DrToonz

Looking for comments on my itinerary:
We are 4 adults (my adult kids, my wife and me).
1. Saturday: Flying in late to Merida. Sleep: Merida.
2. Sunday: Explore Merida. (rent a car in the afternoon) Sleep: Merida.
3. Monday: Drive the Ruta Puuc to see ruins. Sleep: Merida

4. Tuesday: Chichen Itze early AM then on to Valladolid. Sleep: Valladolid.
5. Wednesday: Ek Balam early AM + Ek Balam Cenote. Sleep: Valladolid.
6. Thursday: Explore Valladolid. Sleep: Valladolid.

7. Friday: To Boca in the AM and on to Akumal area via Tulum. Sleep: Akumal (?)
8. Saturday: Explore the area/ snorkeling/ Whatever. Sleep: Akumal (?)
9. Sunday: Explore the area/ Snorkeling/ Whatever. Sleep: Akumal (?)

10. Monday: Drive to Cancun/ Drop car. Beach time in Cancun. Sleep: Cancun
11. Tuesday: Fly out at 5:30am from Cancun.

I'm thinking of adding another night in Merida and/or Valladolid and taking away an Akumal night. We are not sit-on-the-beach travelers and are far more on the go types.

Alternatively, I'd be open to any changes.

Primary wants are: Not TOO ambitious days (it'll be hot!). See ruins. Experience being within the local culture. A little snorkeling to see turtles would be awesome.
Is street parking a well-insured rental car OK in Merida? Valladolid?

Best way to get FROM airport in Merida at 8:30pm?
Best way to get TO aiport in Cancun at 5:30am?

Should I make 2-night stays instead of 3 in individual places?

Other comments?

SambaChula

My idea:

1.Saturday: Flying in late to Merida. Sleep: Merida.
2.Sunday: Explore Merida, Sunday night on the zocalo. (Rent a car in the afternoon) Sleep: Merida.

3.Monday: Uxmal and drive the Ruta Puuc to see ruins. Sleep: en route

4 Tuesday finish the Ruta Puuc Sleep Valladolid
5 Wednesday Chichen Itza early AM (you can get around the place in a few hours max if early)
then on to Valladolid, Cenote. Explore Valladolid (this amount of time is enough)
Sleep: Valladolid.
6 Thursday: Ek Balam early AM + Ek Balam Cenote.
Sleep: Valladolid.

7 Friday: To COBA in the AM, cenote, and on to Tulum.
Sleep Tulum
8 Saturday Akumal / snorkeling/ beach. Sleep: Tulum
9 Sunday Trip to Sian Ka’an biosphere to float canal, see manatees, etc
Sleep Tulum

10 Monday : Drive to Puerto Morelos via Playa del Carmen for shopping . Beach time in PDC or PM . Sleep: Puerto Morelos (20 minutes from airport)
11. Tuesday: Drop car in Cancun. Fly out at 5:30am from Cancun.

"Best way to get TO airport in Cancun at 5:30am?"
Maybe arrange with Easyway, where you should rent the car, to have someone there at the office for a very early drop off and ride to airport. If you need to take a private shuttle or taxi otherwise, it might be worth offering an equal tip to someone at their office to do this.

Fra_Diavolo

I agree with the previous poster that you should try to spend a night near Uxmal so you can do justice to the site itself and the Ruta Puuc.

You would enjoy Merida more if you could arrive earlier on Saturday, or even Friday night so as to get in the swing of the weekend festivities.

Understand not craving beach time, but the snorkeling in the area is very good. You may find yourself wanting more time under water.

DrToonz

Sadly no way to get to Merida earlier. We arrive 9pm Saturday.

I like the idea of sleeping along the Ruta Puuc. Do I set up accommodations beforehand or should I do that en route on the spot?

Snorkeling is awesome and I'd love to spend time doing more. Not sure if I can fit it in though. We have our own snorkel gear...is it worth toting one bag (we all normally travel with only a medium-small backpack each) with that gear in it for our many days prior only to snorkel for a single day in Akumal?

It sounds like I was pretty close in my itinerary to what you two would suggest. Am I missing anything for the time I have alotted?

I was likely going to use VRBO for accommodations. Any reason that this is a bad idea?

TULUM: Recent reports of hoteliers/guests being ousted by what sound like thugs. Should I be concerned about this? This is why I was saying Akumal instead.

I feel like I have a million questions.

Will I survive with my almost-no-spanish skills?

Are ATMS readily avail or do I bring Pesos/ buy pesos in Merida?

Easy way seems THE rental company. Any other driving concerns?

Anything I should have asked but didnt?

Thanks!!!

jamie99

Easyway is a good company, my travel buddy used them again for her trip to Akumal in May.
Look into renting a condo on Half Moon Bay in north Akumal, I have used locogringo.com many times, the owners live in Akumal and are very reputable.
When we visited Uxmal and a couple of the Ruta Puuc ruins we stayed at Hacienda Uxmal, very nice although the food was much better at their sister resort, Lodge at Uxmal.
Before or after your visit to Ek Balam, you might be interested in driving an hour or so north to Rio Lagartos to see the flamingos. We spent a couple of hours on a nice boat trip there.
Puerto Morelos also has good snorkeling, mostly from a boat, the reef is only 5 minutes away.

Fra_Diavolo

You can probably rent snorkeling gear at Akumal.

Plenty of ATMs in Merida, probably pretty scarce around Uxmal.

No idea about VRBO. We're pretty mainstream and use hotels. In addition tot he hotels mentioned above, some people here have used a B&B called The Flycatcher http://www.flycatcherbeta.com.

You'll get by without Spanish. Always good to know hello and goodbye, please and thank you.

kja

IME, the Ruta Puuc is best seen in a two day loop. Consider staying at the Flycatcher Inn
http://www.flycatcherbeta.com or the Pickled Onion
http://www.thepickledonionyucatan.com
(SambaChula gives you a nice option to visit the Ruta Puuc en route to Valladolid.) And yes -- try to book in advance: These are both extremely popular little places. You might have no trouble just showing up, but there aren't a lot of great options in the area....

I’m not sure what you mean by the Ek' Balam cenote, but there are two cenotes in the area, the Cenotes Dzitnup, that I thought spectacular:
http://cenotesmexico.org/cenote-dzitnup/

I’ve already suggested added one night (a 2nd night along the Ruta Puuc). Depending on your interests, I could easily see adding a night in Merida or perhaps Valladolid.

As for parking, my advice is to make sure you screen for it when you search booking.com or communicate with your planned lodging in advance to make sure you have a realistic option.

I managed 3 weeks in the area solo with just enough Spanish to be civil.

I had no problem finding ATMs – but I had learned in advance where I could, and could not, be sure of finding them. Consult a good guidebook, such as the <i>Moon Guide</i> to make sure you have that kind of detailed information. And also read information in a good guidebook or two about how rules of the road do, or don’t differ from those to which you are accustomed.

Hope that helps!

SambaChula

Driving concerns:
The roads are good. The toll road is boring and there is nothing on it, so bring snacks and water, and some music.
Watch for the speed bumps in populated areas along the road.
Don't drive at night.
Watch the pump and note well what banknote amount you pay with (possible scams). Do not be distracted by anyone wanting to wash windows or check oil; that can wait until the gas is pumped.

Ignore any repots you have heard about Tulum beachside hotels. They have been blown waaaaay out of proportion to what actually happened. There are also nice posadas in the pueblo. With a car, you just drive to one of the beach clubs, park, enjoy the beach, and drive back to the posada at the end.

Yes, at the visitors center at Ek Balam, there is a cenote visit offered.
Also, if you turn left as you exit, you can follow the cenote signs quite a ways (you may think you're lost and any kids you try to ask on the way may be scared of gringo strangers) down a narrow road, eventually passing through a small village (where they have a Xeroxed map available), to cow corral behind which is a trail leading to a rustic cenote with an island in the middle reached by stairs made from trees. An authentic adventure!
If you turn right on exit, you will find yourself in a little pueblo where people make hammocks. Some are junk, but one elderly woman with a big pink house on the right makes good quality ones at a very good price.

There are ATMs in most towns. Some charge a fee. (Bank of America has a "free" deal with one bank there.) There are also cash exchange houses/shops, whose rates may not be all that bad.

I would take at least a snorkel mask. You can rent them anywhere you want to snorkel, beach or cenote, but....The product they use to clean the rental ones is unpleasant IMO.

DrToonz

OK, I've changed my itinerary to have us staying only the two nights in Merida (one full day).
I have a room in FlyCatcher Inn for our mid-ruta-puuc night.

What part(s) of the Ruta Puuc should I intend to see on the day BEFORE staying in Santa Elena? What should I see en route to Valladolid after we LEAVE Santa Elena?
Is there a 'clockwise vs counterclockwise' preference on the Ruta Puuc?

Fra_Diavolo

I think you should probably spend the first day Uxmal, then visit the Ruta Puuc the next morning, continuing on to Valladolid. Most of the sites are fairly small, although very distinctive and absolutely worth the time. You might also consider visiting the Loltun cave.

kja

I hope you enjoy the Flycatcher as much as I did! When I was there (2008), it had a little "nature walk" on the property -- if you have time, I thought it well worth an hour or so.

I agree with Fra_Diavolo that visiting Uxmal on your first day along the Ruta Puuc makes sense. If you have time for Kabah that day, you might stop there, too. But Uxmal is extensive, and if it takes you all day, no worries, as the other sites are much smaller. Of course, if you have time, visit as many as you want that day! Since you'll pass the Flycatcher after Uxmal, you can get a sense of how much time you need to leave to return before sunset -- and I, personally, did not want to be on those unlit roads after dark. (But maybe that has changed?)

Fra_Diavolo's idea of visiting the Loltun cave is also good, IMO. When I was there, one could only visit on a tour, and the tours had specific hours, so be sure to plan accordingly.

I don't think you actually need to do the full "loop" of the Ruta Puuc back to your start -- once you finish with Kabah, Sayil, Xlapac, and / or Labna (the minor sites -- and you don't need to see them all if time is short -- again, I think the <i>Moon Guide</i> will be helpful in planning) and/or Loltun, you can head on to your next destination. FWIW, I skipped Xlapac, enjoyed the peace and quiet and unique elements of Sayil and Labna, and was awed by Kabah.

Enjoy!

DrToonz

This is really great help. Thank you all!

I now have accommodations set up for all but our last night (just to sleep really...we leave at like 5am)
[Puerto Morelos? Cancun?]

I still need to set up car rental. Any specific tips on that? Easy way seems the company to go with based on online reviews and forums.

Is there a good driving map?

Any other general tips for this Mexico newbie?

jamie99

https://store.cancunmap.com/Mayan-Ad...nadventure.htm
Try the Mapchick Mayan Adventure map, only goes as far as Valladolid, CI and Piste.
She makes others for various parts of Riviera Maya, has a good reputation. Kind of like a small guidebook, with recos for restaurants and lots of other stuff.
For car, Easyway and America Car Rental are both good. Avant has also been getting good press over on TripAvisor forums, they meet you at the airport and you return there also.

kja

I'll repeat my recommendation to consult the <i>Moon Guide</i> (or, if you can't get that, the <i>Rough Guide</i -- you'll probably learn all sorts of things you never thought of asking.

cybor

Have you checked the one way drop off fees for car rentals? Some of them can be a bit steep.
Akumel et al really aren't all that far (to me at least) to relocate to a stay closer to the airport.
You could also add a night elsewhere like Merida (you're really not there long enough to see much of it)
Merida is a huge city with a lot of history, art, dining, nearby ruins, beaches/coastal areas, wildlife estuaries, home to flamingos etc etc. You could even go due north from Merida and then down into Vall that way.


Day 6 - Vallalodid - Not sure if that night is necessary. You'll only need the morning to visit the ruin and the cenote.
Vall is a nice little city but you could rethink spending 3 nights there. That is, of course unless you want to hang around and relax or something.

Do check out Loltun cave - it's very cool.
Also keep in mind that many of the sites can easily be reached from Vall or Merida as day trips if you decide not to spend a night near Uxmal. There's also many companies that will do the driving for you if you decide to go that route. They'll go at your speed. Just another option.

DrToonz

@kja: Ordered Moon Guide. I'll give it a look!

@cybor: Thanks for the notes. I've already rented the car. Not cheap once you add in the insurance which everyone suggests doing. Cost of doing biz, I guess. RE: Valladolid: I think it's a good idea to have a 'chill' day mid-itinerary. No biggy. And maybe we'll take a day to go north to Rio Lagartos?
Loltun Cave. I'll look into it.

@Jamie99: I ordered that map. Looks quite helpful. Thanks for the tip.

QUESTION: Is a GPS helpful?

cybor

Yes, GPS will be very helpful. I use the one on my cell all the time here in Mx.