Ralf, from Lawsons Original Yucatan Excursions, and I have been emailing each other on and off for…read morea couple of years, looking for the right adventure and the right timing. We finally found it. We started off our day at the Punta Laguna Monkey Reserve where we wandered along numerous jungle trails trying to locate some of the elusive spider monkeys after participating in a traditional Mayan ceremony, asking for permission and protection to enter the jungle. Our guide, Julio, finally managed to locate a few mammas and babies high in the trees having a morning siesta. Even if we hadn't seen any the hike thru the jungle was lovely. We didn't rappel into the cenote - access in and out was via a rope ladder and neither of us have that kind of upper body strength! Next up, we headed to the lagoon and a lovely cooling breeze. The plan was to canoe - we ARE Canadian after all - but both my mother and I were exhausted. However, someone was looking out for us - when we arrived, a local Mayan family were at the docs and a couple were getting baptized. It was beautiful to witness their faith and be allowed to share in their experience. A huge orange butterfly also flew around the gentleman as he was baptized. After a rest and a Coke to bump up our sugar, we headed even deeper into the jungle for an afternoon visit and lunch with a different local family. This experience... it didn't hit me until after we left and I was back at our resort alone in my room but I came very close to crying. Not with sadness but with joy. Located beside a lagoon with no electricity, no plumbing, they seemed so perfectly happy. They were genuinely pleased to share their way of life, their history, their home and their food with these random strangers. We chatted about the family (immediate and extended), day to day life, shared laughs about our differences and I think, bonded over similarities regardless of culture. Then it was lunch time! We were invited to try making our own tortillas before sitting down to probably the most enjoyable meal I can remember (pollo pabil). Kept company by their beautiful children and their adorable dog, Tobacco, this family made us feel incredibly welcome and it was our honour to meet them. As a sweet treat to end our visit, we got to see their beehives where they harvest their own honey made by the local, stinger-less (and oh so tiny) Mayan bees. FYI, its delicious. A HUGE thank you to Ralf for putting together this incredible, life changing day for us. Finally getting to meet you was like getting together with an old friend.

Our family enjoyed a tour with Lawson's Original Yucatan Excursions on May 22…read more We were picked up at our Airbnb in Chuburna by Ralf and our driver, Jose. By the end of the day, they both felt like old friends! Early in the day, we went to a market to shop for food with Inez. She then instructed us on what to do to prepare an authentic Mexican lunch, giving each of us jobs. Once the prep was done, the chicken needed to cook (underground!), so we headed to our next stop - Uxmal. We had a very knowledgeable guide at Uxmal, and we enjoyed it very much. Next, we stopped at Choco-Story, where we fed monkeys, watched a Mayan cacao ceremony, and sampled drinking chocolate. After Choco-Story, we traveled back to our foodie experience with Inez. The food was delicious, and we were ready for our next adventure - a cenote. It was a beautiful day for the cool water and the perfect way to end the day. Ralf was the ideal guide. He made stops along the way, was engaging, and full of fun stories/information. If we wanted to talk, he did if we wanted quiet, he sensed that as well. There were little touches throughout, like providing cold drinks in the cooler and making sure we tried ice cream and smoothies after the heat at Uxmal. Ralf heard us talking about the birthday of our son-in-law on the ride to meet up with Inez. She and her helpers provided a cake complete with a candle and sang 'Happy Birthday' at our beautifully set lunch table. It was a magical, memorable day, and one our family will always treasure. Thank you, Ralf! 5 stars only because there isn't an option for more

Visiting Merida for the first time? You have to visit la Plaza Principal de Merida (also known as…read morela Plaza Grande). The square is beautiful - beautiful trees, the Merida letters (to take a photo with), an enormous Mexican flag, and plenty of those famous "tu y yo" chairs (the chairs are connected by their arms on opposite sides, so when you sit down, you are facing the other person sitting with you). The plaza is also home to many wonderful attractions in Merida - the Palacio de Gobierno de Estado de Yucatan (a government building that has amazing murals), the Catedral de San Idelfonso (a cathedral with a gorgeous exterior), and Museo Casa Montejo (an old house with an amazing history)! Definitely worth a visit!

If you are coming to Merida you will end up spending time in Plaza Grande…read more Make sure to take a picture in from of the Merida Sign, & the church. Check out the state museum on one end of the plaza and make sure to stop by Dulcería y Sorbetería Colón on the other end - a must do when you are there. If you find the square to hetch for you, there are lots of other smaller squares in town (Parque de Santa Lucía is our fav) to spend time at.

Loved the option of a general day pass, which includes a refreshing fruity drink, tour to their…read morecenote, heart shaped pool and infinity river. Our guide was friendly and helpful and shared lots of interesting details about the new rooms (developed Oct 2025!) And wildlife, as well as taking photos for our group. Recommend coordinating a return driver here, as there are little uber options.

This is my first time visiting this place and it is beautiful, I enjoy every minute in this place…read more I wish we had more time to stay there till closing time. They welcome you in with healthy refreshing lemonades, It was so yummy. I have to ask for a 2nd cup. Then you move into jumping in some sort of springs so you can acclimate to the water while still enjoying the beautiful weather. They have a restaurant and a full bar, the service was great. The waiter was very nice to show us different type of tequilas and the options that we had to pair it with... top notch. If you have the chance to go to Merida, you must visit this place.

I worked with Daniella at Yucatan Concierge to plan several day trips from Merida as we planned a…read moretrip to Yucatan. Daniella was great to work with and helped me plan and book three very different day trips for our stay. One tour took us South to Muna, Uxmal, and a hacienda and cenote; another East to Ake, Izamal, and a market; and the last West to Celestun Biosphere and the beach in Celestun. Each day was different and allowed us to see a different area and culture within Yucatan! Even though it's pricier, I like to book private tours when I'm on trips where I don't want to drive myself, because I talk a lot. A lot. And with private tours, you can ask as many questions as you want and learn as much as you can about where you are! The fact that these tours are private allowed me to customize them and to learned about the things in Merida that most interested me! Daniella matched us up with a veteran guide named David, who was extremely knowledgeable about Merida and Yucatan. Whether our questions were about Mayan history and culture, birds and wildlife of the Yucatan, or restaurants in Merida, David helped us learn so much! Our driver Edgar was also very friendly and helpful! And the van we booked was really comfortable on long-ish drives around Yucatan. If you're interested in seeing a lot of Yucatan and Merida and are happy to spend a little more to have a customized, private experience, I certainly recommend working with Daniella and Yucatan Concierge. She and the company can really help you create a unique and wonderful experience in Yucatan!

Visit Jan 2021 Museum is closed…read moreCenote is closed because of COVID. Too many people visit here would be no way to manage social distancing in the cenote Within Merida city limits Go early and have the place to yourself and beat the heat Can climb the other pyramids- not the one you seen on the postcards Like others have said. Read up on what you are looking at and you don't need a guide If you've been to the big two (uxmal and chichen itza) this site is much smaller but well worth the visit

Love this place. Very interesting. A lot of walking. Will take future visitors there in the future.read more

Visited at night, this is a restaurant and bar corridor amongst a huge beautiful park. Very safe…read more here not even the US has cities this safe at night. Lots of food vendors under one huge roof. Bring 5 pesos if you want to use the restrooms

El Gran Parque La Plancha is a new park in Merida (not too far from the Paseo) that is worth a walk…read morearound if you have the time when you visit Merida. It's large and gorgeous and has a lake, a swimming pool, playgrounds, exercise areas, two museums, a food hall, and more! The landscaping is really nice, and the paths are newly paved. If you are one of those people who likes a bit of exercise on a vacation, the park is a great place for a run or a workout at one of the exercise areas. It's a really impressive new park!

We were in Merida for a week and the best two days of our trip were the two we spent with Polo. He…read moreis from Merida and knows everyone and everywhere. He took us to Cenotes which were not super touristy but also very safe. He knows the history and geography very well and can explain so much about how things are. He speaks both English and Spanish very well. He can design your day and take you to spots you would never discover otherwise.

I have used Yucatan Excursions for private tours throughout the Yucatan peninsula. Although the…read morecompany does transport people between hotels and Airports or other transportation centers, I think the company excels in custom tours. I have used Yucatan Excursions several times in the past three years. The day trips I have taken are a great value. Not only did we visit the locations on my "to do" list, but Polo had excellent suggestions on places to visit that are off the beaten path. I saw Mayan ruins that are not publicized but are way better than Those swamped with tourists. My suggestion is for you to have an idea of what you want to see, and ask Polo for suggestions. You won't be disappointed. Polo speaks fluent English, and his a wealth of historical and cultural information. You may have heard of Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door. I see Polo as being Yucatan Off the beaten path. One thing I didn't mention in my initial review is that Yucatan Excursions is a locally owned small business. It is not part of an international hotel chain or travel company. When you use this business you are supporting a local business and the local economy. In the days of multi-national corporations I think it is very important for travelers to support the communities they are visiting. You are also getting personalized service that is tailored to your specific wants and interests, and not to a pre-determined set of criteria intended to cater to the overall assumed desires of all tourists.

Lots of vendor stands around some areas of the park. It's a great park to walk around or thru for…read moreexercise or take a seat on the concrete benches situated around 4 water fountains; watch nature and the bustle of activity as the day progresses. Turibus has a stop on two sides of the park. If youre going to be there a couple of days, you may want to get a 2 or 3 day Turibus ticket. (It'$ worth it$) Parque Alameda is one of the activity hubs of Centro Historical.

This is my favorite park in Merida - Four blocks large with impressive architecture including a…read more fountain, library, amphitheater, and a children's area. All of the construction features Mayan inspired carvings and dedications to all the nations in the western hemisphere. It's a great place to chill out and relax