5 night Itinerary - Yucatan Peninsula

Old May 13th, 2016, 10:25 AM
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5 night Itinerary - Yucatan Peninsula

Hi All! I am planning a 5 night, 6 day trip in Mexico flying into cancun for late June and am looking for some guidance on an itinerary. Have seen a lot of longer itineraries posted but want to make the best of this short trip
This trip is a surprise getaway for my boyfriend's birthday - he has no clue where we're going and i'm planning everything!

Things we like: not super touristy, not staying at resort. the highlight of our trips for us is usually finding the best local food and drinks! Very adventurous with food and we like to get drunk together with beer, whiskey, good cocktails at low key, fun bars not crazy clubs. For that reason we're not too interested in hanging in cancun with the teenage/vegas like crowd.
Boyfriend loves history so we will definitely want to visit some ruins and do some nature/hiking trips. I want to relax on the beach but BF will get bored if we do too much of that so need to mix in adventurous activities.
Going to be renting an airbnb and was thinking of staying in Playa del Carmen since it seems a good distance for day trips to other locations that seem interesting like:
Chichen Itza, Vallodolid, Tulum, Cozumel, Akumal, Merida

Am i missing any other good locations in the list above? Do you think Playa del Carmen is a good base? Should we do 3 nights in one place, 2 in another or just stay put in one place for the short trip? Was also thinking about renting a car since the BF loves driving and we want to explore a lot, but have heard mixed things about car rentals and local police force pulling over tourists a lot, so maybe its better to stick to cabs & buses.

Thank you for any input!!
yellowwolf is offline  
Old May 13th, 2016, 11:45 AM
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Playa del Carmen is nice, a bit big for my tastes but will have clubs to visit like Coco Bongo and lots of restaurants.
You can visit Tulum ruins (entrance 69 pesos pp) and then Akumal afterward to snorkel, maybe also visit Yal-Ku Lagoon north of Akumal on Half Moon Bay (entrance 200 pesos pp). Or do them on separate days, maybe one day Akumal, another day Tulum and Coba ruins (you can climb the pyramid at Coba but not at Tulum or CI).
Been visiting the area almost every year since 1999 with my late husband and now with my travel buddy. None of us have ever been pulled over by the police. Wear your seatbelts and obey the speed limits. If you should happen to get stopped (usual traps are close to the airport) never admit you are going to the airport - tell them you are going to Puerto Morelos, or the ferry to Isla Mujeres.
PS - If you rent a car do NOT use a third party website like Kayak or Expedia, they will not include the needed insurance. Expect to pay about $40 per day for a small sedan including all insurance except tire and glass.
jamie99 is offline  
Old May 13th, 2016, 12:26 PM
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Try to land with enough time to pick up a car and drive the two hours to Valladolid in daylight. Easyway is a good company to use, great staff, reliable cars. Get full insurance on their website when booking. Driving is not difficult in the Yucatan. From charming Colonial Valladolid, visit Ek Balam (pyramid to climb) and Chichen Itza, and maybe a cenote or two. Drive to Tulum via Coba ruins (another pyramid to climb, and bikes or pedicab to get around) and stay at the beach in Tulum, or in the pueblo for cheaper. See the ruins. Visit Akumal to snorkel with giant turtles and/or Sian Ka'an biosphere to float Maya canals, from Tulum, if time. Then home.
We've had good weather in September. Have fun.
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Old May 13th, 2016, 12:32 PM
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Btw, decent, comfortable, easy to book posadas are about U$50-70/night, double, so one AirBnB base is not an absolute necessity.
Stay in Plsya del Carmen on your last night perhaps, to party and be closer to the airport.
SambaChula is offline  
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