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Why This Highly Safe Area Near Cancun Is Growing In Popularity

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This September, the highly safe state of Yucatan near Cancun reported a growth of 4.9% in air passengers to the region over the same period in 2022.

Traditionally a more off-path destination when compared to Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean, the state of Yucatan is growing more popular with travelers seeking culture and history in one of the safest regions in Mexico.

In particular, many tourists are flocking to Merida, with its airport seeing a record number of flights in September.

View of a colonial building in Merida, Mexico

September is considered the beginning of the low season in the Mexican Caribbean, with many tourists having spent their summer vacation time between May and August. However, visitor activity showed no sign of stopping to this ‘magical town’, which must have been a welcome surprise to hoteliers and business owners. 

Merida does offer something completely different to that of the main tourist hotspots of Cancun and Playa Del Carmen and is perhaps a more coveted place for visitors who are not in large families and not looking for the cookie-cutter experience that these bigger, well-known areas offer. 

The busyness can also be put down to the continuous increase in connectivity to the destination as the government finds further ways to innovate and allow for the current tourist boom it is experiencing to continue.

@bybpayne Things you need to know about #merida part 3! #meridaliving #travelmexico #yucatanmerida #americanlivinginmexico #traveltips #travel #blackandabroad #solofemaletraveler #lifeabroad #mexicoliving #lavida ♬ original sound – B. Thompson

New flights have just recently been announced that will connect Mérida to the cities of Orlando and Miami in the United States, enabling more tourism and economic spills to the destination, further adding to the promotion of Yucatan in different parts of the world. 

The current eight international routes to Merida are Toronto in Canada; Houston, Miami, Dallas, and Oakland in the United States; Havana, Cuba and both Guatemala City and Flores, Guatemala. 

The increase in connectivity allows not only more tourists to come to the stunning city but also generates jobs and increases the economy so it can continue to thrive as one of the safest destinations in the Mexican Caribbean. 

@bybpayne Things you need to know about #merida #meridaliving #travelmexico #yucatanmerida #americanlivinginmexico #traveltips #travel #blackandabroad #lifeabroad #thingsyouneedtoknow #thingstodoinmerida ♬ original sound – Brittany Payne | Travel

Safest City In Mexico 

While some pockets in different regions continue to grapple with security issues for locals and tourists alike, Merida was recently announced as the safest city in Latin America, also located in the safest state in Mexico: Yucatan. 

Unlike Tulum and Playa Del Carmen, which are perhaps more well-known for having security issues in the past, tourists can rest assured that crime rates here are extremely low. 

As always when traveling, certain things are still cautioned: don’t be out late at night in areas that are not well-lit or part of the tourist areas; always keep an eye on your belongings in case of pickpockets. But for the most part, Merida is going to be free from any trouble. 

church in Merida during sunrise

Unique Experiences

A world away from the typical vacation areas like Cancun, Merida offers culture and history around every corner. 

With incredible, brightly painted buildings and French-style, cobbled stone streets, marvel at the unique architecture that dates back to 18th colonial times, which feels like a time far, far away from our own. 

a street in Merida at dusk

The cuisine in Merida is also completely unique, and you will not taste food like it anywhere else in the region. 

The cuisine mixes indigenous ingredients and traditions, such as cooking in an “earth oven”, with practices and flavors that were introduced during colonial times.

Some notable dishes are Cochinita Pibil, an iconic dish combining pork meat and annatto seed with citrus flavors of oranges culminating in a banana leaf, and Papadzules, combing hard-boiled eggs and pumpkin seeds wrapped in tortillas and topped with a tomato and chili salsa (an unusual combination but worth a try!)

Tacos In Merida

Near Infamous Archeological Zone 

Only a short two-hour journey away from Merida lies that reigning champion of the archeological zones that exist in the Mexican Caribbean. 

Dripping in ancient Maya history, with a newly opened section for tourists that has been closed for decades, tourists flock to this site year after year to marvel at the incredible feat of architecture and advanced technology that makes up one of the most important wonders of our world. 

With the winter season just about to begin, it looks like Merida will only continue to be on the up, so be sure to check it out when you next visit!

Merida sign outside famous church in Merida

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