EASY DAY TRIPS FROM PLAYA – PART 1 TULUM

There are lots of options for easy day trips from the Playa del Carmen area.  So, lets look at three popular destinations that you can turn into full day excursions that you can easily make on your own.  Tulum, Cobá and Chichén Itzá. 

The best way to visit these two iconic destinations is on your own.  Yes, you can hire a Tour from the Fifth Avenue or any of the Local Tour Companies, but they are structured with strict time limits in each location.  I prefer a more leisurely approach and still give a boost to the local economies hiring Local Guides and visiting Local Artisans and Restaurants once you arrive at your destination.

Set Your Mode of Travel

If you are like me, and own a vehicle here in Playa, setting up a great itinerary for the day is easy.  Another option is to rent a vehicle for the day.  If you have a large family or lots of friends visiting the ideal way is to rent a van and driver for the day.  I have done trips out to Cobá and Chichén using all three of the above methods.  The advantages are similar.  You can set up your own private itinerary and spend as much time as you like at each destination.  The last trip I made out to Chichén was with a van and driver.  Alfredo, was at our disposal for the entire day, it was less stressful and made the trip much more enjoyable since we could all sit back and relax while someone else did the driving.

Plan Your Activities

If you are planning a day trip out to Cobá, most structured tours will also combine it with a stop at the Tulum Ruins as well.  Although it is possible to do both, your time at both sites will be limited.  Plus, you will miss out on additional stops and other recreational activities that you can easily fit in.  Chichen is usually combined with a visit to a Cenote and a stop in Valladolid on the way back to Playa.  How well you plan the day will give you the best value for your time and money.  However you decide to plan your day, consider bringing a small cooler with your for drinks and snacks especially if you are budget conscience stopping for refreshments that not only cost more but eat into your activity time.

TULUM RUINS

I always set the itinerary with a visit to the ruins as early as possible.  For one, wait times to enter are less and it is not as hot.  Tulum can get very hot during the day, there is very little shade and as more and more Tours arrive it can get crowded.  I suggest leaving Playa no later than 8 am.  Even with morning traffic, travel time should be less than an hour.  Once you arrive in Tulum, enter the parking area from the second entrance to the site, it is just a few hundred yards south of the main entrance.  Using the alternate entrance, you will avoid the gauntlet of vendors trying to get you to park in their lots.  They can be very aggressive and will even stand in the middle of the road to get you to stop.  At the second entrance you avoid this hassle and park directly where the tour buses park without hassle.  Parking is $100 pesos for however long you decide to stay, and you will either pay at an automated kiosk or at the gate when you leave. 

Now is the time to don your hats and apply sunscreen and if you have it insect repellent.  The sun is fierce as I mentioned and the little bugs we call “no seeums” can be annoying.  They are called “no seeums” because they are so tiny you don’t notice them until they bite you.  Travel light, a small shoulder bag to carry some much needed water is a lifesaver.  There are No facilities other than restrooms outside of the site and you will wish you had a drink while walking around the Ruins with your Guide.

The Ruins are about 1 kilometer from the Pavilion so you have the option of walking or taking the “Traincito” which I would highly recommend.  You can buy your bracelet, good for roundtrip at the kiosk in front of the Voladores de Pampantla.  To avoid waiting on another line at the Ruins entrance, buy your Admission Ticket to the Ruins at the Kiosk to the left of the Transportation Kiosk.  The price is exactly the same as at the Entrance Ticket windows and this benefit is not known by many Visitors.  This will save you a lot of time not having to wait again to pay your entrance fee.  Once you arrive at the Ruins you simply walk inside to the ticket takers.  Don’t forget to hire a Certified Guide before you enter the Ruins.  You may think you know all about the site, but these guys and gals will make the visit a lot more informative and enjoyable.  Once the formal tour is complete, you can explore on your own.  To return to the Tourist Pavilion simply wait for the next “Traincito”.

The Tourist Pavilion has not changed much since my first visit here in 1982.  It is still an iconic part of the Tulum Ruins Experience.  Try to avoid the feeling that it is merely a Tourist Trap with inflated prices with every vendor using every method they know to get you to buy.  Except for the newest and more formal shops, everything is negotiable.  They will start high; you counter at half the price and eventually you will end up in the middle with both sides happy.  This is Mexican Tradition be reasonable and they will reciprocate.  There is a lot of competition for customers, so the $200 pesos you spend may be the only income that shop has for the day. 

Having visited often enough, I like to have my groups take lunch at the Pavilion.  As many times as I have wanted to try someplace new, my comfort spot is the restaurant Don Café.  There are many more options than just Tacos.  The Cervezas are cold and the Margaritas an ample size to quench any thirst.  The food is Yucatecan, and considering the location, the prices are no worse than the Fifth Avenue if not a little less expensive.  I must admit, Don Café is my favorite if only for the Ensalada de Verduras that is served with every meal.  Carrots, whole bulbs of garlic, papas and chiles marinaded with a hint of cinnamon.  I always end up in a conversation with the Waiters in Spanish of course, and I get to try out my fledgling attempt at speaking Yucatecan Maya as all the employees are of Mayan descent. 

I can guarantee you will be comfortably tired after your trek through the ruins and a nice lunch.  If you got an early start as I suggested it should be somewhere between 1 and 2 pm.  Perfect time to hit one of the many cenotes in the area to relax and cool off.  I won’t recommend a particular Cenote to visit, they are all beautiful in their own ways.  However, the most popular are on your way back to Playa.  Consider Cenote Azul, Jardín de Éden of Cristallino.  All are good choices to cool off in the hot afternoon.  Most Cenotes close at 5 or 6 pm so you will have ample time to enjoy the afternoon. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this Series where we will go to Cobá and the nearby Cenotes.