6 best day trips from Cancún

Day trips compared

The day trips

200 km · About 2.5–3 hours by car or bus

1.Chichén Itzá

The great Maya city in the Yucatán interior, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is dominated by El Castillo, the Temple of Kukulcán, whose stairs cast a serpent shadow at the equinoxes. Arrive at opening to beat the heat and the tour buses, and combine it with a swim in a cenote and lunch in Valladolid.

Getting there

Car, ADO bus or organised tour

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Families

130 km · About 2 hours by car or bus

2.Tulum

The walled Maya port of Tulum stands on a cliff above a turquoise cove, one of the most photographed ruins in Mexico. The town nearby has boutique hotels and beach clubs, and cenotes such as Gran Cenote are a short ride inland.

Getting there

Car, ADO bus or organised tour

Best for

First-timers, Couples, Culture

65 km · About 1 hour by bus

3.Playa del Carmen and Xcaret

Playa del Carmen's pedestrian Quinta Avenida is lined with shops, bars and restaurants, and ferries leave for Cozumel. Just south, the Xcaret eco-park has underground rivers, a butterfly pavilion, a Maya village and an evening show of Mexican history, music and dance.

Getting there

ADO bus from downtown or the airport

Best for

Families, First-timers, Nightlife

140 km · About 2.5 hours by car plus a 20-minute ferry

4.Holbox

A car-free island of sandy streets, hammocks and flamingo-dotted lagoons on the north coast of the Yucatán. Whale sharks feed offshore from about June to September, and on dark summer nights the shallow water can glow with bioluminescence. It is best as an overnight trip.

Getting there

Car or bus to Chiquilá, then ferry

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays, Beach

40 km · About 45 minutes by car

5.Ruta de los Cenotes

Inland from Puerto Morelos, a road through the jungle is lined with cenotes, freshwater sinkholes for swimming and snorkelling, such as Siete Bocas and Verde Lucero, each charging a small entry fee and some with zip lines or rope swings.

Getting there

Car or tour from Puerto Morelos

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

160 km · About 2 hours by car or bus

6.Valladolid and Ek' Balam

Valladolid is a colonial town of pastel streets around the San Servacio church, with Cenote Zací right in town. Nearby, the less-visited Maya site of Ek' Balam has an acropolis decorated with remarkably preserved stucco carvings; it makes a good overnight base for an early start at Chichén Itzá.

Getting there

Car or ADO bus

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays, Food lovers

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Carry small peso coins and notes; drivers often can't change large bills.
• The Tren Maya, opened in stages from late 2023, has a station near Cancún airport with services towards Valladolid, Mérida and the Riviera Maya; timetables are limited, so check before planning.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask