Progreso (Merida)

Progreso is the port for Merida, Mexico — the cultural capital of the Yucatan Peninsula. The port itself is a long concrete pier (one of the longest in the world, actually) with a small shopping area at the end. It's bare-bones, but it's a gateway to some of the best archaeological sites in the Americas.

Chichen Itza is the headliner excursion, about 2 hours each way, and genuinely worth the long day if you haven't been. Merida itself is a beautiful colonial city with fantastic food and vibrant culture. The cenotes (natural swimming holes) near Merida are spectacular and far less crowded than the ones near Cancun.

The value here is excellent — Mexico's interior is significantly cheaper than island ports, and the food in Merida is incredible. The catch is the distance: everything worth seeing requires a 1-2 hour drive from the port. This is an excursion port, not a walk-around port.