Mexico: 2 weeks itinerary

I had always dreamed of going to Mexico but I wanted a trip that would take us beyond the beaches and tequila.
So we decided to travel through the south of Mexico, from the Pacific coast to the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing states rich in history, culture and nature. Backpacking for 16 days, we discovered 9 cities, visited 3 historical sites, strolled on 5 sandy beaches, dived in 2 cenotes, ate 10 kilos of guacamole, set foot in 4 Mexican states, changed accommodation 7 times, photographed many sunrises and sunsets and spent more than 41 hours in night buses to live a real adventure.

You will find in this article our itinerary in the South of Mexico in the heart of the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Quintana Roo. I have wonderful memories of the kindness and hospitality of the people, the homemade guacamole, the Dia de Los Muertos (the festival of the dead!) and our completely surreal visits.

Our itinerary

Day 1-2-3
Mazunte – San Agustinillo (Pacific Coast)
Days 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
Oaxaca de Juarez and surroundings – Hierve el Ague, Monte Alban,… (Oaxaca)
Days 8 – 9
San Cristobal de Las Casas (Chiapas)
Day 10
Palenque (Chiapas)
Day 11
Merida – Cenote – Valladolid (Yucatan Peninsula)
Day 12 – 13
Holbox Island (Quintana Roo)
Day 15
Izamal (Quintana Roo)
Day 16
Ciudad de Mexico

Details of our 2 weeks in Mexico

I. In the state of Oaxaca

The Pacific Coast of Oaxaca (3 days)

We started our trip here, on this little haven of peace, far from the hustle and bustle of the cities and the world. After landing in Mexico City, we boarded a flight to Huatulco airport (1h15 flight).
As we stepped off the plane, the scenery seemed surreal. We landed in the middle of palm trees, next to the ocean and surrounded by mountains. We are far from the quiet beaches where you can swim peacefully. The ocean never stops. As a treat, we booked a small cabana on the beach. So we could fall asleep with the sound of the waves (and wake up with them too).

The city of Oaxaca and its surroundings (4 days)

We arrived in Oaxaca after our first night on a Mexican bus. Even though we were dreading the trip (because it was very mountainous), everything went very well, the Ado buses are extremely comfortable and punctual! Our choice to come to Oaxaca was twofold: to visit the city and the surroundings, but also to celebrate one of the biggest festivals in the region: El via de los muertos! We were lucky enough to be travelling at this time of year and took the gamble of landing in a city when the crowds are at their highest. No regrets, the festival of the dead is really incredible. The energy that comes out is just magnificent.

II. In the state of Chiapas

San Cristòbal de las casas (2 days)

After spending a week in the state of Oaxaca, we landed in the state of Chiapas, in San Cristóbal de las Casas. It’s a total change of scenery! No more hot weather, no more guacamole, no more cactus, here it’s better to put your jumper back on – well, normal, we’re still at an altitude of 2 120m!
San Cristobal is a very charming city with the advantage of being very accessible (you can do everything on foot) and it’s very pleasant. But underneath its calm and peaceful airs, there is a revolutionary tendency… For years, San Cristobal (and Chiapas in general) has been the cradle of several Mexican rebellion movements (we are in the heart of the Zapatista revolutions of 1994)… So it’s the occasion to deepen our knowledge of Mexican cultures!

Palenque (1 day)

The site of Palenque is a magical place that I am not ready to forget. Buried in the jungle of Chiapas, Palenque is a site that one discovers a little by surprise in the middle of the vegetation and the cries of howler monkeys. Today, it is estimated that only 10% of the site is really visited, since the rest is still buried or hidden by nature. I take you to discover one of my most beautiful memories of this trip to Mexico, this Indiana Jones-like discovery in the heart of the Chiapas jungle.

III. In the Yucatan peninsula – Quintana Roo

Valladolid, Izamal & les cenotes (2 days)

We arrived in this part of Mexico with a bang as we stayed less than 4 days. A quick trip to Valladolid, Izamal, the cenotes and then to Holbox Island. Once we arrived in Merida by bus from Palenque, we picked up a rental car to be more free. In this part of Mexico, which is much more touristic, it is quite common to rent a car. For us it was ideal as we wanted to go to the cenotes which are remote and we also wanted to get around as we pleased.
In the Yucatan Peninsula, the heat and the sun are great.  We took advantage of our two days to walk around Valladolid, Izamal, the yellow city, and to swim in some cenotes.

Holbox island (2 days)

To finish our trip, we wanted to spend a few days in “farniente”, “dolce vita” mode. The images of Holbox made us dream and that’s how we landed on this island close to the continent. To come to Holbox Island you have to leave your car in a guarded car park before taking a boat: there are no cars on the island! The island is known for its beautiful white sandy beaches, its sunsets, its natural park and also for the pink flamingos. I loved the atmosphere and the murals on the facades of the houses. To get around, we rented bicycles, but it was not easy to get around as many of the roads were flooded (even though it had been raining for several days) and we had to turn back several times.

Tips for preparing a trip to southern Mexico