ash is going to me-hee-koe... needs advice

[gojira]

I recommend Xel Ha if you want a day or more of water activities.  I don't typically get into resorty-type stops on my vacations, but I have been twice, and I would go again.  Great snorkeling, great activities, they don't nickel and dime you on equipment.  The food is even good.  
A heads up on Xel Ha - you do have to wear their environmentally-friendly sun screen, which seems to have an SPF factor of .0017.  If you do go, I suggest keeping an eye on the sun burn.

+1

Essentially a super large, but mostly natural set-in-rocks, swimming pool along the coast with a huge variety of places to swim ... snorkeling, innertubing on a current, cave swimming, laying out in the sun, checking out the sea life, even your own version of cliff diving a la Acapulco style. Gotta love the minimal liability worries of a 3rd world country! 

We attempted to go to Chichen Itza, but we were discouraged by the travel folks at Xcaret - they said something to the effect of "It is really hot.  You'll probably die."  This was mid-June or so.

We rented a car from Cancun to spend the day as we wanted at Chichen Itza and not be bound to the schedule of a tourist bus. No worries on the roads as they were pretty well developed for this route to the ruins (i.e. no getting-lost-in-the-jungle-rip-out-your-machete type of manuevers). My only bit of advice if you rent is to avoid a gas station where someone is standing near the pumps. Because my Spanish is very limited I couldn't tell if the guy was an employee of the station (not all of them wear uniforms) or if he was just someone loitering around.    Regardless, he kept telling us we had to pay him extra to simply use the pump. He did not actually pump the gas either, so we figured it was a gringo surcharge. 

We visited in mid-summer and yes, it was hot and stagnant with no breeze. Be sure to bring tons of water, and we were suggested to bring along some mosquito repellent but never used it. I didn't think it was so hot that it's to be avoided unless you're super sensitive to heat. (Now, if you want hot at any ruins of the world, go to Borobordur in Indonesia in the middle of summer with 10,000% humidity and 200 degrees in direct sun walking around a temple of made from black rock. I swore my shoes melted off several layers of sole, as well as my personal soul. But I digress.)

Oh yeah, I dare you not to use the rope. 

If you want to check out a Mayan pyramid, there is Tulum, which is in the same neighborhood as Xel Ha, and more importantly, right on the beach.

Tulum is worth a visit. Though not as grand as Chichen Itza, it's still a nice addition on a trek through history. And as noted, being on the beach is a definite plus.

Also, if you have some wiggle room on the itinerary, I would much rather spend four days in Cozumel than in Cancun.  San Gabriel (really the only town on the island) has plenty of bars in which to get your b00ze on.   So if that is a priority, don't let its reputation as a dive town scare you off.   It is a little bit more mellow, and a bit less touristy.  Depends on what you want.  You'll have fun either way.

+ 1

Cozumel is a more true Mexican experience compared to Cancun IMO. However, it can get touristy because it's a usual port of call for cruise ships.

[teddy037.2]

Hawaii's safer 

sounds like a kickass trip, ash!

oh yeah, no real advice from me, either... the only countries I've visited are the US and canada 

[Ash]

yall are awesome!  i'm getting so pumped!!!   

[TiNi]

we rented the car, and took off into the jungle in search of less touristy ruins... and it was an experience!
small children ran along side the car as we drove through their village,
we were stopped by some kind of military group with very large machine guns,
and yes, the gas station attendant TRIED to rip us off, so be very careful.

the ruins at coba were still being excavated, and we saw wild monkeys!!!

[Speedbag]

awesome pic

Extremely cool pic. 

Hmm, I think I see the Red Dot in the water to the left. So that's where the damn thing is.....

[Speedbag]

yall are awesome!  i'm getting so pumped!!!   

Thanks snookums. 

[NuTTs]

You're gonna have fun.. remember what they consider hot in Mexico (food wise) is like 100 times hotter than anything you've ever had.

Drink water only from sealed bottles of mineral water.

Buy a poncho.

My sister is doing some volunteer work starting last saturday in deep, rural Mexico.. no phone lines, electricity and very undernourished people. She loves volunteer work and Mexican people are really wonderful.

[Ash]

so is she cute?


too easy...   

[IZ]

you know you want me to rock out with my thong out

Blah..I couldn't read beyond this!  ^^^






 
Have fun Ash!!

[Ash]

Blah..I couldn't read beyond this!  ^^^

what if i stuff it with tofurkey bacon?

[TiNi]

what if i stuff it with tofurkey bacon?

the sharks would think you're dinner, and then spit you out   

[Ash]

IZ to the rescuuuuuue!   

[IZ]

If you're going to be doing any snorkeling or diving..get a shark cage dude!!

Hammerheads out like crazy down there!!

[Ash]

hmmm... might do that.  although sharks scare me more than jumping out of planes...

but i do LOVE them.... awesome creatures!

[TiNi]

i wanna go to me-hee-koe now