5 DAYS IN MEXICO TRIP ITINERARY

Deciding where to go on holiday is always a difficult feat. You take so much in to consideration; the cost, availability of flights, hotel options, activities to do once you’re there, how far away it is, the cultural offerings and more. It can be daunting. 

This itinerary is specifically for a 5 day trip in the Yucatan Peninsula area of Mexico. The beauty of this is that you can take this itinerary and do what you want with it - all I ask is that you have an unforgettable trip,

After a 6 hour flight from Boston, we landed in Cancun around 3 PM. We were so excited for some warm weather and immediately rented a car at the airport and started our trek to Tulum. (Read about renting a car in Mexico here). We chose to start in Tulum because we has heard it was very relaxing, so we figured that was a great place to start. We were right! 

- Lindsey Farrah

We checked in to our hotel, the Papaya Playa Project (PPP), which was absolutely spectacular (Check out my blog post about PPP here). After getting settled into our room we kicked back, had some drinks near the pool and took in the final hours of sunlight. We then walked down the street and grabbed a bite at Gitano's. See my full list of where to eat and drink in Tulum here.

Out of everywhere we visited during this trip, Tulum was definitely our favourite place. The beaches were stunning, the vibe was relaxed, the food was amazing, and the culture and vibe reminded us of Bali. If you are visiting Mexico, Tulum should be at the top of your list! Check out the top ten reasons to visit Tulum here.  

We woke up early and grabbed coffee in downtown Tulum at Campanella Cremerie. They have amazing cold brew & slow drip coffee. From there we visited our first cenote, Gran Cenote. (Read about cenotes here and specifically Gran Cenote here). This was my first ever cenote and it was stunning. We swam around the caves with turtles and fish all around us. Once we were done swimming we decided to check out the Tulum Ruins.  

These ruins were absolutely spectacular although they were also very hot! I would recommend trying to go here in the morning, and then hitting the cenote after. By 1PM we were done and we grabbed tacos at my absolutely favourite taco stand in the world!!! For under $2 USD we were filled with tasty tacos. After our bellies were full, we spent the rest of the day with relaxing at the beach. (Read about the tacos here; and learn more about the Tulum Ruins here).

Sadly today was the day we needed to check out of the Papaya Playa Project, so we spent the first half of the day lounging on the beach and in the pools. On our way out of Tulum we stopped at CoCo Tulum to grab one last drink in Tulum, and fully enjoyed our cocktails while swinging in a chair overlooking the beach. We then headed up the coast about an hour and a half to Playa Del Carmen, where we checked into the all-inclusive Platinum Yucatan Princess. Along the way up to Playa Del Carmen we took our time and stopped along several beach towns on the way. We then finished our day with some pool time and dinner.  

Today we woke up early and caught a boat to Cozumel, catching the sunrise on our way. We went scuba diving in Cozumel which was absolutely spectacular. I have dove in many places around the world, and Cozumel definitely ranks in my top 5 diving locations. Read my post about diving in Cozumel here. After diving we spent an hour or so enjoying the gorgeous Cozumel beaches and then grabbed the next ferry back to Playa Del Carmen. 

Since this was our last day, we woke up early and drove inland to check out the Chichen Itza Mayan ruins. My partner is trying to see all 7 Wonders of the World so naturally visiting these ruins were a high priority for us. Read my post about the Chichen Itza ruins here. If you are planning a trip to Mexico, visiting these ruins is a must. It was a three-hour drive each way, so it was a full day trip, but it is well worth it. 

After checking out the Chichen Itza ruins we stopped at Ik Kil cenote for a refreshing dip. Ik Kil was by far the most stunning cenote we visited while in Mexico. This is another must see while you are vacationing! Read my post about Ik Kil cenote here.

After the ruins, we drove directly to Cancun to catch our flight at the airport. You can only do this day trip on your final day if you have a very late flight, 10 PM or later. Be sure to leave enough time to make it to the airport on time.