Yucutan: Difference between revisions
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== [[Image: | == [[Image:tick.gif]] [[Image:blank.gif]] Day 9, Sunday 5th November - Day 10, Monday 6th November - Chichén Itzá AM == | ||
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=== Accommodation === | === Accommodation === | ||
We are staying at [https://www.doloresalba.com/ Dolores Alba]. I said we'd arrive at about 3pm, but I doubt it matters if this changes. The address is"Km 122 free road Merida-Cancun", 3 km East of the Chichen Itza ruins. The booking confirmation is [Chichen Itza Reservation|here]. | |||
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Revision as of 19:07, 24 October 2006
Overview
There is so much to do on this leg of the journey that we will need to get together to discuss how long we have for the Yucutan. The basic idea is to start at Palenque, travel well into the Yucutan and visit a few places, and end up at Cancun. The ticks to the left of each heading refer to whether accommodation is booked and whether all things to do have been detailed.
Good transport information is available at http://www.ticketbus.com.mx/ .
Day 6, Thursday 2nd November PM - Day 7, Friday 3rd November PM - Palenque
Background
Palenque has been recommended to me as the best site for Maya ruins in the whole of Mexico and we simply must visit it, even though it is far away from the rest of the sites in the Yucutan. Set in thick jungle screeching with insects, Palenque is strongly linked to the lost cities of Guatemala while keeping its own distinctive style, and though it's not large - you can see everything in a morning - it is hauntingly beautiful. The town of Palenque is of little intrinsic interest to visitors and is best viewed simply as a base for exploring the ruins and waterfalls in the nearby hills. Alternatively, since there are a number of camping sites and cabañas near the ruins, we may not stay in town at all.
Maya Ruins
Getting to the site is no problem. Two combi services, Chambalu and Otolum, both on Allende between Hidalgo and the main street, run at least every 15 minutes from 6am to 6pm (US $0.70) and will stop anywhere along the road. The ruins are in a national park (daily 8am-5pm; archeological zone daily 8am-4:30pm, US $3.70 including museum) and guided tours are available from the entrance. Arrive early and climb the temples in the morning mist if you want to avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds. Apparantly, you can also bathe in the crystal-clear cascades of the Rio Otolum after visiting the tomb of a Maya ruler deep beneath the Templo de las Inscripciones. These are within the site of the ruins.
Waterfalls
There are nearby waterfalls at Agua Azul and Misol-Há. Sample custs are US $14.50 for an all-day trip to these two places. Agua Azul is 64km before Palenque . The whole area is exceptionally beautiful, with dozens of lesser falls above the developed area. If it's safe to walk upstream, you'll come across a perilous-looking bridge over the river and eventually you'll reach an impressove gorge. Higher up, the swimming is safer too. Misol-Há is 18km from Palenque and has a 25-metre waterfall which provides a stunning backdrop to a pool that's safe for swimming.
Accommodation
I think I've booked a room at Rakshita's at El Pachan. I had to make quite an embarassing phone call to some person that didn't speak any English. He definitely realised that I want a cabana on 2nd November for one night for three people. Some information on the site is available here. Contact number is 52 916 100 69 08 (possibly Chato's Cabanas on 52 916 341 4846).
Transport
Busses:
- Mérida - 4 daily; 9 hours (departures via Campeche at 8am, 9am and 11:30pm)
- Cancún - 5 daily; 12 hours (first class)
- Also busses to Chetumal, Playa del Carmen, Mexico City (2 daily; 17 hours!), Tuxtle, Occosingo, San Cristóbal.
http://www.adogl.com.mx/en/index.htm: Villahermosa - Merida Terminal:
DEPARTURE CITY DESTINATION HOUR M T W T F S S PRICE TRAVEL TIME BUS Villahermosa Mérida Terminal 20:45 Sí Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $424 8:00 hrs. Volvo Villahermosa Mérida Terminal 22:45 Sí Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $424 8:00 hrs. Volvo Villahermosa Mérida Terminal 23:30 Sí Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $424 8:00 hrs. Volvo Villahermosa Mérida Terminal 23:30 Sí Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes $652 12:00 hrs. Volvo
Also need to check Mayab, Maya de Oro, Cristobal Colon, ADO.
The main nearby transport hub is Villahermosa (15 daily; 2.5 hours) and it may be easier to get there and change for our onward journey. Onward travel will be to Mérida during the afternoon/evening.
Day 7, Saturday 4th November AM - Day 9, Sunday 5th November AM - Mérida
Although the "White City" is the largest on the peninsula - alive with music and Sunday markets - it retains a tranquil charm. Every street in the centre boasts a colonial church or mansion, while the plazas are alive with market stalls and free entertainment. You can live well here and find good beaches nearby, but above all it's the ideal base for excursions to the great Maya sites of Oxmal and Chickén Itzá.
Plaza Mayor is the hub of the city's life, particularly in the evenings. The plaza is ringed by some of Mérida's oldest buildings, dominated by the Cathedral of San Ildefonso, built in the 16th century. Noteable places to visit include the Cristo de las Ampollas (Christ of the Blisters) church, Museo MACAY; the finest art museum in the state, the Casa de Montejo; a palace built in 1549, the Palacio Municipal and Palacio de Gobierno. North and east of the plaza feature a number of similar places. The Paseo de Montejo is a broad boulevard lined with trees and modern sculptures by Yucatecan artists.
Mérida's huge, main market is for most visitors a major attraction, and Méerida is probably the best place to buy the most popular souvenir of Mexico, a hammock. Good restaurants, juice bars and a bakery are plentiful in the centre of Mérida.
Every evening, you'll find the streets buzzing with revellers enjoying a variety of free entertainment. Typical performances might include energetic and fascinating dances, big-band music, marimba , classical music conerts and open-air performances of traditional songs and music. Sunday is probably the best day to se the Plaza Mayor because vehicles are banned from the area and street activities take over all day. There are a number of mariachi nights in hotel bars and salsa dancing in nightclubs. Many big hotels also have video bars and discos. There are also hard-drinking cantinas for the hardcore.
Useful websites are at http://www.cultur.com , http://www.yucatantoday.com/ and http://www.cityview.com.mx/ .
Will possibly hire a car here until Tulum or Merida. Example price for two days, from Merida to Tulum, is $166 USD. http://www.velozrentacar.com.mx/us/
Car Hire
We will be picking up a car at Merida Centro, Calle 60 No. 486 D on 55 and 57 Av Paseo Montejo, Merida. Pick up is at Sun, Nov 05, 2006 at 10:00 AM and it's a Crysler Atos. The cost for this is US $287.62. Full details are available here.
Accommodation
We are staying at Luz En Yucatan. This is an apartment with a sitting room with fold out double futon, (and to which a cot can be added), kitchenette/dining area, bathroom, bedroom with king size bed, cable TV and AC. The rate is $650 pesos per day for two persons plus an additional $70 pesos per day for the third person, daily total to be $720 pesos, app $67 US. The accommodation confirmation is available..
Day 9, Sunday 5th November - Day 10, Monday 6th November - Chichén Itzá AM
Visit the most famous Maya site, with its vertiginous temple, Chac-mool figures and dramatic, snail-shaped observatory.
It is, by far, the most visited of all Maya sites and lies conveniently along the main road from Mérida to Cancún. It's perfectly feasible to visit as a day's excursion from Mérida to the coast, but an overnight stop is worth considering. The rough guide goes into great detail about the site itself, but noteable statements include the fact that one reason it's fascinating is because of its divergence from Maya tradition, ability to climb the main pyramid and see the entire area, area where human sacrifices may have been made, the 90 metre ball court (the loser may have gotten decapitated!), and series of tombs.
If longer than a day is spent here, it is worth visiting Valladoid, a town about 40km eastwards. Valladoid has the Cenote Dzitnup, which is reached by descending into a cave, where a nearly circular pool of crystal-clear turquoise water is illuminated by a shaft of light from an opening in the roof. A swim in the ice-cold water is a fantastic experience, apparantly. There is another pool, the Cenote Samula which has the roots of a huge tree stretching down into it.
Note Go to light and sound show
Accommodation
We are staying at Dolores Alba. I said we'd arrive at about 3pm, but I doubt it matters if this changes. The address is"Km 122 free road Merida-Cancun", 3 km East of the Chichen Itza ruins. The booking confirmation is [Chichen Itza Reservation|here].
Day 10, Monday 6th November PM - Day 11, Tuesday 7th November AM - Tulúm
We will go here if I feel there's time. I'm looking into transport links. I'd quite like to go here and have a chill out day.
One of the longest, whitest sandy beaches in the Caribbean, with turquoise water and candlelit cabañas near ancient ruins.
Tulúm is 130km south of Cancún and is one of the most picturesque of all Maya sites - small, but exquisitely poised on fifteen-metre-high cliffs above the impossibly turquoise Carobbean. If you want to take time out for a swim, you can plunge into the Caribbean straight in front of the site. Limitless further possibilities for a dip are strung out down a rough road to the south that runs along the beautiful and deserted-feeling coastline.
The site itself is surrounded by walls and features, among other things, many murals in side the main temple, the Castillo at the highest point of the site, looking across the site and water and many other temples.
Most of the local accommodation are situated right on the sea. There are opportunities to go on cavern snorkelling and nature tours, including kayaking, snorkelling, fishing, horse rides and cycling trips, or you could just enjoy Tulum's beautiful beaches.
Note Sian Ka'an Biosphere
Accommodation
Hopefully staying at Tierra Del Sol bungalows. Awaiting second e-mail response.
Sent an e-mail about Shambala Petit Hotel - too expensive.
Sent an online request about Posada Margherita - cannot accept reservations of less than four nights.
Day 11, Tuesday 7th November PM - Day 12, Wednesday 8th November - Cancún
Our transport link to Cuba, Cancún, has lots of things to do. It doesn't seem so much of a cultural place but very busy and exciting. Its highlights are its striking modern hotels, hectic nightlife and high-energy entertainment including parachuting, jet skiing, scuba diving and golf. It appears to be a suitable base to explore some of the beaches on the East coast.
Accommodation
Possibly hostel at http://www.chacmool.com.mx/
In/near the Hotel Zone:
- Grand Royal Lagoon http://www.grlagoon.com/ http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150807-d242388-r3555786-Grand_Royal_Lagoon-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html Sent second e-mail and reservation
- Girasol http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150807-d185325-r4735366-Girasol_Condo_Hotel-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html
Nightlife
As we will have thoroughly refreshed ourselves after the relaxing time at Tulum, we'll be larging it up in this evening. A good thread on nightclubbing in Cancún is available at http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150807-i8-k819335-Overview_of_clubs-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html Information on bar/club crawls is at http://cancun-hotels.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g150807-i8-k783220-Best_bar_tour-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html The nightlife is excellent there's a club for all tastes, Coco Bongo for a busy cheesy loud night, The City for pure dancing and excellent floor shows with many locals attending, for a a club with a more upmarket feel and fantastic aircon with branded drinks go to Bulldog
Care Hire
We will return the car at Cancún airport at Wed, Nov 08, 2006 at 07:30 PM.
Onwards Transport
Looking at the Click Mexicana website, the flights from Cancún appears to be at 14:05-17:10 and 20:40-23:45.