Thousands of travels, old and new, go to Mexico every year for a new experience. Every city in Mexico has something different to add to your travel itinerary. Scott and Megan AKA Bobo and Chichi recently traveled to Mexico, specifically the Yucatan, for an adventure. From ancient ruins to colorful architecture, this travel couple has a lot to share from their trip.

What To Do

The Yucatan is full of so many incredible places to visit beyond the popular beach resort destinations like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. For a great cultural, foodie, and art scene Bobo & Chichi recommend Merida, which happens to be the capital of the Yucatan State.

Bobo & Chichi describes the area like this, “Beyond having an incredible gastronomy scene, gorgeous colonial architecture and giant historical mansions, there are museums and great shopping as weekly cultural events in Centro.”

Like most avid travelers, Bobo & Chichi also recommend visiting the ruins beyond Chichen Itza. Although, if you have never seen the ruins, it’s definitely a great start if you’re a first timer. They adored Uxmal because of the incredible preservation, no crowds, and sheer size and beauty of these ancient ruins. There is much to see beyond what many tourists choose to see.

How About the Art?

Bobo & Chichi had nothing but love to give for Merida. This is where you find the stunning colonial buildings and mansion after mansion. Not to mention all of the incredible haciendas you can visit in the area surrounding Merida.

Mexico has some of the best street artists in the world. They’re up there with Brazil and Germany. Merida may not have the same intensity of artists in Mexico City but they have a unique role in the community. They found that local businesses will commission local artists to paint murals or to design their shop space. Bobo & Chichi’s favorite mural is in the outdoor seating area at Catrin restaurant in Merida. After the couple left, an interactive light show was installed at the top of the mural.

Staying Active

Outdoor activities are the best way to stay active while traveling. Bobo & Chichi share this value with a vast majority of other content creators. Activities like hiking and walking around are the best way to exercise on vacation. When walking isn’t enough, the couple does home workouts that they’re downloaded on their phones. One of their personal favorites is Beach Body’s T25. They say it takes them about 25 minutes to do the full thing, leaving room for most adventures. 

Socializing

Connecting with people through social media is a great way to make new friends abroad. Bobo & Chichi are a part of several groups on Facebook that are for people in the travel blogging community. They’ll meet up in real life and network with other content creators to grow their friendship circle. Groups on social media have been a huge blessing in bringing people from the same industries together.

Best Eats

This is a difficult decision for anyone to make but based on their experience in the Yucatan, Bobo & Chichi would pick the markets in Merida. Their favorite part is the stalls at Santiago Mercado in Merida, ChillaKillers in Merida, and their all-time favorite is El Pastor Suizo in Merida.

The ambiance at Santiago Mercado is laid back and is more like street food than sit down dining. You sit at your favorite vendor and they bring you a menu and the food comes out really quick. Bobo & Chichi comment, “It’s inexpensive and delicious with speedy service.” they recommend going either early in the morning or at night. Midday is almost a nightmare, with no room for eaters.

ChillaKillers, on the other hand, has Instagram worthy chilaquiles dishes that are divine. This is mostly a breakfast and early afternoon spot as they are closed in the evenings. They say they still dream about the meal they had here.

El Pastor Suizo is a little bit of a mission to get to but is one place worth the trouble. They would travel here frequently during their stay. This sit-down restaurant is laid back with speedy service and offers an array of tasty salads to go with your favorite pastor dish.

Lodging

Bobo & Chichi stayed for about 3 months, which is longer than the average visitor. To accommodate their stay, they did a longer rental space. Their rental house was within walking distance from the center and was perfectly situated. For hotel options, they recommend Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel. This adorable and very PINK hotel not only had a great location but a gorgeous layout with pink walls, tropical plants, and the perfect turquoise pool. Perfect for insta-worthy photos.

To follow Bobo & Chichi’s adventures be sure to follow their Instagram: @boboandchichi and check out their travel blog boboandchichi.com

Did you like the Mexico travel guide? Don’t hesitate to check Peru: A Place of Wonder and Rainbows