The Yucatán: Beyond the Beaches

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When someone mentions the Yucatán, people think of the Riviera Maya, and while palm-fringed sands are always enticing, the more authentic Yucatán is found inland. The jaw-dropping ruins of ancient Mayan cities, the sacred cenotes (freshwater sinkholes left behind by the asteroids that killed the dinosaurs), and the ambiance of the jungle are the true heart and soul of the Yucatán.

MÉRIDA

The provincial capital is experiencing a renaissance, with Mexicans and foreigners alike buying up the mansions built by the sisal kings of a century ago when henequen was used to make ship’s ropes, and Mérida was home to more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world. The imprint they left on the historic Centro makes it look like a tropical version of Paris’s 7th arrondissement.

STAY

Hotel Sureño is a dreamy boutique hotel with 17 individually decorated rooms. Enjoy sunset cocktails from the rooftop pool, and relax among billowing white curtains. Located in the city’s historic district, it’s ideal for exploring the elegant city. The hotel’s restaurant, La Mata, is helmed by renowned chef Jorge Ildefonso; we suggest booking a dinner in cámara oscura, the intimate private dining room.

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EAT

Arcano is an impossibly romantic eatery lit almost entirely by candles, built into the ruins of an old home and its exquisite gardens. For a more casual experience, the best tacos in Mérida come from La Lupita in the Mercado de Santiago. Other options include Cienfuegos, an atmospheric Mexican place, while Cervo specializes in Italian cuisine, and yakuza serves excellent Japanese.

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Sites such as San Ildefonso Cathedral and chic boutiques like perfumery Coqui Coqui are found in El Centro, where stately mansions line the Paseo de Montejo, and the colorful façades of Calle 64 are photographic gold. The Hacienda Sotuta de Peón is a plantation where you can ride horses or ATVs and enjoy a local meal. An excursion not to miss begins in the town of Sisal, where a boat escorts you into a lagoon populated by flamingos and crocodiles, and from there, you’ll penetrate the jungle to the mysterious Ojo de Agua, a pure spring bubbling up from beneath the roots of a giant mangrove.

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CHOCOLÁ

There’s not much to Chocholá, which is precisely the point. Hidden deep within the jungle, 43 kilometers southwest of Mérida, the brightly painted town has locals selling authentic handmade wares, and the popular Tuunich Ha cenote is said to possess magical healing properties.

EAT

The resort’s culinary program is overseen by Jorge Vallejo, proprietor of Quintonil in Mexico City, currently ranked the ninth-best restaurant in the world. At Chablé, Vallejo has created Ixi’im—an ultra-modern culinary delight with a staggering array of tequilas—and Ki’ol—the restaurant located by the resort’s main swimming pool.

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STAY

Few hotels, let alone those in the middle of nowhere, can boast the level of luxury offered by Chablé Yucatán. The 750-acre property built in a former hacienda features 40 elegantly appointed villas and casitas, each with its own plunge pool and outdoor shower. The spa is built around the lip of a cenote, and there’s a golf course, a tennis court, extensive bike paths, a cigar lounge, and uniquely Yucatecan experiences like an authentic temazcal (Mexican sweat lodge) and apiary of endemic (and stingless) melipona bees.

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PLAY

In addition to all of the on-site activities, Chablé offers traditional cooking classes, tequila tastings, and an array of Mayan ceremonies. It’s also an ideal place from which to explore the important but less-touristy Mayan ruins of Uxmal and Mayapan, both roughly an hour away.

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TEKIT

The “guayabera capital of the world,” this tiny town is known for producing the finest-quality shirts in the Cuban style, as well as traditional Yucatecan costumes. In addition to visiting one of the numerous guayabera factories, you can make bread at a local bakery or tour extensive fruit orchards as part of a local cooperative that keeps ancient Mayan traditions alive. Afterward, cool off in the town’s stunning cenote.

STAY

One of Mexico’s newest eco-jungle-lodges, Destino Mío was designed by the same architects who created Azulik—the eminently Instagrammable hotel in Tulum. It employs a similarly organic Swiss Family Robinson aesthetic, with accommodations ranging from a sprawling hacienda compound to elegant casitas and elevated glamping tents. There’s a central swimming pool as well as several uncrowded, private cenotes and the sumptuous utópika spa. The pièce de résistance, however, is the lookout tower from which you can survey the surrounding jungle and enjoy the sunset.

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PLAY

You might not want to leave once you’ve arrived, and the resort offers numerous on-property excursions, including a tour of “Felipe’s Garden.” However, Tekit is nearby, and the lodge is only 40 minutes from Mayapan and an hour and a half to Uxmal.

EAT

Destino Mío’s on-site restaurant, Cocina Tamarindo, has an extensive menu ranging from local specialties to Italian, American, and other cuisines. Should you decide to leave the property, Tekit has several charming cantinas, and Mérida is close enough for dinner.

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