I will be going to Cancun for my first time next week for my anniversary. We were thinking of going ATV, maybe horseback riding and seeing the Chichen Itza. Is it possible to go snorkeling on our own or do we have to join a tour group? Is the ocean clam enough to snorkel in? I welcome any other suggestions for activities?? =) Lastly, should I book in advance (online) or wait till I get there to book? Thank you in advance!
I try not to answer questions like this as I sell tours and prefer others to give the recommendations. But since no one has spoken up thus far my opinion: You'll often find that booking online works out cheaper, as the online guys dont have staff to pay to sit around all day in a little hotel or shopping mall booth that they also have to pay rent for. Booking online you also know who you are dealing with so you can check reports on what previous customers thought about their services rather than dealing with Jose in the lobby that no one knows, and might not be there next week. Online businesses depend on good service because they know that if they dont deliver then it will be publicised and harm their business. Please check out my page at Cancun tours for all the tours you mentioned above and more. As for additional tours to consider then Xcaret incl night show is a must do in my opinion. Like I say for online people such as myself reputation is all. Cancuncare.com has been going for 6 years and wouldnt be around if the companies we recommended delivered bad service. You mentioned snorkeling, really you will need to take a tour to see the best. If you are on the long side of the 7 then the water is not calm enough, if you are on the short side the water is calm but there wont be much to see. You need to snorkel over the reef really which is not accesible from any hotel beach so options are Isla Mujeres day trip, Jungle Tour or for the best snorkeling experience a day trip to Puerto Morelos, you can actually combine this with a great ATV tour too so that might be one you might want to look into. I pretty much guarantee you wont find this particular combo once in Cancun without looking very hard. See: Snorkel and ATV Tour Combo
suggestions.... We didn't do the ATV but, seen those people wearing dust masks and dirt flying all over them... maybe fun but you have to realize the heat and dust might be fun for about 30 minutes then it will get nasty from there on out. Then you have you ask yourself what are the chances of being inexperienced riding one and getting hurt from a mistake you make or another rider? I grew up with one and wouldn't blink and go do it but, I'm not putting my wife who isn't in that spot. Horseback could be fun on sand and in the water but, if your not an experienced rider it could be dangerous. I've rode horses since age 3 and would go but, worry about wife who's only rode about 10 time since we've been married as you don't want to go on a vacation like that and get hurt even if it is only a sprained ankle or whatever it blows the vacation. :cry: Chichen Itza is a great tour but, if you go on the EK-BALAM / VALLADOLID you can climb the ruin adn they stop in historic valladolid city for a while. Snorkeling you can do it on your own at most resorts but, to see the fish you'd have to go to like cozumel down by cozumel palace and south near San fransisco beach. We bought our maks and snorkel from dive shop then just "found" places to go.
Noob here so please excuse any breach of board etiquette but getting ready to make my third trip to Cancun next weekend I think everyone looks for something different - what worked for me probably wouldn't work for you, but I can give my own quick observations. Xcaret - you must see Xcaret. Do not pass go, do not collect $200 :wink: I liked Xel-Ha almost as well as Xcaret but that's just me. Driving a golf cart around Isla Mujeres is also highly recommended, at least by yours truly. If you do Isla Mujeres don't miss the sea turtle farm. Saw hundreds of flying fish on the ferry to Cozumel once - I enjoy renting a jeep and driving around the island but got stuck in the sand turning around across the street from Chen Rio last trip and *then* found out the 4WD had been disconnected. A buncha drunken Aussies on motor scooters tried to help but eventually we flagged down a Green Angel who tossed us a rope, pulled us out and we were on our way. The $20 tip to the Green Angel was the best $20 I've ever spent, I think Truthfully I prefer Tulum to Chichen Itza but haven't been to Coba. I hear you can't climb the big pyramid in Chicken Pizza any more anyhow. Can't answer many snorkeling questions but maybe what I have posted helps a little. Enjoy -
EK-BALAM / VALLADOLID tour EK-BALAM / VALLADOLID tour is something set up with chaza travel or through palace resorts. chaza is now called elite tours.
I'd like to do a tour that includes Chichen Itza, Ik Kil & Ek Balam but it seems only the private tours offer it and it's to expensive for just 2 of us. Anyone know if any group tours offer this one ?