The Yucatan in its natural glory, go in summer!

CANCUN
Flight to Cancun. Pick up your rental vehicle and drive to your hotel, where you will stay for 2 nights.
The natural setting of Cancun is exceptionally beautiful. Once a quiet fishing village, the bustling resort town of Cancun was born out of a tourism development investment project. This location was identified as having the best conditions: sunshine, water and air temperature, and sand quality.

ISLA CONTOY
Off the coast of Cancun, an island declared a National Park and Bird Sanctuary in 1961 (well before the resort town of Cancun existed), once a hideout for pirates, turtle hunters, and sponge fishermen. At the southern tip of the island, Ixlaché marks the start of the second-longest reef barrier in the world. This small protected territory covers 230 hectares of land and 4,900 hectares of marine area. Here you’ll find frigatebirds, cormorants, boobies, and pelicans, as well as boas, crocodiles, and striped iguanas. In summer, three species of sea turtles come ashore on Isla Contoy’s beaches to lay their eggs. Impressive rays leap out of the water just a few metres from the shore.
Access is by boat, for a day trip.

ISLA HOLBOX
A postcard setting, far from the bustle of Cancun, with soft white sand beaches, turquoise waters, sandy streets, and small wooden houses forming the backdrop of your stay. Local residents live from fishing and are developing ecotourism activities—there are no cars on Holbox, only golf carts, mopeds, bicycles, and walking to get around the island. No banks, no ATMs.
Route to Isla Holbox: approximately 1h30 by road and 30 minutes by boat.

RIO LAGARTOS NATIONAL PARK
An ecological reserve, a quiet fishing village located about a hundred kilometres from Valladolid on the shores of a vast sea inlet. It is a true paradise for budding birdwatchers, with more than 200 bird species: cormorants, pelicans, ibises, stilts, herons, and several types of egrets. Exploring its varied ecosystems, you’ll discover colonies of pink flamingos, birds, crocodiles, and the full biodiversity of flora and fauna that inhabit it. You will spend one night in a modest village hotel in order to enter the reserve at sunrise.

SIAN KA’AN BIOSPHERE RESERVE
Sian Ka’an (a World Heritage Site) south of Tulum, a bird paradise home to hidden ruins and wild beaches where, every year, countless sea turtles return in a recurring natural event. You will stay 2 nights in Tulum to enjoy a full day in the reserve with your French-speaking guide and observe sea turtles laying their eggs at night.

MAJOR SITES OF THE YUCATAN
Along the way, you won’t miss the chance to discover essential Mayan cities and provincial towns with colonial charm, visiting grand, unmissable archaeological sites:
– Chichen Itza, a World Heritage Site, is likely the most visited site for its spectacular pyramids and observatory.
– Ekbalam, on the road to Rio Lagartos, located 20 minutes north of Valladolid, in the village of the same name where a local community resides. From the top of the main pyramid, you can see both Coba and Chichen Itza.
– Coba, on the road to Tulum, the great rival of Chichen Itza, allied with Calakmul and Tulum, Coba stands out for its network of sacbés (roads) that once connected its various complexes spread over more than 70 km2, as well as neighbouring cities. Explore this site by renting a mountain bike at the entrance.
– Tulum, the only Mayan city built on the coast. Above all, it was a fortress, from which the Maya witnessed the arrival of Spanish caravels. We strongly recommend visiting right at opening time or shortly before closing, as the site draws large crowds due to its proximity to Cancun.