Playa.info tours in August and September!!

**Heather** · 07-07-2005

James and Anna's tours in August, 2005 and September, 2005

Tours in August and September will be as follows:

TUESDAYS - Sea to Cenote
WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS- Tulum and Beyond
THURSDAYS- Coba Treasures
FRIDAYS-Chichen Itza/Valladolid or Coba Treasures, as demand dictates

Remember: If you have a group of people who would like to go on a tour on a different day, we will do our best to accomodate you.

Who are James and Anna?
We are the people behind Playa.Info. We have lived in Playa del Carmen for more than 7 years and we're quite knowledgeable when it comes to this area, Mayan history and culture, snorkeling, cenotes and whatever else will give our tours that extra edge.

What kind of tours are these?
More elaborate itineraries can be found below. Our tours are planned to give you a fun day of culture, history and natural wonders. And most importantly FUN! Look at us your friends who live here and will take you on a great day out!
Our main job is to keep this website running, so we only have time to do a couple of tours each week. Our tours are exclusive, we only take small groups (maximum 12 people) and the tours fill up pretty fast. This means that if you are interested you should book as soon as possible. If you wait too long it's highly unlikely that there will be space left.
Our tours are a whole different experience than the 'cattle' tours - it's more like if a friend showed you around. We make them special by taking you to some places where other tours don't go, and we add a lot of local knowledge and flavor to the day.

Which tour should I choose?
Our tours are designed to be quite different, so if you'd like to go on two (or all) of them, you will not have any repeats.
The Tulum and Cenotes tour is the most diverse and it's a full day, with a Mayan ruin, cenotes, snorkeling and lunch at a paradise beach on the schedule - kind of a 'best of' tour for the Mayan Riviera. Tulum is a great ruin to visit, but on this tour it is not the main focus of the tour - just a part of it. This tour is perfect if you want a taste and an introduction of the wonders of the Mayan Riviera.
The Coba with a Yucatecan Flavor tour is perfect if you're interested in learning a bit more about the Maya and visit an archaeological site that is much larger and older than Tulum. The visit to Coba is the main object to this tour, and we will spend almost 2 hours at the site. Here you'll also have the opportunity to climb the second tallest Mayan pyramid in the Mayan World (the tallest is in Tikal in Guatemala). The cave/cenote we visit in the afternoon is truly spectacular. You should choose this tour if you're extra interested in learning more about the Maya and if you want to visit a wild, largely un-excavated ruin in the middle of the jungle.
The Sea to Cenote tour is our most adventurous tour - a unique tour where we take you to a mostly unknown cenote system that just recently opened up for visits. The day is focused on water and snorkeling, so you need to be able to swim and of normal fitness to enjoy this tour.

How do I sign up?
The only way to sign up is to use the form below. All these tours generate a lot of correspondance and it's very helpful to have it all in one place. Please don't send us a PM or a mail, use the form! Click on the link below to open up the form.

Click here to sign up/check availability for one of the tours!

Your information will be stored in the database, availability will be confirmed, and we'll send you a payment link.

Pick ups
Our tours leave out of Playa del Carmen. If you're staying in a hotel in Playa or Playacar, we will pick you up at your hotel (or very close to it, in case your hotel is located so that we can't drive up to it). If you're in a resort between Playa and Tulum, we'll also pick you up. If you're in a resort north of Playa, we'll give you a meeting point in town. The pick-ups will be between 7.20 am and 8 am, but the exact time of your pick up will depend on where the participants of that day are staying and how to best navigate town. You will receive that information the week before the tour, at the latest.

Prices and Payments
Tulum and Beyond: 87 usd per person, 65 usd for children 12 yrs or younger.
Coba Treasures: 80 usd per person, 57 usd for children 12 yrs or younger.
Sea to Cenote: 92 usd per person of any age
Chichen Itza/Vallodolid: 97 usd per person, 77 usd for children 12 yrs or younger.

Click on the link above to sign up and once we have confirmed availability, we'll send you a payment link for the full amount. We'll get back to you within one day (or perhaps two, if it's the weekend). Your payment is 100% refundable if you cancel 36 hours or more in advance. If you cancel the day before the tour, 50% is refundable. There are no refunds if you cancel the day of the tour or if you have to leave the tour for any reason once it has started.

What's Included?
Basically everything: all entrances; expert guiding; snacks and lunch; water, soft drinks and juices; snorkel gear (when applicable); air-conditioned transportation with driver. Things to bring/wear: comfortable shoes/sandals, hat, sunglasses, swim wear, towel, camera, personal belongings and some cash in case you want to pick up some handicraft in one of the villages we pass on our way.

Private tours
If you have 8 people or more in your group we can schedule a tour any day it fits you and we can also customize the day for your group. Ask for a quote.

James and Anna's Special Tours - Itineraries:

TULUM AND BEYOND
• We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am.
• On the way to Tulum, we get acquainted with each other and what we're about to see and experience during this active day.
• The ruins of Tulum have one of the most dramatic settings of all - perched on a cliff by the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Tulum flourished in late Postclassic time and the buildings date back to the 12th century. It was an important trading port and one of the few Mayan cities still inhabited when the Spaniards arrived. Our group will be joined by a local guide, specialized on Tulum.
• After the visit to the ruins we head inland a short distance to one of the area's most fascinating cenotes. This area is unique for its cenotes, which basically are waterfilled sinkholes doubling as entrances to cave systems. This particular cenote is highly decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, both above and beneath the surface. The water is cool and clear as air. Snorkeling in this natural wonder will give you an unforgettable memory that can only be experienced first hand.
• Next we will go to a nearby private beach for lunch. This particularly beautiful, and almost empty, stretch of beach is located near the entrance to the Sian Kaan biosphere. We will get lunch ready for you as you swim around in the turquoise water of the Caribbean. Drinks and tropical fruit is also on the menue as well as some chill-time.
• Satisfied with food and beach, we’ll head north towards Playa, and we will make one more cenote stop on the way home, this time at a very nice smaller cenote in lush jungle setting with a fun cliff to jump from – a perfect ending to a beautiful day. At this time in the afternoon chances are good to see some colorful tropical birds in the vegetation surrounding the cenote.
• We will be back in Playa del Carmen at around 5 pm.

COBA TREASURES
• We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am.
• On the way to Coba, we will give you a long-ish introduction of Mayan/Yucatecan history and culture.
• Coba dates back to Classic time (600 AD), which makes it one of the oldest ruins on the Yucatan peninsula. It was also an important trading post during centuries. A local guide with special knowledge of Coba and of the jungle around it will accompany us at the site. The pyramid of Coba is the tallest Mayan structure on the Yucatan peninsula and the view from its top is breathtaking. We'll take our time in Coba and spend a couple of hours there.
• Hungry after climbing the pyramid, we head to a typical family-run Yucatecan restaurant with a view of the lake (and its caymans) where we have tasty lunch with homemade tortillas.
• Our next stop is a pristine cenote/cave which only recently opened for visitors. Only a priviledged few have seen this spectacular natural wonder. We'll go for a swim in the refreshing water and have time to explore.
• On our way from Coba we'll pass a few small villages where we can stop and pick up some nice handicraft if there's an interest. We'll be back in Playa around 5 pm.

SEA TO CENOTE
• We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am.
• We head a bit South of Playa and stop before coming to Tulum.
• After a bumpy ride through the jungle we reach this absolutely amazing site with dry caves, underground rivers and cenotes. We start with exploring a dry cave, each with a flash light in our hands.
• We head back into the jungle to the underground river where we snorkel. We bring a strong underwater dive light to enhance your experience. All equipment provided.
• We then head to lunch at Casa Cenote, overlooking a beautiful Caribbean bay.
• After lunch we snorkel the nearby Cenote Manatee, which cuts through an area with dense mangrove, with lots of life in foliage and root system both. The area is populated by several species of land and sea birds.
• Satisfied with food and the days events, we’ll head north towards Playa, and we will make one more cenote stop on the way home, this time at a very nice smaller cenote in lush jungle setting with a fun cliff to jump from – a perfect ending to a beautiful day. At this time in the afternoon chances are good to see some colorful tropical birds in the vegetation surrounding the cenote.
• We will be back in Playa del Carmen at around 5 pm.

Chichen Itza/Valladolid
• We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am.
• During the ride to Chichen Itza, your guide will give you a briefing of the history of the Mayan people and the area we travel through. Before getting to Chichen Itza we will have a sandwich to give us the energy we need to see this amazing ancient city.
• On our visit to Chichen Itza, the grandest of ruins in the Yucatan, you will learn more about Mayan life and traditions. The oldest buildings in this site date back from 850 AD. Chichen Itza was the center of power in the 12th century and it is one of the biggest sites in the Mayan World. On our three hour visit we will cover both the south and the north part of the site. A local site guide specialized on Chichen Itza will join us.
• About half an hour from Chichen Itza lies the small colonial town of Valladolid, which we will visit next. Valladolid is one of the first towns the Conquistadors built in the Americas and it certainly has an interesting history. By the quaint Zocalo (the main square) we will enjoy authentic Mexican food served with fresh fruit drinks.
• After this late lunch we visit the amazing cenote X’keken near the village of Dzitnup, just outside of Valladolid. A cenote is a sinkhole that works as an entrance to a cave system. It's often waterfilled with cool and amazingly clear water. X'keken is one of the most amazing cenotes on the Yucatan peninsula.
• On our way home there may be time to stop in one of the little Mayan villages to pick up some beautiful handicrafts.
• We will be back in Playa around 7.30 pm.

07-07-2005

I have been waiting for this sticky since the first day I signed on! As it means my trip is coming up soon!

I would like to do the Sea to Cenote tour but not sure if we will have enough time as we are only going to be there for 4 whole days. How far in advance should we book, I know that it probably fills up fast. We will be down the 8/15 - 8/20.

Thanks
Jillian

Thor Henning · 07-19-2005

Does damage from Emily stop any of the tours?

Thor Henning · 07-23-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor Henning

Does damage from Emily stop any of the tours?

I found Heather's answer to this in another thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather

Tour guide Mitch has visited the places we go on our Tulum and Coba tours and has reported we can begin tours again right away. The only change is that Playa Selva, the beach we visit on the Tulum tour is going to need a little more time for cleanup, so we will be visiting another beach. Also, one of the cenotes had some trees, etc. fall in and will need a little extra time, so we will visit another cenote. Gran cenote is fine and the ruins didn't suffer any damage.

We have a computer up and running in the Playa.info batcave, so we're back to work with a fury. FatCat trips resumed today, ATV tours will resume shortly, and airport transfers are all on track again.

If you're waiting on a response for us, please continue to be patient. We've got a lot of mail to slog through and are still un-hurricaning the office.

canuck88 · 08-30-2005

These sound great, but can anyone tell me how the Tulum and Cenotes tour would compare to the Alltournative Mayan Encounter tour? The Alltournative one seems a little more adventurous, with Zip lining, rappelling, and kayaking whereas these ones seem very easy going and perhaps geared a little more to the older or couch potato crowd (my wife and I are 29 and 26 respectively)...? Am I wrong?

mayaneophyte · 08-31-2005

Hi folks,
We will be in Playa next week and were hoping to take an overnight tour to Chichen Itza - but Friday doesn't work for us as we'll be leaving Sat morning...
Does anyone know of a local guide that we could hire for the day for driving and tour? Or a tour company that will let us do their tour for only the Chichen Itza part so that we can take our time and then stay in town?
Any recommendations?
Thanks!

07-07-2005	#1 (permalink)
Heather Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 9,038	Playa.info tours in August and September!! James and Anna's tours in August, 2005 and September, 2005 Tours in August and September will be as follows: TUESDAYS - Sea to Cenote WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS- Tulum and Beyond THURSDAYS- Coba Treasures FRIDAYS-Chichen Itza/Valladolid or Coba Treasures, as demand dictates *Remember: If you have a group of people who would like to go on a tour on a different day, we will do our best to accomodate you.* Who are James and Anna? We are the people behind Playa.Info. We have lived in Playa del Carmen for more than 7 years and we're quite knowledgeable when it comes to this area, Mayan history and culture, snorkeling, cenotes and whatever else will give our tours that extra edge. What kind of tours are these? More elaborate itineraries can be found below. Our tours are planned to give you a fun day of culture, history and natural wonders. And most importantly FUN! Look at us your friends who live here and will take you on a great day out! Our main job is to keep this website running, so we only have time to do a couple of tours each week. Our tours are exclusive, we only take small groups (maximum 12 people) and the tours fill up pretty fast. This means that if you are interested you should book as soon as possible. If you wait too long it's highly unlikely that there will be space left. Our tours are a whole different experience than the 'cattle' tours - it's more like if a friend showed you around. We make them special by taking you to some places where other tours don't go, and we add a lot of local knowledge and flavor to the day. Which tour should I choose? Our tours are designed to be quite different, so if you'd like to go on two (or all) of them, you will not have any repeats. The Tulum and Cenotes tour is the most diverse and it's a full day, with a Mayan ruin, cenotes, snorkeling and lunch at a paradise beach on the schedule - kind of a 'best of' tour for the Mayan Riviera. Tulum is a great ruin to visit, but on this tour it is not the main focus of the tour - just a part of it. This tour is perfect if you want a taste and an introduction of the wonders of the Mayan Riviera. The Coba with a Yucatecan Flavor tour is perfect if you're interested in learning a bit more about the Maya and visit an archaeological site that is much larger and older than Tulum. The visit to Coba is the main object to this tour, and we will spend almost 2 hours at the site. Here you'll also have the opportunity to climb the second tallest Mayan pyramid in the Mayan World (the tallest is in Tikal in Guatemala). The cave/cenote we visit in the afternoon is truly spectacular. You should choose this tour if you're extra interested in learning more about the Maya and if you want to visit a wild, largely un-excavated ruin in the middle of the jungle. The Sea to Cenote tour is our most adventurous tour - a unique tour where we take you to a mostly unknown cenote system that just recently opened up for visits. The day is focused on water and snorkeling, so you need to be able to swim and of normal fitness to enjoy this tour. How do I sign up? The only way to sign up is to use the form below. All these tours generate a lot of correspondance and it's very helpful to have it all in one place. Please don't send us a PM or a mail, use the form! Click on the link below to open up the form. Click here to sign up/check availability for one of the tours! Your information will be stored in the database, availability will be confirmed, and we'll send you a payment link. Pick ups Our tours leave out of Playa del Carmen. If you're staying in a hotel in Playa or Playacar, we will pick you up at your hotel (or very close to it, in case your hotel is located so that we can't drive up to it). If you're in a resort between Playa and Tulum, we'll also pick you up. If you're in a resort north of Playa, we'll give you a meeting point in town. The pick-ups will be between 7.20 am and 8 am, but the exact time of your pick up will depend on where the participants of that day are staying and how to best navigate town. You will receive that information the week before the tour, at the latest. Prices and Payments Tulum and Beyond: 87 usd per person, 65 usd for children 12 yrs or younger. Coba Treasures: 80 usd per person, 57 usd for children 12 yrs or younger. Sea to Cenote: 92 usd per person of any age Chichen Itza/Vallodolid: 97 usd per person, 77 usd for children 12 yrs or younger. Click on the link above to sign up and once we have confirmed availability, we'll send you a payment link for the full amount. We'll get back to you within one day (or perhaps two, if it's the weekend). Your payment is 100% refundable if you cancel 36 hours or more in advance. If you cancel the day before the tour, 50% is refundable. There are no refunds if you cancel the day of the tour or if you have to leave the tour for any reason once it has started. What's Included? Basically everything: all entrances; expert guiding; snacks and lunch; water, soft drinks and juices; snorkel gear (when applicable); air-conditioned transportation with driver. Things to bring/wear: comfortable shoes/sandals, hat, sunglasses, swim wear, towel, camera, personal belongings and some cash in case you want to pick up some handicraft in one of the villages we pass on our way. Private tours If you have 8 people or more in your group we can schedule a tour any day it fits you and we can also customize the day for your group. Ask for a quote. *James and Anna's Special Tours - Itineraries:* TULUM AND BEYOND • We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am. • On the way to Tulum, we get acquainted with each other and what we're about to see and experience during this active day. • The ruins of Tulum have one of the most dramatic settings of all - perched on a cliff by the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Tulum flourished in late Postclassic time and the buildings date back to the 12th century. It was an important trading port and one of the few Mayan cities still inhabited when the Spaniards arrived. Our group will be joined by a local guide, specialized on Tulum. • After the visit to the ruins we head inland a short distance to one of the area's most fascinating cenotes. This area is unique for its cenotes, which basically are waterfilled sinkholes doubling as entrances to cave systems. This particular cenote is highly decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, both above and beneath the surface. The water is cool and clear as air. Snorkeling in this natural wonder will give you an unforgettable memory that can only be experienced first hand. • Next we will go to a nearby private beach for lunch. This particularly beautiful, and almost empty, stretch of beach is located near the entrance to the Sian Kaan biosphere. We will get lunch ready for you as you swim around in the turquoise water of the Caribbean. Drinks and tropical fruit is also on the menue as well as some chill-time. • Satisfied with food and beach, we’ll head north towards Playa, and we will make one more cenote stop on the way home, this time at a very nice smaller cenote in lush jungle setting with a fun cliff to jump from – a perfect ending to a beautiful day. At this time in the afternoon chances are good to see some colorful tropical birds in the vegetation surrounding the cenote. • We will be back in Playa del Carmen at around 5 pm. COBA TREASURES • We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am. • On the way to Coba, we will give you a long-ish introduction of Mayan/Yucatecan history and culture. • Coba dates back to Classic time (600 AD), which makes it one of the oldest ruins on the Yucatan peninsula. It was also an important trading post during centuries. A local guide with special knowledge of Coba and of the jungle around it will accompany us at the site. The pyramid of Coba is the tallest Mayan structure on the Yucatan peninsula and the view from its top is breathtaking. We'll take our time in Coba and spend a couple of hours there. • Hungry after climbing the pyramid, we head to a typical family-run Yucatecan restaurant with a view of the lake (and its caymans) where we have tasty lunch with homemade tortillas. • Our next stop is a pristine cenote/cave which only recently opened for visitors. Only a priviledged few have seen this spectacular natural wonder. We'll go for a swim in the refreshing water and have time to explore. • On our way from Coba we'll pass a few small villages where we can stop and pick up some nice handicraft if there's an interest. We'll be back in Playa around 5 pm. SEA TO CENOTE • We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am. • We head a bit South of Playa and stop before coming to Tulum. • After a bumpy ride through the jungle we reach this absolutely amazing site with dry caves, underground rivers and cenotes. We start with exploring a dry cave, each with a flash light in our hands. • We head back into the jungle to the underground river where we snorkel. We bring a strong underwater dive light to enhance your experience. All equipment provided. • We then head to lunch at Casa Cenote, overlooking a beautiful Caribbean bay. • After lunch we snorkel the nearby Cenote Manatee, which cuts through an area with dense mangrove, with lots of life in foliage and root system both. The area is populated by several species of land and sea birds. • Satisfied with food and the days events, we’ll head north towards Playa, and we will make one more cenote stop on the way home, this time at a very nice smaller cenote in lush jungle setting with a fun cliff to jump from – a perfect ending to a beautiful day. At this time in the afternoon chances are good to see some colorful tropical birds in the vegetation surrounding the cenote. • We will be back in Playa del Carmen at around 5 pm. Chichen Itza/Valladolid • We leave Playa del Carmen at around 7.30 am. • During the ride to Chichen Itza, your guide will give you a briefing of the history of the Mayan people and the area we travel through. Before getting to Chichen Itza we will have a sandwich to give us the energy we need to see this amazing ancient city. • On our visit to Chichen Itza, the grandest of ruins in the Yucatan, you will learn more about Mayan life and traditions. The oldest buildings in this site date back from 850 AD. Chichen Itza was the center of power in the 12th century and it is one of the biggest sites in the Mayan World. On our three hour visit we will cover both the south and the north part of the site. A local site guide specialized on Chichen Itza will join us. • About half an hour from Chichen Itza lies the small colonial town of Valladolid, which we will visit next. Valladolid is one of the first towns the Conquistadors built in the Americas and it certainly has an interesting history. By the quaint Zocalo (the main square) we will enjoy authentic Mexican food served with fresh fruit drinks. • After this late lunch we visit the amazing cenote X’keken near the village of Dzitnup, just outside of Valladolid. A cenote is a sinkhole that works as an entrance to a cave system. It's often waterfilled with cool and amazingly clear water. X'keken is one of the most amazing cenotes on the Yucatan peninsula. • On our way home there may be time to stop in one of the little Mayan villages to pick up some beautiful handicrafts. • We will be back in Playa around 7.30 pm. __________________ Need a Villa or Condo?? Fill this out and let Caribe Sunrise find your perfect spot.

08-31-2005	#6 (permalink)
mayaneophyte sandflea Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2	Local guides/tours available? Hi folks, We will be in Playa next week and were hoping to take an overnight tour to Chichen Itza - but Friday doesn't work for us as we'll be leaving Sat morning... Does anyone know of a local guide that we could hire for the day for driving and tour? Or a tour company that will let us do their tour for only the Chichen Itza part so that we can take our time and then stay in town? Any recommendations? Thanks!

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07-07-2005	#2 (permalink)
Playaherewecome Posts: n/a	I have been waiting for this sticky since the first day I signed on! As it means my trip is coming up soon! I would like to do the Sea to Cenote tour but not sure if we will have enough time as we are only going to be there for 4 whole days. How far in advance should we book, I know that it probably fills up fast. We will be down the 8/15 - 8/20. Thanks Jillian

07-19-2005	#3 (permalink)
Thor Henning añejo Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Drammen, Norway Posts: 3,253	Does damage from Emily stop any of the tours?

08-30-2005	#5 (permalink)
canuck88 sandflea Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 8	These sound great, but can anyone tell me how the Tulum and Cenotes tour would compare to the Alltournative Mayan Encounter tour? The Alltournative one seems a little more adventurous, with Zip lining, rappelling, and kayaking whereas these ones seem very easy going and perhaps geared a little more to the older or couch potato crowd (my wife and I are 29 and 26 respectively)...? Am I wrong?

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