Quote:
Originally Posted by JSALES
I'll be going to Mexico in June and staying in Riviera Maya at the Royal Playa Del Carmen hotel for a week.
Any recommendations what to see around the area?
I think we're going to check out Xel Ha and Chichen Itza
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That hotel ROCKS. Location is absolutely perfect, rooms are very nice, staff are good, and the food is solid.
The Royal is right in the center of town, so you can easily walk around the shopping avenues and kill an hour or two people watching while sipping on $2 Coronas.
Be sure to visit at least 1 or 2 cenotes (caves/caverns).... most of the day tours (ie. Tulum ruins, jungle trek, ziplining, etc) include snorkeling or swimming in a cenote. If you're a diver like I am, then the cenotes are truly an incredible experience -- literally
unlimited visibility. Even if you just snorkel around with a flashlight, it's a cool experience.
Didn't go to Chichen Itza because we were told it was a pretty long drive from Playa -- Tulum is about 45 minutes, and it's worth doing (although not earth-shattering).
With just a week, I wouldn't bother with Cozumel. It's another great spot for divers, but I wasn't impressed otherwise... the beach directly in front of The Royal is as good or better than anything on Cozumel.
I agree with the rental car suggestion. We didn't get the chance, but it's definitely perfectly safe to rent a car and drive around the Yucatan. Tours are cheap (relatively) so it's not going to save you a lot of money -- and I like having a local guide for some stuff -- but I find typically the independence of having a car allows you to see more 'authentic' and off-the-beaten-track shit.
Enjoy!