On the back of our honeymoon, we wanted to find somewhere we could go for Winter Vacation. We were looking for something warm and relaxing, that could have some fun things to see/do as well. Rita’s uncle recommended a hotel with a kitchen, which allowed us to cook our own meals in Playa del Carmen. We didn’t plan any activities in advance, and figured them out once we got to Mexico. We did arrange to rent a car in advance, and decided to plan the days once we got there.
Once we got to the hotel (Aldea Thai) we were underwhelmed by the room they gave us. There was construction next door to our hotel, and the balcony was full of dust. Rita made a stink and we got them to change our room and they ended giving us a 2 bedroom suite. We spent our first two days (Friday and Saturday) and our last day (Wednesday) sitting at the beach clubs outside our hotel (Mamita’s and Kool) and by the hotel pool which was nice and relaxing. For food, we went to a nearby Walmart to buy some basics we could cook for dinner during the week, like pasta, frozen fish, and some vegetables. We ordered food for Shabbat from Chabad.
Renting a car in Mexico was also quite complicated. We weren’t really sure what insurance we needed to purchase, and the car was pretty shady, so we probably got ripped off on some of the extras they added on when we rented the car.
Coba
Our first day trip was to the Mayan ruins at Coba. The drive was an hour and a half and extremely easy and safe to navigate. Once we got there, there were a bunch of local tour guides that you can hire to take you through the ruins so we found one we liked and hired him. The ruins were awesome, and the ancient city was larger than expected. The site was pretty underdeveloped, which made it feel really authentic. We saw the ancient Mayan ball courts, several stelae, biked along the ancient Mayan roads, and climbed up the pyramid (it was harder than it looked)
Cenotes – After exploring the ruins, we stopped by some cenotes. Cenotes are underground caves that can be found all around the area that have underground pools, which you can often swim in. We were directed to two of them near Coba called Choo-Ha and Tankach-Ha. After descending down a staircase, you end up in a large cave where you can jump into the water. It was exhilarating and a really cool experience. The water was clear and refreshing after a hot day in the jungle. We also rode a zipline across the nearby lake.
Xcaret
The next day, we explored the Xcaret park. We called it the Epcot of Mexico. There were many different activities and cultural shows/areas that we explored. Compared to the day before, it felt a bit fake but it was still fun. We saw a bunch of animals, watched shows of men swinging on ropes and acowboy show, and painted little masks to take home. We swam in an underground lazy river. At night, we stayed for the grand show going through the different periods of history of the region, with a (best guess) demonstration of the Mayan ball game.
Tulum & Akumal
Tulum – On our third day, we started out exploring the ruins of Tulum. This town was smaller than Coba, but was right on the beach. This site is from the later Mayan period, and aren’t as big or as impressive as the ruins at Coba. Seeing the ruins against the beach and ocean made the site extremely beautiful. There was a large temple at the center of the site which was well preserved and imposing.
Aktun Chen Zipline Park – This was a zipline park, where we went across the treelines on a zipline course. The guides taught us to ride upside down. It was about a 3km drive on a dirt road through the jungle. It was fun and something less touristy than Xplor or Xcaret.
Snorkeling with Sea Turtles at Akumal – On our way back, we stopped by the Akumal beach to snorkel. The area is known as a habitat for sea turtles, and we were able to snorkel and get up close to these amazing creatures in the wild. We did snorkeling off the beach with a guide, and had a blast. We saw turtles, sting rays, and the coral reef. The guide was awesome, and took a ton of pictures of us using our underwater camera.
