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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13166
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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YUCATAN PENINSULA TRIP coming up soon
hi all, we are planning our first ever Yucatan trip and would love to hear about your adventures/misadventures, as well as any recommendations you
have. We are not looking for ritzy glitzy but simple dimple. so far we are thinking of Merida, the flamingo reserve, Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Campeche,
(of course chichen itza) and the ruins/cenote at DZIBILICHALTUN. Due to my teaching .... we only have a week this time....and I don't want to
overdo it (famous last words)....
THANKS in advance.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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I suppose they should be recent?
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Udo
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Posts: 6334
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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We went there a few years ago (8 yrs).
With only one week, I would stick with what you have planned, which is somewhat optimistic, however.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
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Lots of time in that area...
Merida is cool but busy. If your driving there is a periferico(?) that runs around the city like a spoked wheel on a bike with turn offs going
in...the hard part is finding the way out! We just flag a cycle cop and he usually leads us out, then a handshake with a fiver concealed for his
cerveza.
Chichen Itza is nice but stay in town and get to the ruins when it opens...usually blazing hot within a few hours and the tour buses from Cancun
arrive about that time. Gets real crowded.
Campeche is ok...nice wall around old part of town to see on the shore but really is a day of just seeing something differant. If your driving, try to
avoid the large trucks hauling pigs. The Urin off the hot pavement in front of you is not nice. Usually a rest stop and then go.
I have never had an interest to go to Cancun as there are many places just as nice to snorkel south of there and when you come to the turn off from
the 180 to the coast I just go south on the 325. From this turn you can see Cancun off in the distance you might decide to avoid that unless that is
your style.
The 325 is a modern highway with many attractions along it and much of what you mention...only different names, etc. In Tulum if you go...do not miss
the open grilled chicken with all the fixens at the roadside stands. Please mail some to me. Tulum is nice but at all ruins it is best to get there
when they open. If you see a dirt road with a sign on the 325, go down it. We have found some of the best non-tourist places on these...if there is
still any left.
A little opinion if you want one...
I would spend a night and a day in Merida, then leave the next day. I would head down the 261 straight to Uxmal and stay in the small town heading out
to Uxmal at opening the next morning. If you get there early the first day ask someone if the light show still goes on in the evening and hit that the
first night...pretty cool. I love Uxmal. Look for big penis carvings on way to witches abode, hug one of those babies for a photo. They sit along the
path in solitare locations. I would think 3 hours in Uxmal is suitable.
When it gets to hot, do the 261 loop and stop at some of the smaller ruins around there...maybe a half hour to an hour each one is enough. This is a
real short tight area and can be managed in a day. Leave the next morning south on the 261 to hopelchen(?) and then west on the 261 to campeche if you
want but this is time I would not venture to. Another path that might be better is to go south on the 261 after hopelchen looking for the sign to
Edzna (ruins) with a stop of maybe an hour because it will get hot real fast.
OK...now this is a big decision...I would do anything to go to Palengue at anytime. This is going to eat up at least two days from Uxmal to there,
then tour the ruins and leave early the next morning. You are so close to Palengue (reasonably) that it would be sad to miss it. Other than Tikal it
is the coolest ruins with paths in the jungle to walk and see much (I have been at both these places at least a dozen times each and would go there
again in a heartbeat).
Really, if you went Merida, Uxmal, Palengue, then back north on the 186 past Escarcega (get the open grilled chicken there...send me some) and spent
one night in Bacalar (little town north of Chetumal) then straight up to Tulum on the 307 with all the possibilities for ruins/cenote/snorkel that you
could ever want then onto Cancun if that is where your flying in...your week would be amazing.
Campeche, Chichen Itza, Cancun would be the last places I would ever spend time but that is said because I have been there and so have another billion
people...
I wish I could leave for a week and drive you around, but so does my wife and she can't leave so neither can I. Oh I guess I could, but I couldn't
come back. These ruins I've named are probably her favorites also, with or without me.
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Packoderm
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Registered: 11-7-2002
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I'd cut it back a bit. I'd center myself in Tulum (the beach not the town), visit Coba, various cenotes and minor ruins, and one night of luxury in
Playa del Carmen or Cancun at the end.
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Packoderm
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This is what we did on our first trip to the Yucatan, and we managed to see quite a lot in one week's time: http://www.greentortoise.com/adventures/maya.caribean.mexico...
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Packoderm
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I think this is the last remnant left of the old riviera, and it's about gone too. http://casatortuga.net/ I'm surprised they held on as long as they have.
We stayed for a week at our own private rental compound once for about $125 per night for three cabanas, a kitchen, the whole thing. Now they have
about six cabanas built there and want several hundred each night for each one. I feel very, very privileged to have known the old Tulum. I believe
Isla Holbox is still good. I really liked that place. That might be the only decent place left. It's a bit like Bahia Asuncion is now.
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paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
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Packoderm...that operation in the early 90's was a crack-up (good humor). They would pull into a campsite and everyone would sort of roll out (mostly
young travelers) and stand around while the poor bus driver would try to get them motivated to get stuff out of the bus to set up. The inside looked
lilke wood platforms with people lying on personal effects and couches.
Not to get to far off the thread here...but does anyone remember the German coffin buses that used to do the circuit?
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Packoderm
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I remember the red buses with sour looking German tourists.
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SFandH
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We had an enjoyable day and evening at Xcaret when we did a fly-in resort trip to Cancun.
Fun activities, entertaining shows, and many interesting exhibits. Stay for the dinner show.
http://www.xcaret.com/
We passed on Chichen Itza. Instead we rented a car and drove to Tulum for the compulsory Mayan ruin experience. We find archaeological sites boring.
Different strokes for different folks. Tulum is on a great beach, which made it worthwhile for us.
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13166
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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thanks all, truly, for taking the time to write and give me your wisdom. I really appreciate it.
I used this site when we went to the copper canyon by train. It was beyond helpful.
I used this site when we went to mainland last year. again, priceless.
and now I am ready to get a taste of what the yucatan has to offer !! we talked this morning and I would like to try and not overdo it. we can always
go back ....
has anyone been to the flamingo reserve ???? and thoughts on that ? Les heard about it ....
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13166
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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skipjack ! no no no - doesn't have to be recent ... please tell your story.
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tiotomasbcs
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Location: El Pescadero
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One week?! My Goodness, Blanca. So much to do, so little time. You didn;t mention but you are flying into Cancun, verdad? Look up some ecolodges
in the areas inland. It sounds like paranewbi knows his stuff! Palenque
for sure. Better start working out to walk those Pyramids and Ruins. Have fun. Tio
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wilderone
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On week is not very much time to see all the wonderful places on the Yucatan peninsula. Pick one region: northwest, north-central, east coastal or
southern. If you're flying into Merida and staying there you can cover Chichen Itza, the limestone caverns at Valladolid, several Mayan ruins (at
least 13 on my map in just the northwest alone), several cenotes - a must (take a mat to float on), the beach at Progreso, the flamingos at Celestun,
and poking around small towns en route to all those places and a museo or two. Don't spend all your time in the car driving around and hitting just
the major tourist spots, filled with - tourists. You could fly into Cancun, rent a car and do the Maya Ruta east coastal route with much the same
itinerary: cenotes, several ruins, Tulum, Coba, beaches, small towns, museos.
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Bajahowodd
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Posts: 9274
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I didn't notice any comments about Isla Mujeres.
It's about a 30 minute ferry ride from the Nuevo Cancun dock. And well worth the trip. Although some purists might complain that Isla has become
overgrown, fact is that our number one destination when landing at the Cancun airport is Isla.
There are a number of fine accommodations, none that I would consider upscale.
My two greatest pleasures while on Isla are the amazing turquiose water, with beach that have a gentle slope, and...
The main drag that is a pedestrian mall for something about ten blocks, lined on both side with a wonderful array of restaurants that run the gamut
from taqueria to Cuban to Italian to... whatever you might conjur.
Really recommend spending a few nights on Isla. And, assuming you really wish to explore the Yucatan, be advised that if you rent a car at the
airport, they have valet parking at the Nuevo Cancun facility.
We spent a day at Chichen Itza, and in Merida, drove back and left the car with the valet and had another amazing meal on Isla Mujeres.
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Packoderm
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One thing to consider is the weather. If it is bad, head inland. The wind dies down as you head inland. Walking through ruins with an umbrella is much
nicer than hunkering down in a cabana to escape the blustery, rainy weather, but even that is nice enough if you have a good book to read.
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13166
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Location: La Bocana, BCS
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wow..again more good info. I looked at a weather map and there is supposedly NO rain at all in Feb. - actually, Les chose this month cause it is the
best time all year round.
I want the east coast and Les wants inland - flamingoes etc. We shall have to see how we can resolve this LOL
I was wondering about isla mujeres !!! muchas gracias
we shall fly into cancun and take off from there ...
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Iflyfish
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Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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I really love Tulum, the wonderful Pyramid on the beach, the white sand beaches, the cenotes, Celestun for the Flamingos and Merida is one of my
favorite cities in Mexico! Really too much for a week from my perspective.
In Merida look for the oval shaped palm frawn roofed buildings that offer regional tapas and beer plus a free floor show of native dancing etc.
Wonderful way to while away a day/evening. The Yucatan has it's own regional quisine and Merida is the place to sample it. I like the market in
Merida. The parkes are wonderful and have lots of public entertainment in them.
Enjoy!
Iflyfish
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Marc
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My Buds from Netherlands and I are planning to do the Ruta Maya next January.
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Spearo
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Registered: 11-30-2010
Location: Moscow, Idaho and Pescadero, BCS
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Hi Blanca!
I spent a couple weeks in that area a few years ago. Chichen Itza is definitely worth seeing. We hired a local guide to tour it and it was well
worth the money, The place is sprawling and the guide was very helpful to get the whole experience. We drove all the way to Xcalak and fished
Chetumal Bay for a week. There are a ton of smaller ruins along that road that are very interesting as well. If Les wants to wear himself out
catching bonefish Xcalak is a great destination.
We are planning on stopping in La Bocana again in late March this year. Are you guys going to be around?
Were it not for the abdomen, man would easily reckon himself a god.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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