PLUS The Top 5 things to do in El Cuyo 

1) Relax and enjoy the virgin beaches. Walk and walk and walk…or swim and swim and swim…or just grab a book and relax. There isn’t much shade though, so bring a parasol!

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2) Watersports are the order of the day in El Cuyo – of which kitesurfing is the most popular. We’ve dedicated a whole blog page on the town’s schools and hire options. Click here for more info. Alternatively try your hand at paddleboarding or a canoe/kayak and you may be lucky enough to spot dolphins, manta rays & turtles.

• Paddleboard and kayak hire available from Casa Mia and Casa Kayak.

 

3) Sunrise and sunset watching is the prime pastime here due to the location of the town. The sun rises and sets over water year round, on the lagoon side in the winter months, and on the sea side in the summer months. Best seats in the house are listed below…

• Sunrise in summer – go to the beach on the east of the jetty and keep walking
• Sunrise in winter – walk out onto the causeway crossing the lagoon coming into town (be careful of vehicles!)
• Sunset in summer – walk to the very west of the best as far as you can go. You’ll come to the breakers at the entrance to the port. You can walk out onto them and you’ll have just unlimited water between you and the setting sun
• Sunset in winter – take the road between the “Tienda Selinita” and the primary school (it’s directly opposite the wall art of lungs on the main road). From here walk until you go past the secondary school and take the little sand track after the fenced sport area. The road takes you past some houses and then bends round to the right. Keep following until you can take a left which leads you out to the palapas that overlook the lagoon.

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4) Catch your supper – go fishing with the locals on the jetty, or if you’re looking for calmer waters, wander out to the palapas on the lagoon side (also a perfect place to watch the sunset). If you’re wanting to go boat fishing out at sea, you can hire one of the locals. If you’re happy trying out traditional hand fishing you can either ask at the port, or contact Tours Aventuras, or Aventurate, or if you’re more serious about your fishing, contact Ryan from ComeKiteWithUs. Ryan has all the kit you’ll need for sport fishing and does tours with the locals.

5) Explore the village by *bike, *golf buggy or *quadbike and barter with the locals selling their produce on the street, or the fishermen coming back into port – and appreciate real Mexican culture and daily life.

• Bike hire available from Zazil ‘Ha by whatsapp +521 5571333088 or Casa Kayak.
• Golf Buggies available from outside Aida Luz hotel on the main square in front of the church
• QuadBike hire available from outside La Perla shop on the main square and Aida Luz Hotel.

BONUS THING TO DO! Get a birdseye view over the town from the lighthouse – built upon Mayan ruins. You’ll need to politely ask for keys from the Capitaneria office (opposite the entrance) and a goat lives in the grounds so be sure to shut the gate behind you!!

Top 5 things to do nearby El Cuyo 

1) Flamingo Spotting & the Pink Waters of Las Coloradas – See flamingos in their natural habitat on the way to the naturally occurring and world famous stunning pink waters of Las Coloradas. You can also treat your skin to a mud bath in the ‘baño maya’. If you don’t believe the photos below, see the youtube video by ‘Expert Vagabond’ (Please note that you can no longer swim in the pink lagoons but I can assure you that your day spent here will still be totally amazing!).

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2) Do a day trip to Holbox – only 31km from El Cuyo, the island is surrounded by the same azure waters, and the shallow lagoon separating it from the mainland is a stunning green. It’s laid back,  artistic vibe and eco-friendly way of life has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. There are no cars on the island – golf buggies are used to get around, and the local specialty lobster pizza is reported as being a ‘must taste’! See the blog post here for more information.

 

3) Valladolid – eat traditional Mayan food and visit the impressive colonial town (there’s also a beautiful cenote in the town centre where you can jump in from 3m high if you’re mad enough!!) I also recommend stopping in at Wabi Gelato for artisanal organic and totally yum ice cream, and the chocolate shop on the main square that does traditional Mexican chocolate – and has free tasters available! It’s also the perfect place for not too pricey souvenir shopping.

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4) Ek Balam – beautiful peaceful Maya ruins without the tourists. You can climb a pyramid and also visit the cenote in the grounds (there’s a zip wire over the cenote and you can jump in from the top if you’re ‘loco’).

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5) Chichen Itza – no visit to Yucatan would be complete without a visit to Chichen Itza, voted one of the 7 modern wonders of the world. Make sure you get there early morning to avoid the crowds and the heat.

BONUS THING TO DO…Izamal – visit the yellow town (painted yellow for Pope Jean Paul II visit in 1993 and it now remains this way) and its beautiful yellow Franciscan monastery. There’s also a Maya pyramid to climb and an amazing restaurant ‘Kinich’ where you can enjoy well cooked traditional Yucatan food.

For TOURS from El Cuyo, whilst there aren’t any dedicated professional tour companies, you can design you own trip and arrange the transportation with transfer companies (reasonable priced if you can tie it in with getting you back to the airport etc). Aventurate are happy to do bespoke tours