QUINTANA ROO

Quintana Roo. The most popular place for tourism in Mexico. Also home to the most egregious over-tourism in the country, holding a candle to anywhere in the world. I will get this out of the way right now. I do not like Quintana Roo. I avoid it almost entirely, to be honest. I would be surprised if I ever went back. It is overrun with tourists and not just any old tourist, the worst type of US tourist. The zero Spanish speaking, gringo definition people who come down to be free in "Mexico", and use it as an excuse to be an embarrassment wherever they go. That may be a little harsh, but that is just my opinion.    That's not to say that Quintana Roo or QROO is all bad. It's located on the tropical Yucatan Peninsula at the southern tip of Mexico. Near the border of Belize, and the gateway of the Caribbean. It is an undeniably beautiful place. It's stunning actually. With some of the most pristine beaches in Mexico, great diving, some of the most intact ruins in Latin America, mind-blowing cenotes, great food, and year-round good weather. All of these amazing things however have been trampled on by the amount of tourism that comes to the area per year. Over 20 million people. 20 MILLION. Visited Quintana Roo in 2023. That is an insane number. As a result, much of the state has been gentrified, turned into resorts and white-washed places for people to stay and eat.  My personal advice for anyone traveling Mexico is to avoid QROO. Don't even come. Take the few weeks or whatever you were going to come here and go explore something else. That's just me. There is so much else to see in Mexico and the rest of Central America that is so much more authentic, so much more interesting and memorable. And to be honest so much more responsible of a place to put your money into than visiting the foreign-money-controlled QROO. But if you are going to go, there are a handful of places that you will likely be looking to go to. Those places are here and outlined. I have been to them all. Some I enjoyed and are lovely places. Some I hated and won't return to ever (Tulum and Cancun whattup).  Most people, especially if you are coming from Europe, will find yourself with a flight in or out of Cancun. It's the cheapest way to get from Europe, and most flights go through that airport. So you will be here already. If you are here and want to spend some time, there are some good options. I would get out of Cancun as fast as possible, and get yourself to somewhere like Bacalar or Holbox. This place isn't all bad. I am likely being too harsh. But from a relative perspective, there are just so many places with so much more to offer.