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The girlfriend and I just booked flights for Cancun at the end of Feb. Our plan is too just head over to Isla Mujeres for several nights, possibly Playa del Carmen as well. Snorkling is always good, hows the surfing??
Any advice on places to stay, eat, hang out?? Is there anything in or around Cancun to do? (searches here on TGR all say to get out of Cancun and go elsewhere)
Wrongish forum I know, but I figured you beach folks would know what's up with Cancun better than most!!
Thanks
I have spent quite a bit of time down there over the last few years and highly recommend Isla and Playa del Carmen. Playa is a little more built up and touristy, but there are some great restaurants and bars and the nightlife can get crazy. Be sure to check out the fire dancers at the Blue Parrot at night (~11pm). Isla is way more chill and low-key. The east coast of Isla can get pounded by wind and waves, but I haven't see anyone surfing there. Playa can have good waves, but it seems to be more hit and miss depending on the day and time of year.
I would also recommend heading down toward Tulum. There are some great little places to stay right on the beach which are a little more secluded. Punta Allen is a little further down the coast, but absolutely beautiful and a great place for a romantic get-away.
hope this helps.
Unless you are into incredibly expensive and overcrowded beaches skip Cancun altogether. The bus system from the airport to the ferry for Isla, Playa, Tulum, etc are excellent and if used properly there is really no reason to rent a car. If however, you need to stay in Cancun to catch a flight the next day, there is a great hotel directly across the street from the Cancun bus terminal. I can't remember the name, but you can't miss it. From there if you walk a couple blocks west there is a great little square with local vendors and crafts at night, a great little reggea bar, and some great local music. Skip the whole touristy bullshit on the beach strip.
Anyway, have a great time down there.
I had a blast in Isla a few years back, i'll try to remember to get you the hotel name...Surprisingly, the Italian food is pretty darn good there, Pizza Rolandi sticks in my mind for some reason. Don't know about the surf. If there's a ferry to Tulum or Punta Allen, that would be way better than driving...
I have never been to this place. what I usually do whenever I visit a place for the first time is just go to a tourist info office upon arrival and you will be given a variety of places stay according to your budget.Quote:
Originally Posted by TeleHoar
I am sure you will find lots of things to do in Isla as well as in Playa.
I booked a trip to Isla Mujeres and the fuckers stiffed me. Stole my girl, my dog and my beer. Never use http://www.mexicovacationtravels.com...s/isla-mujeres
For sure go to Isla Mujeres!!!
They now have Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP), at Nabalam On north beach. Check out the dudes at www.supim.com
You can also rent SUP boards in Isla and Cancun from these guys!!!!
Thanks again Marcelo for the great lesson
p.s SUP surfing is the best!!!
rent a bike or moped on isla. fun cruising. tulum, a tad south of cancun, has nice beaches and ruins.
dont know about surfing
cancun seemed like a shit hole. i did not explore much
Snorkel at Cozumel/ Take the ferry over from Isla Mujereres. Rent a scooter and head south out of town along the ocean highway. off the charts snorkeling and diving there. THere is a ocean natural park there called chankanaub ( spelling)
Skip Cancun unless you are underage and need to drink.
Also recommend Akumel. south of Playa del Carmen. THere is a Bay there full of turtles. Great protected snorkeling.
1st timer see Tulum. Off the charts cool mayan ruin.
Enjoy Mexico
Taken from a 9 time visitor to Mexico
CAT
Another vote for Isla. Take the 40 minute van ride from the Cancun International to the port that services Isla.
15 minutes later and you're almost entirely insulated from the cultural stench of Cancun.
Can't speak to surfing there but solid snorkeling and plenty of outfits to book through. Fair number of solid local food options, many congregated on Hildago Ave. North end of the island is fully walkable, and we started every night with a trip to La Adelita Tequileria for shots and finished with late night munchies at Taqueria Medina - best tacos on the island IMO.
My advice, skip the spring break shit show in Cancun, book a trip down to Isla and take the ferry back to the tourist strip on cancun for a night of debauchery to get it out of your system before returning back to the quieter island where you probably won't need to worry about kidnappings, rapes, and murders.
We stayed at the Na Balam, booked good rate through Expedia. Pleasant place, nice beach on the N side of the island. Can get everywhere from walking or taxi from the ferry. We rented a golf cart one day and went to the s end of the island- some cool mayan sculpture.
Also went snorkeling with an outfit we encountered on the beach- not a ripoff at all. Then we took a day boat ride to the coral reefs north, organized in the walking plaza where all the restaurants are on the island. Pretty nice tour, great snorkeling.
Chichen Itza is amazing but is a bit of a ride.
Tulum is the only beachfront Mayan pyramid, one hour away,
plus you are right next to the Xcaret park (float an underground river, snorkel, swim with dolphins etc..)
edit: Wait...this post is from '08, hope you had a good trip. Thanks for letting folks know :nonono2:
Cozumel now puts a bad taste in my mouth....after having my hotel room (a small guest-house type hotel) totally burglerized and passport, drivers license travelers checks and all money except 5000 pesos taken.
Watch out for the guys in private 'taxis' that meet you at the ferry dock!!...unless you want to spend 5 days eating peanut butter and bread while waiting for emergency passport and moneyfrom the US consulate in Merida.
But I spent about 3 weeks staying at the hostel in Islas Mujeres....and I can state that it is exactly that...the 'island of women"!! That place absolutely ROCKS...and is so diiferent from Cozumel (rip-off place) and Cancun (Little Miami)...that it is a wholly different world...like going back 85 years!
The whole time I was there, I sure as hell didn't notice much surf, though!! There IS one potential spot, though....there is the Hilton Hotel (at least it was a Hilton back then) off on a litittle peninsula...that might have the best potential on the island (ONLY during storms, though)...but it will be a beach break.
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HI used to go to Isla Mujeres years ago and my dad before me, back in the 1960s. So cool. Stayed in the hostel, poc na, bunk beds w mosquito netting. Rented mopeds, snorkel at el Garafon w big turtles.
At that time the tops had fallen off the palm trees, some disease from Cuba, so weird.
There's a lady here in Breck, former cop that's my friend and she is moving down there. Has spent a lot of time living there recently. If you need inside hookup give me a call. I wouldn't be surprised if you know her, Becc.
Ps hope your shoulder is doing ok.
One night in Cancun can be fun if you're under 24, but if you're any older just skip it. Playa and Isla are great spots though.
I've been down there several times and each time I didn't even bother surfing. Either no waves or choppy. But maybe I've just had bad luck.
I would also recommend heading down toward Tulum. There are some great little places to stay right on the beach which are a little more secluded. Punta Allen is a little further down the coast, but absolutely beautiful and a great place for a romantic get-away.http://www.hbing.info/g.gif
Neat little video @ Nation Geographic.
Been a while since I was in Cancun area... early and mid 80's, but I would highly recommend Cozumel. I know it's been built up a lot, but the diving is still one of the worlds best spots.
You can drift dive along the reef in 60-90' of water so clear, you can make eye contact with people on the surface. We dove "Pinnacles", an area of 60' corral formations rising from the floor in 90' of water. Basically we saw everything except mermaids... and you see plenty of those on the beach. If you've never "drift dove", you should!
http://chemistry.csudh.edu/faculty/j...susandreef.jpg
+1 on scuba diving in Cozumel. One of the best spots anywhere - more colorful than anywhere else I've been by far and the drift dives along the shelf are amazing.