TVL

Any advice would be great! We are going to be in Cancun for approx. 4 days and Cozumel for 6 days (Presidente Resort). I was planning to visit:
1. Isla Mujeres
2. Chichen Itza
3. Akumal
(all during our stay in Cancun). My husband thinks it will be too much traveling but is this reasonable? Also, for those who have visited Akumal (Is it different then the snorkeling in Cozumel? I would hate to miss it but we are in negotiations (=)

I also can't seem to find how you get from the Hotel Zone in Cancun to catch the ferry to Cozumel? I prefer not to take the public bus- do we need to go all the way back to the Cancun Airport?

Thanks for all of your help!!

JeanH

Isla Mujeres is an easy day trip from Cancun. Just take a cab to Puerto Juarez and hop on the ferry. Only takes about 20 minutes across the bay.

Chichen Itza is an all day trip. But, well worth it. Make sure and get a guide. You don't say when you're traveling, but I understand the ruins can be brutally hot, and there isn't much shade.

Akumal is a long ways from Cancun. You might see how you're enjoying Cozumel, and if you have some downtime there, you could get back on the ferry, go back to Playa del Carmen, then either take a collectivo or hire a cab to take you to Akumal.

There are lots of transfer companies, try Cancun Valet for your transfer to the ferry. On the other hand, the public buses are cheap and reliable.

Jean

Diana

Hello TVL,

Your plan sounds great and we have done what you are thinking of several times, so I'll offer my ideas...

"We are going to be in Cancun for approx. 4 days and Cozumel for 6 days (Presidente Resort)" - Wonderful place - been there every year for ten years now and the service at the hotel cannot be surpassed.

"I was planning to visit:
1. Isla Mujeres - take the new fast ferry over which leaves every half hour and takes only 15 minutes

2. Chichen Itza - I recommend one of the first class big bus tours for this. Make sure the tour leaves early in the morning to get you to the ruins early enough to enjoy the day there, and doesn't stop by too many other places (you can see those places when you go to Akumal). We actually flew over to Chichen Itza from Cozumel and that was GREAT! There is an airfield right there, and we got to the ruins early in the cool before the crowds and had a small group with a guide and had a very nice experience. It was more expensive than the bus tour.

3. Akumal - A really nice place to go and veg out on the beach or hang out in the beach bar. We went once for a few hours and have been back to stay several times. You can rent a car or you can take a taxi there and the driver can hang out with the other drivers for a few hours and it will cost you about the same.

"(all during our stay in Cancun). My husband thinks it will be too much traveling but is this reasonable?" - To be honest, I think I'd try to do IM and Chichen Itza since you're only in Cancun for 4 days and you will be spending hours one day traveling to Cancun and one day hours traveling to Cozumel also.

"Also, for those who have visited Akumal (Is it different then the snorkeling in Cozumel? I would hate to miss it but we are in negotiations (=)" - The snorkeling in Akumal does not compare to Cozumel, but it has some things you won't see on Coz and is not as crowded (but the reef right in front of the Presidente has such great snorkeling that you will never want to get out of the water and there are rarely more than a handful of people in the water at any time and there is plenty of reef to spread out over). The main draw of Akumal is its funky laid back vibe that is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Cancun.

"I also can't seem to find how you get from the Hotel Zone in Cancun to catch the ferry to Cozumel? I prefer not to take the public bus- do we need to go all the way back to the Cancun Airport?" - I think you may be confused. The only way to get to Coz from Cancun is to fly or to get a taxi/bus to Playa del Carmen about 45 minutes south and take the ferry over. We've done both, and if you take a taxi, the price is about the same as flying. It's less if you take the bus.

"Thanks for all of your help!!" - You're welcome and have a great time!

xxxx

If you choose a big bus tour to Chichen Itza I would make sure to ask how much time you are going to spend on the bus going from resort to resort picking up people as compared to the time spent at Chichen Itza. We took one of these tours in December. While we were fortunate that we were the last ones picked up and first ones dropped off (in Tulum), the tour itself originated in Cancun. Those poor people spent waaay more time on the bus than at Chichen Itza.

TVL

Thanks for all the great advice!! Based on the snorkeling reviews of the Presidente in Cozumel it sounds like Akumal may not be worth the trip from Cancun w/only 4 days to see Isla Mujeres and Chichen Itza. We were planning to go to Akumal mainly for the snorkeling- but am I mistaken that the snokeling is better in Cozumel? If so, I think we will skip Akumal due to time. As far as the travel question, my apologies I was really curious on how you get from the Hotel Zone in Cancun to PDC to catch the ferry? I am aware you can take taxis but is there more of a shared "minivan" bus (not a public bus) that you could make reservations? Thanks for all of your help!

Reeennneee

Dear TVL:

I you are only going to be in Cancun for 4 days I would skip Akumal. Chichen Itza is a wonderful place to visit and I suggest that you go into Cancun City and find a tour operator there who caters to Mexicans. You'll save a lot of money on the tour and probably have more time to spend there. I think the tour operators who pick you up at your hotel charge at least $65 dollars and you really only have 2 hours or less to spend on the site. If you are going to Cozumel for 6 days I suggest you take a van run by Olympus tours and other tour operators to the ferry in Playa del Carmen. Then you take the ferry across and will have to take a cab to your hotel. Instead of going to Isla Mujeres, which is very overcrowded and full of tourists and very expensive, may I suggest that you take a one day trip to Isla Contoy. It's a boat trip that leaves from Cancun, you can go snorkeling on a reef before you get to the island, they serve breakfast on the boat going over. The island is deserted and quite beautiful. They only allow about 60 people a day to go there. They take you on a tour, explain the ecology of the island, serve a wonderful barbecue lunch. You have about 2 hours to swim on a deserted beach. Quite beautiful. It costs about $65 a person and well worth it. The city buses in Cancun stop right in front of your hotel if you want to get picked up and the fare is less than a dollar and it takes you all over Cancun. Cheapter than taxis. They run all day and all night. If you want to snorkel, the best place is on Cozumel. They have a world famous reef -- Palancar. Cozumel has become a real tourist trap in the last few years but it is beautiful. There are a lot of cruise ships there (at least 6) and the streets are crowded with tourists. If you fly to Cozumel, you will have to take a bus or taxi to the airport and then when you get there another taxi to your hotel. I have been to this area every year since 1991 and am going to Cozumel on May 5. Last year I went to Akumal. Nothing much to do there.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me. Have a great trip.

JeanH

Isla Mujeres crowded and expensive???? I really don't think so. We had fresh fish dinners on the ocean, complete with sides and drinks for $15.00US for two. Tix'n'chic at Playa Lancheros is $6.00US and is easily enough for two.

Some days there do seem to be a lot of daytrippers from Cancun, but most of them seem to go to their own beach clubs, then spend a very short amount of time shopping downtown.

Sunset on Isla is beautiful. And cheap.

Jean