Solo Journey Ideas: Merida, Mexico
I’ve at all times needed to journey solo to Mexico and spend a minimal of 6 months there. Sadly, I haven’t had that likelihood 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 crushed path.
Nevertheless, in 2022, famend journey publications akin to Lonely Planet and Journey and Leisure have acknowledged little Merida as being probably the greatest locations to go to this yr. In contrast to different cities within the Yucatan peninsula akin to Cancun and Tulum, which have began to turn out to be gentrified and are occupied by giant swathes of western vacationers, Merida, for now, stays unchanged by tourism.
The town retains its conventional Mexican attraction. Now’s one of the best 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) increase when native farmers would domesticate the sisal plant and use it to make clothes and textiles.
With their newfound wealth, the folks of Merida constructed enormous sprawling mansions and haciendas. Right this moment, many of those beautiful buildings have been transformed into luxurious lodges, espresso outlets, and eating places. Merida is a photographer’s paradise.
Arriving in Merida
Merida is house to a global airport (MID) which is definitely situated proper within the coronary heart of town, simply quarter-hour away from the historic heart. Nevertheless, there are solely a really restricted variety of worldwide flight routes that service this airport.
You possibly can fly into Merida from Miami, Houston, Guatemala Metropolis, and Havana, Cuba. If you’re flying from elsewhere, it is sensible to both switch flights in Mexico City, or to fly into Cancun.
Cancun is the most important 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 method. 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. Decide to remain within the historic heart with the intention to attain a lot of the metropolis’s essential historic and cultural highlights on foot.
Opting to remain in an Airbnb (get $15+ credit score with Airbnb whenever you e book for the primary time utilizing the hyperlink) or homestay within the japanese or western elements of town can prevent a good sum of money. Nevertheless, you’ll almost 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 inexpensive and there’s something right here for each style and journey model. So, you don’t have any actual purpose to have to remain outdoors of the primary zones.
Paseo Montejo
Paseo Montejo is the primary boulevard in Merida. It runs from the historic heart, all the way in which as much as the northern suburbs.
The road was named after Merida’s founder, Francisco de Montejo. You will see that the Monumento a la Patria right here—an enormous sculpture created by sculptor Rómulo Rozo that shows the historical past of Mexico via 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 may’t get evening’s sleep in the event you base your self right here.
The ambiance is especially great on Sundays when the road is pedestrianized and closed to site visitors. Hundreds of Merida locals come to jog/stroll/cycle the size of the road and there are lots of locations the place you’ll be able to hire a bicycle and be part of them.
Paseo Montejo has one thing for each finances. Under are a number of the most respected finances lodges within the space, with costs per room for 2 individuals.
You possibly can e book through Reserving.com; simply click on the hyperlink to the properties above. Be 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 effective 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 number 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’s also probably the greatest issues to do in Merida. A free strolling tour departs on daily basis at 10 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. from outdoors the Casa Montejo museum in the primary sq., with guides talking each English and Spanish.
The tour takes you round the primary Merida landmarks and historic websites and offers you much more data and context on the varied buildings that you just 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 for the reason that 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 particular person.
The opposite beauty of exploring town on a strolling tour? You will have a neighborhood skilled available to ask for his or her suggestions for one of the best issues to see and do within the metropolis and one of the best locations to hang around, amongst others.
Eat your method round city
The delicacies in Merida and the Yucatan may be very totally different from the delicacies that you will see elsewhere in Mexico. It is 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 it’s best 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 may attempt. Habaneros (Calle 20-A Num 302 X 5b Y 5c, Xcumpich, 97204) is a neighborhood favourite and though it sits on the outskirts of city, it’s well worth the effort to get to.
Expertise Merida by evening
When you thought that Merida was beautiful by day, you’ll doubtless discover it much more magical by evening. That is when town actually involves life.
Each evening of the week, you will see dwell music hosted across the metropolis. On Tuesdays, there may be dwell music at Santiago Park and on Thursdays, there’s a dwell band that performs in Santa Lucia.
If you wish to attempt 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 dwell salsa music on daily basis of the week.
This is likely one of the hottest nightlife spots on the town, though it does get very crowded and it’s good to cease by earlier than 8 p.m. to safe a desk. Alternatively, Cantina Dzalbay (Calle 64 x 53, Esquina, No. 443, Centro) presents courses the place you’ll be able to dance with locals.
Deal with your self to a day on the seaside
Merida itself just isn’t located on the coast, however there are a number of attractive seaside cities that may be reached in simply an hour’s drive from town heart. Yucatan seashores are sometimes neglected in favor of the better-known seashores of the Mexican Caribbean (the areas round Cancun, Tulum, and many others).
Nevertheless, they’re simply as stunning 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 shocking shade of crystal-clear turquoise.
Progreso is the closest seaside city to Merida, located simply 43km north of town. Take a stroll alongside the Malecon, sip piña coladas in one of many seaside bars overlooking the water, and spend a day lounging on the sand. Most eating places and bars right here allow you to hire a sunbed and an umbrella for the day for only a few 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 via its gates on daily basis.
Whereas a go to to Chichen Itza is likely 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.
As an example, few folks have heard of Mayapan, however this was probably the most vital Mayan settlements. It may be discovered simply an hour south of Merida and the positioning 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 folks moved after the downfall of Chichen Itza.
Security Ideas for Solo Vacationers in Merida
Merida is a very safe city, even for solo travelers. The Yucatan capital is acknowledged again and again as being the most secure metropolis in Mexico, and one of many most secure cities in all the North American continent.
Sure, Merida is statistically so much safer than a number of cities within the United States. Mexico, normally, is so much safer than stereotypes and media representations would have you ever assume.
Nevertheless, the tradition in Merida and the Yucatan feels markedly totally different. Right here, you’ll be able to really feel comparatively comfy strolling alone across the metropolis even within the evenings.
Individuals are very well mannered and respectful and also you by no means really feel that you must be regularly wanting 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 slightly than taking random road taxis. Whereas folks in some international locations might query the protection of Uber, that’s not the Mexican perspective.
In fact, 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 will have the motive force’s particulars and their license plate quantity, and you may share your journey data along with your family and friends members.
Sadly, scams usually are not extraordinary in Mexico and also you usually tend to be ripped off or taken on a roundabout route via city in the event you get right into a random road taxi. When utilizing Uber right here, there are a number of precautions that you may take.
Verify your driver’s profile and solely journey with drivers which have completed a number of thousand journeys and have a ranking of 4.5 or above. If you’re uncomfortable with the look of your driver or they’re fully new to the app, you’ll be able to cancel and discover a new driver for no cost.
Watch out when heading out at evening alone
Merida is a protected metropolis, even within the evenings. Nevertheless, that doesn’t imply that you just shouldn’t use frequent sense or not concentrate on your environment.
Attempt to not stroll alone at evening, significantly in case your route takes you down quiet facet 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 dwell music venues alone or with new buddies, 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 must 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 effective funding. Ideally, it’s best to carry your backpack in entrance of you and be sure that any valuables are securely tucked away.
Merida is a protected and great colonial metropolis within the coronary heart of the Yucatan. It makes an ideal getaway vacation spot in itself, nevertheless it additionally completely enhances a wider Yucatan journey itinerary.
Have you ever been to Merida? What different suggestions are you able to give to solo vacationers?
