Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

The Yucatan Peninsula is quite different from the rest of Mexico. A distinct change in the landscape, people and architecture as one crosses into the remoteness of the Mayan realm, is easily noticeable. The atmosphere is more relaxed and tranquil and the legacy of an ancient people is evident in the scattering of ruins within the encroaching jungle. It is an area famed for its white sand beaches, magnificent off-shore coral reefs and diving opportunities on the Caribbean coast, as well as for the region's splendid ruins: the extraordinary Mayan temples and ceremonial centres of an ancient kingdom.



The peninsula is an area of great diversity, from tropical jungle and rainforest, flat and hot countryside dotted with Mayan villages, a superb coastline with popular resorts and islands, numerous archaeological sites, and colonial towns
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 Once distant and inaccessible, tourism has made determined advances especially around the major places of interest, to the Mayan sites of Chichen Itza and Uxmal, and along the most visited stretch of the coast incorporating the 'party resort' of Cancun and the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.




These resorts and islands have become highly sought-after package tour destinations with renowned vacation facilities.



The traditions, religious beliefs and ancient customs of today's Mayan culture are a natural part of the Yucatan's character, but large-scale tourism development has shifted many of the Mayan people to unwanted areas where they live in small settlements, scratching out an existence from their crops, and relying on the brazen publicity of the tourist brochures to endear them and their handicrafts to the tourist trade.

Resorts

See our separate guides to the following Yucatan Peninsula holiday resorts: Puerto Costa Maya, Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen

Events

Spring Equinox

Equinoccio de la Primavera draws thousands of people from around the world to witness the shadow that seems to crawl down the El Castillo pyramid in the Chichén Itzá temple complex. The shadow represents the snake god, Kukulcan, and takes the form of a giant, slithering snake that slowly descends the stairs of the largest Mayan pyramid in the country. Sunlit triangles appear to work their way down the stairs, finally illuminating the snakehead at the bottom and forming the giant sunlit serpent.