By Gary Walther
The Yucatan is usu
ally associated with Cancun, spring break hijinks, and hedonism. But this vast peninsula in southern Mexico has a serious side. It is a storehouse of great Mayan monuments (see map at cancuntoday), notably the towering stepped pyramids at Chichen Itza and Uxmal. Right now you can get a great deal on Business Class tickets to the Yucatan from a slew of U.S. cities. Time to release your inner Indiana Jones.
Routing
Via Cancun or Merida, a delightful small city in the interior. Either way, you’ll have to rent or hire a car and driver to get to the sites. It’s a matter of being in an international hotel on the beach (Cancun), or a small hacienda hotel in the interior with a traditional Mexican ambience (Merida).
The Deals
Straightforward as can be. No seasonal restrictions, but in some cases an advance purchase requirement of up to 14-days (see chart below).
Flight Plans
The lowest Business Class fare, $628 on Delta, is from Miami to Cancun with a connection in Atlanta. The lowest fare to Merida is from San Francisco via Mexico City, $789 on Aeromexico, but it’s an overnight flight (departure time: 1am). The only major U.S. airline that flies to Merida is Continental from Houston. Otherwise, flights to Merida are on Aeromexico via Mexico City. Layovers on the flights listed in the table are two hours at most.
Lowest Business Class Fares from Major U.S. Cities to the Yucatan
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The Big Six Sites
Chichen Itza: The most famous site, centered around El Castillo pyramid; 78 miles southeast of Merida, two-and-ahalf hours from Cancun.
Uxmal: Domina
ted by the 117-foot high Pyramid of the Magician; 48 miles south of Merida.
Kabah: Highlight is the temple to the rain god Chac, with 250 carved stone masks representing the divinity. Just south of Uxmal. Both could be seen in a day.
Edzna: South of Campeche and still a secret. Dominated by the Great Acropolis.
Tulum: The only Mayan ruin on the Caribbean; 80 miles south of Cancun.
Coba: Contains several large temple pyramids (tallest is 138 feet). Three hours from Cancun.
Logistics
For the lowest fares and the easier itineraries, fly to Cancun. I’d recommend booking the Ritz-Carlton or Maroma, an Orient Express hotel 30 minutes south of the airport with a gorgeous beach.
To be closer to the top sites, such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal, stay at one of these hacienda hotels outside Merida: Hacienda Xcanatun or Hacienda San Jose, both near Chichen Itza; Hacienda Temozon, near Uxmal; and Hacienda Uayamon near Endza (also reachable from Hacienda Temozon). The hotels will pick you up at Merida airport, arrange transportation to the sites, and engage a guide, if you wish.