Where is the palapa that has my name on it?

May 12, 2007 12:01 PM

A friend and I booked a ten day trip to Cancun at the end of this month last night. We'd like to make our trip as cheap as possible, as we just graduated from college and are currently without paycheck. We're planning on backpacking and only staying in hotels when we have to, but we're into the fishwatching scene.

He's fluent in Spanish, I speak enough to keep my head about me, and we've got some time. We're not much into the drunken scene, so we're looking for some nice palapas to go hang out on. What's the favorite MeFi off-the-beaten track?

posted by lilithim to Travel & Transportation around Cancun, Mexico (5 answers total)

Check out Isla Mujeres and Tulum. Both have commercialized significantly in recent years, but Tulum (at least the last time I was there) was all about the simple and totally amazing palapa life, and there were lots of cheap cabana options. Tulum is not so great for off-the-shore snorkeling because it's wavy. But they have trips from town for snorkeling and diving, and to cenotes for cavern diving. Mmmm....Tulum....

Isla Mujeres is closer to Cancun and probably better for quick and easy snorkeling. I've never been there but I've heard good things.
posted by walla at 1:36 PM on May 12, 2007

I have a suggestion to keep the cost of the trip down. Bring a jar of peanut butter. I know that sounds weird - but, food is one of those hidden costs. In virtually any village, you can find bread and jelly, and they are cheap. Then, you can have a cheap meal for a few days - a loaf of bread, PB & J, makes a lot of sandwiches. Your food costs for a few days can be the mere cost of one loaf of bread and one har of J. Plus, PB packs well, with those plastic jars.
posted by Flood at 8:09 PM on May 12, 2007 [1 favorite]

While I acknowledge the wisdom of Flood's PB advice, I would point out that there's a taco stand in downtown Tulum that has tacos for something like fifty cents each. There's also a beautiful produce market in Tulum. Shrimp and lobster are plentiful there too, it being adjacent to the Carribean Sea. You should be able to explore traditional, local food affordably.
posted by chrchr at 9:39 PM on May 12, 2007

To help stay on a budget, I'd recommend skipping Cancun altogether. Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox, and Tulum are places you can still find (relatively) cheap places to stay - and Tulum is great for the cabana/shack on the beach. There are also good hostels in Playa del Carmen.

You can get around in the region by bus or collective taxi (collectivo) very easy, so you might choose a couple of places to check out.

Have a great trip.
posted by Staggering Jack at 9:56 AM on May 16, 2007

I just got back from Isla Mujeres, and it was great. The hostel where I stayed, the Pocna, only costs $11 a night for a dorm room, and lets you stay for free if you work for them 4 hours a day. They'll also let you hang a hammock outside for a nominal fee.
I didn't do much snorkeling myself, but from what I've heard, there are some absolutely gorgeous spots right off the coast.
I also heard good things about Tulum from backpackers, and not-so-good things about Playa del Carmen. I'd stick to Isla or Tulum if I were you.
Have a great time (I got back this morning and I miss it already)!
posted by snoogles at 8:21 PM on May 19, 2007