Top things to do in West & North of Mérida

Lying about 17km due north of central Mérida, Dzibilchaltún was the longest continuously used Maya administrative and ceremonial city, serving the Maya from around 1500 BC until the European conquest in the 1540s. A…

This abandoned hacienda, a few kilometers southeast of town, once produced dyewood and salt, and served as a summer home for a Campeche family. It’s 5km in from the mouth of the estuary. Out in the ría (estuary) you…

The 'cow in a rowboat' indicates you've arrived at this laid-back Texan-run spot. Despite the name, it doesn't specialize in milk-based drinks, but is definitely the place to go for hefty sandwiches, burgers and sal…

The 591-sq-km Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún is home to a huge variety of animals and birdlife, including a large flamingo colony. You can see flamingos (via boat tours) year-round in Celestún, but they're usua…

The two-lane road to Xcambó is flanked by gorgeous wetlands often inhabited by flamingos. The seldom-visited ruins, 3km south of Hwy 27, formed part of a Maya salt distribution center and the site was an important c…

A longtime local favorite on the boardwalk, Flamingo's fries up a tasty pescado en mojo de ajo (fish in garlic sauce, M$121). Tasty chips, salsas and other snacks are served while you're waiting for the main dish.

A cut above the other seaside joints, La Palapa has an expansive dining area looking down to the sea, plus savory seafood dishes. The go-to dish is the coconut-coated shrimp served in a coconut shell.

Locals highly recommend this casual eatery with plastic chairs and bright tablecloths, located just off the square and near the pier. The camarones al mojo de ajo (shrimp sautéed with garlic, M$150) is really good, …

At the current posh spot on the strip, with its blond-wood chairs, pink velvet trim and designer lighting, you could be in an international hotel, not smack on the beachfront. But this spot pulls in the moneyed visi…

This is a bit of an institution around town with its beachfront setting and action to boot. Some say the botanas (complimentary sampler plates that come to the table before the main dish arrives) are the real reason…