Cancun sightseeing advice, please

Old Mar 25th, 2003, 06:11 PM
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Cancun sightseeing advice, please

My husband and I are going to Cancun in late April for one week. We are not interested in laying about the beach, snorkeling, etc. Our main reason for the trip is the chance to visit the Mayan ruins. Any advice on the best way to do this? Should we rent a car, take the bus, take a tour, hire a driver...or? Where should we go? Would appreciate any help you can give us.
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Old Mar 26th, 2003, 05:30 AM
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If your main reason is to visit Mayan ruins, is there any chance you can change your hotel to the PDC area, you'd be much closer. Tours are OK but lots of time is wasted picking up and dropping off from other hotels. They also make shopping stops and arrive at the sites at the busiest time. I would consider renting a car and beating the bus crowds at the sites. From PDC there may be some public transport to some of the sites.
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Old Mar 27th, 2003, 05:08 AM
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Last month we drove from Puerto Morelos to Chichen Itza. We took the toll road there. It's a better road and quicker because you don't go through all the little villages, but there is only one gas station, so be sure to fill up before you get on the road. Returning, we took the old road because we wanted to stop at a cenote and the city of Vallodlid. If you take this road beware of the small children waiting for you to drive through. There are topes (speed bumps) which you have to slow down for. The kids know this and stand right by them waiting to beg as you pass. We had a little boy actually hanging onto our door, trying to open it! You can hardly blame them though when you see the conditions they live in. The dogs were walking skeletons.
 
Old Mar 27th, 2003, 11:13 AM
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If you can stay a couple of days in Merida, you would be much closer to Chichen Itza and very close to Uxmal, which is also very impressive. You can go to Tulum easily from Cancun. I have never driven in Mexico - always took the tours. The guides give you a lot of info that you would not hear if you went on your own.
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Old Apr 2nd, 2003, 02:37 PM
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Rent a car, you can drive to all the sites. Go to Chichen Itza very early in the morning (leave your hotel in Cancun by 7 am).

Tulum is lovely and can be done in under an hour. Then you can go on to Coba which was my favorite, much less crowded than the other sites. You can climb the large pyramid there and it is taller than the pyramid in Chichen Itza. If you are at all tired by the time you get to Coba, I'd recommend taking the Bicycle taxi thing you'll see about 200 feet inside the entrance (about $8, they drive you to the ruins, saving you a long walk) we were traveling with a baby and we were very grateful we did this, after we took turns climbing the pyramid our legs were shaking and it would have been a long walk back to the car (especially with a baby).

We rented a car and bought a map at one of the many large supermarkets (we had to ask where the maps were). We loved having a car becuase we could explore so much. We found some less touristy spots for snorkeling and eating that otherwise would have escaped us.

Have a great trip!
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Old Apr 3rd, 2003, 04:37 AM
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If your interest is in the ruins, you may want to consider Club Med's archaological villas. The only one of their villas I have seen is the one at Uxmal, which was an older property and definitely not luxurious, but very close to the ruins. The meal we ate there was excellent. There was a more luxurious hotel there as well. My complaint about going on day trips is that there just is not enough time at the sites. There is so much to see at both Chichen Itza and Uxmal that there wasn't time to just wander around after the tour. I would have liked a full day at each. Uxmal was the most fabulous of the sites I have seen. Chichen Itza is also impressive, but on our tour, all who had been to Uxmal agreed it was more so. Tulum is not much in the way of ruins, but has a terrific location on a cliff overlooking the water. I have not been to Coba. Also, from Cancun you can do a day trip (depending on whether the flights are scheduled) to Guatemala to see Tikal. I wanted to do this my last trip, but same-day flights weren't starting until the week after I left and didn't have time to go for a 2-day trip. A co-worker who flew in for this said it was terrific.
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