As I descend the stairs toward Tsukán cenote, I wonder what exactly I’m getting into. There had been a traditional Mayan greeting ceremony at the entrance and lovely grounds to wander. I had taken a shower, pulled on a lifejacket. I was technically ready. But not in my brain. Descriptions I’ve read of the cenotes found all over Mexico’s Yucatán haven’t given me a solid idea of what it’s like to get into one. I’d heard people calling them “sinkholes.” I proceed anyway.
The rock walls on either side of the stairway are covered with vegetation so it feels like entering something hidden and ancient. Down, down, I go. There’s a cave. I step inside and turn. Bam—my eyes take in a cavernous chamber the size of a basketball arena, punctuated by stalactites and stalagmites. Tiny birds zip high above; dark turquoise water beckons below. Two shafts of light make the whole space sparkle. It’s more grotto than bat cave. Space and time seem to bend. It’s like being in an Indiana Jones movie. Sticking my foot into the cool water, I realize I now want to visit as many as possible of the 6,000 known cenotes spread across the region of Mexico that curls up into the Gulf of Mexico. I’m sold on cenotes.
These deep sinkholes formed out of limestone, linked together by a system of underground rivers that were the only source of water for many historic Mayan communities, are an excellent metaphor for the state of Yucatán as a whole. Flat, jungly and less urban than many other parts of Mexico, the state is less flashy than neighbouring Quintana Roo, which is home to one of the world’s most famous and highly developed leisure destinations, Cancún and the Riviera Maya. But dig a little deeper into the Yucatán landscape, culture and people—then suddenly it’s magic.
Although the state tends to be socially conservative—it was one of the last Mexican states to legalize same-sex marriage, implementing its equal marriage law in 2022—that does not mean it’s intolerant or that it lacks LGBTQ+ culture and nightlife. It feels more like modesty, a culture that has tended to be more discreet about sexuality, even straight sexuality, than many other Latin American destinations.
But that’s changing fast. I first visited the state capital of Mérida, where almost half of the state’s population of 2.3 million live, about 13 years ago. There was only one gay bar downtown, a cantina that did not display any rainbow flag anywhere; it felt very down-low, like the patrons were ready to flee the moment any authority showed up. These days, the gay nightclub Papis (Calle 72 400b, Mérida) has some of the buffest strippers and most polished performances I’ve ever seen on the pole, and the drag shows at DIX Bar (Calle 53 495, Parque de Santa Lucia, Mérida) have the costumes, production values and creativity you’d expect in a metropolis like Mexico City. Cool LGBTQ+-friendly restaurants and bars are regularly opening up in the historic centre and along mansion-lined Paseo de Montejo.
The boom in increasingly cosmopolitan businesses is partly driven by the city and state’s reputation as one of the safest in Mexico and, by some measures, one of the safest in North America, which has attracted entrepreneurs from all over North America. In the modern and ritzy north of Mérida, the shopping plazas are punctuated by posh new developments marketed to Americans, Canadians and Europeans.
The proximity of Cancún, which hosts more than 30 million visitors each year, has also created an opportunity for Yucatán’s towns and cities to provide an alternative to more cookie-cutter experiences; Quintana Roo overfloweth with hotels, but lacks colonial-era historical sites. (Mayan historical sites are scattered all over the peninsula; more on some popular ones in the listings below.) The city of Valladolid, which has a cenote right in its city centre, is about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Cancún, and has set itself apart by providing hip but authentic accommodations and shopping as a day trip or an overnight stay. You enter the boutique hotel Colonté, for example, through a traditional Mayan home (an oval shaped base of clay and mud, topped with a steep thatched roof) to discover 10 beautifully designed rooms overlooking an idyllic courtyard. Luxury parfumerie Coqui Coqui (Calle 41/A, 207a) has the high-brow opulence of a place you’d jet into from Zürich or Hong Kong—and a single chic garden suite for rent at the back of the boutique. A House (Calle 41A #220A) is not alone among Valladolid retailers in its splendidly curated selection of clothing, handicrafts, home decor items and collectibles.
Outdoorsy types who can pull themselves away from the bars, restaurants and shopping can, in addition to diving into cenotes, scout wildlife in coastal estuaries and play the part of archeologist at ancient Mayan ruins. Nearby Chichén Itzá, a complex that thrived from about 600 A.D. to the 1200s, is on the list of seven new wonders of the world—and has the crowd to prove it. But there are dozens and dozens of other Mayan sites to explore.
Here’s our guide to the best of LGBTQ+ Yucatán.
What to see and do
Mérida Gay Tours. If you know a bit of Spanish, you should be able to tour around Yucatán on your own—it’s a safe, easygoing state and the intercity bus system is cheap and efficient. That said, some of the attractions outside the cities are served by very limited public transportation and can be difficult to find. If you want to leave the planning to someone else, and have the added bonus of travelling with a cohort of peers—that is, other LGBTQ2S+ people—then it’s worth booking with this gay-owned and -run tour company. Founder and guide Ricardo Contreras, Mr. Gay World Yucatán 2021, is a handsome, knowledgeable and affable host. (Read our spotlight on him here.)
Plaza Grande and downtown, Mérida. Many of the elegant public buildings, including the cathedral and the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán, encircle the city’s charming main square. Once you’ve gone once around, head north on Calle 60 up to Parque de Santa Lucía, then Parque de Santa Ana. You’re now only one block from the nightlife strip of Paseo de Montejo, which is better at night, when it’s cooler and the elegant colonial-era buildings are lit up.
Progreso. The beach town closest to Mérida, the bus ride here is about 40 minutes. The newly renovated malecon is lovely and new seaside restaurants are opening here all the time. Way, way out in the Gulf of Mexico, you can see the shipping and cruise-ship dock that connects the region to the rest of the world by sea.
Valladolid. Midway between Mérida and Cancún, this magical town has great artisanal shopping, boutique hotels and a cenote right in its downtown.
Izamal. Midway between Mérida and Valladolid, this magical town has a real theme to it: every building in its centre is a particular shade of yellow. The massive Convento de San Antonio is flanked by two pretty squares. The massive Pirámide Kinich Kakmó, located very close to downtown, is one of the few Mayan ruins in the region that visitors are still permitted to climb.
Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve and Las Coloradas Tourist Park. Located on the coast about a two-hour drive from Valladolid, the intermingling of salt water from the Gulf of Mexico and fresh water from inland waterways makes for a startlingly unique environment. The algae, plankton and brine shrimp that flourish here create lagoons of pink, a colour that gets more intense during a process that utilizes the sun to extract salt from the water. Pink flamingos, which congregate in the area, also get their colour this way. If someone told you that you’d want to spend an afternoon looking at salt pans, you’d probably roll your eyes, but you’ll get amazing photos by touring Las Coloradas, which is a functioning salt-production facility. On my trip, we also went out in a small boat with Rio Lagartos Adventures and our guide helped us spot local flora and fauna, including two kinds of crocodiles.
Chichén Itzá. Voted by the public to be one of the seven new wonders of the world, this is one of the most visited archeological sites in Mexico, now attracting more people than the pyramids at Teotihuacan, north of Mexico City. You can walk around without a guide, but there’s lots of mysteries you won’t pick up on your own. Guides need to be licensed to give tours here, so be careful in your choice—a whack of them will try to catch you on your way in. To answer one question you might have: Yes, there are depictions of same-sex sexual activity on pre-columbian Mayan artifacts.
Uxmal. Connoisseurs of Mayan ruins will often pick these over Chichén Itzá, and not just because they’re less crowded. You can see many more of the sculptural elements of these buildings and get a much better sense of how the structures relate to each other. The Templo de los Falos, a bit of a hike from the main cluster of buildings, features a garden of stone penises.
Cenote y Restaurante Tsukán Santuario de Vida (Carretera Yokdzonot, Pisté km. 108). Though cenotes are a historic and geographical feature of the Yucatán, the experiences built around this one are new and stylish: a greeting ceremony, lovely change rooms, exhibitions of food production and preparation, nice dining. You will feel like you’re in a movie.
Cenote Hacienda Mucuyché (Mucuyché, Abalá). Below ground: two cenotes connected by a swimmable channel. Above: the ruins of a hacienda where sisal rope was once produced. Very magical.
Mérida Pride. Takes place in June in the city centre.
Where to stay
Real Hispano (Calle 42, 200 Centro, Valladolid). This mid-17th-century mansion has been expanded and modernized without losing its historic charm. Cool off with drinks around the pool.
Colonté Hotel Origen (Calle 46, 200E, Centro, Valladolid). You can tell this place is operated by LGBTQ+ people because of the smart style, the attention to detail and respect for local culture. An oasis in which to take refuge from the Yucatán heat. They’ve also got a nice resto-bar and boutique if you just want to stop by for a break.
Camino Real (Centro Comercial City, Av. Andrés García Lavín 298-32, Mérida). Attached to a posh new mall, this hotel is a bit far from the historic centre, but close to the upscale shopping and restaurants in the north of the city. The rooftop pool, with its view of the city and the surrounding countryside, also makes it worth staying here.
Wayam Mundo Imperial (Av. Colón 508, 97070 Mérida). Sleek and sustainable, the renovations to this historic building have been made with an eco-friendly attitude. A pool and fitness centre sweeten the deal.
NH Collection Mérida Paseo Montejo (C. 60 346, Zona Paseo Montejo, Mérida). Staying at this sleek and modern iteration of the gay-friendly international chain allows you to walk to most nightlife options, queer or otherwise. Good gym.
Rosas & Xocolate Boutique Hotel + SPA (Paseo de Montejo 480, Zona Paseo Montejo, Mérida). Design aficionados will want to spend all their time lolling around this gay-friendly property, composed of two French-style mansions.
Oriundo Luxury Natural Villas (Carretera Libre Mérida-Valladolid, kilometre 3.5). For a more secluded holiday—with nature coming to you rather than you going to nature—check out this chic four-star resort. Just 10 villas gathered around a beautiful pool.
Coqui Coqui Perfumeria (Valladolid, Mérida, Izamal and, a bit further away, Bora Bora). If you want serious boasting rights, stay at one of the four Yucatán locations of this single-suite collection of micro hotels. Tucked behind streetfront boutiques, each suite has a unique vintage-y vibe and a private outdoor courtyard.
Where to eat
Terraza Don Diablo (rooftop of Hotel Mesón del Marqués, Calle 39, 30, Valladolid). Enjoy local dishes and original cocktails with a view of the main church and colourful square.
Conato (Calle 40, Valladolid). Delicious regional dishes (lots of pork and seafood) and showy cocktails served in a funky atmosphere featuring works by local artists. Managed by LGBTQ+ people.
Salón Gallos (Calle 63, 459-B, Parque de La Mejorada, Mérida). Tucked away in a former industrial space, this resto-bar-gallery-cinema-wine-bar-performance space has room after room of coolness. The cuisine is Yucatán-Lebanese fusion, but you’re here for the beautiful clientele.
Holoch (Calle 64, 472, Parque de Santa Lucia, Mérida). Named after the dried corn husk that (quite successfully, actually) drives the decor of this, as our host told us, “effortlessly chic” spot. Grilling is the name of the game and the outdoor kitchen gets pretty smoky.
Mercado San Benito (Calle 54 s/n, Mérida). If you’re hankering for something authentic without pretension—or fusion—head to this local market just south of Plaza Grande. In the maze of market buildings, there are vendors selling everything you can name, and some things, like local herbs and medicinal concoctions, you probably couldn’t. Around the edges and in courtyards, there are local restaurants where you can feast on local favourites like cochinita pibil and deliciously double-fried panuchos.
Where to party
Papis (Calle 72 400b, Mérida). Strippers in costumes—I’ve seen a lumberjack, race car driver, clown and surgeon—promenade on the concrete bartop to the delight of patrons, who tip with “Papis Pesos” they can buy two-for-one from the door staff. A genuine stud-filled phenomenon.
DIX Bar (Calle 53 495, Parque de Santa Lucia, Mérida). Though the room looks like a nothing-burger black box, the crowd is actually quite on-trend, showing tremendous appreciation for the amazing high-concept drag shows featuring what seems like an army of queens. Dancing breaks out after the show.
Jorges Imperial (Calle 63, 472, Mérida). What was, back in the day, a dive-y cantina and the only officially gay spot in downtown Mérida is now a slightly-less-dive-y show bar with drag queens and go-go boys. Cheap and cheerful and close to transit.
Banana’s Club (Corner of Calle 89 and Calle 62, Mérida). Yucatecan people love a show bar and this smaller one has both drag performers and go-go boys, sometimes together, sometimes separately.
La Turquesa (Calle 69, Mérida). Casual dining with regional dishes in a down-home environment. Plus drag shows. Grab yourself a bucket of beer, lean back and have a wild night.
Casa Chica (Paseo de Montejo 498B, Zona Paseo Montejo, Mérida). Though the food—sandwiches, pastas and local dishes—is nothing to write home about, this is an easygoing gay-friendly place to gather a gaggle of friends and spend an afternoon watching the world go by.
La Negrita (Calle 62, esquina Calle 49, Mérida). This gay-friendly cantina has a distinctly Cuban vibe; there’s usually a band playing salsa in the courtyard. It gets packed and lively so come early to get a table.
Where to gear up
Zuppo Merida Oficial (Calle 60, between 57 and 55, upstairs, near Parque de Santa Lucia, Mérida). A wide selection of jockstraps, thongs and colourful undies, this is an official outlet of the Zuppo family of undergarment brands.
Editor’s note: The cost of the writer’s trip was covered by Tourism Yucatan and its partners. The sponsors of the trip did not direct or review coverage. The views expressed are the writer’s own.
