Yucatan in $230s-$240s RT

Looking for beaches without throngs of tourists? I got you. 

In 2022, I had the opportunity to spend 8 months snoozing in palapas on some of the Yucatan's underrated coast. 

My home base, Progreso, was a quick 35-minute drive from Merida. Close enough for supply runs and weekend escapes but far enough to slip into a slower rhythm. It's not exactly off the beaten path, but compared to Cancun or Playa del Carmen, it is. The beach is wide and walkable, dotted with breezy malecon strolls and laid-back seafood joints right on the sand. 

I mean, look, I had this view almost all to myself on a Friday afternoon: 

And if you're craving even more peace and quiet, the sleepy villages of Chelem and Chuburna, just west of Progreso, fly even further under the radar (except with a surprisingly active immigrant community from the USA). 

Further west still, Sisal is a designated Pueblo Mágico that's seeing a slow and steady rise of eco-conscious tourism thanks to its protected mangroves and silent powdery shores.