.

In Mexico, tipping in either U.S. dollars (bills only, no coins) or pesos is acceptable, though pesos are usually more practical for the recipient (and will save them a trip to the casa de cambio). The amount you tip is at your discretion and should be based on the quality of service you received.

A marquesita is one of the most delicious creations to come from Yucatan. In Merida in 1938, Don Vicente Mena, an ice cream vendor, made the first rolled wafer stuffed with Edam cheese and sprinkled it with cajeta (caramel sauce). As most inventions do, the marquesita was born out of necessity.

Cochinita Pibil

A true mingling of Maya influence with some European flavors, this iconic Yucatec dish combines the indigenous staples of pork meat and annatto seed with the citrus flavors of oranges from Spain.

The Pitahaya (dragon fruit), exotic and beautiful, is a pink fruit of cactaceous origin that normally grows along the walls of Yucatán. Fresh and delicious, you can eat it on its own, by scooping out its smooth white interior filled with tiny little black seeds.

Yes, it is safe to drive in the Yucatan as a tourist, as long as you are sensible. You WILL pass drug compounds with armed men on the walls if you are driving in the Yucatan. Sometimes, those men may wave or shout at you. Exercise your common sense and DO NOT STOP.

Crime and Safety on the Road

While crime certainly exists and you should keep your wits about you (particularly in major cities), most towns and villages are pretty safe for visitors. That being said, there are regions where cartel violence is a real problem, to the point you probably shouldn't go there at all.

Cuota Roads Vs Libre Roads

I always recommend taking the cuota roads, but especially if you need to drive after dark. In general, these are considered the safest option when traveling around the country and often there is no other option to get to your destination.

Is Merida safe for Americans? ›

Located in the Yucatan Peninsula, you'll be venturing out into this part of Mexico if you're traveling around Merida — So you may want to know if it's also safe for visitors. In short, yes. Yucatan state, of which Merida is the capital city, is among the safest states in Mexico.

For the majority of visitors, it's perfectly safe to drive in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. If you're planning for any Merida day trips, you'll be venturing the region Merida is in — the Yucatan Peninsula.

Carretera Federal 1 is the name of a very dangerous highway in Mexico following the length of the Baja California Peninsula.

What is the safest place in Mexico to go? Merida is widely regarded as the safest city to visit in Mexico. However, there are lots of safe areas in Mexico with little to no violent crime. Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, and Queretaro are also generally safe destinations.

It costs around 4500 Mexican Pesos (around $225 USD) for an Uber journey from Cancun to Merida. Again, though more expensive than a bus fare, it can easily be split between a group of friends.

Cancun to Merida from $65 | Private Car Transfer in 4 Hours | Daytrip.