Campeche and Yucatan states in Mexico

Mike,
I have visited Mexico several times and love the country, its people, history and cuisine.
My Mom was from South Texas and we visited border cities frequently when I was younger.
Also, I have been to Cancun, Chicken Itza, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico City, Taxco, the Pyramids of Teotihuacan and a few other key sites near Mexico City.

I always wanted to visit other ancient sites in southern Mexico, as well as in Central America.

However, you must know that Mexico has a huge problem. The northern half of the country is controlled by the Drug Cartels and not safe to visit. I have visited my cousins in south Texas in recent years and they say it is NOT safe to cross the border into Mexico.

My Son and his friend did visit Mexico City and the area a few years ago and were advised that it was safe if you stayed in tourist areas, but NOT to wander in the city, because large parts of the city are not safe, even in the daytime.

I have read the Cancun and the Yucatan are not as safe as in the past. While not as bad as northern Mexico, it is still not good.

No way would I rent a car and drive on my own like you propose. If you really want to go, consider taking a group tour that would have security.

I did a trip such as the one you’re considering in December 2021 for about a week. It’s a great area to visit. This was in early December, before the holiday season, which I understand is a VERY busy travel time. Valladolid is a nice small city. Spent three nights there I think (two full days, one for the town and the other for Chichen Itza). A daytrip to Chichen was easy. There was frequent service by “collectivo” vans that left from a roadside place near the main bus station (but not at that station itself). It’s about 40 minutes drive. There isn’t much in Piste. It is a good idea to get to Chichen early before it gets too hot and the tour buses arrive from the coastal resorts, but I doubt it’s necessary to line up before it opens. I also spent several nights in Merida before returning to Cancun for one night before my flight (and also to get the Covid test required at that time to return to the US, fortunately not something you will need to worry about). Mérida is a really fun city — quite large but with a mellow atmosphere. I had intended to see Uxmal but transportation was a bit tricky to get there, I was content with spending more time in Merida, and while I like Mayan ruins there is a certain “sameness” to them so I found Chichen to be sufficient for this trip. As with elsewhere in Mexico the buses between the cities were frequent and excellent. I think it would be a good idea to make advance reservations for intercity trips around the holidays. I understand the new train service between Cancun and various other Yucatan places that was under construction when I was there is now operational so that might be something to consider as well. For where you want to go flights to and out of Mérida would be best, but you will probably find as I did that the flight selection and fares are much better using Cancun. Safety considerations are so personal I hesitate to advise, but for myself, I would have no hesitation about returning to this part of Mexico.

Thanks for your input...

Look more carefully at what I wrote about transportation: I would like to avoid renting a car if other transportation can be good enough....

So far in my research on plane ticket prices and ground transportation, i didn't see an an advantage for me to take flights to or from Cancun.

Most cities and urban areas above a certain population, have crime and bad neighborhoods. Human beings are genetically programed to steal, and to hurt and kill each other. The lower the average income of a neighborhood, the greater the percent of residents who steal, murder, hurt others, and so on. Mass shooters pick where the most people are likely to be. If I limit myself to what my mom feels is safe, I would not leave the state of Michigan or travel more than a few miles from home, with the possible exception to certain places with a whole-trip group tour. I went to Mexico once, alone but i was in Mexico City, Teotihuacán, Puebla, Oaxaca, Hierve el Agua... my mom was horrifed before my trip... i was actually forty years old... you can't turn a place into being safe or unsafe by by giving a philosophical argument about it... people are bad at knowing which risks are most and least likely... what about catching a disease like the short lasting but serious diseases I had that affected my digestive tract in Seville, Spain and in Lima, Perú?...

Round trip plane tickets from Detroit to Merida to Detroit cost 100 to 300 US dollars less than Detroit to Cancún and Mérida back to Detroit. The best flight arrives in Mérida at 2:51pm if it arrives on time, but the last Tren Maya to Valladolid leaves Mérida at 4:22pm. So far it looks like bus schedules are not posted online and it is not possible to buy bus tickets in advance. The last trains from Cancún Airport to Valladolid leave at 6:30pm and 8:10pm. Another option might be taking the train from Mérida to Campeche. The last Tren Maya from Mérida to Campeche leaves at 7:29pm. This option would probably mean I go to Edzná on Christmas day, because otherwise I wouldn't have anything to do on Christmas when I would assume the museums are closed. But I will need to figure out how to buy some food and bottled water before the stores close for Christmas eve and Christmas day. Is 4 hours 38 minutes enough time? It seems like a tight squeeze.

Tren Maya has changed the game. There is a Tren Maya stop for Edzna. Are you looking at ADO buses? The ticketing is definitely online.

https://www.ado.com.mx/

Suggest staying onsite at Chichen Itza at the Viilas Arqueologicas. Then it’s a simple walk to the back entrance. You want to be there at opening because after 9:30 or so it’s a zoo of people. Many consider Uxmal the superior experience since less crowded, however cruise ship tour buses arrive from Progreso about noon. There’s a daily bus from Merida, and 1 day a week it continues on the Puuc Route to small additional sites before returning to Merida.

The advantage to Cancun is many nonstop flights (Merida has none) and the Tren Maya is an energetic walk from the Cancun airport or take a local bus, Mexico is an honest gentle country but transport to/from the Cancun airport is controlled as if by the mafia and very pricy.

Be aware of possible climate / weather impact (link to new thread).

How do you think I can improve the following supposed itinerary?

Thursday: Flights to Merida, bus or Tren Maya to Campeche. 1st night in Campeche
Friday: day trip to Edzná. 2nd night in Campeche.
Saturday: various museums. 3rd night in Campeche
Sunday: Various museums and landmarks not seen yet. 4th night in Campeche
Monday: Train to Valladolid. First train leaves Campeche at 7am. Possibly Ek-balam ruins, or drop stuff of at the hotel and various sights and streets. 5th night, 1st night in Valladolid.
Tuesday: day trip to Chichen Itzá. 6th night, 2nd night in Valladolid
Wednesday: Train to Mérida leaves at 8:34am or 10:04am. Drop stuff off at the hotel. Various museums and landmarks. 7th night, 1st night in Mérida
Thursday: various museums and landmarks. 8th night, 2nd night in Mérida
Friday, new years day: Day trip to Uxmal. 9th night, 3rd night in Mérida
Saturday: day trip or whatever landmarks and museums not seen yet? 10th night, 4th night in Mérida
Sunday: Flights back to Detroit

I researched museums but I didn't list them above but I can post my detailed itinerary if you want.

I am unsure whether I should try to squeeze in the Ek-Balam ruins because will I really have enough time after I drop my stuff off at the hotel and if I don't drop my stuff off first, I don't see evidence that there is a place to store it.

I am trying to not be under-occupied or feel like I am wasting time but I don't want to feel like i missed something major that I could have fit in; if I list too many museums or sights for the time I allow, I wouldn't actually rush around to fit stuff in but I would end up skipping or missing whatever I judge to be least important.

The other option I thought of is to stay in Campeche, Merida, Valladolid, and then Merida again at the end of my trip.

That itinerary looks pretty good to me. As I’m sure you know you’ll want to have intercity transportation and accommodation all reserved in advance during Christmas week and check on any holiday changes to schedule of attractions you want to see. I haven’t been to Campeche but I hear it’s nice, and per my previous reply I liked Valladolid and Merida a lot.

Uxmal and all the ruins of the Puuc Route nearby may be free on New Year's Day. They were for us.

https://www.mexicotravelsecrets.com/merida-to-uxmal/ has some good bus info.

2 flights + transfer to train and then train time is a lot for one day. Can you fly to Campeche directly?

Why not fly home from Cancun and save a little money and some time?

Since Palenque is one of the top ruins and on the Tren Maya, I would try to fit that it. Valladolid is often talked up but there isn't more than a half day of quality stuff to do there. The cenote @ Ek Balam is very good. Ek Balam is nice but perhaps restored badly? It now looks like a Hindu temple with the sculptures.

"2 flights + transfer to train and then train time is a lot for one day. Can you fly to Campeche directly?"
"Why not fly home from Cancun and save a little money and some time?"

Based on my research so far:

Campeche has a commercial airport. There are Mexico-based airlines that fly Mexico City to Campeche or Campeche to Mexico City. For more than twice the cost and with a layover of 14 hours to more than a day, technically it would be possible to buy a set of flights from AeroMexico, from Detroit to Campeche, changing planes in Mexico City. Unfortunately, sometimes in travel, the routes that make the most sense logistically don't make sense according to price or length of layovers. Sometimes, in picking flights, you make a good compromise and fly to an airport that isn't exactly where you want to go but is close enough and then you go the rest of the way with ground transportation.

Maybe in the past there were fewer flights to and from Merida compared to Cancun. Maybe it used to cost more to fly to Merida. From Detroit, flights to and from Merida cost less and take about the same amount of time as to and from Cancun. Cancun is too far out of the way. Maybe from the east coast it is cheaper to fly to Cancun. Taking flights to Cancun and then leaving from Merida or the other way around almost makes sense logistically, but it makes no sense according to cost and it is not logistically easier. I will not be starting in Campeche and ending in Cancun or the other way around even thought this would seen to make the most sense logistically.

"Since Palenque is one of the top ruins and on the Tren Maya, I would try to fit that it. Valladolid is often talked up but there isn't more than a half day of quality stuff to do there. The cenote @ Ek Balam is very good. Ek Balam is nice but perhaps restored badly? It now looks like a Hindu temple with the sculptures."

Palenque looks like a nice site, surrounded by the jungle. Visiting it would require:
12/24: first night in Merida
12/25: 7hour 27 to 32 minute train to Palenque arrives at 6:22pm or 7:51pm. 1st night in Palenque
12/26: The site. 2nd night in Palenque
12727: train to Campeche. 4th night, 1st night in Campeche
12/28 Campeche. 5th night, 2nd night in Campeche
12/29: train to Valladolid. 6th night, 1st night in Valladolid
12/30: Chichen Itza. 7th night, 2nd night in Valladolid
12/31: train to Merida. 8th night, 1st night in Merida
1/1: Merida. Uxmal. 2nd night in Merida
1/2: Merida. 10th night. 3rd night in Merida.

I might have to sacrifice Palenque.