Traveling alone to Cancun/Tulum for a week - had a couple questions!
 

Hi all - I'm a 30yo male and have decided to head to Tulum and surrounding areas for a week in January. From what I know of Cancun, I'm not interested in staying there but the flight to that airport was so cheap it'll be my starting point. Also, I've done a lot of research on these forums already so I hope I don't sound too amateur.

And just a quick note on my style of travel: I like to travel independently and go off the beaten path if possible. I appreciate good people, good culture, good food, beautiful sites, and serendipitous connections -- pretty much what most solo travelers would enjoy :) I'd love this forum's advice on the below questions!

- Getting around on my own: Is it fairly cost effective to rent a car from the Cancun airport to leave the city for the week? I've seen rates online of about $50/day, which is of course more expensive than a bus but could be worth the convenience
- Beaches: What is your favorite beach to get away from crowds that are accessible within a day of Cancun or Tulum? In Colombia I was able to rent a really cheap cabana from a local on the beach for the night, I wonder if there are similar options in this area of Mexico
- Cultural activities: Are there any local events or cultural events I should consider looking into? I really enjoyed Thai kickboxing in Thailand, Flamenco festival in Cordoba, etc. Is there anything I should keep an eye out for in this region?
- Outdoor activities: On a similar note, are there any outdoor activities I should look in to doing? The less it feels like a formal tour, the better
- Punta Allen: Looks intriguing on the map! Couldn't find much info about it online - is this a destination for a tourist looking for an overnight on the beach?

Thanks all :)

My friend, the Mayan Riviera and the whole Yucatan peninsula for that matter, is made just for the type of travelling that you want to accomplish. Wether it is transportation (taxi, collective, or ADO coach 1st and 2nd class), far away quiet beaches (Holbox and Majahual), colonial cities (Merida and Valladolid), Island hopping (Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Holbox) Ruins galore and so much more. Try to make up a plan and stick to it if you wish to take in as much as possible in the time that you have...I can get back to you in more details if you are somewhat more precise as to where you want to concentrate your efforts. You are on the right forum for info on this region as there are many experienced travellers who respond regularly.

I am doing the same, arriving in Cancun on 1/5 and headed solo down to Talum, where I'll stay at an inexpensive campsite with a cenote on the property. I will fish every morning, go to a yoga class in the afternoon and just chill out. It sounds like you have similar plans. What's your arrival date?

Medbow - good to hear. I'm arriving tomorrow (1/1) and leaving on 1/7. Can I ask where you found campsites? I'd prefer to stay at a beachfront campsite instead of a hotel

Rohelio - that's great to hear! This is really helpful. Thanks so much. I had a couple other questions for you guys:

- **Hostels vs. Beach stays:** I'm not much to stay in a hotel but prefer staying in hostels or on the beach. Both tend to be cheaper than a hotel and have a more laid back atmosphere. Do you know of any good beachfront, cheap huts I can rent for the night to relax / wake up by the beach? Anywhere beach near Tulum should be fine.
- **Scuba vs. snorkel:** I would love to scuba in a cenote. Though I'm on a bit of a tight budget. If I'm not able to find a cheap scuba outlet, would I be able to buy (or borrow) snorkel gear and just hop in and explore the areas myself? Are there any particular cenotes that cater to self-snorkel tours?
- **Itinerary:** After doing some more research, I think I'd like the itinerary to look like: Cozumel (1 night), Tulum (2 nights), Punta Allen (1 night), Merida (2 nights). Does that sound like I might be stretching myself thin?

There is a great cabana hotel in Tulum called Diamente K. they are small cabanas right on the beach with suspended beds and no electricity except for a generator in the kitchen palapa on the beach. i know however that they have raised the price and is more than 30 us per night, it,a a nice refuge. there are quite a few hostels in playa del carmen all over the city. you can snorkel in Akumal which is great fun and very popular, there is also a web cam on the beach of Akumal that you might want to check out, there are dozens of cenotes all over the country side, you have to decide which one you wish to visit as there is a cost involved . you can easily visit Cozumel, Tulum but Punta Allen is a ways off in the wrong direction, if you wish to visit Merida which is an absolute MUST. Go on a week end as they close off many streets around the main park on Saturday night and all day Sunday...it takes about 5 hours by bus to get to Merida but well worth it. As a reminder, you must understand that almost everything comes with a price in the area as it has grown so popular...This said the cheapest way to get around is by collective which is a really great value, but not available at the airport where you will have to take the ADO bus to playa del carmen... the cost is appr. 150 pesos from there you can use the collective to go to Tulum and back