Our friends coined them, "Quinceañera dobles." 2017 was a year of celebrating friends' 30th birthdays through travel. Nick had yet to see Mayan ruins, so to the Yucatan we went. Walking around Chichén Itzá was pretty surreal. Mayan history is marked by awe and sorrow. Once a thriving economic power with rich culture of astronomy and human sacrifice, the region was eventually overthrown and destroyed during the Spanish Conquest. Yes, it's one of the most tourist-rich areas in Mexico, but as it contains one of the world's greatest wonders, it is no surprise and well-worth a visit.
Pre-trip Notes
We booked a shuttle transfer service to get us to and from the airport, since we were flying into Cancun and staying in Playa del Carmen. We used USA Transfers, and it was about $36 USD/person. You must have your ID and confirmation number ready to show the driver.
What We Did
Tulum
Dos Ojos Cenote, Tulum: I honestly don't remember the name of the dive shop we went through, but I organized the trip through Mayans' Explorers. There was some miscommunication regarding seeing the Tulum ruins (we didn't end up visiting them), but otherwise the experience was great. At the cenote, Nick and I SCUBA dove the cavern passages, and our friends snorkeled in the open areas. It was one of the coolest dives we've ever experienced. The water is extremely clear, and swimming around the stalactites that you could only look at when exploring caves on land was pretty wild (~$135/person to SCUBA, and ~$85/person to snorkel). I did a refresher course in Houston before the trip, and the dive master recommended a buoyancy certification. We think that was really helpful.
Cancún
Day sail: Well, it ended up being an afternoon/night sail. I had booked with Sailing Máre, and the plan was to be picked up in the morning, sail to Isla Mujeres, and be back by dinner. After waiting an hour past the pick-up time, I called the shop, and they claimed I didn't pay the deposit. But, oh boy did I. Thankfully, we had cerveza and a pool to pass the time, which ended up being perfect. The sail ended up being really fun, despite the miscommunication. So, I recommend Sailing Máre but with EXTREME caution. They did a great job, but you need to quadruple check-in with them before you go on your sail.
Chichén Itzá: Obviously, one of the must-dos when visiting the Yucatán. The El Castillo pyramid is the main structure and is (relatively) one of the youngest structures erected by the Mayan people. Interestingly, it was discovered to have one to two pyramids/structures inside of it (like a Russian doll) using tomography. Located here is also the Grand Ball Court where residents would play Pitz -- the Mesoamerican game where players aim to get a rubber ball through a small ring high on a wall without using their hands.
Ek Balam: Unfortunately, someone was killed at Chichén Itzá after falling from El Castillo, so you can no longer climb the pyramid. But at Ek Balam, you can climb the pyramids, which is really cool.
Cenote Dzitnup: Beautiful cenote where we spent some time swimming. There are a couple ropes for additional leverage while swimming, as well as the ceiling-collapse island toward the far wall. To me, the water is cold and there are lots of little fish that nibble at your legs, but it was an amazing place to visit. The quantity of cenotes in Mexico is very unique!
Valladolid: We weren't here for very long, but it's an incredibly colorful city. We walked for about an hour, and I particularly enjoyed the historical murals at the Municipal Palace.
Food
Cancún
Pasteletería: For Nick's birthday, I'm pretty sure I ordered the Chocolate Bomb cake, and it was SO GOOD. And, since we didn't have a vehicle to pick the cake up ourselves, someone from the shop delivered it to our place!
Alux: A restaurant inside a cave? Yes! And the food is pretty good, too. MUST VISIT!
Blue Lobster: If you're willing to brave getting seafood in Mexico, definitely try this place out.
Zenzi: Great beach club/restaurant near our Airbnb.
Diablito: We met up with a friend of someone in the group at this club in one of the more popular night spots in town.
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