Hello! I need a place to go after I leave the Aventura Spa Palace in Playa del Carmen? Our vacation ends on a Friday and we want to go somewhere that is close by for another 2 days - thinking something like Belize. Interested in a place that is not too far but will be beautiful. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. <BR>

I think Belize is a little far for just 2 days. You might want to consider the beach at Tulum. We stayed at Ana y Joses.

It will be a relatively pricey flight for such a short trip. There's a bus from the Cancun area to Chetumal and you can then take a Belizian bus to Corazal or Belize City. Belize is a beautiful and friendly country with an amzaing eco-system and much to see - you're doing yourself an injustice to try and visit it for such a short spell. The bus ride i s 5 or 6 hours just to the border with a transfer and more time beyond - impractical for a short visit. Belize expert Lan Sluder, who posts regularly, has a FAQ on his website that covers Cancun area to Belize transfers - check it out at<BR><BR>http://www.belizefirst.com/indexanswers.html<BR><BR>Have you considered Isla Holbox? It's a small and rustic island a couple hours from PDC where the Gulf meets the Caribbean. There area couple of small lodges there, some great fishing and awesome snorkeling. Not a major reef destination like Cozumel but there's said to be an amazing assortment of marine life and fish that you won't find elsewhere in the region. Here's an info website for Holbox (pronounced hole-botch) <BR><BR>http://www.islaholbox.com/destinationinfo.html<BR><BR>Blue Angel Diver Service of Cozumel (I just did my PADI AOW course with them) runs snorkel and spearfishing daytrips from there. If you go from May to mid-September the whale sharks congregate in the area and you can swim among them (snorkel only - they are scared off by scuba gear). Blue Angel has an inclusive trip from the Cancun or PDC area that includes lodging and transportation but if ypu're already there on your own you might be able to just join them for a day. I'm not sure if other people are runnign such a service from Holbox but I was very pleased with my experience in Cozumel - they run a first rate operation. here's a link to info on the whale sharks trip<BR><BR>http://www.cozumel-diving.net/BlueAngel/holbox.htm

The last time I did the Playa to Belize trip by bus (this summer) -- there is no air service from Mexico to Belize -- it took about 4 1/4 hours and cost maybe US$15 to Chetumal, then what with the border crossing another hour and US$2 to Corozal Town. <BR><BR>I always like Corozal, but there's actually not much there. No real beaches. You could take a quick flight to San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) from Corozal, about US$35, or take the ferry ($20). <BR><BR>But it would be a good bit of traveling for such a short period.<BR><BR>--Lan Sluder

Thanks for the quick responses. I thought Belize might be a bit too far - sounds like Isla Holbox might be a nice trip - can you suggest anywhere else? Don't think we want to go to Cozumel. . Thanks!

I just returned from Coz and loved it but I was there specifically for the scuba diving (which is fantastic!). Unless diving was the focus of your two extra days, I agree that Coz is not the right choice - the central plaza area and adjacent stores and restaurants are truly overrun with cruise ship passengers (the day before I left, there were eleven ships all stopping there on the same day!). Sorry I can't offer personal take on Holbox but the person I spoke to loved it - it's a fishing village with no real toursit development and represents a ncie change from the typical destinations of the &quot;Mayan Riviera&quot;. I think it helps to have at least a limited command of Spanish if you're visiting there.