With the endlessly growing popularity of Cancun spreading outwards to Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and even the smaller destinations of Akumal and Bacalar, travelers seeking lesser-known tourism spots to escape the crowds are seeing their options shrink.
Thankfully, there are still a handful of unknown destinations travelers can visit where the experience is authentic, relaxed, and most importantly, uncrowded.
El Cuyo
This criminally underrated corner of the Yucatan Peninsula is just a short distance from the island of Holbox. However, due to the quirks of the road system, the route to get to each is very different.
Known to the few aware of this place as the “Last paradise in Yucatan”, although tourist numbers here are very low, the locals are famous for being extremely warm and welcoming to visitors.
But why is that? To put it simply, El Cuyo hasn’t changed much in centuries, it has for a long time been the home of a small fishing village, and while that has sustained the locals in the past, they are keen to reap the rewards that tourism can bring to an underdeveloped area.
Each traveler that visits El Cuyo represents a welcome boost to the small local economy, and in return, travelers receive a truly warm welcome.
A Wonderous Beach
Most travelers visit this corner of Mexico to enjoy a relaxing beach vacation, which makes the unknown nature of El Cuyo all the more surprising, considering it is home to one of the best beaches in all of Mexico.
Stretching for miles in each direction, Playa El Cuyo is a snapshot of how this region of Mexico looked before commercial tourism took over. The sand is more pristine than pristine, with pollution and trash being almost non-existent.
Additionally, there are no issues of overcrowding here; in fact, there is never even a small crowd. Past travelers have remarked in online reviews that as far as their eyes could see, they could count less than 20 other travelers.
However, that doesn’t mean Playa El Cuyo is a boring place. The main village has a host of fantastic authentic restaurants serving possibly the freshest food in the southeast of Mexico.
Additionally, Playa El Cuyo is a fantastic spot to enjoy many different types of watersports, the most popular being kite surfing. Whether a complete beginner or knocking on the door of being a professional, the local watersports businesses can accommodate anyone.
Spot The Wildlife
El Cuyo is regarded as a natural sanctuary for sea turtles and flamingos. Between June and August, the area becomes home to thousands of sea turtles, and between January and September, upwards of 20,000 pink flamingos arrive for their breeding season.
Important Information
Before planning a visit to the wonderful El Cuyo, travelers should be aware of some important information. This information can be both positive and negative, depending on what kind of vacation visitors intend to enjoy.
Who El Cuyo Is For
El Cuyo is a true paradise free from the hustle and bustle of modern life. For travelers who enjoy relaxing on unspoiled beaches, taking part in watersports, or just being close to nature without towering resorts in view, El Cuyo hits every mark.
Potential Negatives
The following information won’t be negative for all travelers, but for others, some of these could be deal-breakers.
- ATMs are non-existent, there are no banks, and most local businesses only accept cash.
- The area only has a few small family-run pharmacies.
- While EL Cuyo does have internet, it is prone to outages.
- No bars or beach clubs – El Cuyo is not the place for those who enjoy a party.
It should be noted that the few small boutique hotels in the area do give their guests access to on-site bars, so while El Cuyo is far from a party town, for those staying local, there are options for a relaxing cocktail.
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Jerry
Monday 11th of March 2024
Forget about El Cuyo.
It is not worth the isolation and inconveniences.
We lived there for over a year.
Do a proper reality check before driving all the way from Cancun or Merida to this romanticised idea that El Cuyo is paradise.
Get to know the truth about El Cuyo:
Over 6 to 8+ power failures every month.
Many power failures last over 10+ hours.
Unreliable internet service.
Beach is ruined by smelly rotting seaweed sargasso over 8 months a year!!!
El Cuyo is a paradise for mosquitoes!!!
Lots and lots of mosquitoes and other small flying & crawling bugs that bite ... sand flies, fruit flies, ants, spiders, etc.
The reality of living next to noisy neighbors who play their music at full blast all day and all night will quickly kill all romanticized notions of a quiet, peaceful and restful fishing village that El Cuyo is purported to be.
Outdoor burning of garbage/leaves is permitted, so the air in El Cuyo is often polluted with smoke that makes breathing difficult every time someone upwind burn their stuff for hours.
Water supply you get is pumped up from underground ... it is the same water that is drained into the ground from the kitchen sink, from the shower and from the toilet of everyone living in the area!!!
You have been warned.