Wellness

Welcome to Mexico! Upon arrival at Cancún airport, you will pick up your vehicle. Drive to your hotel.

This morning, you will board a "lancha" - a small motor boat - and go for a ride in the mangrove of the national park. A real paradise for nature lovers. It is an ideal place to discover the Yucatán "differently". Then head to the famous pink lagoon called "Las Coloradas". Afterwards, you take the road to Valladolid, where you will spend the night.

Driving time: Cancun - Rio Lagartos 251km (3h21) / Rio Lagartos - Valladolid 106km (1h33)

This morning you visit Ek Balam or "black jaguar" in Mayan, an ancient religious centre of great importance in the region and comprising about 40 structures. All the temples are accessible to visitors and allow you to get a good view of the city and the surrounding jungle. Ek Balam does not have the fame of Chichen Itza, yet it is a city full of serenity and mystery at the same time. There are few visitors and this is what makes it so charming. The Xcanche cenote is located about 1500 metres from the town. To get there, you can rent bicycles or go on foot. There is an abseiling trail, hammocks and a zip line to keep you entertained. Lunch is available at the cenote ecotourism centre, surrounded by jungle. You will also participate in a temazcal ceremony, an ancestral ritual of the Aztec culture that was adopted by the Mayans and introduced into their customs. This purification ceremony consists of a steam bath with volcanic stones performed by a shaman (Spanish/Maya). Medicinal plants are used in order to obtain complete healing of the body. Return to Valladolid at the end of the day.

Drive: Valladolid - Ek Balam 30km (30min)

This morning we visit the centre of Valladolid. On the agenda are the Zocalo and its cathedral, the market, the colourful Calzada de los Frailes street and the San Bernardino convent. Afterwards, you can go to the Secreto cenote, which also has a spa. The cenote can be privatized on request. In the afternoon, you will discover the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, and considered one of the "New Wonders of the World" since 2007. You will be immersed in the majesty of this site and the echo of its past glory. Possibility to attend the sound and light show projected on the main pyramid of the site at nightfall.

Drive: Valladolid - Chichen Itza 45km (50min)

Today you will bathe in the wonderful cenote of Tsukan. Continue to the "magic village" of Izamal. You will visit the Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua, whose atrium is second in size only to that of the Vatican. You can also climb the Kinich Pyramid for a breathtaking view of this yellow city. Departure for Mérida, the cultural capital of Yucatán. City of one million inhabitants, it is famous for its cathedral and its paseo Montejo lined with the sumptuous residences of the old masters of henequen. Walking through the colonial streets of the white city, you will feel the romantic and provincial atmosphere, bearing witness to a past rich in history and legends. Although it has modernised over time, Mérida has retained its colonial "toque", characterised by its lights and colours. At night, it is transformed for the pleasure of passers-by. Several activities are possible: sitting at a café terrace, attending a street performance of dance, music or theatre, which make this city a wonderful cultural crossroads.

Driving directions: Chichen Itza - Tsukan 13km (16min) / Tsukan - Izamal 58km (58min) / Izamal - Merida 70km (1h10)

After breakfast, you will take the road to Uxmal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Located in the middle of the Yucatecan jungle, Uxmal means "three times built" in Maya. The architecture of this site is particularly faithful to the "Puuc" style with its geometric forms, its mosaics and its representations of the god Chaac, god of rain and thunder. A few meters before the entrance to the site is the cacao museum, Chocostory, where you can learn more about the use and importance of cacao in Mayan culture. There is a tasting session and the opportunity to participate in a Mayan ceremony. Back in Merida, you can take the guagua located on the Santa Lucia plaza, an unusual and folkloric activity. This short 2 hour tour will give you a good overview of the city.

Driving directions: Merida - Uxmal 85km (1h10)

Early departure for Bacalar. Famous for its seven-coloured lagoon, Bacalar is a pearl of the Caribbean, close to the Belizean border, in the south of the Yucatán peninsula. Bacalar is a small town known for its history and natural riches. The lagoon is made up of seven different cenotes, which gave it its name, and is about 42km long and 2km wide. Bacalar was an important commercial crossroads for the Maya, a real place of exchange between Central America and the Yucatán peninsula. Walk around the city centre and visit Fort San Felipe, built in 1729, an example of the military architecture of New Spain, which saw various battles and conflicts.

Driving time: Merida - Bacalar 350km (4h25)

Day trip to Bacalar. Famous for its seven-coloured lagoon, it is possible to discover it through various activities, such as boat or kayak excursions. It is also possible to visit Fort San Felipe, built in 1729, an example of the military architecture of New Spain, which experienced various battles and conflicts. If you want to learn more about the Mayan culture, you can visit the Kohunlich site, 1 hour from Bacalar and belonging to the Ruta Rio Bec. There you will discover the incredible Temple of the Masks, 5 of which have been restored.

This morning you will head to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest in Mexico and located near Tulum. The reserve includes rainforests, mangroves and swamps, as well as a vast marine area with a coral reef running through it. It has an impressive diversity of flora and fauna, including jaguars, manatees, turtles, birds and dolphins. To get there, you will pass through Muyil where the entrance to the site is located. There, you can take a boat with a local guide who will accompany you through the lagoons. You will reach the canals created by the Mayans where you will put on your life jacket and let yourself be carried by the current sitting in the water. Continue to Tulum, one of the jewels of the Riviera Maya and the only Mayan port known as such, which saw the arrival of the first conquistadors a few centuries ago. Tulum means "wall" in the Mayan language, and it is indeed the case since it has one of the most beautiful vestiges of this civilization. This ancient city is perched on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea like an ancient fortress, offering a breathtaking view of the Paraiso and Mayan beaches, both for its contrasting colours and its proximity to the jungle, the sea and the city. Tulum combines paradisiacal beach scenery with historical sites, making it a popular destination for travellers.

Driving directions: Bacalar - Sian Ka'an 190km (2h10) / Sian Ka'an - Tulum 30km (40min)

Afterwards, you will continue to the Punta Laguna nature reserve, where you can take a walk through the Yucatecan jungle and, if you are lucky, come across spider or howler monkeys, kayak on the lagoon or explore a cenote accompanied by a local guide.

Today you will go to the Yalku lagoon, where you can snorkel and see the fish that are found in this place where salt and fresh water meet. Also, if you feel like it, you can go to the beach of Akumal, where turtles abound all year round.

Perhaps it's time to say goodbye to Mexico and its beaches? Your stay is coming to an end. Leave the hotel for Cancun airport for your return flight.

Driving time: Tulum - Cancun airport 125km (1h45)