Any suggestions for a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula?
January 6, 2010 11:20 PM Subscribe
What are some great places to visit, preferably off the beaten track, in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico?
I'm going to be traveling around the Yucatan peninsula for a week and I'd love to get suggestions for places to go beyond the well known tourist spots (Tulum, Playa del Carmen, etc). We'll be in a rented car, so transportation shouldn't be an issue. I speak Spanish, so I'm game to for even the most obscure, infrequently traveled places. We'll be flying into Cancun, but only staying there for a night. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I'm going to be traveling around the Yucatan peninsula for a week and I'd love to get suggestions for places to go beyond the well known tourist spots (Tulum, Playa del Carmen, etc). We'll be in a rented car, so transportation shouldn't be an issue. I speak Spanish, so I'm game to for even the most obscure, infrequently traveled places. We'll be flying into Cancun, but only staying there for a night. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Don't have time to look it up, but do NOT missing swimming in the cenotes, another system of caves, but connected by crystal clear fresh water. It was a little touristy, as I remember, because we went with a group and a driver took us to four or five of them, but it was absolutely fantastic. The water was so clear that 200 feet looked like 30.
posted by nosila at 4:42 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by nosila at 4:42 AM on January 7, 2010
To avoid the heaviest of the tourist traffic head South and West. If you really want to get off the beaten trail and explore some of the back country, follow the history of the Caste Wars through some of the failed Mayan states. Tourism is sparse there in part to the locals still having some reservations about fully recognising Mexican rule.
Enjoy the poc chuc and sopa de lima! One last suggestion, though it will cost you much more get yourself a decent hammock in the right size for non-Mayan adult (someone in the upper five to low six foot range perhaps as opposed to the upper four foot height) early in the touristy areas. Some of the non-touristy area hotels can be a bit seedy at times and it is nice to be able to hang comfortably in a hammock above the bed bugs rather than lie among them and hammocks in the right length get sparse outside of the tourist areas. A "matrimonio" is more than sufficient for one person, do not get a single for sleeping (its fine for some back yard lazing).
posted by Pollomacho at 5:08 AM on January 7, 2010
Enjoy the poc chuc and sopa de lima! One last suggestion, though it will cost you much more get yourself a decent hammock in the right size for non-Mayan adult (someone in the upper five to low six foot range perhaps as opposed to the upper four foot height) early in the touristy areas. Some of the non-touristy area hotels can be a bit seedy at times and it is nice to be able to hang comfortably in a hammock above the bed bugs rather than lie among them and hammocks in the right length get sparse outside of the tourist areas. A "matrimonio" is more than sufficient for one person, do not get a single for sleeping (its fine for some back yard lazing).
posted by Pollomacho at 5:08 AM on January 7, 2010
Palenque is really beautiful. The cleaned, excavated ruins are well visited, but you can get a guide to take you hiking in the jungle nearby, where there are still mounds containing unearthed ruins as well. When we went hiking there, there weren't a lot of other hikers, as most people were just visiting the tourist area. This was some time ago, so the hike may have become more popular (in which case I apologize for this suggestion).
We also went to Carrillo Puerto (as linked above), and I found it to be of average touristiness (not always North American tourists, but Mexican/Central American tourists). I'm sure you've already heard about San Juan Chamula and the surrounding villages, but those are also really neat places to visit.
posted by bluefly at 5:38 AM on January 7, 2010
We also went to Carrillo Puerto (as linked above), and I found it to be of average touristiness (not always North American tourists, but Mexican/Central American tourists). I'm sure you've already heard about San Juan Chamula and the surrounding villages, but those are also really neat places to visit.
posted by bluefly at 5:38 AM on January 7, 2010
Many years ago, we visited Ticul where you could see pottery and ceramics being made.
posted by violette at 9:39 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by violette at 9:39 AM on January 7, 2010
Ek Balam was pretty cool when my brother and I were there 10 years ago, and aside from the workmen, we had the whole place to ourselves. (They were still excavating the main pyramid at the time.)
Like caves? Caves of the Yucatan
posted by fings at 11:42 AM on January 7, 2010
Like caves? Caves of the Yucatan
posted by fings at 11:42 AM on January 7, 2010
and if you go to Palenque (which you should because it's amazing) don't miss Agua Azul
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:39 PM on January 7, 2010
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:39 PM on January 7, 2010
Best answer: We just returned from that area last weekend, and we really enjoyed visiting Coba. The ruins are spread out in the jungle, with flat dirt paths running between the sites - all told a bit more than a mile in and a mile back out. We rented bikes for a very small price and were glad of it. There are several exposed cenotes marked by hand-drawn signs along the drive from Tulum to Coba, with small-or-no entry fees, and some have rental snorkel and dive equipment.
posted by ersatzkat at 1:02 PM on January 7, 2010
posted by ersatzkat at 1:02 PM on January 7, 2010
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posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:29 AM on January 7, 2010