OT: Fun Stuff on the Yucatan Peninsula?

[Stainmaster]

I'm about to head there on a weeklong trip. My travel companions have a good chunk of the itinerary planned out, but I was wondering if any of you have been before and know of good restaurants, museums, etc that you would suggest I check out. I'll be based in the northern part of the peninsula, but I will have automobile access to explore elsewhere.

 

[upstater]

I'm about to head there on a weeklong trip. My travel companions have a good chunk of the itinerary planned out, but I was wondering if any of you have been before and know of good restaurants, museums, etc that you would suggest I check out. I'll be based in the northern part of the peninsula, but I will have automobile access to explore elsewhere.

Chitzen Itza, if you can, stay at the old Plantation on the grounds, then Coba. Two great sites of the Mayans.

Head down for a day at Tulum, great snorkeling at Xel-Ha

For a off the map adventure, try the Si'anKaan biosphere at the bottom, it's on a peninsula, has incredible isolated beaches, and a fishing village at the very end with a great palapa hut hotel and french restaurant

 

[sledog]

Take a gun, and don't leave the compound.

 

[jibsey]

Take the ferry from Cancun over to Isla Mujeres. When you get off on the docks there are local guys with wooden motor boats that hold maybe 5-6 people. They will approach you. They give you a 3-4 hour tour price. It's reasonable. They take you around for snorkeling in isolated spots without tourists for a couple hours, you will see schools of fish! They know where. After that some of them stop at a beach area and have fish already being grilled they caught earlier in the morning, that's your lunch. Have a couple beers. You will need a large hat and lots of sunscreen. It's not a bad day.

 

[Fishy]

We were there a couple of years ago - we went to a place called Xcaret, in Playa Del Carmen.

It's an "eco-archaeological" park - it's beautiful and we had a great time.

I always like to get the tour guide or concierge person when we go to these places - the guy we got at Xcaret was great...he was constantly promoting Playa Del Carmen and trying to convince us to come back another time for a longer visit. But there was a tiny bit of an issue with translating his thoughts from Spanish to English and his go-to line was something to the effect of "tell your friends that you came to Mexico and it was fun and safe and you didn't even get murdered once!"

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Take a gun, and don't leave the compound.

Too much talk radio. Your biggest threat in Tulum are transplanted hipsters from Brooklyn.

 

[Danzz]

Been a lot of years but I thought Cancun was a little contrived. If you have a car go into the adjacent town for Mexican food. The food was outstanding and a lot cheaper than the tourist spots.And nobody died.
See Upstater's post.

 

[uconnfan68]

I'm about to head there on a weeklong trip. My travel companions have a good chunk of the itinerary planned out, but I was wondering if any of you have been before and know of good restaurants, museums, etc that you would suggest I check out. I'll be based in the northern part of the peninsula, but I will have automobile access to explore elsewhere.

Pretend you're Sean Penn?

 

[Hankster]

We were there a couple of years ago - we went to a place called Xcaret, in Playa Del Carmen.

It's an "eco-archaeological" park - it's beautiful and we had a great time.

I always like to get the tour guide or concierge person when we go to these places - the guy we got at Xcaret was great...he was constantly promoting Playa Del Carmen and trying to convince us to come back another time for a longer visit. But there was a tiny bit of an issue with translating his thoughts from Spanish to English and his go-to line was something to the effect of "tell your friends that you came to Mexico and it was fun and safe and you didn't even get murdered once!"

LOL Fishy, it's a good thing you didn't get El Chapo for a guide.

 

[jibsey]

Take a gun, and don't leave the compound.

I've been to Mexico a lot, the Yucatan and Puerto Vallarta, but when I tell people I'm going they always act like why are you going to such a dangerous place? Like every place you go is a drug cartel because of our nightly news. So far, no hint of crime but the resorts are very well protected as that is their bread and butter. I always leave the compound and no problem there either.

 

[Dove]

We were there a couple of years ago - we went to a place called Xcaret, in Playa Del Carmen.

It's an "eco-archaeological" park - it's beautiful and we had a great time.

I always like to get the tour guide or concierge person when we go to these places - the guy we got at Xcaret was great...he was constantly promoting Playa Del Carmen and trying to convince us to come back another time for a longer visit. But there was a tiny bit of an issue with translating his thoughts from Spanish to English and his go-to line was something to the effect of "tell your friends that you came to Mexico and it was fun and safe and you didn't even get murdered once!"

That was probably Hector Espalon Montoya de la Playa del Carmen. Funny guy.

 

[Matrim55]

I'm actually headed to Tulum in April, and will be flying into Cancun. Debating whether or not to rent a car or pay for a shuttle, and going by the prices it seems that a car rental would be a no-brainer. Is there something I'm not seeing here -- any extra fees or other worries I don't know about?

I'm not an experienced int'l traveler fwiw, so I'm not 100% sure of what to expect.