maxmox

Hi guys,

My husband and I are going to Riviera Maya (Grand Mayan) for a week in just two weeks from now for our honeymoon. With the holidays, wedding, family visiting, we have not had much time to research our much-needed vacation. I'm usually an over-planner, so this is difficult for me! I'm planning to read thru these posts to do some research, but I'm wondering if anyone can offer any tips/advice on excursions and must-see sites.

We will not have a car, and will probably want to do a lot of relaxing pool-side at the resort, but would like to get out for one or two excursions. So, should we do X-caret, Tulum, Cozumel, or Xel-Ha? We like natural beauty, snorkeling, boating, kayaking, hiking, etc, but also enjoy restaurants, shows, archaeology etc...

Thanks for any help you can give!

Gail

TC

A trip to Tulum and Xel-ha would tick boxes for archaeology, snorkeling and beauty. We loved both places. The snorkeling is really good from Cozumel, but might not be worth the hassle of taking the ferry across. Xcaret is a bit too Disney for my taste. Have you thought about flying to Chichen Itza for a day?
http://www.aerosaab.com/chichen-itza-tour/

Or rent a car, do an overnight and combine Chichen Itza Sound and Light Show with a dip in the cenotes.
http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com/Page...Adventure.htm#

Also have a look at www.locogringo.com
in both the "To Do and See" and "Forums" headers. I think you'll find lots of advice.

hopefulist

Congratulations! I can't say much because I'm still in planning mode myself, but check out this cool adventure site someone else posted a month or 2 ago:
http://www.alltournative.com/tours-p...maya-encounter

Keep us posted and please post a travelogue when you get home!

maxmox

Thanks to you both! I checked out each website you recommended and they all seem great! I'm leaning towards a daytrip combined Tulum/Xel Ha -- can you do both comfortably in one day?

Maybe also one other excursion - possibly one of the adventure tours which combines the cenotes with either zip-lining or the Mayan ruins at Coba.

I haven't done much research on either Playa del Carmen, or Cozumel. Are either worthwhile checking out?

THANKS!

TC

Worthwhile for what? Both have great shopping and restaurants - just for starters. Cozumel is an island full of wonderful places and people. Give us a bit more definition and we can help more.

maxmox

I've done a little more research... still need your help! Here are the things that interest us:

- Tulum / lunch/ relax on sandy beach
- snorkeling with sea turtles --can this be done in Tulum?
- snorkeling in cenote
- Coba ruins -- think this could be combined w/ cenote?
- Xel Ha? OR Yal Ku lagoon?

So, you can see I have a lot of things on here, but we are only there for a week, and I don't want to try to cram in too many things b/c we want time to relax at the resort as well. Any advice you can give on what can be combined in one day without rushing from place to place would be great.

I've seen many tours out there that combine attractions, and also pick you up at the hotel... I guess that is what we would need since we are not planning on renting a car.

I'm thinking 2 (maybe 3) days of excursions would be reasonable.

THANKS!!

ShellD

The alltournatitve tours hopefulist mentions are fabulous. The maya-encounter was probably the best excursion day we've done in Mexico. They keep the group small and you see a lot in that one day. Coba is a great ruin. It's in the jungle and one of the less excavated sites. It's fascinating! Their guides are great. The tour with them includes Coba, a zip line, rapelling into a dry cenote, a brief stop in a Mayan village for lunch, and kayaking. Then you hike into the jungle and get to swim in a cenote. It was a very, very full day but it was great. If you can do that one - do it!

Tulum and Xel Ha - you can definitely do it in one day. Tulum is beautiful because it's set on the ocean. It's a small site. We did this with a tour group and it was an ok way to do it. The advantage - you don't need a car. Our guide in Tulum wasn't great. But we had a good amount of time to walk around on our own and explore. Then we went to Xel Ha and had a fair amount of time there. There isn't a lot to do there, but if you just want to spend time in the water it's fun. We did tubing along the canal or whatever you would call it and snorkeling. I'm not remembering great snorkeling, but it was still a fun day. The biggest disadvantage of doing it with a tour was stopping at every single resort to drop people off going back. It probably took 45 minutes extra to get back to ours. It was a LONG ride back! But the day itself was fun!

If you've never been to Chichen Itza, try to get there. It's so impressive. Even if you don't do an overnight there. There are plenty of day trips there and it's well worth it. It's a very different ruin from Coba or Tulum.

We've also done things like the Jungle boat tour - not sure if that's what it's called, but you basically go out in one or two people little speed boats (as part of a tour group) through the mangroves, and then into the ocean and then snorkel. This was so much fun! You drive them yourself. I rode with my husband and he loved driving it and then the snorkeling was great. If you get to Cozumel, we did a speed buggy adventure which as a blast. You go in a group and everyone (either alone or as a couple) drives a speed buggy through the sandy areas. You visit some really small ruins and then stop along the ocean for a swim and lunch. That was great too.

There really is a lot to do - maybe plan one or two things and then when you get there just check at your hotel and look at the books they have in the lobby. Don't plan too much now!

Have fun!

TC

Shell has hit the right combo for you. For three days of activities consider; <u>Day One:</u> the alternative tours which combines lots of high energy fun, ruins, local culture and some time on the water. <u>Day Two:</u> Xel-ha and Tulum together. Consider renting a car for the one day. I can guarantee it will be cheaper than a tour group and neither place is far from your hotel. There's basically only one road, so you won't get lost. By renting a car for the one day, you can set your own time schedule and could even zip into Playa for some shopping or dinner before returning. At this point, you will have had spent two days "on the road" and will have seen a nice mix. If you want a grand finale, I would add as <u>Day Three:</u> the flight to Chichen Itza. The small plane flight over the jungle is amazing. You go early in the morning to beat the tour bus crowds and you are back at your resort early enough for an afternoon by the pool and Happy Hour. I wouldn't book any of the tours in advance, but wait to see which days have the best weather once you arrive.
Sounds like a perfect honeymoon. Congratulations and enjoy!

MrShort1

Chichen Itza was our first Mayan site several years ago. We had went on the long draining bus ride stopping at several hotels before and after. The plane ride seems great. When we go back the next time we will definetly stay over night even if we had an all-inclusive room elsewhere. The bus tour was very short at the site, only a few hours at the site. But it did get us hooked. Since then we have visited over 20 different sites (at least I have never counted) from Mexico to Honduras to Guatemala to Belize. Tulum is a very nice site but bring lots of water as there is no shade and wear a swim suit under your clothing if you intend to swim as there is no reall private change space. Coba is a great place to spend the day. If you go off the main trail to the Macanxot group it is very interesting go right around the ball court if I remember correctly( most people don't do this) Again bring lots of water and snacks. You can rent a bike or get someone to peddle you to the Castle in a front load 2 person taxi.

Wear lots of sunscreen, a tan is great but skin cancer is not worth it.

locogringo

Hidden Worlds is a fun day in the jungle. Its been while since I did this tour but you can read about it at http://www.locogringo.com/past_spotlights/may2003.cfm and I know they still run the tour into Sian Kaan from Muyil. Altournative, great tours. Coba is a great ruins site.

maxmox

Hi guys - THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the replies... thanks to you all I think I have the perfect two days for us outside of the resort:

1. AllTourNative's Mayan Encounter -- sounds awesome and a great mix of many of the things we want to do.

2. Edventure Tours (highly recommended on TripAdvisor) -- all day tour to Tulum ruins, beach, snorkel with turtles, Yal-Ku Lagoon, and snorkel in Dos Ojos cenote. Sounds like a lot but people swear to it!

and for an extra added adventure (if I can talk my husband into 3 excursions!), I also found on TripAdvisor:
- the Rio Secreto -- trek/swim thru the underground river/caves... has anyone done this? Looks magical.

HERE IS MY BIG QUESTION....

Should I reserve the two tours ahead of time? OR, do I call them once we get there and base our days on the weather forecast??

THANKS AGAIN!!