Averett

So some friends of mine are going to Mexico for 2 weeks in August and I've been invited along. I don't have enough vacation time for that, but I can go for about 5 or 6 days. Has anyone been to Mexico that time of year? Will I roast?

I'd land in Cancun, spend a few days there, then travel west towards Merida. Theres plans to visit Mayan ruins and Chichen-Itza and such which just seems so awesome.

Has anyone done this? I haven't decided if I'm going yet, want a bit more information. Apparently my friend has scouted out a hotel thats $3 American a night. Sounds scary!

Also, I hate Mexican food. Will I find anything to eat? Can you bring food into the country? Does the old saying "Don't drink the water" still apply?

Lookin for advice!

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Absence is to love what wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

onetime2

It will be hot. Especially inland. Chichen Itza will likely be a real bear. I like Tulum for the simple fact that you get a breeze off the nearby ocean.

Not drinking the water still applies. The hotels in the Cancun to Riviera Maya zone have mostly treated water in the rooms. Your $3 a night deal probably does not. Not only should you be aware of not drinking the water, but be careful of local foods which are typically washed in the water (salads and fruits for example).

Obviously, the closer you are to the touristy areas the more options you'll have for non Mexican food.

Some other options include Xel Ha to the south of Cancun which is a nice little place to go snorkeling, Tulum also to the south which is Mayan ruins that aren't on the scale of Chichen Itza, and there's a ferry to the south which can take you across to the island of Cozumel.

Have fun!

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Strive to be more curious than ignorant.

theemaan

If you are still looking for info.
Inland will be hot as Hades--Tulum (11/2 hours south of Cancun)is a great place to go. It is right on the ocean so it has a good breeze--beware of the tour--go on your own and early in the day. When the tour buses get there (10:30-11:00) it gets crowded real fast.

In that area there area few really cool places to go.

Casa Cenote--Just north of Tulum on the highway. The cenote is average but if you cross the street and go into the ocean the fresh water from the cenote comes up from holes in the rock providing a feeding frenzy for all kinds of fish--big ones--wonderful snorkeling. The little cafe has good food and cold drinks.

Another cenote(can't remember the name). Just south of Tulum there is a road that goes to the ruins Coba(?). A couple miles down the road the cenote will be on your right--it has a small bamboo fence around the entrance. This one will cool you off--the water is cool year round. You get to snorkel around over hanging rocks and into some small caves. If you are lucky you will get to see cave divers heading down into the caves-unless you want to do that yourself,then they will set that up for you. A great place to cool off and the snorkeling is amazing.

Coba ruins are about 20 miles west of Tulum. These are recently found ruins which have not been completly ecscavated yet. It is far in the jungle-you may well see and hear monkeys and there is a wide variety of cool birds. You can climb the pyramid and walk inside all the buildings. There are very few tourists here so the prices are good and there are a couple shops that sell jewlery at VERY good prices--don't be afraid to haggle. Don't forget to bring the bug dope.
When heading to Coba watch closely for signs(and other signals) saying TOPAS(z)-it means there is a speed bump and some of them are NASTY and not all are marked.
If you are interested I can get more names and better directions--I just moved and everything is in boxes,but I will dig up the books if I can help
Drink only bottled water and soft drinks--NO ICE. Stay away from fresh fruit unless you cut it yourself- you get more trouble from the dirty knifes used than anything else. BRING IMMODIUM-it is cheap and can save you a lot of time on the can.
If there is any thing else I can help with just reply and I will do what I can.

maleficent

Brush your teeth with bottled water too. Ice and frozen drinks were the real killers.

Mexican food in Mexico is different than what you'd find in the states, it's better. There's lots of fresh fish, fresh veggies, it's not all buried in rice stuff that looks revolting.

I travel a lot for work, and in my suitcase I always have nuts, granola bars, Protein bars and other foods that don't spoil. What you can't bring in or out of most foreign countries is cheeses, meats, fruits, but other stuff, customs rarely questions.

Keep an eye on your wallet, and don't keep all your money in your wallet - nor in your hotel room - I'd be careful about using the hotel safe as well, unless it's a nationally recognized chain.

August, it's gonna be hot, if the hotel didn't have air conditioning, I wouldn't want to stay there, I'd also shake out your shoes before putting them on -- (I saw some pretty impressive species of bugs)

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tropicdiver

Things to think about being on the Yucatan in August.

1. It will be Hurricane Season (so buy trip insurance, just in case).
2. Hot. It will be ungodly hot and HUMID.
3. Mosquitoes. Stay out of the shade as they will be there waiting for you.
4. Sunscreen. Lather it on as it is so easy to burn down there in Mexico.
5. Frozen alcoholic drinks. Don't drink 'em. Nothing from water or you will have a miserable time on the toilet. Only drink from SEALED bottled water and don't believe anyone when they tell you the hotel water is safe. They lie.
6. Chichen-Itza is a MUST SEE. Tulum is nice and "pretty", but Chichen-Itza and Coba will blow you away.
7. Learn to SCUBA before you go down there and see the wonders of the clear waters down there (think Cozumel, especially).
8. Playa del Carmen is a nice place to stay a few days, if you want to get away from the glitz of Cancun.

Have fun!

__________________
Bob
Life is short. Break some rules.

amonkie

I second the Mexican food difference is nothing like it is in the states. Just try it once, and you'll see. In most cases, it is VERY fresh fruits, light foods. Humidity will be your friend. I've gone to Mexico both for spring break 4 years in a row(Mazatlan) and then in September. I'm from AZ though, and didn't feel too much of a difference, other than the ocean being a whole lot closer to cool off, and more humidity.

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Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna

Averett

Well, there's really no way I can go since I'm just too broke, but I appreciate the advice and I will pass it on to my friends

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Absence is to love what wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

irateplatypus

hey averett,

i read your thread about this trip and your budget on another forum. just wanted to say that i'm proud of you for doing the right thing. it may suck to hear about how much fun your friends are going to have... but you're going to have a lot more fun in the long run the way you're doing it. Good luck!

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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.

~ Winston Churchill

Averett

Thanks platypus I'll enjoy the pictures they send me... Maybe next year!

__________________
Absence is to love what wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

eyeronic

I was going to go in August as well, but now it ain't gonna work out. We can sulk about it together if it'd make you feel better.

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I hold with those that favor fire.