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

Yesterday we had a tour of Merida from our friendly and competent guide, Emilio…read more He took us through the old town square and told us about its history. We then walked through the cultural center of town where he told us about the legends and fables of the area. Finally, he ended the tour in one of the lively town squares where he gave us information about what's happening in Merida today. The tour was free- they just ask for a tip at the end. At no point was Emilio pushy about tips (he didn't even ask about it), he was genuinely grateful for the pesos we gave him at the end. We highly recommend this tour and hope that Emilio has great success in his endeavors.

We took the free walking tour through central Merida with Sofia as our guide. They meet daily in…read morefront of the cathedral at 9:30 am. She was super informative and fun and the pace was perfect for our group of people of all ages. She talked about the history of the cathedral and the people of the Yucatán from colonial times through the Mexican revolution to today in modern times. The tour is free but she accepts tips! I highly recommend this tour for anyone's first visit to Merida.

Great food Great service…read moreThe guacamole made at your table is fantastic Pina colada was also amazing Very good hamburger

Comida deli: ostiones Rockefeller y ceviche negro en frente del mar... servicio excelente! Pastel…read morede tres leches mi favorito y su carajillo con bayles te lleva al cielo!

What a wonderful experience! It was our first time at any of the cenotes and Alicia was an amazing…read moretour guide! She was wonderful to deal with from the moment I emailed through their website. We arranged a pick up from the house we were renting in Merida and Alicia provided lots of information during the 80 min ride. We visited 3 cenotes, each one unique. Snacks and refreshment was offered after each cenotes. Once done an amazing Mexican lunch was served! I highly recommend this tour. They generally cater to small groups on private property so you can expect VIP service!

This spot was pretty cool. You can tell the local comes here and really like it. I've been to a…read morecenote before and this place wasn't as strict as the others. They are strict about bringing your belongings. They have at least 3 cenote within walking distance of each other. I recommend wearing water shoes. You park them pay for admission then take a boat to the Cenote. They have these raccoon looking cat don't feed them they bite. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone. Bringing food isn't allowed. We did on a cruise ship tour. My husband and I had a good time.

I think the reviews of this place should strive to be a bit more honest. The water stank, like…read moresmelled very bad, only one cenote seemed really clean enough to swim in and even for a small mexican business the bathrooms were really bad. Like, no toilet seat on any toilet including the handicap stall, meaning disabled people can't use the bathroom. It was very cool to see raccoons and birds and crocodiles up close, but I wish that they did a better job of maintaining the preserve as there was plastic trash around the edges. I loved seeing the animals and I appreciate what they are trying to do but overall I could not recommend this place.

My girlfriend and I love Fiesta Americana. It's a beautiful hotel with old-world charm…read more The lobby is stunning! There is a very nice pool with a large shallow area that is great for small children, and a separate, glassed-in hot-tub area. The first-floor mall has some very nice store for browsing and shopping. The rooms are nice, and spotlessly clean. We've always found the staff to be friendly and helpful. We've used the laundry service and the spa services, and they were great. The breakfast buffet is first-rate. There's a huge selection, and everything is delicious. The hotel is half a block from Paseo de Montejo, a beautiful place for a morning walk. I can't think of a single thing I'd change about Fiesta Americana!

Clean rooms, There were urns of excellent coffee on offer every morning with cookies or fresh…read moreapples. I'm still craving that coffee and it's been two months. The rooms are stocked with an abundance of towels and products. Oh, and I was surprised to discover that there were enough hangers. I enjoyed the chicken pibil in the fancy restaurant and the line soup. The pibil exceeded my expectation with a perfect balance of spices and the pickled onions. The other restaurant serves a breakfast buffet which was not something I chose to indulge in a second time. The staff are what makes this hotel worthwhile. The front desk and housekeeping staff are simply the sweetest and most industrious group of people i've encountered in years. We chose a room overlooking the courtyard since I'm not a night owl. If you choose to face the city, be prepared to hear music and conversations late into the night. The entry level houses a small mall where you can find touristy goods like, clothes and jewelry. There's a Chili's restaurant on the ground floor but why? You can walk around the city and find delicious food at high and low prices. You can find beautiful hand crafted items to take home or adorn yourself with in town. But you have to be willing to venture out. We spent 13 nights at the Fiesta Americana. Overall, I would say it was reasonably priced with great service. One star removed due to the lack of a qualified and knowledgeable concierge and because the breakfast bit was an overpriced disappointment.

So freaking easy. They just have one route so its hard to mess up (to Progreso). Costs I think 24…read morepesos each way which is crazy cheap. Buses leave every 15 minutes and you can just get on any one you want - you don't pay for a specific time. So, you can enjoy your day at the beach and head back to Merida whenevs. I believe they take cash only and all riders pay.

Party of 11 to Progreso, there was NO way we were all going to fit in a medium sized SUV. Uber…read moremight also be too expensive so our next option was to take a bus. Party of 5 (including 2 kids) didn't mind. I made it a part of the Merida experience. SUV peeps took our bags, so we didn't have anything to carry with us other than our personal belongings. It made the trip even easier. I have to mention the fare was incredibly affordable! So we bought our tix and waited patiently for the ride. We sat all the way at the back. The bus we got was old and really dated. There were rips on the chairs, the AC vents were missing - they're just holes blowing out air in one place - there was a teenee moldy smell... but at least there was AC. The trip was about an hour, give or take a few minutes. There was only a few minutes of traffic trying to get out of Merida, but once we were on the outskirts, it was a nice and smooth ride. As mentioned earlier, the bus was dated, so the seats were not exactly comfortable. Good thing the trip wasn't too long. It wasn't long before we got to Progreso and their location is really convenient. It's literally a couple of blocks away from the Malecon which is our destination for a couple of days. TIP: There is a bus that leaves to and from Progreso every 15 minutes, sometimes earlier, depending on how soon a bus gets filled up. I believe there are no other to-and-from destinations. Not the best bus ride, but glad to have had the experience.

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.