Merida Profile
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| Capital of Yucatan State, Merida was an important Maya city called T'ho that resisted Spanish domination for several decades. Hot and sultry, Merida today is a busy metropolis that attracts many tourists, both foreign and domestic. In addition to being a good base for touring the region, this friendly city offers loads of cultural activities and has an active ex-pat population. |
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| Swimming | | | hotel swimming pools; cenotes (sinkholes) in surrounding countryside for the adventurous |
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| Snorkeling | | | the blue Caribbean is about four hours away; some snorkeling in cenotes |
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| Diving | | | Caribbean coast four hours away |
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| Bike Riding | | | Busy city streets make riding dicey |
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| Fishing | | | In Progreso, or with fishermen along the north coast |
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| Walking | | | Lots of neighborhoods and city walking, but noisy traffic, smelly buses |
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| Good Food | | | Cochinita pibil (pit-cooked pork in banana leaves); sopa de lima (fresh lime-sparked chicken soup); panuchos (puréed black bean-stuffed corn tortillas); hot chile habanero |
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| Art | | | Art museum |
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| Reading | | | Has an excellent English-language lending library |
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| Supermarket | | | Several large supermarkets |
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| Museums | | | Small anthropology museum |
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| Ruins | | | An excellent base for visiting nearby ruins as daytrips or overnight excursions |
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| Sightseeing | | | Excellent day trips to see ruined Franciscan monasteries, small towns, or the north coast |
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| Spanish School | | | several major Spanish schools |
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| Tennis | | | 1 few courts at major chain hotels |
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| Handicrafts | | | Wonderful hammocks, huipiles and guayaberas, some "Panama" hats, but fewer crafts than one might expect |
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| Shopping | | | Plenty of shops, some nice silver jewelry, but far from exceptional |
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| Movies | | | Several movie theaters with English-language films |
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| Sporting Events | | | major birding festival |
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| Jungle | | | A major city, but surrounded by scrubby low jungle |
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| Colonial | | | A colonial city, unfortunately old mansions mainly replaced by 20th-century blight |
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| Ocean | | | Progreso, Gulf of Mexico, 40 minutes away; Caribbean 4 hours away |
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| Lake | | | No lakes, but area full of fascinating sinkholes (cenotes) for bathing |
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| Country | | | Aging haciendas turned B&B, some for sale |
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| Town | | | Merida is a busy city, but old neighborhoods invite exploration |
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| City | | | A friendly, bustling city perfumed by bus fumes |
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| Humid | | | Exceptionally hot and humid |
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| Luxurious | | | Some elegant haciendas turned B&B; 5-star hotels |
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| Mid-Range Hotels | | | Plenty of mid-price hotels, some charming, others somewhat run-down |
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| Budget Hotels | | | Lots of budget hotels, a few hostels |
