Yucatán's beaches sorted by distance from Mérida
Every Yucatán beach sorted by how far it is from Mérida: from Progreso 30 minutes away to El Cuyo three hours out, with the character of each and how to get there.
Mérida has no beach, but it has the whole Yucatán coast beside it. The Gulf coast has calm, shallow water; the eastern coast is wilder. Here they are, from nearest to farthest.
Under 45 minutes (there and back the same day)
- Progreso (35 min). The seafront promenade, fried fish, the longest pier in the world. Packed at weekends; on a weekday, all yours. It’s Mérida’s “everyday” beach.
- Chelem and Chuburná (40–45 min, west of Progreso). Quieter towns, many retired foreigners, good for walking and for the sunset over the estuary.
- Chicxulub Puerto (40 min, east). Yucatecan summer houses, a family atmosphere, the meteorite crater under your feet.
Between 1 and 1.5 hours
- Telchac Puerto (1 h). A wide beach, new developments, more “resort”.
- Sisal (1 h, west). A Magical Town, a colonial-port history, flamingos and a fort. A favourite that still hasn’t filled up.
- San Crisanto and Santa Clara (1 h 15). Mangroves, cenotes next to the sea, community cooperatives.
- Dzilam de Bravo (1 h 30). A reserve, freshwater springs within the sea (“bocas”), few people.
2 hours or more (worth staying over)
- Celestún (2 h, west). The boat ride among thousands of pink flamingos. A long, lonely beach. Read more about the beaches near Mérida.
- Las Coloradas (2 h 30, east). The pink lagoons from the algae and salt. You can no longer swim in them, but the photo is worth the trip — Las Coloradas.
- Río Lagartos (2 h 30). Crocodiles, flamingos, the Maya clay “bath”.
- El Cuyo (3 h). The end of the Yucatecan world: kitesurfing, barely built up, for really disconnecting.
And the Quintana Roo ones, while you’re at it
- Holbox (4–5 h with the ferry from Chiquilá). A car-free island, turquoise water, whale sharks in summer — full Holbox guide.
How to get there
All the Gulf ones are easy by car on flat, good roads. There are buses to Progreso every half hour from the downtown terminal. For the eastern ones (Las Coloradas, Río Lagartos, El Cuyo) a car or a tour is almost essential.
If you’d rather not drive, see what you can reach by Maya Train and how to get to Progreso from Mérida.
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