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What is the Best time to visit Mérida, Mexico?
The best time to visit Mérida is in the 6 cooler months from late October to March. There are more crowds and higher prices, but you’ll have the best weather, little rain and swimming is possible. Or visit Mérida for festivals like Mérida Fest, Easter or Christmas.
What else should be considered?
When choosing what is the best time to visit Mérida, Mexico in 2024, there are of course other things to consider than just the climate. For example, whether you want to attend a particular festival or event, whether you want to take part in certain activities in the city or even when the vacations are.
Flight costs and hotel rates also differ, and are cheaper in the low season (April to September). When it is at its hottest, in May, even the locals prefer to stay at home in the afternoons.
One disadvantage in the high season from the end of October to March is of course that there are significantly more tourists. Especially if you want to go on excursions to well-known sites such as Chichén Itzá or Tulum, it is very crowded (unless you arrive very early in the morning), but the temperatures are much more pleasant.
Important festivals in Mérida in 2024 are
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Mérida Fest in January (it lasts several weeks with numerous cultural and artistic events)
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Day of the Dead in October (aka Hanal Pixan Festival, one of the top events in Mérida)
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Noche Blanca in May and November (the biggest cultural night of the year in Mérida)
But for many, the best time to travel to Mérida, Mexico - or generally to the Yucatan Peninsula - will be based on the best weather (particularly the temperature) and that's understandable.
If you want precise weather information or would like to plan your personal best time to visit Mérida according to festivals, events, special activities or certain public holidays, read on.
What is the best month to travel to Merida?
Month | Best Time? | Av. Temp. | Rain Chance | Mayor Festivals 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
January | 74°F / 23°C | 12% | Mérida Fest | |
February | 76°F / 24°C | 11% | No mayor festivals | |
March | 79°F / 26°C | 10% | Carnival in Mérida | |
April | 82°F / 28°C | 10% | Easter (Holy Week) | |
May | 84°F / 29°C | 22% | Noche Blanca | |
June | 83°F / 28°C | 44% | No mayor festivals | |
July | 82°F / 28°C | 48% | Feria Artesanal Tunich | |
August | 81°F / 27°C | 52% | Feria Artesanal Tunich | |
September | 80°F / 27°C | 54% | Mexico’s Independence Day | |
October | 77°F / 25°C | 35% | Day of the Dead | |
November | 75°F / 24°C | 18% | Noche Blanca, Feria de Xmatkuil | |
December | 74°F / 23°C | 14% | Christmas Season |
Great Tours
Best Mérida Day Trips
If you would like to explore the Yucatan Peninsula with a guided tour, there are wonderful experiences from Viator - one of the wordwide market leader. We have selected the three best tours for you.
You save time and nerves, get all the insider tips you need from an expert tour guide and can join up with others if you wish. And it's also safer to travel in a group.
Best Weather
Best weather to visit Mérida, Mexico
Mérida has a tropical climate. The coolest month in Mérida is January with an average temperature of 74°F (23°C). Temperatures rise noticeably in March and the hottest months in Mérida are April and May with 82 to 84°F (28 to 29°C). The record low was 4.9°C (40°F), the record high was 42.8°C (109°F).
While the temperatures have started to cool down, September is still in the rainy season and it will often rain for about an hour in the afternoons. But the temperatures are not so hot anymore and from October onwards, the rain subsides.
Swimming is possible all year round. The water temperatures range from 74°F (25°C) in January to 83°F (28°C) in August. And if you want to surf: You will have the most wind from February to May.
Temperatures in Mérida
The rainy season in Mérida
In the course of May, the probability of rain rises sharply from 10% to 40%. The rainy season in Mérida runs from end of May through mid-October. The hurricane season lasts a month longer, into November. Mérida is a bit far from the coast, so it can get a bit windy from time to time, but that's not a big deal.
The rainy season is the low season. However, this also means that you have the advantage during this time that there are significantly fewer crowds at the main attractions and, of course, the prices are also considerably lower. But no matter when you travel, you will have an amazing trip.
Rain probability in Mérida
Outside the high season
The fact that the travel season from October to March is popular is also due to the cold temperatures that dominate the USA, Canada or Europe during this time, which drive many travelers to warmer climates.
The key to visiting Mérida from May to September, is to be prepared:
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Avoid the midday sun.
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Remember to use adequate sun protection.
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Always take something to drink with you.
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Have a small travel umbrella ready to hand.
Beach Vacation
What to consider for a beach vacation?
As you know, Mérida is not directly by the sea, but if you plan to go to the beach more often or want to go on a beach vacation on the Caribbean side, you should keep an eye on Sargassum (a type of algae). It can sometimes become a problem in the summer months.
What is Sargassum?
Sargassum is a type of algae that floats freely in the sea and mainly collects in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic. However, it has now also reached the coastlines of different parts of the world, including the beaches of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Where and when do the algae appear?
The occurrence of Sargassum on the coasts varies annually, but there is typically a peak season that runs from about April to October, with a peak occurrence often in the summer months.
The Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, which includes destinations such as Cancún and Playa del Carmen, tends to be more affected by the sargassum problem than the northern Emerald Coast. This is due to the currents of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
If you want to know for sure: The Sargasso Monitoring Network is the world’s leading citizen science network dedicated to monitoring Sargassum seaweed. It publishes frequent reports on conditions of Mexico’s and other coasts.
Best Festivals
Best time for festivals and events
Mérida is known for its great festivals and offers widely known festivals lasting several days or even weeks, which attract tens of thousands of visitors and make the city vibrate. If you are looking for the best time to visit Mérida, Mexico, you can include (or avoid) the festivals.
Major festivals in Mérida
In the overview of all festivals in Mérida you will find the detailed information about the festivals.
1st half of the year
Opt for a January trip to experience Mérida Fest in Mérida. It is a huge annual celebration that honors the founding of Mérida and extends over several weeks. The Mérida Carnival is spectacular and one of the most anticipated festivals of the city. It takes usually place in February, but sometimes in March.
During the Holy Week in April, you can experience the culture of the Semana Santa processions in Mérida. It is the most important week in the church year. Noche Blance is usually celebrated twice a year (around May and November) with a great variety of about 250-300 cultural events.
2ndt half of the year
The Feria Artesanal Tunich (Tunich Arts and Crafts Fair) is usually beginning at the end of July. On Mexico's Independence Day on September 15 and the day after, festive events are held throughout the city.
The Day of the dead is known by it's Maya name, Hanal Pixan. It is November 1st and 2nd but the Mayans celebrate it from October 31st to November 2nd. All events in Mérida take place in the week before November 1. And the Noche Blanca takes place again in November.
Feria de Xmatkuil, a state fair, is one of the most anticipated events in southeastern México and takes place early November for a full month. Also the Christmas season at the end of the year is a great time to head to Mérida.
Daily events
Every day of the week you will also find a wide variety of fabulous events in Mérida - and many are free. If you are only in town for a few days, you can check the overview of all daily events in Mérida to see which events are particularly interesting for you.
Public Holidays
Best time to go to Mérida on holidays
You should pay attention to the major Mexican holidays when you are planning the best time to visit Mérida. Mexico is strongly Catholic. The Easter or Christmas holidays, for example, have a strong influence on life in Mérida when it comes to the best time to visit Mérida, Mexico.
There are 8 public holidays in Mexico:
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New Year's Day (January 1)
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Mexican Constitution Day (Feb. 5)
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Benito Juárez's birthday (March 21)
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Easter Sunday (in March)
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Labor Day (May 1)
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Mexican Independence Day (Sep. 16)
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Mexican Revolution Day (Nov. 20)
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Christmas Day (December 25)
New Year's Eve
On New Year's Eve, most people in Mérida either go out to eat or celebrate at home with their families. There are no public events, as is the case in many other countries. However, there are always fireworks in the various districts.
Easter holidays
Easter is the most important festival of the year besides Christmas. Semana Santa (Holy Week, one week before Easter) runs from Palm Sunday to the following Saturday and, together with Easter week, is the main holiday period in Mexico.
Schools and often stores close during this time and many Mexicans go on vacation during Easter. On Easter Sunday, Mexicans celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the highest Catholic holiday.
Christmas
Most stores close early on Christmas Eve and families celebrate late into the night. Christmas Day is therefore rather quiet in Mérida and at least the smaller stores usually remain closed. Only the bigger stores and restaurants in the city are likely to be open.
If you want to eat out, you can ask at the larger hotels. Some offer a traditional dinner on Christmas Eve and a brunch on Christmas Day. However, you should book well in advance if you are interested.
Alternatively, to avoid the hustle and bustle in the days leading up to Christmas and possible boredom during the Christmas period, you can plan some day trips on the Yucatán Peninsula.
Other public holidays
Other public holidays in Mexico that are non-working, depending on the region, include the world-famous Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Day of the Battle of Puebla, Mother's Day and Father's Day.
Tourists
How many tourists come to Mérida?
Mérida broke all records in 2023 and registered the highest number of visitors ever: Over 3 million guests. This was due not only to the city itself, but also to the rising interest in the surrounding Mayan archaeological sites. Mérida is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Mexico.
A fast growing destination
Mérida has already been one of the fastest growing destinations in Mexico for several years. For Americans and Canadians, Mérida has always been an interesting winter vacation destination. While everyone is freezing at home in winter, Mérida is warm all year round.
In recent years, the city has also done a lot to become even more attractive. Large parts of the city center were renovated, the spectacular Park La Plancha was opened, the Restaurant Row was launched and the cultural offering was expanded. The transport connections to and from Mérida have also improved.
Merida International Airport
Merida International Airport had over 3 million passengers per year in 2023. That was around 10% more than in the pre-pandemic period of 2019, when 2.8 million passengers came to Mérida.
This is also due to the significantly improved connections, as new flights to destinations in Mexico and Latin America have been added. There are also direct flights from the USA (Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Miami) and Canada (Toronto).
New transportation options
The new transportation options on the ground will also continue to boost growth. The Ie-Tram station in Gran Parque La Plancha in Mérida is the starting point of the new Ie-Tram Yucatán (since the end of 2023). The fully electric bus rapid transit network consists of 5 lines.
This new means of transportation will link 20 attractions in the city and more than 137 neighbourhoods along its route. And there is a direct connection to the Teya Mérida train station and you can travel with Tren Maya - a 1,525-kilometre intercity train that runs around the Yucatán Peninsula.
Your Stay
How many Days do you need in Merida?
At least 3 to 5 days are perfect for an initial visit of Mérida. But you can also use Mérida as a base for a couple of weeks for day trips to explore the Yucatán Peninsula. There are a lot of excursion possibilities and perhaps you would like to book Casa Loltún?
Things to do in Mérida
How many Days do you need in Merida? If you want to explore Mérida and all its sights, you can easily stay here for a week and have a program every day without leaving the city limits. You will find most of the exciting places in the historic city center and in the (newer) north of Mérida.
So, check out Discover Mérida with more than 100 recommendations!
Incidentally, there is less to see in the west and east of Mérida (apart from a few exceptions) and you can ignore entirely the southern area of the city - apart from the airport there is hardly any reason to look around.
Mérida day trips
No matter where you are on the Yucatán Peninsula, you can usually reach any destination within a maximum of 4 to 5 hours by car. And many great locations can be reached within 30 to 60 minutes by car from Mérida.
This makes Mérida a particularly interesting base for excursions on the Yucatan Peninsula. Many great locations can be reached from Mérida within 30 to 60 minutes by car. Check out all the amazing day trips!
In about 30 minutes you can reach:
In 30 to 60 minutes you can reach:
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Travel Tips
What else should you know for a visit to Mérida?
Especially if you are traveling to Mexico for the first time, take a look at our Traveling Tips for Mérida. Here you can find out everything you need to know before traveling to the Yucatan Peninsula. For example, tips on what you should pack, how best to stay online, what the best apps are, saftety tips and so on.
Of course, your accommodation in Mérida also plays a role. Important is a central location. Air conditioning is a must for most people. A small pool is a great addition. A large fridge with ice compartment and ice cube maker is very convenient, as is a chilled drinking water dispenser.
Do you know what? You will find all this at Casa Loltún.