Time difference Yucatán Peninsula
Mexico spans three time zones. As far as the Yucatán Peninsula is concerned, the states of Campeche and Yucatán have 7 hours less all year round (except for one week of beat, at the end of March and the beginning of November, due to the different time change dates). The state of Quintana Roo stays on summer time all year long. The time difference with France is therefore 6 hours in winter and 7 hours in summer.
Opening hours Yucatán Peninsula
To see / To do Yucatán Peninsula
Museum hours vary, but as a general rule they are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. The cenotes: every day from 9am to 5pm. Archaeological sites: from 8am to 5pm (ticket office closes at 4pm). It is recommended to arrive at the sites as soon as they open or at least before 10am (or after 3pm), to avoid being in the middle of the groups that disembark in tourist buses around 10 or 11am. The other advantage is that it is less hot than during the day. In any case, bring a hat, sun cream, mosquito repellent and enough water. Good shoes too, we will avoid flip-flops to climb the pyramids!
Enjoying yourself Yucatán Peninsula
Meals are taken at different times than in France, later, a bit like in Spain. Breakfast can be taken directly on the market or on the corner of the street, where there is no lack of fresh fruit juice and salad stands(coktel de frutas). It can be taken until 10 or 11 am, depending on the profession of each one. For those who are in a hurry, a few tacos to devour standing in the street around the puesto (street stall) that makes them will do the trick. The comida (lunch) is the main meal of the day. It is never eaten before 2:00 pm, often at 3:00 pm and later; it can go on forever. Generally the popular restaurants called fondas only open for breakfast and lunch and close around 5pm. The cena (dinner) is not very common in the country villages where, because of the late lunch hour, it sometimes consists only of a hot chocolate and a pan dulce. The habit of dining out in the evening is not particularly widespread, except perhaps in the city where European habits have been introduced
Take a break Yucatán Peninsula
In the city, cafes often open Monday to Saturday from 7am, and close around 9pm. There are sometimes happy hours of cocktails in the middle of the afternoon or early evening. On the beaches, the beach clubs are open every day (except in the very low season), from 9 or 10 am, and until around 7 or 8 pm, but sometimes much later when they are festive places.
(To) please yourself Yucatán Peninsula
The opening hours vary greatly depending on the tourist season, especially in the seaside resorts of the Caribbean coast. In the high season most shops are open every day with extended opening hours. In very low season, many establishments close. Shops generally open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 7pm or 8pm in the cities, and from 8am to 6pm in the countryside. Shopping centres are open every day with later opening hours, often from 10am to 10 or 11pm. Souvenir shops also close late in tourist resorts like Playa or Tulum.
Get out Yucatán Peninsula
Mexico is a country that likes to celebrate life with music and parties. In the Yucatán peninsula, the seaside resorts of Cancún and Playa del Carmen are famous for this and some people come here just to dance until dawn to the sets of international DJs. Cancún in particular is a dream for American students who are waiting for one thing: to come and forget everything during the spring break period in early spring. The idea is to relieve the pressure of studying, far from their parents, in the tropics. A week of unlimited parties in a see, sex and sun concept, with unlimited alcohol! If you like big party gatherings, this is the time to come to Cancún, but book your accommodation several weeks in advance. Outside of this period, which extends from the end of February to mid-April, Cancún remains a very festive city, especially in the Zona Hotelera, as well as Playa del Carmen (on the beaches and the Quinta Avenida), with a great atmosphere in the beach clubs from early afternoon. Tulum is not bad either, but in a much more chic or/and bohemian style. Elsewhere in the peninsula, in the big cities like Merida or Campeche, the nightlife is much more authentic and Mexican, and much cheaper too, with picturesque bars and cantinas where you can meet Mexicans and attend concerts by local bands, over tequila shots or craft beers. In Mexico, people usually go out late, starting on Wednesday or Thursday night. On Fridays and Saturdays, the bars are full.
