10 Days in Mexico: From the Capital to the Caribbean

Ten days in Mexico allows for a route that covers three distinct regions — the highland capital, Oaxaca’s food and archaeology, and the Yucatan Peninsula’s Caribbean coast. This itinerary requires one internal flight (Oaxaca to Merida) but otherwise keeps transfers manageable.

Route Overview

Days	Destination	Getting There
1–3	Mexico City	International flight
4–5	Oaxaca	Overnight bus or 1h flight from CDMX
6–7	Merida	Flight from Oaxaca (via CDMX)
8	Chichen Itza + Valladolid	Rental car or ADO bus from Merida
9–10	Tulum / Riviera Maya	ADO bus or rental car from Valladolid

Days 1–3: Mexico City

Follow the same structure as our 3-day Mexico City itinerary: Day 1 in the Centro Historico and Chapultepec, Day 2 in Coyoacan and Xochimilco, Day 3 at Teotihuacan with an evening in Roma-Condesa.

Where to Stay

Budget: Hostal Centro Historico — from approximately MXN 400 per night (around USD 23).

Mid-range: Hotel Histórico Central — from approximately MXN 1,800 per night (around USD 102) with rooftop views of the Zocalo.

Upscale: Hotel Downtown Mexico — from approximately MXN 4,500 per night (around USD 256).

Key Costs

• Metro: MXN 5 per ride
• Templo Mayor: MXN 90
• Chapultepec Castle: MXN 90
• Frida Kahlo Museum: MXN 270–320 (book online)
• Teotihuacan entry: MXN 90; bus from Terminal Norte approximately MXN 120 round trip
• Xochimilco trajinera: approximately MXN 500 per hour per boat

Mexico City to Oaxaca (Evening of Day 3)

Take the overnight ADO GL bus from Terminal TAPO departing at 11pm, arriving Oaxaca approximately 5:30am. Cost: approximately MXN 650–900 (around USD 37–51). Seats recline fully.

Alternative: Fly with Volaris or VivaAerobus — approximately 1 hour, fares from MXN 800 (around USD 45). This uses morning time on Day 4.

Days 4–5: Oaxaca

Where to Stay

Budget: Hostal Casa del Sol — dorms from MXN 350 (USD 20), privates from MXN 700 (USD 40).

Mid-range: Casa Oaxaca — from approximately MXN 2,500 per night (around USD 142). Rooftop pool, two blocks from Santo Domingo.

Upscale: Quinta Real Oaxaca — from approximately MXN 5,000 per night (around USD 284) in a converted convent.

Day 4: Monte Alban and the City Centre

Morning colectivo to Monte Alban (MXN 100 round trip, departures from Hotel Rivera del Ángel on Calle Mina). Entry MXN 90. The Zapotec hilltop city dates to 500 BC and commands views of three valleys. Allow 2–3 hours.

Afternoon in the city centre: Templo de Santo Domingo (free), Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca (MXN 90), and the pedestrian street Calle Macedonio Alcalá.

Lunch at Mercado Benito Juárez — tlayudas, memelitas, and fresh juices from MXN 50–100.

Dinner at Los Pacos — Oaxacan mole negro and chapulines, mains MXN 150–300.

Day 5: Food, Mezcal, and Crafts

Morning mezcal tasting — guided tour to Santiago Matatlán (45 minutes from Oaxaca) from approximately MXN 500–800 per person including transport. Alternatively, taste at In Situ Mezcalería in the city (flights from MXN 250–400).

Lunch at Itanoni — heirloom corn tetelas and tlayudas from MXN 40–80 each.

Afternoon: Browse the artisan workshops in the villages south of Oaxaca — San Bartolo Coyotepec (black pottery) and San Martín Tilcajete (alebrijes, carved wooden animals). Colectivos cost MXN 15–30 each way from the second-class bus terminal.

Oaxaca to Merida (Evening of Day 5 or Morning of Day 6)

No efficient overland route exists. Fly via Mexico City — VivaAerobus and Volaris offer same-day connections. Total travel time: 3–5 hours including layover. Fares from approximately MXN 1,500–2,500 one way (around USD 85–142).

Occasional direct flights operate on Viva — check availability. If direct, the flight is approximately 2 hours.

Days 6–7: Merida

Merida is the cultural capital of the Yucatan — a colonial city with strong Maya identity, outstanding food, and lower prices than the Riviera Maya.

Where to Stay

Budget: Nomadas Hostel — from approximately MXN 350 per night (around USD 20) for a dorm, MXN 800 (USD 45) for a private room. Pool and garden in a colonial house.

Mid-range: Hotel Medio Mundo — from approximately MXN 1,800 per night (around USD 102). Restored colonial house with a courtyard pool.

Upscale: Rosas & Xocolate — from approximately MXN 4,500 per night (around USD 256). Boutique hotel on Paseo de Montejo with a spa and restaurant.

Day 6: Historic Merida

Start at the Plaza Grande (main square). The Catedral de San Ildefonso, built 1561–1598, is the oldest cathedral on the American mainland. Free entry. Across the square, the Palacio de Gobierno has murals by Fernando Castro Pacheco depicting the history of the Maya people — free entry, open daily 8am–8pm.

Walk north on Paseo de Montejo — Merida’s grand boulevard lined with early 20th-century mansions built during the henequen (sisal) boom. The Museo Casa Montejo at the south end is free and worth 30 minutes.

Lunch at Mercado Lucas de Gálvez — the city’s largest market, with food stalls serving cochinita pibil tortas, panuchos, and salbutes from MXN 25–60 each.

Afternoon at the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya (approximately MXN 150 entry, closed Mondays). The museum covers Maya history from ancient times to the present. Allow 2 hours.

Dinner at La Chaya Maya (Calle 55 x 62) — Yucatecan specialities like papadzules, sopa de lima, and poc chuc. Mains MXN 120–250 (approximately USD 7–14).

Day 7: Cenotes and Uxmal or Izamal

Option A — Cenotes: Visit Cenote Suytun (approximately MXN 200 entry) and Cenote Samulá near Valladolid — but these are 1.5 hours east. Closer to Merida, Cenote Xlacah at the Dzibilchaltún archaeological zone (MXN 250 combined entry, includes the ruins) is 30 minutes north.

Option B — Uxmal: The Puuc-style Maya ruins at Uxmal lie 80km south of Merida (approximately 1 hour by car, MXN 500–700 by taxi). Entry approximately MXN 460 (around USD 26) as of 2026. The Pyramid of the Magician and the Nunnery Quadrangle are the highlights. Allow 3 hours.

Option C — Izamal: The “Yellow City” — a colonial town where every building in the centre is painted ochre yellow. The Franciscan convent built on a Maya pyramid base is the centrepiece. Izamal is 70km east (1 hour by colectivo, MXN 50–80 from Merida’s Noreste terminal).

Dinner at Apoala (Calle 60 x 57) — contemporary Mexican cuisine with Oaxacan and Yucatecan influences. Mains MXN 200–380 (approximately USD 11–22).

Day 8: Chichen Itza and Valladolid

Morning: Chichen Itza

Drive or take an ADO bus from Merida to Chichen Itza — approximately 1.5 hours. ADO costs approximately MXN 300 one way (around USD 17). If driving, the toll road (cuota) costs approximately MXN 300 and saves 30 minutes over the free road.

Arrive at opening time (8am) to beat the tour bus crowds from Cancun, which arrive 10–11am. Entry costs approximately MXN 570 (around USD 32) as of 2026 — this includes both the federal and state fees.

The Pyramid of Kukulkan (El Castillo) is the centrepiece — a 30-metre stepped pyramid aligned to produce a shadow-serpent effect during the spring and autumn equinoxes. You cannot climb it. The Great Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors, and the Sacred Cenote are the other main structures. Allow 3 hours for the full site.

Afternoon: Valladolid

Valladolid is 40 minutes east of Chichen Itza and serves as a far better overnight base than the resort hotels near the ruins. ADO buses run frequently (approximately MXN 50–80).

Check in, then walk to the Convent of San Bernardino de Siena (1552) on the southwest edge of town — one of the oldest churches in the Yucatan. The central plaza is lined with restaurants.

Visit Cenote Zaci in the centre of town — entry approximately MXN 80 (around USD 5). It is a semi-open cave cenote where you can swim in turquoise water.

Dinner at Hostería del Marqués on the main plaza — poc chuc and papadzules from MXN 120–220.

Where to Stay in Valladolid

Budget: Hostel Candelaria — dorms from MXN 250 (USD 14).

Mid-range: Hotel Zentik Project — from approximately MXN 1,500 per night (around USD 85). Converted hacienda with a cenote on the property.

Days 9–10: Tulum and Riviera Maya

Getting There

ADO bus from Valladolid to Tulum — approximately 2 hours, MXN 200–300 (around USD 11–17). Alternatively, drive in a rental car (the route passes through Felipe Carrillo Puerto).

Where to Stay

Budget: Mayan Monkey Tulum — from approximately MXN 450 per night (around USD 26) for a dorm, MXN 1,200 (USD 68) for a private. Pool, social atmosphere.

Mid-range: Hotel Bardo — from approximately MXN 2,500 per night (around USD 142) in the town centre. Bike-friendly with easy access to the beach and ruins.

Upscale: Papaya Playa Project — from approximately MXN 7,000 per night (around USD 398) in the beach hotel zone. Eco-resort with cenote access and Saturday night parties.

Day 9: Tulum Ruins and Cenotes

Morning at the Tulum Archaeological Zone — the only major Maya ruins overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Entry approximately MXN 90 (around USD 5). Open daily 8am–5pm. Arrive at 8am — the site gets crowded by 10am. Allow 1.5 hours.

Afternoon cenote-hopping. The Tulum area has dozens of cenotes within 20 minutes by car or bicycle:

• Gran Cenote — approximately MXN 500 entry (around USD 28). Cave cenote with stalactites and turtles. Snorkel gear rental available.
• Cenote Calavera — approximately MXN 350 entry. Three openings in a cave ceiling create the “skull” shape. Good for jumping.
• Cenote Zacil-Ha — approximately MXN 200 entry. Calm, open cenote suitable for families.

Dinner at Burrito Amor in Tulum town — burritos, bowls, and fresh juice from MXN 120–200.

Day 10: Beach Day and Departure

Morning on Tulum beach. The public beach access points (look for “acceso público” signs) are free. The beach hotel zone stretches 7km along the coast — rent bikes in town (approximately MXN 150–200 per day) to ride between spots.

If you have time, visit the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve south of Tulum — a UNESCO site with mangroves, lagoons, and dolphins. Guided tours from approximately MXN 1,800–2,500 (around USD 102–142) per person for a half-day.

Return Flights

Fly from Cancun Airport (CUN), approximately 2 hours north of Tulum by ADO bus (MXN 250–350). Cancun has the most international flight connections in the Yucatan. ADO buses from Tulum to the airport run several times daily.

Budget Summary

Category	Budget (10 days)	Mid-Range (10 days)
Accommodation	MXN 5,000 (USD 284)	MXN 22,000 (USD 1,250)
Food	MXN 4,000 (USD 227)	MXN 10,000 (USD 568)
Inter-city transport	MXN 3,500 (USD 199)	MXN 5,500 (USD 313)
Local transport	MXN 800 (USD 45)	MXN 2,000 (USD 114)
Activities & entries	MXN 2,000 (USD 114)	MXN 5,000 (USD 284)
Total	MXN 15,300 (USD 869)	MXN 44,500 (USD 2,528)

Prices are approximate as of 2026. Exchange rate used: 1 USD ≈ 17.6 MXN.

Related City Guides

• Oaxaca City Travel Guide
• Tulum Travel Guide
• Mérida Travel Guide
• Valladolid Travel Guide
• Mexico City Travel Guide
• Cancún Travel Guide