Southern Mexico

Working my way through the custom's line in the Cancún airport, I heard the distinct sound of a bottle breaking as it hit the floor. I couldn't tell exactly where the noise came from but as I walked toward the luggage carousel I immediately saw the trouble. Lying against the wall was a backpack leaking a yellowish liquid onto the floor. Evidently the liquid was tequila and the bottle had been inappropriately stowed at the bottom of the pack. As if on cue 2 young Americans came running out of the bathroom carrying handfuls of paper towels. As they screamed in frustration, I could only think one thing, “Welcome to Mexico.”

For years, my wife and I traveled alone away from organized groups because we wanted the freedom to really submerse ourselves in the culture we were exploring. But, when it came time to plan another trip, we finally decided to look at our options. Great Adventure People (GAP), a touring company offering adventure tours and that prides itself on providing the maximum amount of freedom while not burdening their guests with hotel or transportation arrangements, was exactly what we were wanting. Most of GAP’s reasonably priced packages offer moderate to extended stays but they do not organize large tour buses nor offer a white glove approach. GAP utilizes local transportation when the entire group is on the move. If you want to go somewhere special, you will need to organize your own transportation. You GAP leader will certainly help if needed but they will not hold your hand nor tuck you in at night.

Since we were traveling over Christmas and New Years, we wanted to stay close to home our home in Texas, so we decided on a 15 day trip through Southern and Central Mexico. The trip had a set itinerary with many optional activities along the way and plenty of time to soak in the experience on our own. I will admit I was a little skeptical at first. I had no idea what kind of hotels GAP arranged nor did I know how much “flexibility” these trips really offered. I was also suspicious because we were starting in Cancún, a place neither my wife nor I had ever wanted to visit. We knew it was a well worn tourist trap and we wanted a more authentic taste of Mexico.

Leaving the Cancún airport, we jumped into a colectivo, a small bus which takes passengers to various destinations, and headed for the Kin Mayab Hotel. Just to be clear, a colectivo takes longer than a cab but it costs a great deal less. Pulling away from the airport, we were amazed by the number of monstrous hotels that line the beaches; and as we pulled up to one and then another, passengers departed leaving us behind. Eventually, my wife and I were the only ones remaining. As I watched out my window however, I began to notice we were slowly leaving Americanized Cancún and entering an area with more of a Mexican flavor. This was still not the Mexico we came to see but a much better place to find a meal.

After dinner, we met our GAP tour leader and the other members of the group including 2 American women, 3 British men, 3 British women, 1 Australian woman, 1 man from the Netherlands and 2 young girls from Japan. All in all, it seemed like a fun group. Everyone was excited and ready to go.

We were thrilled to learn we would be leaving Cancún behind the next morning and heading for Playa del Carmen. Playa del Carmen is only slightly better than Cancún. There are nearly as many tourists as Cancún and it still feels more like the U.S. than it should but we did find one restaurant and one hotel worth mentioning. The restaurant, called 100% Natural, was vegetarian and located at 5th Avenue near Calle 10. Make sure and try their Hibiscus tea. The hotel, “La Rana Cansada” arranged by GAP was a great choice. It was close to the beach and provided us with a tranquil setting to sit back and enjoy each other's company.

Just outside the city however was the main attraction, the Mayan ruins of Tulúm. Because of its close proximity to Cancún and Playa del Carmen it can get very crowded. Although the ruins are less impressive than Chichén Itzá or Uxmal, they have the blue Caribbean as a backdrop, offering great backdrops for photographers. Look closely to snap shots of iguanas scurrying through the brush. 

After a day and a half in and around Playa del Carmen and Tulúm, we headed across the Yucatán to Mérida. On the way, we stopped at Chichén Itzá to see the most famous of all Mayan sites. Be sure to get there early to avoid the crowds and climb the Pyramid of Kukulkán before it gets too hot.  covers 4 square miles so prepare for a full day of hiking if you want to see everything. Don't forget water!