Driving alone in the Yucatan. Difficulty level: 35-ish woman
January 27, 2016 1:24 PM Subscribe
I've done my research and had concluded that driving around the Yucatan with my husband would be safe - only now circumstances have changed and I'm alone. Should I still do it? Bonus points for other things a slightly morose woman could do around Cancun to lift her spirits.
Due to (rather upsetting) circumstances beyond my control, my one-week vacation in Cancun with my husband is now finishing with 4 solo days. I have the car we rented for two of them and I'm wondering if I should just return it early or follow through with our original plan to drive to Tulum and/or Chichen Itza on my own.
For context, I used to work in tourism and really dislike bus tours (offered for both areas) although I might take one if the destination warranted it.
Bonus question: I was thinking a day on Isla Muerjes and have already spent one day wandering the markets and another lounging on the beach (about my limit). Which leaves me with 1-2 other days to fill. Any other ideas?
Due to (rather upsetting) circumstances beyond my control, my one-week vacation in Cancun with my husband is now finishing with 4 solo days. I have the car we rented for two of them and I'm wondering if I should just return it early or follow through with our original plan to drive to Tulum and/or Chichen Itza on my own.
For context, I used to work in tourism and really dislike bus tours (offered for both areas) although I might take one if the destination warranted it.
Bonus question: I was thinking a day on Isla Muerjes and have already spent one day wandering the markets and another lounging on the beach (about my limit). Which leaves me with 1-2 other days to fill. Any other ideas?
I would see Chichen Itza and or Tulum, but I wouldn't drive in Mexico alone as a woman, or alone full stop. Return the car and take a tourist bus.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:39 PM on January 27, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:39 PM on January 27, 2016 [7 favorites]
I've driven that route (with my husband) but I felt completely safe. I would do it alone in a heartbeat (but only during the daytime).
Do one of the water-based "theme parks" -- I did Xel-Ha and had an absolute blast.
posted by peacheater at 1:56 PM on January 27, 2016
Do one of the water-based "theme parks" -- I did Xel-Ha and had an absolute blast.
posted by peacheater at 1:56 PM on January 27, 2016
Best answer: Are you staying where other people are? Could you find some others to go with you?
The roads to get there are easy to drive and I'm fairly adventurous but I am not sure I'd do it alone. My main fear about driving alone would be being seen at the ruins alone and somehow followed accosted while leaving.
Having been to both, I'd skip both Tulum and Chichen Itza as they are too touristy and very blocked off. I would go to Ek Balam (very to close to Chichen Itza) or Coba to have a better experience exploring ruins. If you do drive to Ek Balam/Chichen Itza take the toll road. Valldolid on the way was a neat town to stop in and wander around.
Do you SCUBA dive? AMAZING diving in the area. If not, any dive shop in the area will do a "discover SCUBA" where you get some basic lessons and they take you to a calm area and let you actually SCUBA dive (they just watch you and stick really close to you). Or maybe Snorkeling? I did a cavern dive at Dos Ojos and there were a lot of snorkelers there too.
The parks like Xel-Ha and Xcaret are supposed to be great. There is usually a half day Tulum (all you need since it's packed with people) and half day Xel-Ha combo tour.
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 1:57 PM on January 27, 2016
The roads to get there are easy to drive and I'm fairly adventurous but I am not sure I'd do it alone. My main fear about driving alone would be being seen at the ruins alone and somehow followed accosted while leaving.
Having been to both, I'd skip both Tulum and Chichen Itza as they are too touristy and very blocked off. I would go to Ek Balam (very to close to Chichen Itza) or Coba to have a better experience exploring ruins. If you do drive to Ek Balam/Chichen Itza take the toll road. Valldolid on the way was a neat town to stop in and wander around.
Do you SCUBA dive? AMAZING diving in the area. If not, any dive shop in the area will do a "discover SCUBA" where you get some basic lessons and they take you to a calm area and let you actually SCUBA dive (they just watch you and stick really close to you). Or maybe Snorkeling? I did a cavern dive at Dos Ojos and there were a lot of snorkelers there too.
The parks like Xel-Ha and Xcaret are supposed to be great. There is usually a half day Tulum (all you need since it's packed with people) and half day Xel-Ha combo tour.
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 1:57 PM on January 27, 2016
Oh woops, I was thinking about the route from Cancun to Tulum. Chichen Itza is a bit different -- honestly I would skip it. Not because it's necessarily super dangerous in the daytime, but it's a lot of effort and you're going to be disappointed by the crowds. Try one of the other ruins as CoffeeHikeNapWine suggests. Alternatively, figure out if you can get to Merida instead for a few days and explore around there - a much gentler pace and Uxmal was by far my favorite ruin.
posted by peacheater at 2:00 PM on January 27, 2016
posted by peacheater at 2:00 PM on January 27, 2016
You should be fine driving during the day, but yeah, Chichen Itza is swarming with tourists and yelling vendors. The temple is cool, but I was not very happy with the massive crowds.
Honestly, if I were you, I would go to Cozumel and spent a couple days snorkeling or diving. It's cheap and there are a ton of fish and beautiful corals. Akumal is also not far -- it's a gorgeous sea turtle park. Or go to a cenote! There are a ton on the road to Tulum. I went to some where I was practically the only person there. So peaceful, and everyone I met was so nice :)
posted by ananci at 2:08 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
Honestly, if I were you, I would go to Cozumel and spent a couple days snorkeling or diving. It's cheap and there are a ton of fish and beautiful corals. Akumal is also not far -- it's a gorgeous sea turtle park. Or go to a cenote! There are a ton on the road to Tulum. I went to some where I was practically the only person there. So peaceful, and everyone I met was so nice :)
posted by ananci at 2:08 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I think you will be perfectly fine there. I would not drive after dark, but daytime is fine.
I also would go to Tulum or somewhere else along the coast. The interior has mostly very small towns and few gas stations and car repair shops. Breaking down on the way to or from Chichen would be awful. Breaking down near Tulum would be much easier.
I agree that Ek Balam would be much preferred to Chichen.
posted by littlewater at 2:33 PM on January 27, 2016
I also would go to Tulum or somewhere else along the coast. The interior has mostly very small towns and few gas stations and car repair shops. Breaking down on the way to or from Chichen would be awful. Breaking down near Tulum would be much easier.
I agree that Ek Balam would be much preferred to Chichen.
posted by littlewater at 2:33 PM on January 27, 2016
About five years ago I drove all over by myself (then 50-ish female) and didn't have any issues whatsoever, but I'm generally oblivious to danger. On a more recent trip, the house my group rented came with two days of tours through a company called Edventure. They got us into Chichen Itza before it opened, which was really nice. They also took us to snorkel in some truly lovely cenotes, a lagoon that was part of a public park and a cave system. The tour leaders were good and they had all of the necessary equipment for those who didn't bring their own. My brother and I also snorkeled in a cenote that was pretty much vacant because it was en route to the private houses where our rental was located. There was a place to rent equipment and, if that interests you, I can look up the road names.
posted by carmicha at 4:11 PM on January 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by carmicha at 4:11 PM on January 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
Driving Cancun-Tulum during the day is fine. Very comfortable. It felt like driving on a highway in Florida to me, especially outside of the city of Cancun. It's all tourist infrastructure and resorts along that path anyway.
The parts I was less at ease with were passing Playa Del Carmen at night, and leaving Isla Mujeres through Cancun, both in the evening. There's traffic other than tourism in those areas - regular people, working their workadays jobs.
Chichen Itza is a little out of the way of this tourism area. It's more remote. Depends on how you feel about that.
posted by Borborygmus at 5:02 PM on January 27, 2016
The parts I was less at ease with were passing Playa Del Carmen at night, and leaving Isla Mujeres through Cancun, both in the evening. There's traffic other than tourism in those areas - regular people, working their workadays jobs.
Chichen Itza is a little out of the way of this tourism area. It's more remote. Depends on how you feel about that.
posted by Borborygmus at 5:02 PM on January 27, 2016
I've driven all over the yucatan alone and have never had a problem. I was in my forties at the time, and would do it again in a heartbeat.
I used to go to a little fishing village 15 minutes south of cancun called Puerto Moralos. Quite a few little hotels, only one on the beach, and that one has a pool and it's still kind of dumpy but for just relaxing and doing nothing it's great (i used to go there to chill out and jog up and down the beach). Great snorkeling/scuba boat trips, and windsurfing lessons if you're so inclined.
The town is filled with locals and canadian snowbirds on the north end and is not overly shiny at all. Be warned, the beach is not gorgeous here.
Do a search on askme and you'll see mine and others comments on it.
Isla Holbox a couple hours north of cancun is another fun place, less touristed, its a no car small island.
If you're taking the drive to Merida, but want to see ruins, I highly recommend Uxmal. Without a doubt the most impressive ruins I've seen in Mexico (I've seen quite a lot), and not nearly as touristed.
If you want to pamper yourself and you're around Merida way, this place blew my mind: Hacienda Temozon
Its an old sugar plantation smack in the middle of a very unassuming town. Our room had 21 foot high ceiings, custom carved wood everywhere, our own private plunge pool in our little back yard...the grounds themselves massive for walking, with trails to cenotes, and their own private cenote on the grounds in which they have put massage tables deep down inside. There are the old train tracks that go all around the plantation that used to carry the sugar to the gear house which sits at the end of a 100' long swimming pool.(The gear house alone is reason to stop in..Massive 20' high gears and wrenches up to my hip to tighten bolts the size of my head). The tracks are still used to carry guests through the jungle to the furthest cenotes, in a small train car pulled by a very amiable donkey. There is a high end restaurant on site, but the food is average and overpriced for Mexico.
Random thoughts on the place: They serve drinks and food at the pool. It's about 20 minutes from the hacienda to the Uxmal ruins. The presidents of Mexico and the US meet here when they meet in Mexico, and they have the pictures to prove it. I would go here every year for a retreat if they would only add a fitness center. If you happen to be a starwoods member, you can stay there for points.
There are tons of luscious haciendas around merida if that one doesn't suit you, and if you're looking for something different than beach.
posted by newpotato at 6:22 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
I used to go to a little fishing village 15 minutes south of cancun called Puerto Moralos. Quite a few little hotels, only one on the beach, and that one has a pool and it's still kind of dumpy but for just relaxing and doing nothing it's great (i used to go there to chill out and jog up and down the beach). Great snorkeling/scuba boat trips, and windsurfing lessons if you're so inclined.
The town is filled with locals and canadian snowbirds on the north end and is not overly shiny at all. Be warned, the beach is not gorgeous here.
Do a search on askme and you'll see mine and others comments on it.
Isla Holbox a couple hours north of cancun is another fun place, less touristed, its a no car small island.
If you're taking the drive to Merida, but want to see ruins, I highly recommend Uxmal. Without a doubt the most impressive ruins I've seen in Mexico (I've seen quite a lot), and not nearly as touristed.
If you want to pamper yourself and you're around Merida way, this place blew my mind: Hacienda Temozon
Its an old sugar plantation smack in the middle of a very unassuming town. Our room had 21 foot high ceiings, custom carved wood everywhere, our own private plunge pool in our little back yard...the grounds themselves massive for walking, with trails to cenotes, and their own private cenote on the grounds in which they have put massage tables deep down inside. There are the old train tracks that go all around the plantation that used to carry the sugar to the gear house which sits at the end of a 100' long swimming pool.(The gear house alone is reason to stop in..Massive 20' high gears and wrenches up to my hip to tighten bolts the size of my head). The tracks are still used to carry guests through the jungle to the furthest cenotes, in a small train car pulled by a very amiable donkey. There is a high end restaurant on site, but the food is average and overpriced for Mexico.
Random thoughts on the place: They serve drinks and food at the pool. It's about 20 minutes from the hacienda to the Uxmal ruins. The presidents of Mexico and the US meet here when they meet in Mexico, and they have the pictures to prove it. I would go here every year for a retreat if they would only add a fitness center. If you happen to be a starwoods member, you can stay there for points.
There are tons of luscious haciendas around merida if that one doesn't suit you, and if you're looking for something different than beach.
posted by newpotato at 6:22 PM on January 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: I ended up keeping the car for a day and driving to Coba, which I loved, stopping at a Cenote near Tulum on my way home. I felt totally comfortable with the drive.
I then returned the car and used the ADO buses to go to both Xel-ha and Playa del Carmen, which was comfortable and cheap.
Overall, things worked out well.
posted by scrute at 6:54 PM on February 8, 2016
I then returned the car and used the ADO buses to go to both Xel-ha and Playa del Carmen, which was comfortable and cheap.
Overall, things worked out well.
posted by scrute at 6:54 PM on February 8, 2016
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posted by goggie at 1:28 PM on January 27, 2016