Cycle Mexico - The Yucatan Peninsula

This small-group tour follows a largely flat route by bike through the Yucatan Peninsula, from Cancun to Playa del Carmen. After a gentle first day cycling around Isla Mujeres, the itinerary moves inland to some of the region’s most famous Mayan sites, including Chichen Itza with its enormous pyramid and the less excavated temples of Coba, set in forest.

There are rides along the coast with plenty of chances to stop for swims at cenotes and beaches, a boat trip through the Rio Lagartos biosphere reserve watching for flamingos and crocodiles, and short city cycles through Merida and Valladolid where colonial architecture and street art quietly assert themselves. The pace is steady, the roads mostly flat and paved, and the distances manageable without rushing.

Explore Worldwide leads this eight-night escorted tour, with evenings free to sample local eateries or rest. The final day offers a morning visit to the clifftop ruins of Tulum before concluding pains are kept to a minimum with a relaxed afternoon in Playa del Carmen, ready for onward travel.

These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.