Yucatan Peninsula
Did you know that the best time to go to Cancun is in January and February. This is because the sun is further away from the earth at this time of the year and the rainy season has passed. Less sunburn and less rain. Although there are periodic showers they pass quickley and add a bit of a cool off time. We actually swam in the ocean while a storm passed over. It was neat. A hotel that I have personally stayed at and highly reccomend for those looking for a non inclusive option was the Camino Real. It is a deluxe hotel property with very nice rooms they are a little larger than what is usually offered with other hotels. We had the oceanfront room where we left the balcony doors open the whole time so we could hear the ocean. Excellant food, decor, and service. Camino Real is located right on the curve of the seven. A lighthouse is located on the tip of the curve with a rocky ocean cliff seperating two beaches on each side of the hotel facing the Caribbean Sea. We went exploring on the rocks and found lots of snails, hermit crabs, and little caribbean fish caught in the ponds around the rocks. Also watch out for the iguanas basking on the warm sunheated rocks they can be real whippersnappers. One beach is a bit more rocky than the other but, has palapas and beach service. Not many people frequent that side as to the otherside which is very popular for watersports and sunbathers. There is a man made lagoon in the courtyard area filled with fish and a very old turtle who will swim along the side to get treats from the guests. The Camino Real offers several different dining options we had the breakfast buffet. Better than Las Vegas thats for sure! They have very good food but it can be a bit pricey if you eat at the hotel restaurants so for those on a budget I would suggest to go out and explore the area restaurants. We actually caught the bus to downtown Cancun one night and found a very good little mexican restaurant it was the best food that we had while we were there. Its good to get out and do some exploring, I found some good deals on jewelry and suveneers in downtown Cancun. The bus was only .50 per person roundtrip. Also a very fun and exciting ride, I love Mexico for good deals and an exciting, interesting culture.
We took a tour to Chichen Itza it was very humid and hot. I was very glad that we took the guided tour with the small group because I recieved better detailed information about the Mayan civilization and the ruins. We went through the city of Valladolid (viyadoleed) where we saw many of the mayan culture in action. They lived in small hut type homes with very natural indian style living outside the city. They were also selling handicrafts at local stands near the roadside along the way. This was very intriguing to me because I read somewhere that the mayan civilzation actually disappeared mysteriously. This is not true they are still living but were conquered by the spanish conquistadores which were very religious catholic and did not believe in the Mayan Indian way of life. If you are into culture I definately suggest this tour. This tour was arranged at the Camino Real tour desk and was very affordable with a mexican lunch buffet that had dancers and unlimited drinks soda that is. Lots of water is suggested for this and comfortable walking shoes. Climbing to the top of the Castilla in Chichen Itza is the easy part with and excellant view of the jungle treetops, coming down is a different story. Lots of fun. Other area tours are also available Tulum and Xel-Ha are two other tours I highly reccommend if staying more than 3nts. Or even a ferry ride to Cozumel or Isla Mujeres are a nice little enhancement to a vacation. There is so much to offer here in the Yucatan I could go on for days there are bull fights on certain nights of the week endless dining and entertainment for all types of travelers keeping you coming back for more and more. I personally have been to Cancun and the Mayan Riviera 2 times and plan on more trips to come. This vacation is ideal for anyone wanting the beach and beauty of the Caribbean with a Mexican flare. There is something for everyone going to this destination.
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