How to Get to Valladolid, Yucatán, Mexico

In the heart of the Yucatán Peninsula is Valladolid: a small Spanish colonial town few travelers know about. Providing an authentic Mexican and Maya experience, the city should be added to every backpacker’s bucket list. And the good news: it’s easy to get to Valladolid.

Why You Should Visit Valladolid, Yucatán, Mexico

The city is an afterthought to most travelers, often passing through as they head to the Riviera Maya, Mérida, or Chichén Itzá. It’s time to rethink that and make a pit stop, though.

Valladolid offers a multitude of reasons to visit but a few we can quick think of are:

• You can easily beat the crowds at Chichén Itzá.
• It’s the best place to get to Ek’ Balam, an equally as amazing Mayan Ruin.
• Cenotes and their Maya history surround the area giving you more than enough opportunity to explore culture and some of the coolest watering holes in the world.
• Other famous Mayan Ruins are easily accessible from the city center.

Getting There: Airports on the Yucatán Peninsula

The obvious choice here is Cancún International Airport (CUN) as it serves as the gateway to the Yucatán Peninsula and the state of Quintana Roo. In fact, the airport is the second busiest in Mexico, only behind Mexico City (MEX).

The not so obvious choice is Mérida International Airport (MID). After all, the Mérida airport is much closer to Valladolid than Cancún – but it’ll all be dependent on what the cheapest rate is.

Search Skyscanner to compare prices and find your best option.

Get to Valladolid from major destinations on the Yucatán Peninsula

Whether you’ve landed in Cancún or Mérida, it’s likely you’ve ventured out to some pretty awesome destinations. For backpackers and travelers, it’s easy to get to Valladolid from any of the towns you’ve likely found yourself in.

• Cancún to Valladolid
• Playa del Carmen to Valladolid
• Tulum to Valladolid
• Mérida to Valladolid

Make the trip by Bus

Overall, the cheapest way to get to Valladolid from any of these destinations is by bus. The states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán do a surprisingly great job with their bus system. The ADO is typically the nicest and most efficient of the bunch.

Searching for times and prices is easy on BusBud, our favorite search engine when comparing bus ticket prices.

Or Rent a Car

A more expensive option, but one with way more freedom, is to rent a car. Easiest bet is to rent at the airport, although it may be slightly more expensive due to the convenience factor. Otherwise, take the bus to another town first and rent for cheaper there.

Compare rates on Discover Cars, our favorite tool when finding a car rental in other countries.

Travel from Cancún to Valladolid

Cancún to Valladolid is 160 km and takes about 2 hours.

Bus Stations: buses depart Cancún to Valladolid from the airport terminal or near the city center bus station. Search BusBud for prices and times.

The Route: Out of Cancún, you’ll take the Mexico 180D straight to Valladolid’s city center. Rent a car on Discover Car to find the best rate in Cancún.

Travel from Playa del Carmen to Valladolid

Playa del Carmen to Valladolid is 141 km and takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Oftentimes, buses may make a pit stop in Tulum, increasing travel time by a half hour and 20 more km.

Bus Stations: buses depart Playa del Carmen to Valladolid from the ADO Terminal Turistica. It’s near the main strip and ferry to Cozumel. Search BusBud for prices and times.

The Route: Out of Playa del Carmen, you’ll take the Mexico 305D northwest until merging onto the 180D heading west. Rent a car on Discover Car to find the best rate in Playa del Carmen.

Travel from Tulum to Valladolid

Tulum to Valladolid is 102 km and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. These buses often make a pit stop at the Mayan Ruins of Cobá along the way.

Bus Stations: buses depart Tulum to Valladolid from the Terminal Autobuses Tulum ADO. It’s right on the main street in the central district of Tulum. Search BusBud for prices and times.

The Route: Out of Tulum, you’ll take the 109 northwest to the town of Chemax. Here, you’ll turn left on the 180 heading west. Rent a car on Discover Car to find the best rate in Tulum.

Travel from Mérida to Valladolid

Mérida to Valladolid is 159 km and takes about 2 hours.

Bus Stations: buses depart Mérida to Valladolid from the Terminal ADO Mérida near the city center. Search BusBud for prices and times.

The Route: Out of Mérida, you’ll take the Mexico 180D headed east straight to Valladolid’s city center. This is the same road that will eventually take you all the way to Cancún. Rent a car on Discover Car to find the best rate in Mérida.

For extra navigation while traveling Mexico

A great app I use every day while I travel is maps.me. You can download detailed maps to use when offline with no service in foreign countries.

National Geographic makes two extremely useful maps when traveling Mexico: the Mexico Adventure Travel Map and the Yucatán Peninsula Adventure Travel Map. I used both extensively and still use them to this day to reference back on my trip.

Find Accommodation in Valladolid

The city is full of great hostels offering all sorts of cheap, budget friendly accommodation. In recent years, the amount of hostels have increased so you’re sure to always find a room. Find the best one on HostelWorld.

Visiting Valladolid

The city was a pleasant surprise to stumble upon during our journey in Mexico. What we thought would be a quick stop turned into a multi-day affair filled with Mayan Ruins, scooter running, and cenote exploration.

We hope to be back soon. In the mean time, enjoy Valladolid for us!

Happy travels, explorers!