Experience Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula - Stunning Maya ruins, beautiful towns, atmospheric haciendas and idyllic beaches.
Discover our Mexico ItinerariesEvery tailor made holiday to the Yucatan Peninsula that we arrange is built entirely around your individual requirements and budget – your route, your pace, your choice of hotel and either your own self drive vehicle or a private car with your very own, experienced Driver / Guide. Ok, we might be slightly biased, but we believe that the driver / guides we work with are the very best in the region!
Jutting out between the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is the country’s number one tourist draw and with good reason. Well, numerous reasons really. The region is home to countless Maya sites including Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Calakmul & Tulum, a deep-rooted Maya way of life that is still very evident in the countryside, picturesque colonial-era towns such as Merida, Izamal & Campeche, atmospheric haciendas, vast tracts of unspoiled countryside, varied and abundant birdlife and Caribbean beaches stretching for mile after mile.
Beyond The Ordinary arrange fully bonded, tailor made holidays and tours to the Yucatan Peninsula. Contact one of our experts on 01580 764796, email travel@beyondtheordinary.co.uk or contact us via our website.
Having first visited the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in 2000, I have been lucky enough to explore this fascinating and diverse region on countless occasions – and at very different times of the year – much of it exploring the various nooks and crannies away from the main tourist destinations.
Absolutely visit Chichen Itza, Valladolid and the beaches of Tulum, but don’t miss out on those more off-the-beaten track highlights: colonial Espita, the atmospheric Maya ruins of the Puuc Route and the beautiful, thus far unspoiled beaches of El Cuyo.
Whether you’re happy to drive yourself, which I have done extensively, or would prefer a private, guided tour, I would love to hear your plans and help put together your perfect Yucatan Peninsula holiday.
Call Jon on 01580 764796
Personal recommendations
The following are just a small selection of my favourite experiences in the Yucatan Peninsula. Depending on your individual interests, there are many more that I can suggest and arrange as part of a private, tailor made tour of the region.
Enjoying a long walk along the deserted beach at El Cuyo
Exploring the atmospheric ruins of the Yucatan’s many haciendas
Reliving a bygone era and staying in a hacienda hotel
Taking a boat trip on the multi-hued Laguna Bacalar
Flamingo spotting at Celestun or Rio Lagartos
Taking in lesser visited Maya sites such as the Puuc Route
Relaxing at a cenote, none more special than Chenxunan
Enjoying traditional local dishes such as Cochinita Pibil
Witnessing the great bat spectacle near Calakmul
The Yucatan Specialists
Apart from any small group tours we may be running, all our holidays to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula are entirely bespoke and can be tailored to your precise requirements, either as private tours or self-drive holidays.
For those short on time, this, private 5 night Yucatan itinerary still manages to include many of the highlights of the region combining both ancient Maya sites and charming, colonial towns as well as a working hacienda.
This Yucatan Peninsula Tour is a small group, 7 night escorted tour, starting and finishing in Cancun / Riviera Maya. It includes the Maya sites of Calakmul, Chichen Itza, Uxmal & Palenque, the colonial towns of Izamal, Merida & Campeche as well as natural highlights such as Celestun & Laguna Bac...
Starting and finishing in Cancun, this private 10-night Yucatan Peninsula itinerary takes in many of the key highlights of the northern Yucatan Peninsula, combining Maya & Colonial sites as well as the region’s nature-based attractions. At the end of the itinerary there is the option of extendin...
This private, 10 night Hacienda tour takes in most of the highlights of the Yucatan Peninsula, both Maya & Colonial, using a selection of the region's historic hacienda hotels as your evolving base.
This 7 night private tour of the Yucatan Peninsula focuses on the region's Maya heritage, both in terms of its world-famous ruins as well modern-day Mayan communities and way of life.
Starting and finishing in Cancun, this suggested 2 week long, self-drive Yucatan Peninsula itinerary takes in most, if not all, of the key highlights of the region in an anti-clockwise. Beach extensions also available.
After touring the Yucatan Peninsula, many of our clients opt to end their holiday with time relaxing at the beach. The majority of beach resorts can be found along the fabled eastern, Caribbean coast – including the Riviera Maya & Tulum – but there are also quieter options on the north coast at Holbox and, even more so, at El Cuyo.
We feature pretty much all the key Yucatan Peninsula holiday destinations and traveller highlights. Detailed here are 6 of the most visited (non-beach), but simply click on the link for information on all our featured destinations.
The Yucatan's largest and most famous Maya site
Small, picturesque colonial town
Gorgeous, multi-hued lake
Colonial town and excellent base
UNESCO World Heritage coastal city
Excellent, less visited alternative to Chichen Itza
Beyond The Ordinary specialise in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico although our reach does extend beyond that. We can also make arrangements in Chiapas, including Palenque, as well as the capital, Mexico City, which makes for a great combination holiday.
Start your journey today
We only feature 4 countries, all within the same region.
All holidays can be tailor made to clients’ requirements.
100% protection under our ATOL & ABTOT bonds.
Beyond The Ordinary feature a very wide variety of hotels right across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula from simple Inns to luxury haciendas. These are 6 of our favourite (non-beach) Yucatan Peninsula hotels but there are many more that we can highly recommend and work with.
Talk to a specialist
Call Jon on 01580 764796 or email travel@beyondtheordinary.co.uk.
No obligation. No automated response. Jon replies to every enquiry personally, usually the same day.
Delve into our Mexico Travel Guide featuring flights, transport, family and luxury holidays.
Useful information
Unless you have been to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula before, you’re bound to have a number of travel related questions. Fortunately, as specialists in tailor made holidays to the Yucatan Peninsula, we are well used to all manner of related questions. In this section we answer just some of the most commonly asked questions. Alternatively, please feel free to give us a call or drop us an email and we’ll be more than happy to answer all and any questions you may have.
UK citizens do not require a visa to visit Mexico. Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay while the Mexican embassy in the UK recommends that passports be valid for at least 180 days after arrival as this is the longest you can stay in Mexico as a tourist.
There are currently no online or paper forms that UK citizens need to complete in order to visit Mexico as a tourist.
However, if you are travelling to or from Mexico via another country, you should also check the entry requirements of that country. Many countries will only allow you entry (or even transit) if you have at least 6 months validity remaining on your passport.
If flying to or from Mexico via the US, UK citizens will, as a minimum, require a ESTA and may even require a full visa. Please check before booking. In addition, if you are travelling to Mexico via the US, please ensure that your passport is stamped on entry and exit.
Non-UK citizens should check entry requirements with their nearest Mexican embassy or consulate.
The Quintana Roo Tourist Tax, also known as Visitax, is a compulsory state tax for international visitors to the state of Quintana Roo. It supports local infrastructure, tourism and environmental protection projects.
Quintana Roo is one of the three states that makes up the Yucatan Peninsula and covers the entire east coast of the region including Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Holbox, Tulum & Laguna Bacalar.
No matter how long you spend in Quintana Roo, the Visitax must be paid online before departing Mexico. As of 2025, the Visitax was 283 per person.
The Mexican unit of currency is known as the Peso which is further divided into 100 centavos. It is possible to pre-purchase Mexican pesos in the UK, the US and many other countries. Within Mexico, there are ATM’s in all the major towns and tourist destinations.
While some, entirely tourist focused businesses might accept payment in US$, chances are that you will get a lousy exchange rate. The vast majority of businesses will only accept payment in Mexican pesos.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in the major tourist destinations including the vast majority of hotels, many bars and restaurants and larger shops. The further one travels off-the-beaten-track, the more likely you are to encounter cash-only establishments.
There are no compulsory vaccinations for travel to Mexico. However, before travel, we suggest you speak to your local medical professional or, in the UK, visit the Travel Health Pro website for guidance.
In addition to general information on the Yucatan Peninsula such as the key destinations to visit, the best places to stay, sample itineraries and much more, our Yucatan Peninsula Features section provides more detailed information on specific sites of interest and things to do.
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula really is a year round holiday destination although some months are naturally better than others. November through April is the region’s high season with the weather generally at its most agreeable and comfortable.
When making your travel arrangements, we understand just how important peace-of-mind is. Beyond The Ordinary hold both ATOL & ABTOT bonds so whether you book your flights through us, or independently, any money you pay us is 100% protected. More detailed information on Financial Protection can be found by clicking here.
Whichever of our featured countries you wish to visit, we've been there several times. So, if you're after something beyond the ordinary to Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala or the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, we'd love to hear from you.
