A lot of people go to Mexico on vacation, and a lot of them go to the Yucatan peninsula, and they never realize the meaning of Yucatan, because for them it’s just a beach in a place called Cancun, Tulum, or other places in the Riviera Maya. . .
This is quite sad because, frankly, one crowded resort is a lot like another. As a consequence, they could be anywhere in the world that has a turquoise sea, white sand, and a coral reef.
There is much more to the Yucatan Peninsula than beaches, coral reefs and blue seas, but you need to be aware that it is there and then take steps to see it.
It is hard to believe that there is someone who has visited Mexico and has not heard of the Mayan Civilization. Having said that, in my line of work as a health professional, I meet literally dozens of people every day, and recently four people who had been to the Yucatan and never bothered to visit the Mayan sites, in fact, didn’t know none of them. .
In my opinion, there are three options that you can take when you go to the Yucatan Peninsula for vacations. The first is to go to the Riviera Maya, and sit in a five-star resort, and which one you choose is something personal. Then you stay there for a week or two, bask in the sun, sea and sand, and come home.
The second option is to take a Mayan Civilization tour and a jungle tour in the Mayan Peninsula. This would be an amazing if somewhat exhausting experience with long slow journeys, but I would come back enriched by the experience with loads of camera footage and wonderful memories. By the way, this is not a party for the faint of heart or for the family, but rather for the married couple whose kids have fled the nest and want more than just sitting by a hotel pool.
The third option, of course, is a combination of the other two. A week in a resort, but not in Tulum or Cancun, as there are other less commercialized places in the Riviera Maya. In terms of what to see, space precludes great detail. Suffice it to say that Tulum, Uxmal and Chichen Itza should be on your priority list. You really need to soak up a Yucatan travel guide, but the author hopes this article will at least make you want to look.
