First timer trip next week!! lots of questions...

yosmartpants · 03-09-2012

hey everyone. i've been a lurker for a few months here and decided to reach out to everyone. i am so glad i found this forum before our trip- so thanks everyone here for your help!

my old man and i are leaving next sunday for playa. we have spent a lot of time in troncones (western coast of mexico) and are wicked stoked to travel to playa. we are staying a night at chitizina (during the solstice!!) then driving to playa. staying at la tortuga and so excited about it!

we have a couple of things loosely planned and i would love feedback. let me start by saying a little about us: early (ok- mid) 30's couple from the bay area coming to celebrate our 10 year anniversary- enjoy daytime drinking, live music and wacky adventures. i have a bone disorder so lots of walking is hard for me but i'm pretty tough. did i mention we like to drink?

1)planning on going to tulum for a day and hitting up beaches there after early morning ruins. is there a best day to go? ie less crowds? any not to be missed spots around here?

2) want to visit a few ceynotes. we are renting a car so figured we could drive to a bunch of them in one day, as opposed to going on a tour. any suggestions as to some that are amazing and grouped semi close together?

3) a day in akumal snorkling. should we also add the lagoon to this or just stay on the main beach? anywhere along the way we should be stopping at?

4) looking into doing a snorkeling tour on a boat. i've looked into gofishplaya and a couple others. not sure which one to go with. we want an all day (or most of the day) with a few stops and a yummy lunch. a little alcohol would be good too. any ideas?

5) possible trip to cozumel but i kind of feel like if playa ain't broke- why try to fix it by going somewhere else?

thanks for any suggestions of things we should add or not do. i have already printed out the happy hour list i found on here- so no matter what we do- i know a great time will be had. can't wait!!!!!!!

January Guy · 03-09-2012

In Tulum, people usually either vote for El Paraiso (walkable from the ruins) or Ziggy's Beach (60 peso cab ride away). El Paraiso gets a ton more people, even on a weekday it was fairly busy in January.

I like El Pariaso more because I think it is prettier, but most on the board seem to like Ziggy's more, they have all day happy hour and it is very quiet and serene.

Rissask · 03-09-2012

I was just on a boat right offshore Troncones in December! (We were staying in Zihua...LOVE it there!)

Welcome to PI and have a great time in Playa.

I wish you had time to order a Mapchick map- a lot of the geography questions could have been answered looking at that, also restaurant reviews, etc.

If you go to Tulum, you can go to Manatee and Gran Cenote...take a taxi directly to the entrance of Gran Cenote. Lunch in town or on the beach, then you could take a taxi to Cenote Mantee or any other location you wish or bus back to town.

Tankah Bay, Tankah Tres beach: Tankah Bay Mexico beaches: photos & info

More cenotes that are easy and quick to get to from Playa- there are a few in a row across the highway from Puerto Aventuras. Cenote Azul, Jardin del Eden, etc. Very nice!

Personally I don't find Yal Ku to be overly worth it, but if you have your own car, go early to snorkel there if you are already at Akumal...then stop at La Buena Vida restaurant on Half Moon Bay on your way back to the main beach.

Never been to Cozumel in 5 trips to Playa...can't help you there. Unless you are divers, I would skip it.

We are divers too and so have always just been happy snorkeling at Akumal or maybe Coco Reef north of the town- you could try that one, walk north until you get to where the boats are moored offshore and then snorkel the outside of the reef- might be too wavy though since March is the windiest month there! But you can book snorkel boat tours too- try looking on the main General Topics forum, there was a recent thread about that. By poster with username Golden Gopher, maybe, I think?

CLICK HERE to get to the restaurant list thread- and e-mail this list to yourself to save on your phone to refer to on your trip- or print it off and bring along.

yosmartpants · 03-11-2012

thanks for the great tips! while the old man prefers to just show up somewhere, feel it out and do what he wants... i like to know what other people recommend.

we are renting a car for the whole trip (which does make me a little nervous) so, as they say, the world is our oyster. if we are somewhere that we're not feeling it... we can just move on the the next place.

thanks for the ceynote ideas. i saw the post about the snorkeling trip and emailed the owner (gofishplaya.com). the minimum is 4 people but we could probably find someone to join up with. i really want a tour that goes to the best off shore sites and has a lunch that i'll remember forever (is that too much to ask

). if anyone has any suggestions- i'd appreciate it!

we are staying 2 night in chichen itza (at the hotel ok'aan) and if there are good ceynotes around there to hit up. also- anyone know a=of any good late night food there? we are getting in around 10pm and will be starving.

yosmartpants · 03-16-2012

leaving in two days!!!!!! i'm so excited... but i know it will fly by!

hrd102star · 03-16-2012

We have been to chichen during the solstice you will see all types of people during your visit, quite a interesting time to go... Get up early to explore before the heat and the crowds then go back to the pool and relax and head back to the ruins if you want to see some things you may have missed, they also have a night light show that is interesting.

As far as places not to miss pretty much any open road towards the coast off 307 will lead you to something interesting.

The farther south you go from Tulum on the Beach (Punta Allen) road the less crowded it will be. There are some incredible beaches along this route.

If you get the chance Puerto Morelos is a flashback to an old fishing village. We always at least stop or stay there on the way south or on our way back towards the airport.

Have fun.

yosmartpants · 03-17-2012

thanks for your tips! i'm stoked we are stayin the night at chichen... gives us time to see it without the crowds! we are getting in real late so hoping there is somewhere good to eat late night (around 9:30!)... and i think renting a car is a great choice. we have the freedom without having to worry about how to gett here and back!

Snowbirds · 03-17-2012

Have a great time and be sure to let us know afterwards how it went!

03-09-2012	#1 (permalink)
yosmartpants sandflea Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 9	First timer trip next week!! lots of questions... hey everyone. i've been a lurker for a few months here and decided to reach out to everyone. i am so glad i found this forum before our trip- so thanks everyone here for your help! my old man and i are leaving next sunday for playa. we have spent a lot of time in troncones (western coast of mexico) and are wicked stoked to travel to playa. we are staying a night at chitizina (during the solstice!!) then driving to playa. staying at la tortuga and so excited about it! we have a couple of things loosely planned and i would love feedback. let me start by saying a little about us: early (ok- mid) 30's couple from the bay area coming to celebrate our 10 year anniversary- enjoy daytime drinking, live music and wacky adventures. i have a bone disorder so lots of walking is hard for me but i'm pretty tough. did i mention we like to drink? 1)planning on going to tulum for a day and hitting up beaches there after early morning ruins. is there a best day to go? ie less crowds? any not to be missed spots around here? 2) want to visit a few ceynotes. we are renting a car so figured we could drive to a bunch of them in one day, as opposed to going on a tour. any suggestions as to some that are amazing and grouped semi close together? 3) a day in akumal snorkling. should we also add the lagoon to this or just stay on the main beach? anywhere along the way we should be stopping at? 4) looking into doing a snorkeling tour on a boat. i've looked into gofishplaya and a couple others. not sure which one to go with. we want an all day (or most of the day) with a few stops and a yummy lunch. a little alcohol would be good too. any ideas? 5) possible trip to cozumel but i kind of feel like if playa ain't broke- why try to fix it by going somewhere else? thanks for any suggestions of things we should add or not do. i have already printed out the happy hour list i found on here- so no matter what we do- i know a great time will be had. can't wait!!!!!!!

03-09-2012	#2 (permalink)
January Guy añejo Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Twin Cities Posts: 5,900	In Tulum, people usually either vote for El Paraiso (walkable from the ruins) or Ziggy's Beach (60 peso cab ride away). El Paraiso gets a ton more people, even on a weekday it was fairly busy in January. I like El Pariaso more because I think it is prettier, but most on the board seem to like Ziggy's more, they have all day happy hour and it is very quiet and serene.

03-09-2012	#3 (permalink)
Rissask Canada Dry Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 49,564	I was just on a boat right offshore Troncones in December! (We were staying in Zihua...LOVE it there!) Welcome to PI and have a great time in Playa. I wish you had time to order a Mapchick map- a lot of the geography questions could have been answered looking at that, also restaurant reviews, etc. If you go to Tulum, you can go to Manatee and Gran Cenote...take a taxi directly to the entrance of Gran Cenote. Lunch in town or on the beach, then you could take a taxi to Cenote Mantee or any other location you wish or bus back to town. Tankah Bay, Tankah Tres beach: Tankah Bay Mexico beaches: photos & info More cenotes that are easy and quick to get to from Playa- there are a few in a row across the highway from Puerto Aventuras. Cenote Azul, Jardin del Eden, etc. Very nice! Personally I don't find Yal Ku to be overly worth it, but if you have your own car, go early to snorkel there if you are already at Akumal...then stop at La Buena Vida restaurant on Half Moon Bay on your way back to the main beach. Never been to Cozumel in 5 trips to Playa...can't help you there. Unless you are divers, I would skip it. We are divers too and so have always just been happy snorkeling at Akumal or maybe Coco Reef north of the town- you could try that one, walk north until you get to where the boats are moored offshore and then snorkel the outside of the reef- might be too wavy though since March is the windiest month there! But you can book snorkel boat tours too- try looking on the main General Topics forum, there was a recent thread about that. By poster with username Golden Gopher, maybe, I think? CLICK HERE to get to the restaurant list thread- and e-mail this list to yourself to save on your phone to refer to on your trip- or print it off and bring along.

03-11-2012	#4 (permalink)
yosmartpants sandflea Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 9	thanks for the great tips! while the old man prefers to just show up somewhere, feel it out and do what he wants... i like to know what other people recommend. we are renting a car for the whole trip (which does make me a little nervous) so, as they say, the world is our oyster. if we are somewhere that we're not feeling it... we can just move on the the next place. thanks for the ceynote ideas. i saw the post about the snorkeling trip and emailed the owner (gofishplaya.com). the minimum is 4 people but we could probably find someone to join up with. i really want a tour that goes to the best off shore sites and has a lunch that i'll remember forever (is that too much to ask ). if anyone has any suggestions- i'd appreciate it! we are staying 2 night in chichen itza (at the hotel ok'aan) and if there are good ceynotes around there to hit up. also- anyone know a=of any good late night food there? we are getting in around 10pm and will be starving.

03-16-2012	#5 (permalink)
yosmartpants sandflea Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 9	leaving in two days!!!!!! i'm so excited... but i know it will fly by!

03-16-2012	#6 (permalink)
hrd102star lost on fifth Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 17	We have been to chichen during the solstice you will see all types of people during your visit, quite a interesting time to go... Get up early to explore before the heat and the crowds then go back to the pool and relax and head back to the ruins if you want to see some things you may have missed, they also have a night light show that is interesting. As far as places not to miss pretty much any open road towards the coast off 307 will lead you to something interesting. The farther south you go from Tulum on the Beach (Punta Allen) road the less crowded it will be. There are some incredible beaches along this route. If you get the chance Puerto Morelos is a flashback to an old fishing village. We always at least stop or stay there on the way south or on our way back towards the airport. Have fun.

03-17-2012	#7 (permalink)
yosmartpants sandflea Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 9	thanks for your tips! i'm stoked we are stayin the night at chichen... gives us time to see it without the crowds! we are getting in real late so hoping there is somewhere good to eat late night (around 9:30!)... and i think renting a car is a great choice. we have the freedom without having to worry about how to gett here and back!

03-17-2012	#8 (permalink)
Snowbirds way into it Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 152	Have a great time and be sure to let us know afterwards how it went!

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