The 8 best beaches in Merida (2023)

FAQs

Does Merida Mexico have nice beaches? ›

There are no City of Merida beaches, though there are miles of beaches near Merida, Mexico. With its central location, Merida makes a great home base to explore them all! There are many great beaches close to Merida, with about five options a short drive of 30-60 minutes away by car.

The best time to visit Mérida is between December and March if you're looking for dry weather and lots of things to do. Opt for a January trip to experience Mérida Fest, a huge annual celebration that honors the founding of the city.

Merida is an inland city. So there are no Merida beaches, but there are a number of beaches within an hour or less from Merida Mexico.

Overall, Progreso Beach is very nice, with soft, white sand that's free of hard rocks or shells. There may be a bit of sargassum (seaweed) at times, but they do an excellent job at removing what they can from the main beach area.

Exploring Merida in 3 days or over the weekend is the perfect amount of time to see the major sights while getting a feel for the vibrant culture and wonderful food. But if you have extra time on your hands, Merida makes for a great base to explore more of Yucatan.

Rain falls throughout the year in Mérida. The month with the most rain in Mérida is September, with an average rainfall of 5.4 inches. The month with the least rain in Mérida is March, with an average rainfall of 0.7 inches.

The water in Progreso is very clean, clear, and perfect for swimming in. It is usually very calm too, making a day trip here perfect for families with kids.

The best Merida beaches are as beautiful as those of Cancun and the Riviera Maya, but have none of the crowds. In fact, on their stretches of soft white sand, you won't find too many foreign tourists, but rather, locals fishing or relaxing with families and friends on the sand.

What is the nearest beach to Merida? ›

1. Puerto Progreso. As the closest beach to Merida, Progreso's white and wind-blown sands are some of the most crowded, especially during peak cruise season each winter. But don't let visions of sparring for a spot on the sand stop you.

Cancun Beach, Riviera Maya

Covering a 14-mile stretch, Cancun Beach is one of the most popular beaches in all of Mexico. Anchoring the Riviera Maya in the Yucatan Peninsula, which sticks out into the Caribbean Sea, Cancun is famous for its developed tourism industry, powder-soft white-sand beach, and turquoise sea.

Calangute Beach, Goa

Known as the Queen of the Beaches in Goa, Calangute Beach ranks among the top ten bathing beaches in the world. It is located around 11 kilometres from Panaji in Calangute town of North Goa.

1. Boracay White Beach, Philippines. White Beach is perfect for those who love swimming, thanks to its flat, calm waters. This 3 mile-long stretch is considered to be one of the most popular beaches in Boracay and offers everything from beach activities and restaurants to nightlife and hotels.

Cancun is ranked as the safest beach town in Mexico with lower crime rates than most Mexican cities.

The best time to visit Mexico is during the dry season between December and April, when there is virtually no rain. The coolest months are between December and February, although temperatures can still reach averages of 28°C during the dry season. The wet season begins in the south in May and lasts until October.

Since most will want some degree of comfort during Merida retirement, I'd recommend to plan for at least $1,000 USD per month to cover the basics like your rent, bills, groceries and incidentals. Once you get to Merida and get acclimated, your cost of living may go down.

What is the safest area to stay in Merida? ›

Centro Historico & Plaza Grande

For tourists and travelers, Centro is where it's at. It's one of the safest areas in Merida, and that says a lot when you consider how safe Merida is! What is this? This area is where you'll find the city's oldest buildings, hotels, restaurants, bars, shopping streets and Plaza Grande.

Avoid South Merida! There are so many things to do in Merida, and none of them are in the south. Stick to the safest areas only — Centro Historico, Paseo de Montejo and North Merida — by selecting one of these 12 Stunning Airbnbs in Merida Mexico [Picked by a Local].

Mérida is known as the “white city”—a reference to the elegant white-stone buildings along Paseo Montejo—and it's also the capital city of the state of Yucatán, renowned for its rich Mayan history, and its vibrant, contemporary cosmopolitan cultures.

With its wide sidewalks, old fashion street lights, monuments, and landscaping, Paseo de Montejo is a street that no one has trouble remembering. This tree-lined historic road instantly makes a lasting impression.

Can locals drink the water in Merida? No — Merida locals drink bottled water. Tap water in all Mexico is not safe to drink for anyone, so no one drinks straight tap water in Merida.

Chiles, cheese, corn tortillas, eggs, and beans are staples in Yucatán cooking. If you find yourself in the Yucatan Peninsula, you must try these tasty, traditional dishes.

For travelers who do not plan to leave the city of Mérida, a rental car can still be useful but likely isn't necessary given the walkability of the city and the availability of cabs, buses and Uber. If you do choose to rent a car, reserving it ahead of your trip will likely save you money.

Well, like any capital city, there are a million things to do in Mérida. Plus, the city is incredibly walkable, so getting around from attraction to attraction is relatively easy on foot.

Do hurricanes hit Merida? ›

Hurricanes from the Gulf of Mexico and the Mexican Caribbean can affect Merida. Although the hurricane storms do not affect the city directly (as it is inland) tropical storms and hurricanes on the coasts can cause adverse weather conditions over Mérida and environs.

With average temperatures of a high of 92.8 F and a low of 69.2 F throughout the year, it never reaches a temperature that someone visiting from a wintry area would define as cold. Scorching temperatures in Merida hit in the hot season, which starts in April and continues until September.

June is also the beginning of the Hurricane Season, which runs June 1-November 30. While Merida very rarely gets a direct hit (the last one was Wilma in 2005), it does get tropical storms, severe thunderstorms and heavy rains — so keep your travel umbrella on you at all times!

Progreso, Yucatán — Destruction of natural cienegas has pushed crocodiles into view along the Yucatecan coast.

The three beaches where swimming has been banned are all located in Acapulco, a beach resort town on Mexico's Pacific coast. The water in this area failed to pass the WHO's cleanliness tests, which involve measuring the levels of bacteria present including E. coli, faecal matter and enterococci.

Want to Visit? It would take the average adult about 90 minutes to have a leisurely walk from the start to the end of this four-mile (6.5-kilometer) pier, one of the longest in the world.

As we have mentioned, although you cannot swim in Las Coloradas, this beautiful tourist park has other interesting things to see and learn about, as well as the photos you can take of its pink landscapes, which make up for not being able to enter the water.

Merida is famous for the imposing and elaborate historic ruins of buildings and structures mostly in Chichen Itza. Merida City in the State of Yucatan in Southern Mexico was founded by Francisco de Montejo a Spanish conqueror in 1542.

What airport do you fly into for Merida Mexico? The closest airport to Merida, Mexico, is Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport, which is located in the southern edge of Merida. However, in most cases it's cheaper to fly to Cancun International Airport and take the bus Cancun to Merida.

Which city is cheaper, Merida or Playa del Carmen? These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. The average daily cost (per person) in Playa del Carmen is $58, while the average daily cost in Merida is $62.

What part of Merida should I stay? ›

The best areas to stay in Merida for first-timers are Zocalo, Mérida Centro, Santa Lucia, Santiago, Santa Anna, and Paseo de Montejo. These are very popular neighborhoods for tourists that offer a wide variety of attractions and amenities.

The majority of expats in Merida either live in Centro Historico or North Merida (Merida Norte, in Spanish). Centro Historico, the Historic City Center, or Historic Downtown Merida, is divided into smaller areas, and is about 25 minutes from North Merida, another popular area with expats.

Exploring Merida in 3 days or over the weekend is the perfect amount of time to see the major sights while getting a feel for the vibrant culture and wonderful food. But if you have extra time on your hands, Merida makes for a great base to explore more of Yucatan.

Discover Mérida

Mérida is known as the “white city”—a reference to the elegant white-stone buildings along Paseo Montejo—and it's also the capital city of the state of Yucatán, renowned for its rich Mayan history, and its vibrant, contemporary cosmopolitan cultures.

The beauty of an experience traveling in Merida is that the city is authentically Yucatecan and authentically Mexican. In the markets, little English is spoken, and in fact, we rarely had locals try to speak or practice English with us.

According to the Uber fare estimator, it will cost about $250+USD for the trip, which is more than the cost of a private car from Cancun to Merida.

Getting around in Merida

Merida is on the smaller side, especially if you're just sticking to the main areas of Centro Historico and Paseo Montejo. It is also very walkable, so as mentioned, if you're just staying in the city itself, skip the rental car and just use Uber and taxis when needed.

More than 11,000 American and Canadian expats call Merida their permanent base, as well as a plethora of people from other countries and cultures. As such, it is very easy to meet like-minded people and build a community here.

There is an established expat community, and the city offers an international airport, exceptional healthcare services, and proximity to some of Mexico's most famous attractions. Two people can live comfortably in Merida on a budget of $1500 per month.