Finding that perfect souvenir is hard. Finding that perfect souvenir that has heart, a story, and travel value sometimes a bit harder. We have traveled through the Yucatan Peninsula for decades and these places are our little treasures that we love to share with visitors.
Note these are not day trips from the Riviera Maya. It is best to use Merida as your home base and venture out from there. You can also skip the big city and stay at the Haciendas near Uxmal for a really unique holiday.
The villages are close by to both of these home bases, so why not make a day trip out of your shopping excursion and go directly to the source of unique souvenirs. Meeting the artisan directly is a treat, watching them work a bigger treat. Each village specializes in a particular craft so it is easy to find exactly what you are looking for. Review these recommendations for your artisanal day trip in the Yucatan.
Tixkokob -Handmade Hammocks in the Heart of the Yucatan
Tixkokob is ‘Hammock Ville’. If you are looking to purchase a handmade, family woven hammock this is the place to go. Located just east of Merida, public transport would be a great way to explore this town. Besides the hammock stores, Tixkokob has a great church, a wonderful central plaza, and more stores than you could imagine in this small city. The correct pronunciation is Tish-co-cob (which if you are curious means place of snakes).
Dzityá – Handmade Stone and Wooden Crafts
Dzityá is a suburb of Merida. Their specialty is wood and stone carvings but local artists also make handmade jewelry and hand-woven textiles. Each summer an art fair is held at Dzityá where local artists and a guest national artist display their crafts and techniques. If you are here in the summer, this is a fun cultural event that highlights Yucatan artists. Be very careful when you step foot into Dzityá, there is so much to see. Local crafts range from small hand-carved figures to glorious bathtubs. The work is beautiful and hard to resist.
Ticul - Pottery and Shoes - Who Would Have Guessed
Few know that Ticul is also home to handcrafted leather shoes. If you are looking for a cute pair of sandals this is the place to be. Ticul is located to the south and is a bit farther afield than Tixkokob and Dzityá. It is a great side trip if you are heading off to the Uxmal Ruins.
Venture Out of Merida for a Yucatan Art Adventure
We love to support our local artisan stores in Merida, but there is something to be said about a Yucatan art adventure just outside the city. I love hopping on the bus or in the car knowing that I am going to find a glorious handmade Yucatan treasure that will hold a wonderful travel story.
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