I'm planning on visiting the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico in January and am not sure where to head for. I don't want to go somewhere ultra-touristy like Cancun and have heard good things about the the Islas de Mujeres (I think they're called) and the area south of Cancun towards Belize, specifically Playa del Carmen. I'm interested in a beach holiday but with a glimpse of the Mayan sites thrown in as well. Any suggestions?

The two things I can tell you are that Isla Mujeres is beautiful and very much worth a day trip, and the same goes for Tulum, a complex of Mayan ruins not too far from Cancun.

I spent a day at each of these sites a few years ago, and did some scuba diving off Isla Mujeres which was really beautiful. Sorry I don't know more about the region, but I hope that helps.

By all means, go to Isla Mujeres. It's all the beach and snorkeling of Cancan but without the tourism hub-bub and BS. Snorkeling is cheap, beautiful and filled with surprises. The tour may be a little haphazard and chaotic but hey--welcome to Mexico. What lies beneath the waves is amazing--as many types and sizes of coral and tropic fish as Cozumel but with caves!

A casual stroll through the tiny tiendas of downtown exposes Mexican commerce as it is almost forgotten in the Malls of Cancun. The food is excellent and non-corporate.

But most importantly--rent a scooter, mo-ped, motorcycle, golf cart... (anything goes) and wheel your way to the South end of the Island (Punta Sur) for one of the most pristine Mayan ruins of the Yucatan. If the former temple (now a pile of rocks) isn't any more impressive than Tulum, the view of the sea is.

The adventurous should take a walk around the breakers that come roaring in off the Atlantic. The rest should stay tucked away behind the camera and enjoy the sunset (if possible).

Go and enjoy Isla Mujeres but don't tell anyone or else it may become a mini-Cancun.

Another word of warning--skip the shark tank and private beaches and go for the real Isla Mujeres which you'll only see on foot or on a rented God-knows-what.

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Originally posted by MD:
I'm planning on visiting the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico in January and am not sure where to head for. I don't want to go somewhere ultra-touristy like Cancun and have heard good things about the the Islas de Mujeres (I think they're called) and the area south of Cancun towards Belize, specifically Playa del Carmen. I'm interested in a beach holiday but with a glimpse of the Mayan sites thrown in as well. Any suggestions?

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Tulum is wonderful - superb long sandy beaches. You can stay in cabenas (beach huts) a little way along the coast past the Mayan site. If you stay overnight you can visit the ruins early in the morning and miss the crowds which descend during the middle of the day on trips from Cancun and around.
If you have time, I recommend fitiing in a trip to Merida, the state capital. It's really worth a visit and you can easily do a day trip to Chichen Itza from there.

Did the trip wit 2 friends and way to little time...

Leave Cancun asap. It's dirty, expensive, Tijuana'ish and a waste of time compared to what's ahead of you.

We went to Chichén Itzá (astonishing) and then spent the night in a little known colonial village "Valladolid" with nice hotels, square and church. It was very cheap. Next day we first swam in caves near the village (gotta go by cap) and then to the (also little known) pyramid city Cobá, wich in it's own way was the most astonishing of all the many, we saw. If you don't speak spanish, try to get on a guided tour or get material before going. It has such an amazing history. Wasn't discovered until the 1960'ies, because the Mayans hid it for the Spanish, etc.

Back on the coast, we headed for Tulum, backpacker's Paradise! Soft, white sand, palm trees, turquise ocean, the mayan ruins (also in the sea), snorkeling, diving, hammocks ...and 2 h happy hour + disco every night ;-) Great place to gear down and enjoy easy life.

Belize was also very beautiful. Did the obligatory Caye Caulker, wich is also very recommendable.

Enjoy :-)
Taja, Denmark

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Originally posted by MD:
I'm planning on visiting the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico in January and am not sure where to head for. I don't want to go somewhere ultra-touristy like Cancun and have heard good things about the the Islas de Mujeres (I think they're called) and the area south of Cancun towards Belize, specifically Playa del Carmen. I'm interested in a beach holiday but with a glimpse of the Mayan sites thrown in as well. Any suggestions?

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Hi, I found your reply very helpful as I am trying to plan a short backpacking trip through a beachy part of the east cost of Mexico. How did you get around the places that you mentioned? Are there regular buses?

Thanks,
Sonny

The Yucatan is a great place. I have been there twice and will travel through again at Feb-Apr 2002.

I agree to get out of Cancun - it's great for cheap flights (even from Europe) but the best is outside. On the west, I visited Uxmal and Chichen Itza by bus via Vallodolid, and to the south, Belize. In Belize, I found the beaches (Placencia) and diving (Cayes) brilliant and it also has it's fair share of Maya stuff. Check out the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar reserve near Placencia - the highlight for me was finding the paw track of a big cat, all on my own, on the 10km access track after fresh rain. Luckily it was in front of me! I hear Placencia is recovering after the October hurricane.

You might want to try Guatemala for Mayan stuff also. There is a bus that goes from Belize City straight through to Flores, near Tikal. It's quite cheap and also, only a few hours. Tikal is pretty majestic and is also an opening to go deeper into the jungle (Uaxactun, El Zotz, Rio Azul ...). Most of the Maya ruins further than Tikal are still under trees and jungle, but when you visit them you do get the feeling that you're an early adventurer; unlike the pristine restored sites. El Zotz (Mayan for bat) has a spectacular nature show at dusk when millions of bats leave the giant caves and block out any light remaining in the sky. Bring an umbrella for all the bat ****, it literally rains down on you!

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Originally posted by MD:
I'm planning on visiting the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico in January and am not sure where to head for. I don't want to go somewhere ultra-touristy like Cancun and have heard good things about the the Islas de Mujeres (I think they're called) and the area south of Cancun towards Belize, specifically Playa del Carmen. I'm interested in a beach holiday but with a glimpse of the Mayan sites thrown in as well. Any suggestions?

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