Mexico (Yucatan)

Isla Holbox is one of the finest islands we have ever been to. It is an island not yet taken over by mass tourism and there is a blissfully laid-back atmosphere.

Cars are not allowed here, you do everything by bike or golf cart. On Isla Holbox, you enjoy the lovely island life with pearly white sandy beaches and turquoise water.

The cenote Ik Kil is also known as the ‘sacred blue cenote’. This is one of the most beautiful cenotes in Yucatan, thanks in part to the hanging vines and other plants that adorn the cenote.

Most cenotes in Mexico are underground, but this pool is above ground, even though you have to descend 45 metres to get to the water.

You can swim there and you can also dive into the water from different heights. Being close to Chichen Itza, a visit to cenote Ik Kil is often combined with the temple complex. So it is advisable to go early, as it gets very crowded during the day.

Entrance to the cenote costs 180 Mexican pesos (€9). You can buy tickets in advance online, or on site.

Prefer a day trip out of Cancun and combined with Chichen Itza? Then we recommend going with a small group and one that leaves early like this one.

Cenotes Dos Ojos is located between Playa del Carmen and Tulum and you can easily get there by minivan. Dos Ojos literally means ‘two eyes’ which the two caves resemble. The two 70-metre sinkholes are connected by a 400-metre-long passage.

You can only see a small part of the caves here. So there is a whole network behind it. You can dive through these underwater tunnels, which should be amazing. If you have a diving licence, this is the place to be for extraordinary experiences.

The deepest point is 118 metres and until a few years ago, the entire cave system was thought to be 61 kilometres long. In 2018, researchers discovered a connection to cenote Sac Actun. This now makes this the longest underwater cave in the world at a whopping 347 kilometres.

We rented a snorkel on site and it is also worthwhile. It’s a nice way to cool off and cool to see the different caves.

The entrance fee is 200 Mexican pesos, about €10.

The ruin in Tulum is special because it is the only Mayan temple by the sea. Tulum is also the last major city built by the Maya, and the large wall surrounding the city was supposed to protect them from invaders.

It is fun to walk around the archaeological park for a few hours. The combination of the ruins, palm trees, white sand and turquoise water is especially beautiful to see. Do bring enough water, as it can get very hot!

Entrance costs 160 Mexican pesos (€8).

A real must-do is visiting the Pirate Canal (Canal de los Piratas), a beautiful, narrow canal with sandbanks. Once a notorious pirate route, you can now enjoy its clean nature. You can get there by sailboat or rent a kayak. By the way, renting a kayak is highly recommended, it is really lovely to explore the lake this way.

Bacalar is also the place where you can find stromatolites, which are the oldest fossils on earth. So be careful where you stand, which may look like a rock, but you may be standing on something that has been alive for 3.5 billion years!

Other fun activities include visiting Fort San Felipe, Cenote Azul, admiring the sunrise (while paddling if you like) or visiting the beautiful Los Rápidos. The latter is a small river full of stromatolites and mangroves where you can drift snorkel through the natural current.

Bacalar has a very fragile ecosystem. Therefore, sunscreen is basically forbidden. Put on a hat and wear long clothes if necessary. If you do decide to smear yourself, do so with coral-friendly sunscreen.