Mayan Route Self-Launched: Riviera Maya, Ruins & Sumidero Canyon

Fly into Cancún (CUN) and take an ADO bus straight from the airport to Playa del Carmen (~1h, £8–10). Check into a hostel or budget hotel a few streets back from 5th Avenue (Quinta Avenida) — you pay half the beachfront price. Spend the afternoon orienting yourself: walk 5th Avenue, find the ferry pier for Cozumel (useful for later), and swim at Playa Mamitas or the public beach at Calle 28. Evening: tacos al pastor at a local taquería and a beer on the sand.

🚌ADO bus Cancún Airport → Playa del Carmen, ~£9

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Playa del Carmen (£12–18/night)

• →Orientation walk along 5th Avenue
• →Beach swim at Playa Mamitas
• →Tacos and sunset on the Caribbean

A flexible day. Options: (1) Take a colectivo or local bus to the Ruta de los Cenotes and swim/dive in a cenote — Dos Ojos or Gran Cenote are easy to reach by colectivo from Tulum side, or book a cenote+snorkel day trip on GetYourGuide for ~£35–45. (2) Ferry to Cozumel (£12 return) and snorkel Palancar Reef from the shore or with a local boat operator (~£30). (3) If you're a diver, book a two-tank reef dive (~£70–85) directly with a Playa dive shop. Book anything you want ahead via GetYourGuide or Klook, or just turn up — plenty of operators. Evening: cook at the hostel or eat cheap at a mercado fonda.

🚌Colectivo/local bus (~£2) or ferry to Cozumel (~£12 return)

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Playa del Carmen

• →Cenote swimming or snorkelling
• →Optional Cozumel ferry + reef snorkelling
• →Optional scuba dive in the Mesoamerican Reef

Get up early and take an ADO bus or colectivo from Playa del Carmen to Tulum (~1h, £3–5). The Tulum archaeological zone opens at 8am — arrive early to beat the heat and the crowds; entry is ~£4–5 (pay at the gate, plus a small extra for the drone-free/state fee). Guided entry isn't necessary: signage is good, or pre-book an English guide on GetYourGuide for ~£15 if you want context. Swim at the public beach below the ruins afterwards. Mid-afternoon, take an ADO bus Tulum → Valladolid (~2h, £9–11). Valladolid is a lovely colonial town with a free orientation walk: Plaza e Parque Francisco Cantón Rosado, the Cathedral of San Gervasio, and the Calzada de los Frailes. Evening: marquesitas and a wander.

🚌ADO/colectivo Playa → Tulum (~£4) + ADO Tulum → Valladolid (~£10)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Valladolid (£12–18/night)

• →Tulum Archaeological Zone (arrive at opening)
• →Tulum beach swim
• →Self-guided orientation walk in Valladolid

Catch an early ADO or colectivo from Valladolid to Chichén Itzá (~45min, £3–4). Chichén Itzá entry is ~£30–35 (foreign adult, paid in pesos — bring cash; there's an extra state fee). Arrive at opening (8am) before the tour buses. You can self-guide with the signage, or hire an official guide at the gate (~£20 split between a few people) or pre-book a small-group guided entry on GetYourGuide. On the way back, stop at Cenote Ik Kil (~£5 entry) for a swim — it's right by the ruins. Then bus Valladolid → Mérida (~2h, £9) and connect Mérida → Celestún (~1h45, £4–5). Celestún is a quiet fishing village — arrive by late afternoon, eat fresh seafood on the malecón, and watch the flamingos at dusk from the beach.

🚌Colectivo Valladolid → Chichén Itzá (~£4) + ADO Valladolid → Mérida (~£9) + bus Mérida → Celestún (~£5)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Celestún (£15–20/night)

• →Chichén Itzá Archaeological Zone at opening
• →Cenote Ik Kil swim
• →Sunset and seafood on the Celestún malecón

Book a morning boat tour into the Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve directly at the boat cooperative on the pier (~£12–18 per person shared, plus biosphere reserve fee ~£5). It's a 1.5–2h trip through mangroves with flamingos, pelicans and often crocodiles — the same trip the tour includes, just booked at the source. Back on land, take a bus Celestún → Mérida then Mérida → Campeche (~3h, £12–15 total) or the direct Campeche connection if running. Campeche's walled colonial centre is a UNESCO site — do a self-guided walking tour of the coloured facades, the Puerta de Tierra, and the malecón at sunset (free). Evening: Campeche's famous seafood — panuchos and pulpo.

🚌Bus Celestún → Mérida → Campeche (~£13 total)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Campeche centro (£15–20/night)

• →Ría Celestún boat tour with flamingos
• →Self-guided walk of Campeche's UNESCO walled centre
• →Sunset on the Campeche malecón

Morning: Fuerte de San Miguel on the hill above Campeche (entry ~£3–4) with its Maya artefacts and views over the Gulf. Then bus Campeche → Palenque (~5–6h, £15–20 via ADO or a Sur bus; the scenic route passes through Escárcega). If you want the Miguel Colorado cenote stop (kayaking, zip-lining, monkey watching), it's easiest as a taxi/colectivo detour from Escárcega or as a local day trip organised from Palenque via a hostel or GetYourGuide (~£25–30 incl. transport). Otherwise arrive in Palenque by late afternoon, check in to a jungle-side cabaña or guesthouse, and eat at a local comedor. Book your Palenque ruins ticket ahead online to skip queue.

🚌ADO Campeche → Palenque (~£17)

🛏Jungle cabaña or budget hotel, Palenque (£12–18/night)

• →Fuerte de San Miguel, Campeche
• →Optional Miguel Colorado cenotes (kayak, zipline, monkeys)
• →Evening in Palenque village

Be at Palenque Archaeological Zone at 8am opening (~£5 entry plus small state fee) — it's the most atmospheric ruin site on the trip, with the Temple of the Inscriptions and jungle canopy. Guided entry via GetYourGuide ~£20 if you want the story. Then take a local colectivo or shared tour van to the Agua Azul waterfalls (~£5 transport, £5 entry) and Misol-Há (~£4 entry, a single waterfall you can swim under) — either the combined local tour (~£20–25) or public transport + taxi. In the afternoon, take a colectivo or first-class bus Palenque → San Cristóbal de las Casas (~2h30–3h, ~£15). The road climbs into the Chiapas highlands — it's cool up here, pack a jumper. Evening: walk Real de Guadalupe and eat at a local fonda.

🚌Local colectivo to ruins + waterfalls (~£10) + bus Palenque → San Cristóbal (~£15)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse, San Cristóbal (£12–18/night)

• →Palenque Archaeological Zone at opening
• →Agua Azul & Misol-Há waterfalls
• →Evening walk on Real de Guadalupe

Early morning colectivo from San Cristóbal to San Juan Chamula (~30min, £2–3) — a Tzotzil Maya village with an extraordinary church interior (no photos inside; entry ~£3). Then return to San Cristóbal and take a colectivo or bus down to Chiapa de Corzo (~1h, £4–5). Book a Sumidero Canyon boat tour directly at the Embarcadero Cahuare (~£18–25 per person shared, 2h) — the classic route through the canyon walls with crocodiles, monkeys and vultures, ending at the Chicoasén dam. Book ahead via GetYourGuide or Klook if you want an English-speaking guide; otherwise turn up and jump on the next shared lancha. Evening: orientation walk around Chiapa de Corzo's Plaza de Armas, the Mudéjar-style Fountain (Fuente Colonial) and the Santo Domingo church. Dinner on the plaza.

🚌Colectivo San Cristóbal → Chamula → Chiapa de Corzo (~£7 total)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel, Chiapa de Corzo (£15–20/night)

• →San Juan Chamula church and market
• →Sumidero Canyon shared boat tour
• →Chiapa de Corzo orientation walk

Final morning: coffee and breakfast on the plaza. If you're flying home, take a local bus or taxi to Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport (Ángel Albino Corzo, TGZ; ~30min, £4–6). If you've got more time, the ADO night bus Tuxtla → Oaxaca (~10h, £35–45) continues the adventure, or head north to San Cristóbal for a few slow days hiking the Chiapas highlands. Check out any last-minute souvenirs from the artisan market near the fountain.

🚌Local bus/taxi to Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport ~£5 (or ADO onward to Oaxaca ~£40)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Breakfast on the plaza
• →Artisan market souvenir shopping
• →Transfer to Tuxtla airport or onward bus