Mérida is located about 35 kilometres away from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and is the biggest city of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is also the capital of the state of Yucatán and is located towards the Northwest of the state. Interestingly,...more
Mérida is located about 35 kilometres away from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and is the biggest city of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is also the capital of the state of Yucatán and is located towards the Northwest of the state. Interestingly, there are three other cities in Spain, Venezuela and the Philippines that share the same name as Mérida, with Mérida in Mexico being the largest of the four.
The city covers an area of nearly 900 square kilometres and is home to a population of over 900,000 inhabitants, making it one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the country. Mérida is also home to the highest indigenous population of all the major cities in Mexico, with 60% of the population comprising Mayan ethnicity. Mérida also reflects French, British and Dutch influences, like many other cities in the Yucatán state.
Mérida features a typical tropical climate and visitors will find it rather hot and humid in the city. The rainy season is between the months of June to October, when tropical storms affecting the region is found to be quite common.
The main airport serving Mérida is the Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport located on the southern edge of the city. It is also known as the Mérida-Rejón Airport and is a prominent airport in the country, handling several airlines and thousands of passengers every year.
Halal food options and Halal restaurants in Mérida are very limited. Muslim travellers may need to opt for vegetarian cuisine or seafood, which will be readily available. However Muslim travellers may need to note that certain vegetarian dishes may use animal fat during preparation and it may best to enquire with restaurant owners about the preparation of food.
There are no known mosques in Mérida. It is best for Muslim travellers to use the privacy of their hotel room during prayer times or enquire with locals for a private area in the vicinity that can be used during prayer times.