Why Mérida works as your base
Mérida's historic center is, according to the city government, the second largest in Mexico, and the city is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2019. From there, every Mary Tours day trip leaves from the downtown office (Calle 61 #518-B) and returns the same day, so you can see ruins, cenotes, the Gulf coast and even the Caribbean without changing hotels.
Booking in English
Mary Tours works with certified guides in Spanish and English. You book on WhatsApp: the booking button opens a chat with your request already written, availability is confirmed the same day, and you secure your spot with at least 50% of the tour price. The balance is paid on the day.
Payment options that work well from abroad: PayPal (in pesos or dollars), credit or debit card at the office, and bank transfer. Bookings from this page are for groups of 4 or more, with a per-person coupon on Bacalar, Isla Mujeres and Tulum.
Money and tipping
- The Mexican peso is the basis for all transactions, according to the Bank of Mexico. Businesses must display prices in pesos, though some also show dollars; if you pay in dollars, ask the exchange rate first.
- Carry pesos for cenote entry, boats, small shops and tips.
- Tipping is voluntary in Mexico, and Profeco (the consumer protection agency) says it shouldn't be added to your bill without your consent.
Weather and when to come
Yucatán is warm and sub-humid, with summer rains. The hottest months run from May to August, and the Atlantic hurricane season runs from May 15 to November 30 (a statistical window, not a forecast). Many North American travelers come in winter, when the nortes cool things down and Celestún hosts its largest flamingo gatherings (November to February, according to CONANP).
Top day trips to start with
- Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid, the classic.
- Santa Bárbara cenotes, four different cenotes, no early start.
- Celestún, flamingos and mangroves.
- Uxmal by private transfer, for Puuc architecture.
- Bacalar, Isla Mujeres or Tulum, for a Caribbean day.
Fun facts
- Mérida has been a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy since 2019.
- Mérida's historic center is the second largest in Mexico, according to the city government.
- Every Mary Tours day trip returns to Mérida the same day.
Related tours
Archaeology · 11 h
Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid
Four stops in one day, and none of them rushed
from $1,200 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal. The guide uses the drive to set up what comes next.
- 9:00 AM San Antonio de Padua Convent — The story of the 16th-century Franciscan convent told in its atrium, then free time to walk the yellow town.
- 11:15 AM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Temple of Kukulkán, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Tzompantli and the Jaguars and Eagles platform.
- 1:45 PM Regional lunch in Kaua — Buffet of Yucatecan dishes: cochinita, relleno negro, lime soup and meat-free options.
- 3:00 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim lands exactly when the sun is at its worst. Changing rooms and showers on site.
- 4:20 PM Valladolid — Francisco Cantón Rosado park with its original railings, the church of San Servacio and the murals in the town hall.
- 8:00 PM Back in Mérida — We drop you off where the day started.
Included: Air-conditioned transport, General culture guide, Regional buffet lunch
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Cenotes · 7 h
The four cenotes of Santa Bárbara
Four different cenotes and a lunch made by hand
from $1,450 MXN per person
See itinerary
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 10:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Homún, through the ring of cenotes.
- 11:00 AM Cascabel cenote — Closed, cave type. You descend inside and the water sits in half-light: the most striking of the four.
- 11:30 AM Chaksikín cenote — Semi-open. You go down between limestone walls painted with Maya-themed murals.
- 12:00 PM Xooch cenote — Semi-open, with a shaft of light that falls straight onto the water mid-morning.
- 12:30 PM Pool Cocom cenote — Open and surrounded by vegetation. You swim along a channel out to the wide part.
- 1:30 PM Regional lunch — Home cooking with hand-made tortillas. Plenty of time to eat without rushing.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour back, arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Certified guide, Entry to all four cenotes, Regional lunch
Not included: Drinks with lunch
Nature · 9 h
Celestún and the pink flamingos
The largest flamingo colony in North America
from $1,600 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour and a half west, out to the port.
- 9:30 AM Boat ride — Flamingo and bird watching, the mangrove tunnel, the freshwater spring and the Maya bath on the sandbar.
- 11:00 AM Lunch by the beach — Fish, octopus or shrimp from the gulf, at a table facing the sea.
- 1:00 PM Free time on the beach — Almost three hours to swim, walk the shore or do nothing at all.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — Arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat ride, Lunch from a set menu
Not included: Drinks
Coupon −$300 MXN per personCaribbean · 17 h
Bacalar, the lagoon of seven colours
Seventeen hours for water that changes colour every metre
from $2,800 MXN per person
See itinerary
5:00 AM – 10:00 PM · daily
- 4:45 AM Boarding — We leave from the downtown office. If your accommodation is on the way, we collect you there — agreed beforehand on WhatsApp.
- 5:30 AM Drive to José María Morelos — Two hours. Fifteen minutes there for toilets and to stretch your legs.
- 7:30 AM Drive to Bacalar — Two and a half hours more, now crossing into Quintana Roo.
- 10:15 AM Boat trip on the lagoon — Pirates’ Channel, Cenote Negro, Cenote Esmeralda and Bird Island, with an explanation of the stromatolites and the ecosystem.
- 12:15 PM Lunch — Lunch in the town, beside the lagoon.
- 1:30 PM Bacalar magic town — Three and a half hours free: the San Felipe fort, the square, the piers, the cafés and the crafts.
- 5:00 PM Back to Mérida — Five hours back, with a stop halfway. Arriving around ten.
Included: Transport, Guide, Boat trip, Lunch
Not included: Drinks
Frequently asked questions
Are there English-speaking tours in Mérida?
Yes. Mary Tours works with certified guides in Spanish and English.
Can I pay in US dollars?
Mary Tours accepts PayPal in pesos or dollars. Elsewhere, prices are in pesos; if a business takes dollars, ask the exchange rate.
Do I have to tip?
No. Tipping is voluntary in Mexico, though it's customary to tip guides and drivers for good service.
When is the best time to visit?
Winter is popular for cooler weather and flamingos; summer is hotter and rainier but great for cenotes.
