Mexico Family Holiday

Welcome to Playa del Carmen, Mexico! Today is an arrival day and there are no activities planned until the welcome meeting at 5 pm this evening. Look out for a notice in the hotel reception for more details on this meeting. After the meeting, consider going out for an optional dinner at a nearby restaurant to get to know your fellow travellers.

If you’ve arrived early and have some time to kill, there’s plenty to see and do in Playa del Carmen. You and your family might like to spend some time snorkelling among the mangroves, diving into underground caverns or strolling along the white sandy beaches. For an adventure further afield, consider taking a ferry across to Cozumel and enjoying some of the famous reef diving it has to offer.

Today, you’ll head down the coast for a daytrip to the Tulum archaeological site, the sprawling walled grounds of a well-preserved ancient Maya city backed by the Caribbean Sea. Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya and stood at the height of its progress during the 13th and 15th centuries and stood for about 70 years after the Spanish occupation began. Get the lay of the land on a guided tour with your leader in the morning, and then spend the afternoon either at the beach or stay in town to perhaps rent some bikes and explore. Return to Playa del Carmen later in the day for a free evening to spend how you’d like.

Head inland today to Izamal, stopping first at Laguna Chabela where you’ll meet a local Maya family with deep roots in this small town. On a tour of their farm, you and the kids will see what they grow and learn how they live off the land. You’ll even get the chance to learn how to make Coba-style tortillas and enjoy a traditional lunch.

Onwards to Izamal, you’ll pretty quickly understand why some call it the City of Yellow as you arrive among the many yellow ochre buildings. Take in the town on an orientation walk with your leader and enjoy some free time to explore the town further or have a swim at the hotel.

Begin travelling towards Merida, the vibrant capital of the state of Yutacan. Along the way, make a stop at a freshwater cenote for a refreshing dip in a next-level swimming hole. There are hidden cenotes dotted all over the Yucatan peninsula – natural sinkholes created when underground limestone collapses and exposes the groundwater beneath. It’s believed that the peninsula’s vast network of sinkholes responsible for these cenotes is a result of an asteroid that crashed here over 66 million years ago. That asteroid is also believed to have wiped dinosaurs off Earth.

Merida bridges very different cultures, perhaps best absorbed from the city’s focal point – the Plaza de la Independencia, which is surrounded by colonial-era buildings, many of which built from stones from the Maya temples that were here before. Join your leader for an orientation walk and stop to buy some sweet marquesitas from a street vendor. Native to Merida, this crepe-like pastry is filled with caramel, jam, chocolate or cheese and rolled up like a taco.

In the morning travel west to the Gulf of Mexico coast and take a boat ride to visit the Celestun Bird Sanctuary and Biosphere reserve, home to vast flocks of flamingos, herons and more than 200 different bird species. Near the extensive beaches lined with coconut trees, you’re likely to witness the magnificent sight of thousands of flamingos painting a pink streak across the landscape. Once you return to Merida, you’ll have some free time to relax. Perhaps take a swim in the hotel pool or embark on one last walk around the town.

Say farewell to Merida to make the return to Playa, but not without a stop at Chichen Itza, UNESCO World Heritage Site and possibly the most famous Maya temple site in all of Mexico. Marvel at the temple of Kukulkan standing high over the ruins, then explore the nearby ‘ball court’. Disputes were typically settled here by way of a ball game that only used the elbows, hips and wrists – stone carvings depicting violence suggest that it wasn’t a casual or friendly sport. After your visit, you and your family will get to know a local family over a special lunch in the town of Piste. Here you will enjoy a pibil feast, a traditional Maya style of cooking that involves wrapping food in banana leaves and barbecuing it underground.

Today marks the final day of your Mexico adventure and you’re free to depart with your family at any time. If you need another day by the beach, consider booking additional accommodation. Alternatively, the airport in Cancun is approximately a 1-hour drive away and we can pre-book a departure transfer for you and your family.