Keep Up-To-Date With Our Free Mexico Newsletter
Our free Mexico Newsletter gives you ideas, inspiration and contacts to realize your experience in Mexico - whether your plans are for travel, for living & lifestyle or real estate...Register Now
Mexico Travel Diaries - Leg 10, Part I
Cancun, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Xel-Ha, Chichen Itza, Merida, Uxmal
Cancun
There’s a spectacular full moon glowing bright orange in the night sky as I step off the plane. It’s 22 degrees centigrade; a cool breeze hits me and there’s a smell of the sea in the night air. I have arrived at Cancun: Mexico’s premier and world-famous holiday resort which attracts over two million visitors a year from around the world. A taxi to the hotel zone costs $350 Pesos; I choose the “collectivo”, a comfortable mini-bus that drops people off at the door of their desired destination for just $75 pesos; not only is it more environmentally sound, it’s a fifth of the price.
As I’m driven from the airport to Cancun’s hotel zone, I look outside and see something that is parallel to a town in the United States and unlike like anything I have ever seen in Mexico. The colectivo drives through the wide tree lined avenues and around me I see ample sidewalks, smooth paved roads, well trimmed trees and bushes; all carefully lit up and pristinely maintained. As we approach the hotel zone, popular restaurant franchises and theme eateries glowing in neon are to be seen everywhere. I have flashbacks to my travels through the United States as I wonder if this is what a modern Mexico could be like or, I wonder, is this not Mexico at all.
There are no street stalls; no-one selling food or snacks on street corners. No old buses, no old cars. We’re on Avenida Kukulkan, the main hotel avenue in Cancun; on one side the endless row of high rise hotels which face some of the most gorgeous sea water to be found anywhere in Mexico; on the other side is a lagoon, created when this island was joined to the mainland by a causeway at each end as part of Cancun’s development. I sit, half mesmerized by the colossal contrast this place is to everywhere else I have been in Mexico as the colectivo passes by a gathering of theme restaurants, bars, night clubs and entertainment centers, hosted off streets that have come straight out of the scene of a US popular film. Before I came here, a Mexican friend told me, “you won’t believe what we have there; it’s like a country in its own right”. I can see what he means.
The Hotel Carousel Club, like Club Maeva where I stayed in Manzanillo is an all-inclusive family resort. The feel of the hotel is almost identical to Maeva; the rooms are bright, clean and functional. My room looks out onto palm trees and gardens; just beyond it are glimpses of Caribbean blue through the foliage.
The hotel zone runs for several kilometers along Avenida Kukulkan and comprises of a string of high-rise and wide-spread hotels. I took a cab from the Hotel Carousel to the Mirador, or look-out point, just beyond the Hilton resort at the far end of the hotel zone. Looking out from the point, you can see the white sands and perfect Caribbean waters and waves reaching the shores; the view is spectacular. From here I start walking along the shoreline of the beach back where I had come from. Hotels are spread right across this area, but all beaches in Mexico are federal property – feel free to walk on them, sunbathe and swim, although if you make yourself comfortable on sun lounges belonging to hotel you’re not staying at, you’ll be moved on by the staff.
The Carousel Hotel, like all of Cancun’s hotels in this area, features the incredibly soft, talcum-like sands and Caribbean blue waters. A DJ hut is stationed on the hotel’s beach that plays music throughout the day and announces the various activities and classes laid on for free to all of the guests of the hotel. It also co-ordinates a number of games and competitions with commentary in English and Spanish. Last night, I saw an ambulant fair ground on the hotel’s beach which is run by a company that provides fairs and fantasy casinos (gambling is still illegal in Mexico) for many hotels and pleasure boats in the Cancun area.
The main avenue features at least half a dozen American-style shopping malls and entertainment centers. I detour off my beach walk back to the main road and board one of the very frequent and efficient buses that run up and down the main road 24 hours a day. At $6 pesos for a ride (regardless of the journey length) they cost a fraction of the cost that the taxis charge. Taxi’s based at hotels are even more expensive than the ones you can hail from the street, although they all charge using a zone system. The bus drops me in the “centre” of Cancun, at far end of the hotel zone.
I step off the bus and see a landscape which is more aligned to a typical Mexican town: there are street vendors selling their wares to passers-by; school children wait for their bus home; I see a supermarket where the locals buy food and watch as people get on with their day-to-day lives; away from the resort-experience, but by just a few kilometers. I spend some time walking around the area which also features a lot of services for tourists; tour operators, travel agencies, beach clothing outlets and a variety of restaurants with prices slightly lower than the prices at the commercial centers around the main hotel zone.
After a light lunch at one of the local restaurants, I walk back to the start of Avenida Kukulkan and return to my hotel on sing one of the buses that regularly runs along here. As the sun sets and the evening draws in, people begin to prepare for the high-powered night life which is a major attraction in Cancun. A bus is waiting outside the hotel to pick up around 50 people in their late teens and early twenties to whisk them away to a night-club; they’ll be back around dawn.
The Carousel Hotel is resort that attracts in the main: families, couples and groups of young people who have come to Cancun for an affordable break with beach, pools, sunshine, drinks and social excitement. Like Club Maeva in Manzanillo, everything is included once you pay your accommodation fee; including the all the alcoholic drinks you want.
Cancun is a first-class holiday resort which has been specifically created for a get-away experience inside a hotel or resort surrounded by a plethora of tourist services such as theme restaurants, great shops and shopping centers, bars and night clubs and local tours. Every water sport you could possibly imagine is available here as well as a number of very good water theme parks. Xcaret and Xel-Ha – popular eco water centers – are just a bus ride away; and the islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel provide the opportunity for interesting day-trips and a respite from the commercialized resort scene which is a strongly recognizable trademark of today's Cancun.
Isla Mujeres
The sea port Puerto Juarez is a 10 to 20 minute taxi ride from Cancun’s hotel zone depending on which end you of it you are staying at, and is a main port for boats and ferries crossing over to Isla Mujeres (Island of Women). I get there just before 10am, in time for the hourly crossing of the catamaran which takes just 20 minutes to cross from Cancun to the island. As the boat cruises through the turquoise waters, I leave the commercialized buzz of Cancun behind and arrive at a more relaxed atmosphere on the small island across the water.
Isla Mujeres was named because when the Spanish arrived here for the first time, they found some ruined statues of women there. According to legend, Mayan women would come here to increase their fertility prospects when they wanted to have children.
The island has a tranquil feel; it’s friendly and laid back. One of the first things I noticed during the travel from the port to my hotel is that cab prices had become reasonable again. I’m staying at the Hotel Na Balam which is a small property situated on the island’s famous and best “Punta Norte” (north point) beach. The hotel was built in 1987 to the owner’s specifications and has a classy beach-hut feel about it. The gardens inside have been beautifully landscaped and many of the walkways are made of the same soft white sand that is famous in this area and everywhere on the island.
I arrive early and spend most of the day exploring the island on a golf cart. The island is 7Km long and 1Km wide at its widest point; the traffic is light and besides taxi drivers in a hurry to get back to the base for their next fare, it's very calm. Exploring the island by golf cart is great fun; you can also rent a moped, which is slightly faster, and will seat two. Better still, you can rent a push-bike: most of the island is flat and easy to cycle around. You can rent these from various places along the main avenue near the island’s port - my golf cart was kindly furnished by the local tourism board, but they are not expensive: just US$35 for the whole day.
I started my tour at the hotel and traveled from north to south and back again. There is a lot to do and see on the island, but because of my limited time I chose five places to visit. The first was the Turtle farm. The turtles are great; larger than life and serene as they swim in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean just off the island’s coast. Every once in a while, they come up for air and then dive back down again. There’s no entrance fee to see the Turtles and there are also a couple of good public beaches nearby the farm to sit, sunbathe - perhaps enjoy a light lunch - and just relax.
The second stop was Playa de los Lancheros (boaters beach) which is quiet most of the time, and especially so when the day-trippers from Cancun go back. The beach offers great sands to lay and sunbathe on while the collection of palm trees provides a place to find shelter from the sun's rays, relax and pass the time on soft white sands next to a most beautiful sea reading, snoozing, chatting or just watching the world go by at a snail’s pace. There are a couple of restaurants and bars at the beach too, so you can feed and water yourself without having to bring a picnic if you don’t want to.
On the way back from the Playa de Los Lancheros, I stopped at Hacienda Mundaca which has lots of fables and local lore of pirates' loves and treasures surrounding it: today it’s provides a pleasant garden walk that features a lake and a glimpse of the local wildlife. There’s also a large cage with monkeys; I found myself mesmerized as I watched one climbing around the cage effortlessly; as if he was dancing on the air within it. There’s a nominal $10 peso entrance fee to the grounds which pays for maintenance and food for the creatures housed there.
Near the southern point of the Island is the national park of El Garrafon. The park is similar to Xel-Ha and Xcaret further down on the main coastline, providing a selection of water-based sports and activities. Entrance fees vary depending on what you want to do there. There’s an “all-inclusive” price or a “pay-as-you-go” option, but even with the all inclusive price, some activities attract an additional fee, such as snorkeling and scuba-diving using a fixed air pipe in the shallow waters of the park.
The southern point of the island has some terrific rock formations which are complemented perfectly by the turquoise seas and white sands. Here, the tranquil waters on the north and west of the island meet the exposed waters on the east (open) side. At the southern point, you can buy local crafts, gifts and drinks; or just gaze out from the southern edge of the island across the turquoise sea and enjoy the warmth and allure of clear blue skies.
The road back from here runs along the eastern edge of the island and hugs the coastline for most of the way. If you have some loose change in the region of $100,000 US Dollars and want to buy land here you can do so and build a nice house on it as quite a few people have done already. The scenery is stunning: I stopped several times to take in the views and snap a few pictures for the diaries.
The road leads back into the main part of town where all of the shops, markets, bars and nightclubs are. You can park your golf cart anywhere; no one minds and you can be guaranteed that it will be there when you return! I parked in town and took a walk along the main avenue, stopped at some of the markets and walked along a couple of beaches in the area. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly everywhere you go here.
The Na Balam Hotel is fortunate enough to be located right next to the most stunning beach on the island. There’s even a natural inlet of clear turquoise water that makes a perfect swimming pool here – which is why the hotel’s small man-made pool is usually empty. Like all beaches in Mexico, Punta Norte beach is public, but as a guest at the hotel you have right to use the beach furniture, sit under the straw palapas for shade and of course you have access to the services of the hotel such as the bar, towels and showering-off facilities.
The rooms at Na Balam are beautifully presented; bright, cool and inviting. The floors are covered with turquoise green tiles and the rooms have everything you need to feel very comfortable. Each room has air conditioning which you can turn off if you want, and a ceiling fan. My balcony is secluded by palm trees which provide shade from the hot sun and privacy; the balcony also has a comfortable hammock to spend an afternoon snoozing. The design of the hotel ensures that the rooms provide seclusion and privacy for all guests.
There are no TVs in the rooms and no telephones either. If you want to make a phone call, the hotel will sell you a phone card that you can use on a phone in the hotel’s office; alternatively you can buy a LADATEL phone card from local corner shops and pharmacies which enable you to use one of the many public phones situated in the streets throughout the island.
The Hotel’s restaurant (Zazil-ha) is also open to the public in the evenings and serves what it terms as a “fusion” of Mayan and peninsular tastes and they specialize in vegetarian dishes also. If you like yoga, the hotel provides free yoga classes every morning for its guests – I noticed that a lot of people attended these and talked highly of them over breakfast afterwards. The hotel is extremely popular with honeymooners and couples as the setting is tranquil, warm and very romantic; the hotel also hosts weddings if you are looking for a place to get married in Mexico.
The island is popular with couples as it’s a big honeymoon destination. I saw a lot of families here too; and unlike some resorts where you see couples with small children only, I saw entire families enjoying themselves on Isla Mujeres. The are few singletons wandering around. Isla Mujeres is one of Mexico’s top romantic and family based destinations; singles tend to stay in Cancun where the nightlife is much more accentuated than it is here.
I really enjoyed Isla Mujeres; it was a great escape from the package-tour haven of Cancun. Thousands of day-trippers here; I met a couple of Canadians who were sunbathing on one of the beaches but were staying across the water in Cancun. In the late afternoon and evening, the atmosphere changes as the day-trippers go back and leave the beaches and the island itself a more peaceful retreat for those staying here.
The island is not a “deserted paradise” by any of stretch of the imagination: It’s commercialized but still has character. There are lots of beaches that can be enjoyed by everyone with easy access to them - unlike Cancun where the hotels have taken over. If you gaze out from one of the many beaches facing west, you'll see the high-rise buildings and hotels that make up Cancun’s skyline across the bay’s mist, and realize that although you're just a short boat trip across the water, an island experience is a world away from the lights, sounds and commercial energy of Cancun.
Cozumel
To get to the island of Cozumel, I needed to take the short ferry crossing from Isla Mujeres back to Puerto Juarez in Cancun, and from there, travel about 70Km south to Playa del Carmen from where a passenger ferry makes a 45 minute crossing to the larger island of Cozumel. If your transportation to Cozumel is not included as part of a package and you need to buy it independently, DON’T buy your transportation from one of the unscrupulous re-sellers which are sometimes based at hotels and sometimes at the ports. They over-charge to the point of embarrassment. Here's a better way:
If you are on Isla Mujeres, take the ferry to Puerto Juarez in Cancun; it costs around $40 pesos each way. Once at the port, take a cab from there to the “ADO” (Bus Terminal) – ask your cabbie to drop you at the “colectivos” which are across the road. Colectivos are large people movers that carry up to 10 passengers and their luggage very comfortably. They charge around $30-40 pesos from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, travel direct with no stops and provide the best value transportation. If you are on a shoestring budget and don’t mind a rustic ride, you can get 2nd class buses from Cancun to Playa del Carmen as well, but these make frequent stops along the way. The ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel leaves every around every 60 minutes and cost around $80 pesos each way.
On the ferry from Isla Mujeres to Cancun, I met a couple who had spent some nights on the Island as part of a holiday that included Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen. Josh and Jen run a restaurant back home in Colorado called the Vesta Dipping Grill (www.vestagrill.com) and have come to Mexico for a rest and some sunshine before their first child is born next May. We joked about their change of lifestyle to come, but they hope to be able to travel again in the not too distant future. I have noticed on my journey throughout Mexico that there are lots of couples who have been traveling successfully with toddlers.
I arrived just in time for the ferry to Cozumel – 1129am – the boat left at 1130 on the dot. My feet didn’t hit the metal floor of the boat before the ramp was pulled away and we were moving.
Arriving at the port, the ferry passengers are greeted by a barrage of sales representatives peddling in the main, Cozumel’s primary pastime: diving and snorkeling. It’s warm turquoise waters, stunning reefs and excellent diving facilities (such as diving schools and decompression chambers) make Cozumel Mexico’s top diving destination; in fact, most people who go to Cozumel go there to dive.
I take a taxi to the hotel where I am staying, although I needn’t have bothered; it’s just three blocks from the ferry port on the main road overlooking the sea. Hotel Casa Mexicana is located in the downtown area of Cozumel; the hotel does not reach out on to a beach; all of the nice swimming beaches start about 16 Km from the town centre. However, it is near many of the diving centers and provides an excellent base to work from if you are visiting the island. It is one of the most modern hotels I have visited in Mexico: and has been created in a style that nicely reflects modern Mexican architecture.
I spend the early afternoon wandering around the town centre which comprises of a cornucopia of shops and outlets specifically catering for the huge cruise ship trade. Cozumel is also one of the world’s top cruise ship destinations; when a ship docks, literally thousands of people disembark to enjoy the island and do some shopping. Diamonds and Tanzanite as well as oriental rugs and perfumes are predominant items for sale. The town square is surrounded by tourist shops, cafés and restaurants. I stroll down one of the roads behind the main square where I have been told I can get a hair cut as my head is looking more like a mop each day and the heat here is intense.
I return to the hotel for a rest before venturing out again to explore what lies beyond the town centre. Hotel Casa Mexicana is one of three hotels belonging to the same group on the island. The second hotel in the group is Suites Colonial, a few blocks inland and well within the heart of the downtown area and the third is also downtown, just a few blocks away from Casa Mexicana, named Suites Bahia
The rooms at Hotel Casa Mexicana are ultra modern; bright, clean, comfortable and include many features you don’t normally get at a Mexican hotel such as a high-speed internet connection socket in the wall. The hotel would be an ideal place if you are traveling for pleasure or business; every comfort you need is here, and I noticed that the staff provided a friendly, courteous and attentive service to guests at all times. This hotel has 20 rooms that overlook the sea in a kind of pyramid terrace arrangement which is unique in itself; the other 70 rooms look out onto gardens or the town.
Back out in the afternoon sunshine, I head north on the main road to look for the nice beaches. Within a couple of kilometers, the commercialized centre of Cozumel gives way to some residential areas and open areas that look out onto the sea; although the beaches are rocky with few places which are practical for swimming or sunbathing. Having walked four kilometers along the cycle track, I decide to hail a taxi, who takes me another 12 kilometers into the area where the swimming beaches start. Along this stretch of road we pass a number of Beach Clubs: all but one is free to enter; you can buy food, drinks and other beach items there and make use of the sun lounges and palapa canopies that give shade from the sun. Taxis in Cozumel are expensive: The return fee from the centre to the Beach Club area (approximately 32 Km round trip) cost me in excess of US$30.
The best way to see Cozumel is to rent a jeep for the day. You could rent a moped instead, but if you want to see the whole island (including the dramatic landscape and waves on the open pacific side of the island) you will need a car because your fuel will run out on a moped – the island is considerably larger than Isla Mujeres. If you truly want to see Cozumel beyond its commercial heartland; rent a car for a day – there are lots of agencies locally.
Hotel Casa Mexicana begins on the first floor; located downstairs is a merchant selling fine oriental rugs. The hotel’s reception area is open plan and leads into a lounge and bar area. Beyond that is a charming plunge pool and terrace which look out across to the sea. I stood on the terrace with a cool drink and watched the world go by below and the boats and ships on the water sail past me. It’s the perfect place to sunbathe also – a real sun trap – and sun lounges are provided.
Above the reception area is another terrace which is a type of open courtyard in the middle of the building. One side of the building is 'indoor open-air' with a garden in the middle section. It’s quite unique and one of the most fascinating designs I have ever seen for a hotel – it’s very effective. The hotel serves a buffet breakfast every day on the terrace; it’s the only meal it does serve as there is no restaurant here: but this caused me no problem as within 5 minutes’ walk there is a choice of literally dozens of restaurants and café’s. The hotel’s bar serves drinks all day and rooms have a mini bar.
I noticed that the atmosphere in Cozumel changed at night after the cruise ships left. There is no mistaking their departure; they sound their horns twice to let the passengers know they need to return: despite being about a kilometer away from the ship, the air around me vibrated when the horns sounded.
Downtown Cozumel quiets down at night: the shops are calm; the restaurants have tables begging; the bars are more relaxed. I was talking to a waiter at one of the restaurants in the town centre, “It’s usually quiet at night, and at weekends, when there are no ships” he says. “We take turns on the rota, because people who work nights don’t earn as many tips as the day-shift”.
Diving shops and centers are everywhere in Cozumel: if you’re not on a cruise ship, you’ve probably come to Cozumel to enjoy some of the best diving experiences in Mexico or you’ve come as a day-tripper from Cancun heading for one of the Beach Clubs or staying at one of the resorts outside of town. The Island is more that the town centre: but the centre is a good place to be based, because of the proximity of services, restaurants, cafes and bars. A visit to Cozumel will be worthwhile as part of a tour of the area; stay a couple of days and drive around the Island to explore. If you like diving, there is no better place in Mexico you could come to enjoy the pastime.
Playa del Carmen
Getting back to Playa del Carmen from the island of Cozumel was easy on the ferry which leaves hourly from the ferry port, leaving me back on the shores of Playa del Carmen just 45 minutes later.
Playa del Carmen was, like Zihuatanejo, a fishing village not that long ago. With the development of Cancun about 40 miles north of here, people began to wander southwards and what was once a hidden treasure is now the supposedly the fastest growing city in the world. In comparison to Cancun, Playa (as it is called locally) still offers a more traditional Mexican feel to it than it’s Cancun counterpart north of here: the streets have launderettes and corner shops, there are ambulant vendors peddling goods in the street, and there is still a rustic feel to the town in many places. Playa also has some of the most stunning beaches in the area.
The hotel I'm staying at in Playa de Carmen is not on the beach. Loz Itzaes Hotel is two blocks inland on Avenida 10. The hotel is quite new, and has been built in a colonial style. It’s small and charming: just 14 rooms in total with a homely atmosphere and quiet ambience in the heart of Playa del Carmen. The rooms are immaculately presented and feature all the necessary comforts without unnecessary excess. The mini bar prices are very sensible (for a change) and make it worthwhile opening the door for a coke or a beer if you get thirsty. Although the hotel faces a main avenue, it’s quiet and peaceful in the rooms: the building itself and the well insulated French door/windows keep the sounds on the street and the heat out. There’s a small communal area that serves buffet breakfast daily and if you want to swim, there’s a tanning area and pool on the roof that enjoys direct sunshine all day long.
I walk out to explore the area and discover that a two minute walk from the hotel entrance leaves me on a stunning public beach. Just around the corner is Avenida 5, the popular commercial street that features a plethora of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops. The hotel is a perfect base to explore and enjoy Playa: right in the heart of the town; close to good beaches and surrounded by dozens of services.
The beaches around the centre of town are predictably crowded at peak times: if you’re a morning person, you’ll find Playa is quiet and serene then. I found the beaches are clear before midday, and saw lots of locals going about their business: walking their dogs or taking an early morning stroll before the day’s heat takes hold.
However, even at peak times: walk north for just 15 minutes along Avenida 5 and the scenery changes. The shops disappear; residential homes and lots for sale take their place. Every so often you’ll find a track leading to the beach; the further north you go, the quieter it gets, and the more beaches you have to yourself. It’s hard to say how long these undisturbed beaches and the lands behind them will remain: development in Playa is accelerating at unprecedented levels. While it’s here, I was glad to have been able to experience it in its relatively underdeveloped state.
The Organized Tour
On the second day I booked an organized your to Tulum, the Mayan ruins on the coast and Xel-Ha the natural water park. Both attractions are a little further south of Playa: so the schedule was Tulum in the morning and Xel-Ha in the afternoon.
There are advantages and disadvantages to an organized tour. An advantage is that you let someone else do all the work and thinking: the disadvantage is that you can get bored waiting at a place you don’t like, or frustrated having to leave when you want more time there. Two hours was about right for the archaeological centre (see diary entry for Tulum below); although you can stay all day in Tulum itself, see the ruins and then go and swim on the nice beaches below.
I enjoyed Xel-Ha water park and the snorkeling (see diary for Xel-Ha below) but I left feeling that I needed more time there and should have arrived earlier.
