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Friday, July 29, 2011

Cancun, Mexico

Riviera Maya Map


Summary of approximate driving/ferry distances
  • From Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen: About 1 hr by car
  • From Playa del Carmen to Tulum : About 1 hr by car
  • From Playa del carmen to Cozumel : About 1 hr ferryride 1 way
  • From Cancun hotel Zone to Isla Mujeres: About 30 mins by ferry 1 way
  • From Cancun or Playa to Chichen Itzna: About 3 hrs drive 1 way.
  • From Playa to Xcaret: About 10-15 mins by car
  • From Playa to Xel-ha: About 40 mins


Cenotes/Caves/Zip Lining/ATVs/Biking/Eco Parks/etc

Click on this link to get a Map Location for each of the below activities.


  • Hidden Worlds Cenotes Park. About 45 drive from Playa down south. Dos Ojos cenote is located in this Par. 
  • Rio Secreto. About 10 mins drive from Playa down south. Only a cenote/cave tour.I don't have the name of the cenote
  • Boca del Puma Eco Park, This boca del Puma cenote is located here and tours include a zip line, bicycle riding, and a swim in a cenote. 
  •  Selvatica Eco Park, offers zip lines, horseback riding, cenotes, and snorkeling. Cenote Verde Lucero cenote is located here.
  • Xplor Here you'll have the chance to drive amphibious vehicles, go zip-lining, and raft through caves filled with stalactites. 
  • Xcaret: Has more activities: various animals (avairy, butterfly pavilion, and giant sea turtles), water-based (beach and fun underground river), and an amazing cultural show at night.Swim with dolphins, snuba, etc is extra and not included in the ticket price. The cenote here is Sistema Xcaret
  • Xelha : Is more water-based, go here for snorkeling. There's a lazy river you can float down, cenotes, and cliffs to jump from. Swim with dolphins, snuba, etc is extra.Cenote Paraiso and Cenote Aventura are located here.
  • Canopy Aktun Chen offers a cenote, cave tour, as well as zip lines.  Name of cenote is Aktun Chen
Cenote Info & Map
Cenotes are sinkholes and there are four different types.
  • The first are the underground cenotes which are completely underground, like small lakes inside a cave. Examples: Hidden worlds Cenote, Xplor, Rio Secreto, Aktun Chen
  • The other are underground cenotes which have a hole in their roof, where sunlight can come inside. 
  • Third there are the ones that doesn't have a roof at all Just side walks. Examples: Dzitnup ceneto near Valladolid, ikil near chichen itza.
  • And the last are completely open, almost as lakes. Example: Cenotes in Xelha, Xcaret




 Mayan Ruins
2 of them that are worth seeing: Tulum and Chichen Itza. Tulum is near the water while chichen is about a 2-3 hr drive 1 way.


Chichen Itza by Car

  • Chichén Itzá opens at 8:00 am, try to be there before 9:00 at least. Going early allows you to see most of the area before it gets too hot (there is very little shade) and also lets you beat the majority of the huge tour buses from Cancun that spill out hundreds of noisy tourists out on the site by around noon.
  • Take water if you can and wear a big silly hat to protect your head from the sun.
  •  Fill your tank in Cancun and again in Valladolid if necessary. There is only one gas station along the toll road and it’s a long way away. In an emergency gas can be purchased at the toll booths, but there are only two of those along the whole road to Chichén Itzá. In 2010 the tolls for a car were $214.00 pesos(toll1) and $53(toll2) pesos each way. You will not have to pay the $53 pesos on the way back if you take the free road to Valladolid.
  • Wear good shoes. You will be doing plenty of walking and the steps on the pyramid are smooth, slippery and irregular.
  • Admission to the Chichén Itzá is around 111 pesos for adults and 10 pesos to park.
  • After you have finished at Chichén Itzá  (usually 3-4 hours) take the libre (free) road to Valladolid. It’s a right turn as you exit the ruins.
  • Guides usually wait at the entrance and charge around 450 pesos for one to six people.  

Swim with Dolphins
  • Wet 'n' Wild near airport.http://dolphinaris.com/ in wet n wild
  • Delphinus in Xcaret,
  • Delphinus in Xel-Ha
  • Delphinus Riviera Maya
  • Dolphin discovery in cancun downtown
  • Dolphin discovery in Isle Mujeres
  • La Isla Mall in cancun hotel zone: Interactive Aquarium (tel. 998/883-0411, -0436, -0413; www.aquariumcancun.com.mx). Can bring your own water proof camera
Night Clubs
  • Coco Bongo: In Cancun hotel zone and Playa del carmen
  • Señor Frogs: In Cancun hotel zone and Playa del carmen
 Massage Places in Playa
  • Many massage places on 5th Avenue that are not as expensive as compared to the spas in the hotels.
Car Rentals
If staying in hotel zone, public transportation is awesome, so car is not really needed. But could be needed to go down south for activities. Best to book in advance as rates are less then 1/2 of what is offered in store. If staying in Riviera Maya and plan on doing activities, then I would highly suggest renting one. Ask your hotel for overnight parking cost.
  • www.kayak.com
  • http://www.cancunmexicocarrental.com/
  • www.CarRentals.com
HOTELS
I always check tripadvisor.com for ratings before I book any hotel


Cancun Hotel Zone Map


Riverra Maya Hotel Map (Does not include hotels in Playa)

Map of Playa Hotels


Numerical

1    The Reef Coco Beach
2    Shangri La Caribe
3    Real Playa Carmen
4    Las Palapas
5    Fiesta Banana
6    Riviera Caribe Maya
7    Quinto Sol
8    Riviera del Sol
9    El Patio
10    Coco Rio
11    Posada Mariposa
12    Villa Amanecer
13    Tierra Maya
14    Aventura Mexicana
15    Carmen Inn
16    Caribbean Paradise
17    Royal Porto Real
18    Las Golondrinas
19    Gran Porto Real
20    El Tukan Condotel
21    Acanto Suites Lounge
22    Blue Beach
23    La Tortuga Hotel and Spa
24    Mosquito Blue Hotel Spa
25    Cohiba
26    Blue Parrot
27    Deseo
28    Costa del Mar
29    El Campanario
30    Hacienda Maria Bonita
31    Colibri
32    Kinbe Hotel
33    Posada Freud
34    Alhambra Hotel
35    Illusions
36    Treetops
37    Albatros
38    Lunata
39    Los Itzaes Hotel
40    Pelicano Inn
41    Fusion
42    All Riviera
43    Mimi del Mar
44    Hacienda del Caribe
45    Don Emilione
46    Molcas
47    Plaza Marina

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