When I first went in the very early 00's the buses stopped on the dusty main Street and you went to stay in the palapa roofed huts on the beach for 10 pesos a night. Although there was a great slightly more upmarket place to stay with a tree house room that opened up into the Caribbean, stunningly romantic with the right person.
Last time I went to tulum they had a bus station and they had tarmaced the high street.
If the large, easily accessible Mayan sites Coba and Uxmal were always my favorites.
Chicken pizza is great outside the hours of 11-3. The Solstice is great.
But you're right, Uxmal is so pleasant and the oval pyramid is a joy.
Shame they mentioned Valladolid and ek balem. Not a tourist in sight when I first went to them. Valladolid was rustic but had a charm. They were still doing major excavations to ek balam and the quality of the statues they were uncovering were amazing.
Most upset to see the Guardo not going with my account with the Whale Shark swimming off Isla Holbox. It's an interesting place, though it could have a few ecological questions to ask in the future. For the here and now though, great balance of ecology with slumping on beaches and a cafe which encourages Lucho Libre wrestling with masks provided as well!
The Yucatán peninsula encompasses 3 states: Yucatán, Campeche and Quintana Roo, and the distance from one place to another is not short. The article should have done a much better job in explaining in which state each attraction is if it aimed at being useful for those people planning their holidays.
no ,,,I think not Yucatan and Quintana Roo are both separate states. but really lets not be pedants .I enjoyed the light article and it gave me some ideas for my upcoming visit
Yes, the whole peninsula is called the Yucatan Peninsula but the title of the article does not say this so is misleading. The locations as noted by Liswick are in both the state of Quintana Roo and the state of Yucatan.
It would be great if whoever wrote this checked a geography book first. Some of the places listed are not in Yucatán but Quintana Roo, and for those that know the region they will disagree with the author who says these are hidden places. There are much nicer less touristy places in that part of Mexico but you would not get that by someone who clearly just checked an expat blog on Yucatán.
Don't forget the Cirque du Soleil show Joya, situated on the Mayan Riviera, dinner show like no others in the world. Just amazing.https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/joya
Many years ago I stayed in Valladolid on market day. At 6 am we were awoken by a guy with a mike singing (I use that term advisedly) loudly to the locals about the electrical goods he was selling. He didn't shut up for 12 hours
It's usually worth it to avoid the Brits, especially those who are Guardian readers and like to call themselves 'travellers' rather than 'tourists'. 'Grockles' is the West Country term for them, I think. . .
"Escape the Yucatan crowds". Chichen Itza? Xcarat? Really?
Coba is definitely a winner. Most of the cenotes along the Playa-Tulum highway are uncrowded on the weekdays and a real treat. I have a couple of places I only tell really good friends about too.
I couldn't agree more with the recommendation of Uxmal over Chichen Itza. This time last year I was happily exploring Guatemala and the Yucatan (much preferred the former if truth be told), and Uxmal was magical, had an aura, a real sense of place. Chichen Itza is not only over-popular with large-scale US tour groups, it is somewhat pristine, too "groomed" if you like - and in my opinion a much lesser experience than Uxmal
Um, I have my own favourite Secret Places too. But you know what? I don't tell people about them - that way they stay secret and I don't keep running into bevies of rubbernecking goddam Guardian readers!
Highlights of Yucatán: readers’ travel tips
Comments
Tulum has grown incredibly.
When I first went in the very early 00's the buses stopped on the dusty main Street and you went to stay in the palapa roofed huts on the beach for 10 pesos a night. Although there was a great slightly more upmarket place to stay with a tree house room that opened up into the Caribbean, stunningly romantic with the right person.
Last time I went to tulum they had a bus station and they had tarmaced the high street.
And don't even mention playa!
Gone are the days of el pirata ��
I lived around there for a while.
If the large, easily accessible Mayan sites Coba and Uxmal were always my favorites.
Chicken pizza is great outside the hours of 11-3. The Solstice is great.
But you're right, Uxmal is so pleasant and the oval pyramid is a joy.
Shame they mentioned Valladolid and ek balem. Not a tourist in sight when I first went to them. Valladolid was rustic but had a charm. They were still doing major excavations to ek balam and the quality of the statues they were uncovering were amazing.
Still plenty of other places though ��
Great but it's in Chiapas, I think...
Most upset to see the Guardo not going with my account with the Whale Shark swimming off Isla Holbox. It's an interesting place, though it could have a few ecological questions to ask in the future. For the here and now though, great balance of ecology with slumping on beaches and a cafe which encourages Lucho Libre wrestling with masks provided as well!
Wrote more on my own blog:
https://miketaylstravels.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/socialist-cafes-and-sharks-in-isla-holbox-mexico/
The Yucatán peninsula encompasses 3 states: Yucatán, Campeche and Quintana Roo, and the distance from one place to another is not short. The article should have done a much better job in explaining in which state each attraction is if it aimed at being useful for those people planning their holidays.
no ,,,I think not Yucatan and Quintana Roo are both separate states. but really lets not be pedants .I enjoyed the light article and it gave me some ideas for my upcoming visit
I've seen several Cirque du Soleil shows in Montreal and unfortunately Joya near Playa del Carmen is disappointing.
Yes, the whole peninsula is called the Yucatan Peninsula but the title of the article does not say this so is misleading. The locations as noted by Liswick are in both the state of Quintana Roo and the state of Yucatan.
Yucatan is the peninsular with is in the state of Quintana Roo, in the country of Mexico.
It would be great if whoever wrote this checked a geography book first. Some of the places listed are not in Yucatán but Quintana Roo, and for those that know the region they will disagree with the author who says these are hidden places. There are much nicer less touristy places in that part of Mexico but you would not get that by someone who clearly just checked an expat blog on Yucatán.
Highly recommended best holiday ever, a wonderful experience!!!
Don't forget the Cirque du Soleil show Joya, situated on the Mayan Riviera, dinner show like no others in the world. Just amazing.https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/joya
Many years ago I stayed in Valladolid on market day. At 6 am we were awoken by a guy with a mike singing (I use that term advisedly) loudly to the locals about the electrical goods he was selling. He didn't shut up for 12 hours
There's no campaign to boycott Mexico, and no lack of reasons to boycott any given country on earth.
A plunge into a cenote is the single most refreshing experience on earth http://wp.me/p86l64-15z.
Viscous? Really?
Xcalak! And then visit the only atoll in the Northern Hemisphere
It's usually worth it to avoid the Brits, especially those who are Guardian readers and like to call themselves 'travellers' rather than 'tourists'. 'Grockles' is the West Country term for them, I think. . .
"Escape the Yucatan crowds". Chichen Itza? Xcarat? Really?
Coba is definitely a winner. Most of the cenotes along the Playa-Tulum highway are uncrowded on the weekdays and a real treat. I have a couple of places I only tell really good friends about too.
I traveled central America for four months back in 1994. Camped on the beach in Tulum for a few days at the end of the trip. Wonderful memories.
I couldn't agree more with the recommendation of Uxmal over Chichen Itza.
This time last year I was happily exploring Guatemala and the Yucatan (much preferred the former if truth be told), and Uxmal was magical, had an aura, a real sense of place.
Chichen Itza is not only over-popular with large-scale US tour groups, it is somewhat pristine, too "groomed" if you like - and in my opinion a much lesser experience than Uxmal
But then you miss the chance to win the 200 pound hotel voucher!
That is not in Yucatan.
Um, I have my own favourite Secret Places too. But you know what? I don't tell people about them - that way they stay secret and I don't keep running into bevies of rubbernecking goddam Guardian readers!
Winning tip #2 Have someone ready to pull you out of the Seven Mouths....
Support a corrupt, blood drenched and viscous state, infiltrated by even worse drug cartels.
Why not?
Palenque?
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