Riviera Maya Discovery — Self-Launched 5-Day Yucatán Adventure

Fly into Cancún International Airport (CUN). Skip the hotel-arranged private transfer and take the ADO bus from outside the arrivals terminal to downtown Cancún (~£3-4, 30-40 mins, runs frequently until late). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in the downtown/Supermanzana area rather than the Hotel Zone — it's cheaper, safer to walk around and far better for food. Spend the afternoon orienting yourself: pick up a SIM/eSIM (Telcel is the best coverage), withdraw pesos from a bank ATM (avoid airport exchange desks), and walk the Mercado 28 area for a cheap first dinner of tacos or cochinita pibil. Book your day tours tonight for the next few days via GetYourGuide or directly with reputable local operators (avoid the pushy tour touts on the street).

🚌ADO airport bus to downtown Cancún (~£3-4); walking

🛏Hostel dorm or private room in downtown Cancún guesthouse (e.g. Hostel Ka'bé or similar)

• →ADO bus transfer to downtown
• →SIM card and pesos setup
• →Mercado 28 food walk
• →Book day tours for the coming days

The operator bundles Tulum, Cobá, a cenote swim and a Mayan village into one guided day with a hotel pickup — you can do the same sights independently. Cheapest route: take an ADO bus from Cancún to Tulum (~£7-9, 2 hrs) and arrive at the Tulum archaeological site at opening (8am) to beat the crowds and the heat; entry is around £5-6. Do a self-guided loop with a guidebook or audio guide, then head back to the Tulum bus terminal. From there, catch an ADO or second-class bus to Cobá (~1.5 hrs) and climb the Nohoch Mul pyramid (entry ~£5) for the jungle canopy views. There's a small cenote near the Cobá site where you can swim for a few pounds — a quieter alternative to the big tour cenotes. If you'd rather not juggle timetables, a GetYourGuide or Civitatis small-group Tulum + Cobá + cenote day tour from Cancún runs around £45-60 including entry and lunch — still far cheaper than the packaged version. Overnight in Tulum (budget guesthouse) or bus back to Cancún.

🚌ADO bus Cancún–Tulum (~£8), local bus Tulum–Cobá (~£4), ADO back

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Tulum Centro (or return to your Cancún base)

• →Tulum archaeological site (self-guided, entry ~£5.50)
• →Cobá ruins and Nohoch Mul climb (entry ~£5)
• →Cenote swim near Cobá (~£3-4)
• →Alternative: GetYourGuide Tulum+Cobá+cenote day tour ~£50

The tour includes a catamaran cruise with open bar and snorkelling; the budget version is the public ferry from Puerto Juárez. Take a local bus or colectivo from downtown Cancún to Puerto Juárez terminal (~£1), then the Ultramar or Magaña ferry to Isla Mujeres (~£8-10 return, 20 mins, departures every 20-30 mins). Rent a bike or golf cart on the island, or just walk the north beach (Playa Norte) — one of the best swimming beaches in Mexico and free. For snorkelling, book a short local boat trip to the Underwater Museum or El Farito reef directly at the harbour (~£20-25), or bring your own mask for snorkelling off the rocks. Lunch on the island is cheap at the local loncherías away from the ferry dock. Return to Cancún in the late afternoon. If you'd rather do the catamaran-with-snorkelling experience, Klook and GetYourGuide sell Isla Mujeres catamaran day trips from ~£35-45.

🚌Local bus to Puerto Juárez (~£1), return ferry to Isla Mujeres (~£9)

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in downtown Cancún

• →Ultramar ferry to Isla Mujeres
• →Playa Norte swim
• →Local snorkel boat trip (~£22) or DIY snorkelling
• →Island walk or bike rental

This is the long day — the tour does it in a 12-hour coach with an early 6:30am pickup. DIY version: catch the first ADO bus from Cancún bus terminal to Chichén Itzá (there's a direct early service, ~2.5-3 hrs, ~£10-13). Arrive as gates open (8am) — this is essential, both for the light and to dodge the midday tour buses. Entry is around £24-27 (the foreigner rate, which stings but applies on the tour too). Hire a local certified guide at the entrance for ~£20-25 to split between a few travellers, or read up in advance. Afterwards, walk or take a short taxi to Cenote Ik Kil (~£5 entry) for a swim, then catch a colectivo or second-class bus to Valladolid (~45 mins, ~£3), a lovely colonial town for lunch and a wander around the main square and Convento de San Bernardino. Return to Cancún by ADO or Oriente bus in the evening (~£10-13) — or better, stay the night in Valladolid to break up the journey. A small-group Chichén Itzá + cenote + Valladolid tour via GetYourGuide from Cancún runs about £45-60 including entry and lunch if you prefer the logistics handled.

🚌ADO bus Cancún–Chichén Itzá (~£12), colectivo to Valladolid (~£3), ADO Valladolid–Cancún (~£12)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Valladolid (recommended) or back in Cancún

• →Chichén Itzá self-guided visit (entry ~£25)
• →Local guide hire (~£22, shareable)
• →Cenote Ik Kil swim (~£5)
• →Valladolid old town and convent walk
• →Alternative: GetYourGuide small-group day tour ~£50

Depending on where you overnighted, take a morning ADO bus back to Cancún (or straight from Valladolid if you stayed there — Valladolid has good connections via ADO to Cancún airport). Spend a final few hours with a cheap breakfast at a local fonda, a last wander through Parque Las Palapas or a quick beach stop, then take the ADO airport bus for your flight. If your flight is late, the Cancún Maya Museum is a solid £6 way to fill a few hours. Extra nights at the operator's chosen 4-star hotel cost US$230/night — a downtown hostel private room is closer to £25-40, so extending your trip independently is dramatically cheaper.

🚌ADO bus to Cancún airport (~£3-4)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Local breakfast
• →Parque Las Palapas wander
• →Optional Cancún Maya Museum (~£6)