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There are a whole host of factors travelers look for when planning a hard-earned vacation. Location, resort amenities, budget-friendly packages, even down to specific details like dietary options.
But there is one factor that is held in high importance by most, if not all, travelers. And that is safety.
The tourism juggernaut of southeast Mexico, which includes the Mexican Caribbean hotspots of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and of course the now super-popular Tulum, has long been a draw for travelers.
With that being said, there have been questions about just how safe these destinations are. The security of travelers has always been high here, but the mixture of high-octane party atmosphere and skyrocketing numbers of travelers has, for some, affected the image of safety.
So it’s no surprise that some of the smaller destinations further out from Cancun are now seeing a surge in popularity.
Magical Neighborhoods
A term that is becoming common in Mexican tourism is magical towns. This is part of a huge drive across the nation’s tourism hotspots to highlight some of the lesser-known but fantastic towns that are perfect additions to a traveler’s itinerary.
But, on top of that, we also now have magical neighborhoods. These are areas within a city that rate as outstanding across the board. Taking into account security & safety, transport, culture, dining, and service, among other important factors.
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The process of being considered a magical neighborhood isn’t something that can be achieved in a year or two. Instead, it aims to reward places that deserve much more love and fame than the beach-focused tourism industry allows.
And Merida is full of these magical neighborhoods, so much so that it wouldn’t be a surprise if they decided to name Merida the first magical city.
A Magical City
The biggest winner when it comes to magical neighborhoods is the unbelievably beautiful city of Merida, situated in the state of Yucatan, which is directly next to Quintana Roo, the state in which Cancun and Playa del Carmen call home.
Merida is without a doubt one of the greatest tourist cities in the world. Providing an amazingly safe destination for travelers to enjoy. In fact, not only is it the safest city in Latin America, but the only city in North America that is safer is Quebec City, Canada.
Furthermore, it also has an extremely strong connection to the Mayan heritage and culture and is seen as the vanguard of protecting its future survival as a culture. Something that is important to the heritage of the world, not just Mexico.
On top of that, the city’s architecture is breathtaking. The concrete jungle style of tourism seen all over the world hasn’t been able to take hold here, providing travelers with a super authentic experience of the real Mexico.
A Journey Worth Taking
First of all, a car journey from Cancun to Merida isn’t the quickest drive, which may bring into question the “near Cancun” claim.
But it should be remembered Mexico is a huge country, and like the United States, a journey of 3-5 hours isn’t considered outrageous, unlike across the pond in Europe.
By car, the journey can be done in around 3.5 hours. There are plenty of modern bus services also that make the journey, although due to their route, they can take up to 6 hours.
Thankfully for travelers, we’re just a few short months away from the opening of the Maya Train.
This new high-speed rail service is going to transform this corner of Mexico and make it so much easier and more convenient for travelers to experience the full wealth of this amazing corner of the world.
Once service begins, travelers will be able to get from Cancun to Merida in just 1.5 hours!
In other words, soon travelers will be able to get to Merida from Cancun faster, and in more luxury, than they can currently get to Tulum. For travelers currently planning their vacation to the Mexican Caribbean in 2024, don’t forget to include at least a day trip to Merida, it’s an experience that won’t disappoint!
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