Okay. I've been to Cancun several times. I've done most of the tours: Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum, Xcaret, Jungle Tour, Isla Mujeres...I think that's it. I'm coming back next month, and while most of the time I know I'll be content to play in the surf and soak up sun on the beach, I know I'm gonna get restless. I was hoping some of you experts could maybe point me in the direction of something a little different. Something I might have missed. I am traveling alone this time, which I have done before and feel pretty comfortable with, but I'm not sure about renting a car and driving into the unknown solo or anything like that. Any advice is appreciated.
Why not do some soft adventure stuff - Selvatica- zip wires over the jungle canopy and bikes, swimming in a cenote. My family did a great Mayan night trip near Tulum where we were went through a Mayan purification ritual etc- it was interesting and great fun. Ek Balam is one of my favourite Arch sites- there is also a beautiful Cenote there. Have a great time. Tracey x
How about Isla Contoy for something a little different. Info and pics below: http://www.cancuncare.com/Cancun_Tours/Isla_Contoy/
Isla Contoy sounds interesting, although I'm not sure about the 2 hour boat ride. Sometimes I get sea sick. I was thinking about Selvatica too...but I'm afraid that I'd get there and chicken out on the zip line. Where is this Ek Balam? I've never seen a tour for that.
Ek Balam is a small, recently excavated ruin just north of Valladolid. Altournative might fit the bill, and Ecocolors has some cool tours, but they're pricy as well. If I had the $ and inclination to do a tour, I'd choose one of these. Or just scrap the organized tour and visit some cool places on your own. You don't have to rent a car, rather just use public transport. Visit Ek balam and spend more time in Valladolid than the quick jump off the tour bus on the way back from Chichen. Punta Laguna is neat...you can paddle a canoe on a lake and then get off to walk around an island to peep at monkeys and birds.
I would second the Ek Balam / Valladolid run. You can rent a car for dirt cheap or take the bus to Valladolid. From there you can take a collectivo or taxi to Ek Balam. While it is mentioned as being small, it's not that small and its largest structure is taller than El Castillo at Chichen Itza. There are several cenotes in and around Valladolid as well. The thing I like about Ek Balam is that they are still excavating and that can be interesting to you since it sounds like you may be into the ruins deal. Bring Off Deep Woods spray though to fight off the mosquitos. Valladolid is a great little colonial town with 3 hotels around the town square. My favorite is Meson de Marquez. There is often something going on in the square and there is a 2 screen theatre that has fairly current movies playing. Feel free to PM me with specific questions as I have been to Valladolid many times, as well as Ek Balam. I may be able to help you with a rental car as well.
Meson de Marques is a pretty place, and as TJ said, there are a couple other hotels right on the square. But if you want to spend less, there are some very nice places only a block or two from the main square. Valladolid feels much smaller when comparing it to Cancun, but it's actually the second largest city in the state of Yucatan. Unlike Cancun, it shuts down every afternoon for a couple of hours. I heard that the movie theater actually has comfortable seats now, since when I went to see a movie there a few years ago, I was so uncomfortable that I couldn't enjoy the moive. Even though you paid one fee and got to see two movies. Yummy food in Valladolid as well, and in fact my favorite seafood restaurant is there...the seafood is brought in daily from San Felipe and for the price of a beer or several, you can keep eating all the botana you want! I spent several months living just outside of Valladolid and went back frequently when I was in Cancun, and so miss the food!!
Hey gbchayctca, I love La Sirenita. It's a 20 minute walk from the square or a $12 peso taxi but the food is great. There is a pool so you can swim if you want so it is obviously casual dress. They have this filete relleno that is a fish filet stuffed with shrimp and cheese. So which is your favorite seafood place and where is it located? Thanks, T.J.
Mmmmm...that sounds really nice, TJ. My favorite is El Payaso, which is about a ten minute walk from the main square. It's on a side street kind of behind the Gigante. They also opened a sister restaurant right downtown called El Payasito. I haven't been yet, but my brother-in-law works there.