This place was like a eating a battered Mars bar for me. As soon as I think I’m satisfied, ten mins later I immediately want more.
In this post...
I couldn’t put my camera down
20 EPIC Valladolid Instagram spots for travelling Mexico. From taco stand to taco stand I couldn’t put my camera down. Not that I’m a pro, more of a flounderer. But I will chase the shot. I find it makes places more interesting. Trying to hunt out that cracking pic I feel proud to share on the old Insta. And more importantly with me mam.
Scanning Google prior to arriving here I figured “aye, seems like a nice, quiet little place. Probably a good stop to break up the journey from Merida to Tulum.” Whooaa there. The place rocks! I mean it’s small. But I thought it was incredibly cool. Not that try hard ‘we want to be cool’ like Tulum can be. Just effortlessly cool. Less touristy too. Three nights here was enough to see it all on a time frame. But I could have stayed for a month happily TRX’ing-digi-nomad-working-away.
If you’re looking for a detailed travel guide for Valladolid? I wrote one right
here.(Coming soon – full of advice, tips and a useful guide to backpacking Valladolid. As always with terrible grammar).
The cherry on top was staying at Hostel Las Cruces. Small, clean and very friendly. One of those places that feels homely. Like your mums about to shout up if you want some carrot cake with a cuppa. Like minded explorers and a dog is frequent it. We got the double room. Came with a front balcony looking over a park. Spot on for a morning stretch in the Y-fronts, tea in hand. Breakfast was plentiful. I’m talking fruits, waffles, eggs and dam good coffee.
The list
I know a place is wicked if I get back to the accommodation and immediately want to begin looking through and editing the days photos. Even before going on Insta to check-in with The Rock. Little V had me doing that. Here’s what I snapped with some advice on how to get there, cost and the best times to take the perfect shot. Catch me at @trxtraveller for constant photo spam. 20 EPIC Valladolid Instagram spots for travelling Mexico:
1. Cenote Chan Suytun
@themoonontheotherside having a hole load of fun 
Holey moley. Puns done.
Certainly one of the most dramatic spots for photography I’ve frolicked in.
| How to get there | Jump in a collectivo from the centre of town that’s heading to Tikuch. Takes about 20mins to arrive. |
| Best time to go | You want to be aiming for around 11am to midday just as the sun’s at it’s peak. So the light comes through the centre hole. It’s a popular stop for tourist buses but just by your time if one pulls up when you arrive. They only go in for about 20 min then you’ll have the pace to yourself in between yappy Americans. |
| Cost | Here’s the clever part. The place isn’t that nice to swim in, trust me it’s purely photogenic. Explain to them at the ticket office you just want to look and not swim. Explain you’ll only be 5 mins. Doesn’t take much longer to capture the snap. They’ll let you off with paying the full 200 pesos per person. We got it down to 70 each. |
| How to capture the photo | Stand on the entrance stairs that lead down to the water, central to the main walkway and snap away. There’s also a nice shoot you can do standing directly at the central spot walkway looking straight on (2 pictures under the main one). If there’s two of you and you want the couple shot. It’s got to be a photoshop job. One person takes the shot, the other sits. then switch round being careful not to move the camera. |
2. The street corner of Calle 50
As far as corners go this one’s bang on the mark/corner.
| How to get there | If you’re staying at Hostel Las Cruces it’s a 5 min walk. Other wise walk away from the church in the centre square so it’s directly behind you on the left. Two mins down that street and you’ll come to the corner of the long market road Calle de los Frailes. There’s a lot of good walls and doors to shoot here. Walk up this main market street for 5 mins and you’ll come to the corner. |
| Best time to go | 4pm when the sun has gone down a little. Towards midday you get some strong light flares and exposure from the brightly painted casas. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | Stand on the curb on the opposite path. Wait for the traffic and people to die down. Make sure the sun is behind the building to get that nice light flare from behind and not over expose the shot. |
3. The old beetles that are everywhere
Whatever your colour you’ll find a beetle to suit in Valladolid. They’re second to none and I think they make an awesome prop in front of the vibrant casas.
| How to get there | They’re all over the place. But they compliment well outside the colourful buildings. Go hunting around the streets that sit off from the main square at the top of Calle de los Frailes. That’s where this shot was taken. |
| Best time to go | 4pm when the sun has gone down a little. Towards midday you get some strong light flares and exposure from the brightly painted casas and cars. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | Personally I feel cars shoot best from the side or diagonally from the front with a person interacting. |
4. La Casona fountain
20 EPIC Valladolid Instagram spots for travelling Mexico 
@themoonontheotherside
I mean as far as fountains go, it’s not too bad. Constructed from thousands of tiny tiles don’t ya know.
| How to get there | La Casona fountain is situated out the back of a Mexican restaurant. It’s all cool with the workers to walk through and have a browse. Located on Calle 41 not to far from the main Calle de los Frailes street corner. Look for the big brown door that has a sign on the right reading Arte popular Mexicano in pink and La Casona on the left. Walk through the door and out to the back. The restaurant itself is rather nice for a cheeky cerveza. |
| Best time to go | It opens around midday on weekdays, 5/6pm on Saturdays and is closed Sundays. To capture the light beam behind it head around midday. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | Close up angles for detail or straight on from a distance with the light flare behind the fountain. |
5. The endless doorways
Comfortable 
@themoonontheotherside
It doesn’t take much. Just a lean.
| How to get there | The best ones are on Calle de los Frailes street. Have a wander up and you’ll stumble through oak, blue, red and yellow doorways. |
| Best time to go | In the early eve about 5pm. Otherwise the sun casts to many shadows and over exposes the buildings. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | Straight on shoot in shadow to shadow. |
6. Ex Convent of San Bernardino de Siena
Although slightly edited, the grass isn’t actually far off that colour.
| How to get there | Walk to the very top of Calle de los Frailes street and you can’t miss it. |
| Best time to go | Around 4pm when the light has gone down a little but still keeps the yellow in the walls. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | There’s plenty of perching spots. And some wicked walkways that lead down to the entrance for more of a landscape cat walk scene. |
7. Coqui Coqui Perfume shop
You can enjoy a coffee with the beauty of this interior at number 14, scroll down. It’s owned by the same people.
| How to get there | Half way up Calle de los Frailes street. |
| Best time to go | Anytime between 9-5 when it’s open. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | The space is quite tight. To capture the above wide and tall shot I took 5 landscape photos starting with the camera pointed at the floor and then worked up to the ceiling. Then stitched them together. |
8. Cathedral of San Gervasio in the main square
Free wifi around here. Just in case you need to # that shit.
| How to get there | It’s the main square of this tiny town. Every road leads off from it. |
| Best time to go | 5/6pm when the sun is not blaring all around it. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | Grab a fast shutter speed for the blue sky and then a slower from for the lightness of the buildings and surroundings. Then merge |
9. Cenote Oxman
There’s a restaurant near by with epic cheeseburgers.
| How to get there | It’s 4 km from the town. Flag a taxi and they’ll take you there for around 100 pesos. Tie this is with number 10. They’re at the same place. |
| Best time to go | Afternoon as it’s less touristy. |
| Cost | 100 pesos + cab fare |
| How to capture the photo | One person sitting on the less vine / reed busy side. The other person on the vine / reed busy side snapping through them. You can also snap some nice shots from the viewing platform above looking down. |
10. The Red wall of Cenote Oxmans casa
This place does the great cheeseburger.
| How to get there | It’s 4 km from the town. Flag a taxi and they’ll take you there for around 100 pesos. Tie this in with number 9. They’re at the same place. |
| Best time to go | If you’re wanting to pay the full amount of 200 pesos to enjoy the Cenote and the casa’s food, drink and swimming pool then go early afternoon. It’s a nice chilled atmosphere with great Pina Coladas. |
| Cost | 200 pesos pp for the all in option. They give 150 pesos discount each to buy food and drink. |
| How to capture the photo | Sit on the house balcony to capture the last of the sun as it goes down. Rest the camera on the balcony wall with a self timer. |
11. The lamp posts around Parque de Sisal
Swingers 
Marshmallow
Makes me want a Flump marshmallow looking at this backdrop.
| How to get there | Walk to the top of Calle de los Frailes street and turn right. |
| Best time to go | Late afternoon. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | This is a photoshop comp. We had no friends to take the photo :(. Taking turns, one stands on the lamp post while the other snaps away. Swap being careful not to move the camera position to much. Comp them in photoshop. |
12. Calle de los Frailes street bunting
This is the main street. It all goes down here westside style.
| How to get there | It’s 5 mins off from the main town square, east. |
| Best time to go | It’s quieter towards evening when the shops and cafes have shut. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | This is looking up from the main street just after you turn left onto Calle de los Frailes street. |
13. The multi coloured walls of Calle de los Frailes street
She’s just spotted a donut shop.
| How to get there | It’s 5 mins off from the main town square, east. |
| Best time to go | It’s quieter towards evening when the shops and cafes have shut. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | I find the angles looking down work well. So you can capture a row of colour pop. |
14. Meson De Malleville Cafe
I sure as hell can’t pose, but if you could! 
Yup.
I make this photo look shit but honestly it’s a stunning cafe.
| How to get there | Head to the very top of Calle de los Frailes street and turn right. Walk straight ahead and you’ll see it in the corner. |
| Best time to go | Anytime during the day. |
| Cost | About 70 pesos a coffee. |
| How to capture the photo | There’s so much detail here from the fountain to the lovely chairs and bedrooms you can look in. Have a play. |
15. Cenote Ik Kil
Up you look.
| How to get there | Jump in a collectivo from the centre of town. Just tell the guys at the collectivo stop you want Cenote Ik Kil. It’s popular. You can also tie this trip in with number 17 Chichen Itza. |
| Best time to go | This ones a tough one as it’s very busy. If you want to beat the crowds you need to get there super early. Like 9am. |
| Cost | 250 pesos per person |
| How to capture the photo | GoPro. Swim into the middle of the cenote and snap about 20 photos whilst on your back. One of them hopefully will come out decent. |
16. This red walled shop of Calle de los Frailes
I know, another wall. But this shop makes a powerful backdrop.
| How to get there | Walk 3/4 the way up Calle de los Frailes street. |
| Best time to go | Late arvo when the sun is less strong. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | Stand over the road opposite and shoot straight on. |
17. The main pyramid of Chichén Itzá
A hard one to snap with no one around but worth the wait to capture it.
| How to get there | Jump in a collectivo from the centre of town. Just tell the guys at the collectivo stop you want Chichen Itza. You can also tie this trip in with number 15 Cenote Ik Kil |
| Best time to go | For the quiet shot you need to be there for opening at 8am. You can blitz the grounds and enjoy it within an hour or two and move onto Cenote It Kil. To beat the crowds there too. Most yappy American tourist buses do the same route a tad later on. |
| Cost | 300 pesos. |
| How to capture the photo | Keep the sun behind you. Snap a shot for the sky and the pyramid in the correct shutter speeds for exposure. Then shoot with someone in the foreground, focus on them. |
18. The colourful store fronts around the Parque de Sisal
It’s not another wall. It’s a another shop.
| How to get there | If you’re staying at Hostel Las Cruces it’s a 5 min walk. cutting down through the street. Other wise head along to Calle de los Frailes street and walk to the very top. |
| Best time to go | Late arvo 4/5pm |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | As is straight on, focus on the person in the foreground. |
19. The Argentinian cafe, Cafeina Bistro
Granted this photo needs a person in it. Eating meat. But the place is a bad ass spot for shoots.
| How to get there | Half way up Calle de los Frailes street. |
| Best time to go | In between breakfast and lunch when it’s quieter. |
| Cost | 70 pesos a coffee, 130 pesos an empanada. The chicken ones are awesome. |
| How to capture the photo | There’s loads of lovely angles in this cafe, play. |
20. The Valladolid sign
Course it’s the last one.
| How to get there | Top of Calle de los Frailes street. |
| Best time to go | 6pm for orange sun down. |
| Cost | Freebie. |
| How to capture the photo | You know how to capture the photo. |
Been to any?
Let me know in the comments. Or leave a link to your photos. I’d love to ‘check em’ out. Catch me at @trxtraveller for constant photo spam. If you liked 20 EPIC Valladolid Instagram spots for travelling Mexico give it share, go on.
Where to stay?
As I mentioned earlier, we were lucky to find a gem of a hostel called Hostel Las Cruces. Small, clean and very friendly. One of those places that that feel homely. With like minded explorers. We got the double room, which came with a front balcony looking over a park. Breakfasts were plentiful. I’m talking fruits, waffles, eggs and dam good coffee. Come with a solid recommendation.
I wrote a detailed how to travel Valladolid post right here. (Coming soon – full of advice, tips and a useful guide to travelling Valladolid, as always with crap grammar).
Pin this post for later…
0 Comments