Solo-ish Mexico

Welcome to Playa del Carmen. Meet your included arrival transfer at the airport, then join your CEO and fellow travellers for a welcome meeting before an authentic taco crawl experience featuring the best local carts from around town. Get to know your other Solo-ish travellers while walking through the lively streets and find the most delicious tacos led by your trusty CEO. Learn more about Mexican cuisine and witness for yourself how the joy of sharing a meal has the power to bring strangers together. Stay: Hotel 12 bees (D)

Today is all about the impressive historical sites and local communities of the Yucatán. Beginning with a guided tour of the most iconic Mayan ruin to visit in Mexico, Chichen Itzá. Join your local expert who will teach you about the area, including the great pyramid and largest Maya ball court in the Americas. Gain a sense of Mexico’s past and imagine how life must have looked and felt in this deeply spiritual place. Then, head to a nearby local community for a demonstration of how cochinita pibil is prepared, a traditional and delicious regional delicacy made from many different ingredients and then wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked. Deepen your connections to the landscape and its generations of people working to live from its soil by walking through the community, learning about day to day life, and sitting down for a delicious meal together bridging the gap between differences and sharing what we all have in common, curiosity and love. Arrive in Valladolid in the early evening and treat yourself to dinner. After a full day, a little alone time might be just what you need. Stay: Hotel Fundadores (B/L)

Prepare to experience what G does best and enjoy an unforgettable day in the Yucatán. Begin the morning in Valladolid with breakfast at the hotel and then transfer to Merída with a stop along the way at some local cenotes. These giant holes in the earth filled with clear, blue water in the lush foliage of the jungle evoke a different world. Lose yourself in time as you swim in these inviting pools, floating on your back and staring up at the open sky above. Lunch will be served along the way and you should be on the lookout for a fun surprise before reaching Merída in the evening. Upon arrival, set off with a local guide on a walking tour. Get to know the layout of the area, stop by some of the iconic landmarks, and learn more about the history and culture of this place, including one last stop for dessert along the way. Native to the area, marquesitas are crepes rolled and filled with various sweets like condensed milk, cajeta, or queso de bola. Try some for yourself in one of the local stands. The remainder of the evening is free to do your own thing or to join up for an optional dinner out with the group at one of the CEO's local favourites. Stay: Hotel Santa Lucia by Kavia (B/L)

Take advantage of a free day to head out on one of many fantastic optional excursions in and around Mérida or to explore on your own. Perhaps visit to the Uxmal ruins, the anthropological museum, or head back to another cenote if you didn’t get enough yesterday. Stay: Hotel Santa Lucia by Kavia (B)

Hit the road today and leave Merída behind as the group drives south to the small town of Bacalar. Located all the way at the bottom of the Yucatán’s west coast, and close to the Belize border, this charming village should be on every travellers’ bucket list. Cross a time zone and arrive in the afternoon with some time to enjoy the town by yourself. Visit the “Lagoon of Seven Colors”, book a boat trip, or check out Los Rapidos for some active adventure. Bacalar is still relatively off the beaten path and a great place to relax and unplug. Stay: Hotel Circulo Bacalar (B)

Awake to the sounds of Bacalar coming to life as the locals go about their daily routines. Then, take the day entirely for yourself! That’s right, the choice really is all yours. Choose to have a slow morning and wander around on your own. You can also choose to join your CEO on a walk to the San Felipe fortress. Later, keep the solo vibes going and have a night to yourself, or grab a buddy and find a fun spot to try some regional food staples. Stay: Hotel Circulo Bacalar (B)

After breakfast, the group will travel north up the coast to Tulum. Upon arrival, head out for a guided visit of the ruins to the only Mayan city built on a coast. Enjoy time exploring the ruins, learn more about their significance, and head down to the nearby beach for free time to swim or lay on the sand in the sun while the waves crash in the distance. Afterwards, transfer to the hotel where you’ll have some free time to shop, eat, and sightsee on your own in town. Stay: Hotel El Capitan (B)

Today, you’ll visit the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, also known as “The Place Where the Sky is Born”. Known for its wetlands and vast biodiversity, the area is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel by boat along a network of canals that were dug out by the Mayans and search for wildlife like tropical birds, monkeys, and crocodiles as you float along. Keep an eye out for Mayan ruins in the mangrove forests as you go. Return to Tulum in the afternoon and spend the remaining time on your own. Relax on the beach, walk down the main street, or simply read a good book in the sand. Tonight, perhaps you’ll choose to have dinner together to celebrate the end of a successful Solo-ish adventure. Stay: Hotel El Capitan (B/L)

You arrived a solo traveller and are leaving with many new friends. Say goodbye to your fellow Solo-ish travellers and depart at any time. (B)