3 weeks in Mexico - what to do?
Replies: 10 - Last Post: Dec 1, 2012 5:27 PM Last Post By: bergenplanner
jump to
3 weeks in Mexico - what to do?
Hi everyone,We are 2 boys (19 years old), who are going to travel in the Yucatan for about 3 weeks arriving December 11th in Cancun.
The only plan we got is to celebrate the new year in Playa del Carmen and to visit Chichen Itza, Tulum, Cancun and Isla de Mujeres.
We were hoping to get some suggestions/recommendations about a route and some "must see"-places. We are open-minded and have a great interest in the culture, beaches, local people/places, activities and partying.
We are looking forward to get a lot of good answers from you all!
2
OK, give'm a break - they're young.First of all - how are you guys planning on getting around -(renting a car, busses)?
My "must-sees" are probably not your "must sees", but to take a stab at it based on your interests:
For kick-back, lazing around, beers on the beach scene, try a couple days in Puerto Morelos.
For swimming in cenotes and colonial towns go to Valladolid (from which you can visit the ruins of Chitzen Itza and Ek Balam, see flamingos and crocodiles at Ria Lagartos, and swim in nearby cenotes).
Other stuff in the area: Xcalak, Cozumel. ruins of Cobá,
3
Thank you for the answers.We have been looking quite a bit in forums, guide books and so on, but the greatest answers will always appear, when the starting post fits 100 %.
We are planning to get around mainly by bus, which should be the cheapiest and easiest choice - right?
The mentioned places all looks great and interesting.
With our interests in mind, how does a plan (and route) like this sound:
Day 1-3 Cancun (resting after a long trip and spending some time in the city/at the beaches etc.)
Day 3-7 Isla de Mujeres (the beaches, chilling, a trip around the island (is biking a good choice?) and going on a tour)
Day 7-9 Valladolid (the city and visiting Chichen Itza)
Day 9-11 Merida (the city, culture etc.)
Day 11-15 Tulum (the ruins, the beaches and the surroundings/the area)
Day 15-17 Cozumel (diving, relaxing)
Day 17-20 Playa del Carmen (partying, the new year, the beaches and relaxing - posibly Puerto Morelos)
Day 20 Cancun (one of us is going home - the other one continues going on a 6 month journey in Central-, North- and South America - more threads about that later on ;-))
It's an overall plan, so there are many things, which could be changed.
Another question: Is Palenque worth the long trip and which cities/places should then be skipped?
All kind of inputs or opinions are more than welcome!
4
Sounds pretty good except I'd borrow a day from Isla Mujeres to put onto Valladolid/Merida.5
Guys...you are planning to be in Tulum, Cozumel and Playa at the busiest time of the year and accommodations will be hard to find. You might want to be in Valladolid and MErida during this time, or else, make sure that you have bookings. So, maybe go south after Isla, do the beach stuff, then go west for culture, ruins, (and fun as well), then return to Cancun6
bokajo is spot on with the advice ...Beginning the week before Christmas families from the highlands begin to head to their favorite beach. By the week after Christmas and lasting through 3 Kings Day (January 6), the trickle of families becomes a flood. Other than the Easter holiday period, it is the major national tourism holiday period when accommodation becomes limited and prices increase. Do not expect to simply show up in any of the beach communities and easily find budget accommodation !
Bien viaje
7
Thank you all for your advices - we'll keep that in mind.I think we'll stay with the same destinations, but head south to Tulum after Isla de Mujeres instead. Then we can head west to Valladolid, Merida etc.
Any suggestions about a place to celebrate christmas?
Any recommendations about tours, tour operators, hostels, restaurants or anything else will be appreciated a lot!
8
Valladolid and Merida both have great churches where you can celebrate Christmas eve. It is a wonderful experience. Good hostal in Valladolid is Aurora, several hostels in Merida. Lots of tour operators in both cities, depends on what you want.....you will not be bored. Check www.yucatantoday.com for ideas, In Merida go to the mid-day "cerveza and botana" places, a bottle of beer comes with a tablefull of free food. Good place on Calle 49 and 56, called something like "Alba"9
I think you have got a very nice plan, obviously every one has different "must see" places and everything depends on your personal likes and interests, but if I were you, I would skip Cozumel and would go to Palenque. Yes, it's worth the long trip, the buildings, the surrounding jungle and the history of the place make it one of the most beautiful mayan cities. If you are not coming back to Mexico soon, I would definitively go for it. In comparison to Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres and Tulum, I find Cozumel a little bit boring (unless you are expert divers) beaches there are not as beautiful as the ones in Tulum or Cancun, the party is way better in Playa del Carmen (and you can also scuba dive there) and it is frequently packed with people from cruisers that come for the day.10
When in Tulum, you may want to check out a brand new hostel that just opened last month--Hostel Sheck. It is in Central Tulum near restaurants, shops, and the bus station. It is set in a lush, tropical garden with dorm beds (all brand new and super comfortable) with lots of hot water and free breakfast. The bar is great and the bartender (Mike) makes the best Mojitos! Great prices. Since they are new, it is still the best kept secret in Tulum. Check out the website: www.hostelsheck.com. You can find out about availability through the site.
