Cancun & Riviera Maya in Dec - Need help
 

Hi, I'm planning a 10 day trip to Mexico with a friend over the Christmas break. The tentative itinerary is as follows:

Day 1 (12/23): Arrive in Mexico City in the morning.
Day 2 (12/24): Take a morning bus to Oaxaca.
Day 3 (12/25): Take a flight/bus to San Cristobal/Palenque?
Day 4 (12/26): Palenque. Onward to Merida
Day 5 - Day 6 (12/27-12/28): Merida
Day 7 (12/29): Chichen Itza and then onward to Cancun
Day 8 - Day 10 (12/30 - 01/01): Cancun

What's the most convenient route to Palenque from Oaxaca? I see only 11 hour bus options.
Are 2 days sufficient to cover the ruins in and around Merida?
Also, any suggestions on hotels or hostels to stay at would be great. I was looking into hostels in the Cancun area. Any recommendations? Do Tulum, Islas Mujares/Islas Holbox offer any interesting hostel options? We would be spending our New Year's in Cancun, so I realize everything is going to be packed. I would like to avoid the big resorts or the top end hotel kind of places.

Thanks!

> Day 1 (12/23): Arrive in Mexico City in the morning.
Day 2 (12/24): Take a morning bus to Oaxaca.
Day 3 (12/25): Take a flight/bus to San Cristobal/Palenque?
Day 4 (12/26): Palenque. Onward to Merida

It doesn't seem that you are leaving time to visit any of these locations.

> Are 2 days sufficient to cover the ruins in and around Merida?

Yes, but I think it would be difficult to see Uxmal and the Ruta Puuc and Merida itself in just 2 days.

I don't think your itinerary makes sense, you are covering WAY too much ground in WAY too short a time. You don't even had 1 day in most places.

I would suggest doing one 1/2 of that trip or the other:

DF - Oaxaca - San Cristobal - Palenque
OR
Merida - Chichen Itza - Cancun (Isla Mujeres, Tulum)

Thanks. This helps. Will probably leave San Cristobal/Palenque out. Any suggestions on places to stay at in Cancun?

I'm no expert on Cancun, but I know hostels and inexpensive Mexican style hotels are in the old downtown area, compared to the mega-resort strip that is the hotel zone/beach.

Try airbnb.com They have many inexpensive rooms/apts./houses all around Mexico. We've used this site many times and have not been dissapointed with our finds yet. In fact we'll be going to Playa del Carmen in February and have found a beautiful rental home for $50 per night. Good luck with your trip.