Epic Three-Week Mexico Road Trip Itinerary
Part 1: Merida to Cholula
This road trip through Mexico was barely planned due to the ticking clock of getting our car back up to the United States to get a new Temporary Import Permit. We knew where the destination was and that we had three weeks to make it there but that was basically all we knew when we got started.
We have explored Mexico for the past two years, mostly flying to different locations, but we have found our favorite way to explore this amazing, diverse country is by car. From epic mountains to lush rainforests to tropical beaches and everything in between, this country has so much natural beauty. Mexico also has some of the most epic cities and small towns brimming with colorful, rich tradition, dotting the entire country. In a nutshell, Mexico probably has more than you can expect to experience in ten lifetimes.
In this article we hope you will find some inspiration as well as a couple of tips and tricks with things to see along the way as we continue to explore this incredible country.
Day 1
Merida, Yucatan to Villahermosa, Tabasco
Time Duration: Approximately 7 hours 30 minutes (plus packing)
Prepping For Our Trip
As stated above we were not expecting to make such an epic road trip on such short notice. Thankfully just 6 months before we had made the trip from Portland to Merida so we had almost everything that you would need to stay safe and have fun while making the long drive. And perhaps more importantly, we knew we could do it safely, despite the well-meaning concerns of loved ones in the United States.
First off, our car is not a new car. We drive a 1997 Honda CRV with about 200,000 miles on it. People were/are surprised when we tell them what car we use to travel around the continent but to be honest this car still feels young. 200,000 for a Honda is still fairly low as the cars are known to start falling apart on the outside before the engine will give up.
We have our travel gear kit that consists of two 5 gallon gas cans, tools for the car (ie a jack, etc), sleeping bags in case of emergency, a waterproof tent (learned our lesson on that one before), flashlights, clothes, a heavy duty batter that will charge up multiple devices for hours, and our electronics that we use for entertainment, work and communication. (More on our full road trip kit coming soon.)
Once we had the car packed up and the house cleaned for our cat sitter we were on the road. We said goodbye to Merida and headed south through the state of Yucatan then into Campeche.
We left late that day and this was one of our longer drives (almost 8 hours) of the trip which brings us to our first road trip tip!
Mexico Road Trip Tip #1:
“Try as hard as you can not to drive at night.”
The drive through the Yucatan to Campeche on our way to our first stop, Villahermosa, is beautiful as you pass through small, sleepy fishing villages along the sparkling Gulf of Mexico coast.
Because of our late start we were lucky (and not so lucky) to see the sunset over the water which was as breathtaking as you can imagine.
Our time and the sun suddenly disappeared and we found ourselves driving with all of the night drivers (imagine semi-trucks speeding down narrow highways) which in Mexico can be quite an experience. We still felt incredibly safe as we continued on our path moving through the inland farms of Campeche.
As soon as we neared the state of Tabasco we saw a checkpoint which is very common to see on trips. There are police and military that are there to keep things safe (we have been told they are patrolling for illegal smuggling of certain goods). Cassie had switched to the driver’s seat for this portion of the trip. As we neared the check point one police officer had us pull over to the side of the road.
Our First Bribe
“Sometimes things seem like urban legends until they actually happen.”
We were keeping up with traffic as much as we could at night. We are very slow drivers in Mexico and typically have to pull over and let others pass but on this night we were keeping up with the traffic. 50 miles per hour then slowed down to about 20-30 miles per hour. When the officer pulled us over we thought it was the typical check for our temporary import permit because we have US plates on our car. We quickly realized this was not the case when he started to discuss our speed and how we were going 30km (18mph) in a 10km (6.2mph) zone and that we needed to pay a fine.
We were clueless when this happened and asked what we needed to do. The very kind and apologetic officer explained that we needed to drive 4 hours back the way we had come to the City of Campeche in order to pay our fine. He also said he needed our drivers’ licenses before we headed back, which was counterintuitive because we need our license to drive.
He said it would be 3000 pesos (about $150 USD) for the fine, but since it was late he would do us a favor (here comes the bribe) and lower it in half (1500 pesos) and we would not need to make the trip back. We could handle it there. Because we were clueless and this was the first time, we agreed since we believed it meant that we could go on with the rest of the trip.
So we paid our fine and left…
Mexico Road Trip Tip #2:
If you run into a situation where you have the option to pay on the spot or go to the Police station choose the Police Station. Most of the time if you insist they will drop the charge and let you go on your way. Because they know that it is a bribe and it is illegal.
One hour later, sitting exhausted in our Airbnb we sat discussing what had just happened. On the other hand, we were just thankful we had gotten to our first leg of the trip safe and sound, and that we were in a very comfortable place to get our rest before the next day heading to Cholula Puebla.
Day 2
Villahermosa, Tabasco to Cholula, Puebla
Time Duration: Approximately 8 hours
Thanks to Zuriela Benitez for sharing their work on Unsplash.
A Tidbit About Villahermosa:
Is an industrial town in the state of Tabasco that was founded in 1594 and is the largest city in Tabasco. It is mostly a business center with a focus on the Mexican oil industry. For more info read more here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villahermosa.
We arrived in Villahermosa around 10 or 11 pm so ready for bed.
Mexico Road Trip Tip #3:
When booking through Airbnb check the filter under Facilities called “Free Parking on Premises” if you are driving, especially if you have valuables in your car.
Our Airbnb was located in a secure and gated fracionamento (a small neighborhood in a city) and our host was nice enough to let us park our car in her garage during our stay.
Nate woke up at about 4 am to teach his students in China in a closet that worked as a sound and light barrier for Cassie who does not wake up that early. We have been in tighter accommodations in the past while teaching and traveling if you can believe it. I guess one thing you learn to adjust and adapt to as you travel more and more.
Both of us getting up with the sun on our second day to hit the road felt great. We had passed our largest hurdle of hitting the road and leaving home, and even with the 75 US bribe leaving our pockets our spirits were high. We grabbed some coffee and headed to Cholula, a place we had never been to before.
On the Road Between Villahermosa and Cholula
Living in the Yucatan for the past 2 years we do not see rivers unless they are flowing down the streets in Centro (inside joke for Merida) or technically underground in cenotes. The first thing we noticed on the road was the amazing rivers crisscrossing the landscapes and to be honest, we were blown away by their beauty. Most of the land between the major cities in the states of Tabasco and Veracruz is farmland or natural wetland areas. It is lush and teeming with life.
We did not make too many stops other than for gas, but if you have more time we suggest taking in the natural beauty of the county and stopping to look at some of the rivers or wildlife that you will see along the way.
Keep Your Eyes Out
Look out for local farmers that use the highways to herd their goats. Not sure how they do it but one farmer will walk more than 20-30 goats on his own down the side or middle of the highway. It was a really cool sight to see.
Leading Up To Cholula
The landscape starts to visibly shift as you keep driving west through Veracruz and near the State of Puebla with an increase in elevation. As you drive into the mountains lookout for Citlaltépetl(Pico de Orizaba), the tallest mountain in Mexico, and a popular climbing destination. Stop and take in the epic views and the mountain scenery on this leg of the trip. If you time your departure well the sunsets are worth a while to stop and take in all of the beauty. At points along the curvy and winding highway up and up through the pine trees and cool mountain air, I wondered if I had been transported back to Oregon or California.
We arrived in Cholula (while it was still light!), with an hour to spare before I taught the night shift of VIP Kid English online lessons in China. We checked into our amazing, artistic Airbnb across the street from a yellow church built in the 1500’s (?). The Airbnb was at the top of a three-floor, quirky building with lots of windows, the glow of the sunset and a panoramic view of the whole enchanting town of Cholula around us.
We were excited for our next day to explore it. But that night, we stayed close to home as Cassie went to Ocho 30 for takeout dinner and I taught. We got a good night sleep for the next day…
Stay tuned for part 2 of our Epic Roadtrip coming next week!
Check out our Vlog about our Road Trip: Part One & Subscribe!!!!!
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