At the top of the peninsula, pie-shaped Yucatan is the flattest state, with the poorest soil and the least rainfall. Here the tropical forest is low, dense, and scrubby. Hot year round, it is particularly sultry during the rainy months of late summer and fall, when biting bugs are at their worst.

Celestun and Rio Lagartos lure bird watchers, and nearby Isla Holbox is an island haven for escapists. Coastal infrastructure is limited but growing; accommodations outside Merida are generally basic.

Yucatan’s main draw is its Maya ruins. Despite the pressure of busloads of visitors, Chichen Itza remains among Mexico’s top archaeological sites. Strategically placed throughout the large site is Mesoamerica’s largest ball court, a sacrificial sinkhole, and stepped pyramids covered in bas-relief carvings.