10 Best Beach Towns in Yucatan We Love

The Yucatan state of Mexico is a popular tourist hot spot. When you choose to travel here you can see the Mayan ruins and enjoy beautiful beach days as well. Today we are going to explore the latter. We’ll look through the 10 best beach towns in Yucatan.

The beach towns in Yucatan are all on the Gulf of Mexico shores. They are characterized by beautiful white sand and a classic laid-back holiday atmosphere. We’ve picked out our favorite beach towns so you know where to go when you visit.

When we selected our favorite beach towns in Yucatan we tried to select something for everyone. You’ve got towns that are perfect for couples, families, or parties.

You will also find towns that require you to rent a car in order to visit while some other towns we’ve picked can be visited easily via public transport.

Are you looking for beach towns near Cancún and Tulum? Head over here: 10 Best Beach Towns in Quintana Roo

1. El Cuyo

TopFightsNow Recommended For Getting Away From It All!

We’ll start our journey with one of our favorite beach towns in Yucatan. It is located in an isolated part of the Yucatan peninsula which makes visiting El Cuya a special experience.

El Cuyo’s isolation also means a nice mix of local fishing towns and boutique hotels. Many accommodations in the area are heavily geared toward a personalized experience.

The town is very much undiscovered. It’s not easy to get there and many tourists simply skip over El Cuyo. Maybe this is why we love it so much because it’s a little hidden gem.

The whole town is very green and it’s easy to feel one with nature when visiting the beach town of El Cuyo. Even most of the roads are dirt and gravel instead of asphalt.

When it comes to the actual beach in El Cuyo, we have to say it’s not the best beach on the list. In fact, it’s kind of a ‘wild’ beach. The windy weather can make big waves and the currents can be dangerous for swimmers.

Not such a family-friendly location due to the wild seas, but you can still get into the water and swim a little if you don’t go too far from the shore.

We loved the hidden gem nature of El Cuyo and the unspoiled wild beach that awaits visitors who dare to travel the distance to this beautiful beach town in Yucatan.

Of course, the location also means that you definitely should rent a car or arrange some transfer when you are visiting El Cuyo. It’s more than 3 hours from Merida. Public transport is possible but it’s 4+ hours and you will need to change buses. Not an experience we recommend.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/JykLnSpUtas9JfdK6

2. Sisal

Sisal is our go-to beach town in Yucatan if we want something close to Merida but not too crowded. There are multiple great hotel choices here and the restaurants are also a treat to visitors.

What we love most in Sisal is the beach. Which is quite important for a beach town if you ask us! The town has a huge stretch of white sand beach.

It’s usually not crowded even at the height of tourism season. Usually, there is no seaweed and it’s pretty well maintained.

In case you want some nature on your holiday as well there are even some wildlife encounters nearby Sisal, especially in the form of birds.

Visiting is super easy with a rental car while the bus will usually take around 1 hour to reach Sisal from Merida. Private airport transfer is also an option and it’s actually pretty reasonably priced.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/9vDaKQ2uqyWhJsXK6

3. Progreso

TopFlightsNow Recommended For An All-Around Balanced Holiday!

Progreso is perfect for those who want a more urban environment for their Yucatan beach holiday. It’s got a little something for everyone. It’s also incredibly close to Merida making it easy to visit.

Families will find the beach great and the entertainment options acceptable. Kids will be able to enjoy building sandcastles and catch some fun near the marina where there is always something to do during summer.

Those, who are looking for a place to wind off with drinks after the beach. There are multiple bars filled with a mix of locals and tourists. There are also some clubs but don’t count on a big clubbing scene. We recommend looking towards Cancún for that.

The beach is beautiful with white sand and warm waters. Tourists absolutely love spending all day on the beach in Progreso and we can understand why.

Also, if you are looking for more than a beach holiday Progreso is a great place to be. It has a big port and many small travel agents who offer tours around the area. You can go on some amazing sea and land tours from Progreso to enhance your holiday.

It’s super easy to get to Progreso from Merida as there is a local bus that will take you. Driving is also no hassle the town is very close, it’s only about 30 minutes of driving.

All things considered, Progreso is one of the best beach towns in Yucatan. You can relax on the beach, mix it up with excursions, and easily visit Merida whenever you want.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/LKHP9U3Ki6G3qF326

4. Chuburná

TopFlightsNow Recommended For Families!

Chuburná is our top pick for families that want to visit the Yucatan region of Mexico and want to be on the beach.

Chuburná is still pretty close to Merida making it easy to visit via a private transfer or car. We don’t recommend trying public transport to Chuburná as it’s not reliable to get you here. It’s easier to grab a comfy transfer with your family anyway.

Why do we recommend Chuburná for families? Simple, it has some of the best beaches in the area. The beach is completely natural with almost no amenities but that’s what makes it beautiful.

Regardless of the fact that it’s a natural beach, it’s always clean and the water is always an inviting shade of blue. In these parts, the water is usually calm and starts shallow.

Make sure you get into the water first to check for any dangerous rocks or sudden drops, but afterward, it should be pretty safe for families.

The best way to enjoy the beach town of Chuburná is to rent a holiday home right on the beach. You’ll have road access to the beach. The kids will absolutely love the ability to be in the water first thing in the morning.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/87aYtVs3Sq2DK4vNA

5. San Benito

San Benito is a great beach town in Yucatan for couples. It’s very quiet yet still close to hot spots like Progreso.

Choosing San Benito you’ll get a great stretch of sandy beach with palm trees lining the shore. It does look like paradise a little bit.

You can choose San Benito if you want to get away from it all but not be so isolated as in El Cuyo. It’s still well connected via the road system but the town itself is very laid-back and quiet.

There are local restaurants and amazing hotels but whenever you want to have some hustle and bustle on your vacation, you can always head into Progreso.

Not the easiest town to get into as you’ll probably need a private transfer or rental car but San Benito is great for a relaxing holiday.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/d3HQQ5Ghr7uKZgi78

6. San Crisanto

San Crisanto is a true beach town. Very much so that it almost feels like just a beach with a couple of buildings thrown around it.

No mistakes though, San Crisanto is a town. It’s also a great pick for couples. The beach is beautiful and the palm trees give a nice backdrop to your swimming days.

There are some beautiful bars on the shore and once the evening light decorations are turned on everything becomes incredibly pretty.

For those who are looking for a little wilder experience this town also has one camping available. Great fun if you are into camping.

Once again a lot of apartments and hotels on the shore with direct access to the beach. Great place but it’s a little far away from everything.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/ESTnx8rm7RXwJN4v8

7. Celestún

Celestún started out as a small fishing village but it has grown into a nice holiday spot for tourists. It has many secluded beaches, amazing restaurants, apartments, and hotels available.

The town is also a great place for those who are looking to get in touch with nature. You can visit the Celestún Biosphere Reserve from here to see birds like flamingos flocking the area.

One of our favorite tours in Celestún was a motorboat tour of the Celestún Biosphere Reserve. It was a lot of fun and we got to see tons of animals.

Even if you don’t like the idea of a motorboat tour you can catch a glimpse of multiple animals in the Ecoturistico Park. It’s like a miniature zoo and it’s a great activity for kids.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/JEkkbrSwNUKpJgXP6

8. Telchac Puerto

The beach town Telchac Puerto is like a smaller version of Progreso. Not as busy but still has plenty of amenities.

It’s a great choice for those who want to have multiple options for restaurants and hotels but want a laid-back town.

Even during the height of the season Telchac Puerto feels totally not crowded. It’s a great destination to spend a lot of time on the beach and not worry about other tourists ruining your day.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/SfzDWyPddLEvUqa2A

9. Chicxulub

Chicxulub is the perfect place on the Yucatan coast for apartments with beach access. The full sandy shore is lined with hotels and apartments offering immediate access to the beach.

It’s a very laid-back place just next to Progreso. Great if you want to spend a lot of time on the beach but bear in mind it’s lacking in amenities.

There are only a few restaurants so you’ll either have to visit the same place multiple times or head out into Progreso for some nice dining. Even if you stay inside Chicxulub, the local restaurants are pretty nice though.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/jNTQPNn4tFDNAjBY8

10. The Coloradas

The sister of El Cuyo. Not as developed and definitely even less popular. This is the beach town in Yucatan that you need if you want to avoid any other tourists.

It’s mostly locals and a few hotels. The hotels we did like and the beach is beautiful. You get a nice wild beach experience. It’s not the artificial beach experience many people love but rather a little unmaintained.

Good if you want to experience nature as it is. Just be careful of the waves and currents that can be deadly. We would say this beach town is not good for families with little children.

It’s also worth noting that there is one feature in this town that’s known for tourism. It’s the pink lake next to it.

The pink lake is an artificial lake used by the local salt processing company. You can go on a guided tour but it’s short and expensive so we recommend that you just simply walk around the lake on your own accord.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/cgHDsJYLHAcKchpc7

Best Beach Towns in Yucatan – FAQ