liza

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/03/2...27jamaica.html

...nice article on the Port Antonio area.

tivertonhouse

Liz -- you were first person I thought of reading this yesterday ...

liza

Believe me, I wish I were planning a trip there, or to Treasure Beach, instead of deciding whether to go AI in the hotel in Cancun we'll be at...

Sigh.

tivertonhouse

Don't -- which will let you do lots of daytrips including the small hidden beaches about a half-hour south and also Coba, inland 30 min.off the main.
Do a longish daytrip early in am past Tulum ruins to great beaches;or stay overnight at Defeo/seo in Playa del Carmen. Will stop at Invercauld and give your regards as well to Carolyn, Axel and Andrea, Rhema...

liza

You're going to Invercauld?? Please say hi to Libby (she's managing it now) and Chef for me, I miss them so much!

I'm seeing that car rental in Cancun is not too $$$, like $150/week from Hetz, etc...so am leaning away from AI at the moment.

Hearing weird things about $50 toll roads from Cancun to Tulum area....have you rented a car in the Yucatan before?

tivertonhouse

Have rented car in Yucatan - they're similar in condition to JA but the roads are flat, the drives easy.
Haven't dropped in at Invercauld since C&L took over management. It was a strange place before, mainly catering to Jamaican weekenders or families like Parrottee, with real desultory service and horrendous food. Formal dining room, interesting architecture in main house but the guest quarters out back were from hunger...

cdt

Car rentals in Cancun are cheap but there are many horror stories about insurance problems, so it may be wise to buy all the additional insurance, which can more than double the cost. Many differing opinions on this issue.

If you're actually staying in Cancun (or are you just trying to elicit sympathy?), you won't need a car to not do AI. There's a 65-cent bus that goes all over.

The road to Tulum is free; toll road is to Chichen Itza. But there's a free road next to it.

(We decided to try Mexico last month for a change of pace - really glad we did it once, but we'll be back in VI or Jamaica again next winter).

liza

Yeah, we're actually staying in Cancun (Omni), not my choice but it's a group thing with a band I work for. None of the Mayan Riviera resorts in PdC, etc were interested in hosting a rock band and 300 fans, imagine that

Thinking at this point NOT to do AI, use busses to eat locally, and rent a car just for 3 or so days to explore south.

I just priced a rental car again today - $11/day for the car, $70/day for the various types of insurance!

Are the private driver/guides that are so common in Jamaica available in the Yucatan?

faithie

Supposedly Dragon Bay is now to be sub-dived into lots for Villas ....... Too bad , perfect spot for a small hotel , which is allready there ! Ahhhhh.......

cdt

Liza, I know we're way off topic and on the wrong forum, but I don't think you'll find private drivers in Mexico comparable to Jamaica.

We saw a price for a private van with driver for the day and it was ridiculous (over $300 as I recall).

Mexico has a fantastic bus system, plus collectivos for more local travel. We used both and didn't rent a car. You can takes buses to Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Akumal, etc. - but exploring the back roads will require a car.