yveweb

Hi lovely people!

This is a single Mom traveling with her 10 years old boy for 6 months now. We need some relaxed holidays after a lot adventures and are going to leave Ecuador End of Feb.

We look for a lovely and cheap place to chill and snorkel on a beach for 1-2 months without resort-tourism. Sometimes we want to visit the area by bus in daytrips.

After I have read a lot I think I might find this in Mexico on Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Tulum.
Can anybody recommend any relaxed place with muy economico cabinas on the beach with discounts for longterm- stay or an apartment to rent, where I could cook myself!?

Or do you have totally different ideas, I am vry open for advices or even a travelmate

Costa Rica seems to be too expensive and in Nicaragua and Guatemala I am actually a bit afraid about safety...

We have a lot of luggage, the destinations should be easy to reach and we don't want to change places often.

Thank you for all your answers

Yve

suze

<1-2 months without resort-tourism>

That does not describe either Isla Mujeres or Cozumel! Pretty much the opposite, they are uber-touristed destinations.

I think Tulum, Akumal, or any of the smaller towns along the Caribbean coastline south of Cancun would closer fit what you seek.

volcanogirl

We love Costa Rica, but we have not found the snorkeling to be that great. Belize has some really nice snorkeling but might be more expensive than what you're looking for. I think Mexico is your best bet.

jamie99

Akumal would be your best bet, look for a condo on Half Moon Bay, Tulum is nice but more expensive unless you stay in the pueblo and take taxis back and forth to the beach. Good for body surfing and boogie boarding, snorkeling not so much.

suze

All of these places have resort-tourism though.

suze

Roatan? Holbox?

yveweb

Thank you loads for all your replies so far!

It seems Isla mujeres and Cozumel are just quiet compared to Cancun

Unfortunately I have heard about a big smelly seaweed-problem in Akumal, so I hope mother earth will rethink about this till march!?

Which 'smaller towns along the Caribbean coastline' can you recommend!? Is it safe and easy to get there!?

Tulum is definately on our list maybe for the beginning, do you think renting an apartment there in town is possible? Any ideas about the costs?

When we settled in a good base, where we can leave our big luggage, we like to do some daytrips, probably with one night, ideas!?

Still happy about all your response

suze

I'm no expert on that side of Mexico, I always go to Puerto Vallarta on the west coast side.

www.locogringo.com is the website most often recommended for that area.

Any place that is "safe and easy to get there" is going to have some tourists. Sure renting an apartment anywhere is possible. Costs depend on what kind of a place you are seeking.

Merida does not have a beach, but a colonial town that might make a nice side trip, depending on where you end up.

plumboy

You might look at Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancun. It's a small, laid-back town with restaurants. Very walkable. There is some excellent snorkeling there, but you have to take a boat out to the reef to do it pretty much (it's relatively inexpensive though_. Maybe it's possible to do some on your own a bit closer to the beach, I don't know? There is seaweed there too, but that's a good thing -- it means the reef is healthy (I think!). And it's really just at the break line -- you just have to go out a bit further to avoid most of it.

zootsi

Puerto Morelos may be a good option. In town Tulum (away from the beach), may also be more reasonable. Also look at Chemuyil, a small village just south of Akumal is perhaps the least touristy. Chemuyil is comprised of a small Mexican town, and a newer section of modest ex-pat homes. It's not right on the beach, but just few minutes on a bike.
As for snorkeling from the beach, the best town for this is Akumal although Puerto Morelos may be doable.

jamie99

Not just Akumal but the entire coast there has had a problem with sargassum this year, people have reported seeing it in the Caribbean from their airplane! It seems to have largely cleared up now, look at the webcam on locogringo.com

JeanH

Here in Belize the wind has been blowing from the north for a week or so. When the wind is from the north, it blows the sargassum back out to sea.

I'm guessing when the winds change back to easterly, the sargassum will be back.

yveweb

Lovely people,

thank you very much for your advices, it was super helpful!

Yve

DannyNadezda

I have the perfect place. My girlfriend and I were there a few days ago. We paid 10dollar per night to sleep in our tent but rooms are very affordable. We did truly amazing snorkeling for 175 pesos (12dollar?) And it is not so touristic as the others and sooo relaxing.

Puerto Morelos!

I don't know how to put photos but I can link to our blog post. We have pics of snorkeling and the local villahe behind Puerto moreles.

Www.aroundtheworldinlove.com/

Search for the blog post about 'behind the hotels and under the surface

yveweb

Thank you so much guys!

I made the plan now to wait till the end of springbreak and fly end of march to Cancun.

We will go directly to Tulum and stay 1-2 nights in town to check the beachcabanas, do you think if we stay 2-3 weeks we can pay not more than 15$ per night?

I like to do the same in Puerto Morelos and Holbox. Do you think this is realistic!?

And... Do you really think (besides robbery when we are away) we don't have to worry?

Thank you loads for anything!!!!!

jamie99

March is high season and Easter also falls in March next year, so you are not going to find anything for $15 per night even in the pueblo, Tulum has not been a backpacker/budget traveler place for at least 5-6 years now since it got "discovered". You can maybe find a dorm bed in a hostel for that amount of money per person.

SambaChula

Yes, I agree that OP does not have a realistic idea of what that coastline is really like.
Cabanas on the beach in Tulum go for U$200+/night at high season, and electricity may be limited. A modest posada in the pueblo goes for about U$60 at a low season. It is very touristy at most times and prices follow.
Puerto Morelos, on the water side of the 307 highway, is very touristy, full of rentals and hotels. The locals live on the other side of the highway.
U$15 won't even buy restaurant/beach club meals for a day, let alone a place to stay with a child. Maybe one bunk in a hostel dorm, not two, and not a private hostel room for mother and child. Supermarket prices in Tulum and market prices in PM are not cheap either.

yveweb

Thank you very much for your helpful and caring opinions!

It is interesting how different the information are!

I found an apartment in Tulum for 290$ a month and will check everything from there maybe thats a good idea for traveling families who like to save money!

Elainee

Danny, where did you snorkel? Best snorkel pictures I have seen from area. I want to go there next week!!!

suze

wow $290/month for an apartment in Tulum in amazingly cheap. Buena suerte & I hope everything works out for you.