Trip Report!

[Jana]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I just got back from a week in Tulum Tuesday night. We LOVED Tulum. I didn’t ask many questions before we left but I got a ton of information from other trip reports and searching the forum. All of the recommendations and information were so helpful.

The day after we got back I had to fly to Vancouver for business and can’t sleep right now because of the time change so I thought I’d start my trip report (instead of working!).

Day 1

We flew Air Canada from Toronto direct to Cancun on December 4th. Fairly uneventful flight and we were lucky to have the three seats to ourselves. We arrived a little early and it seemed like ours was the only flight arriving – the arrivals area of the airport was empty.

We easily found Caribbean Car Rental when we walked out of the airport (had a sign with our name) and they took us to their office about 5 minutes away to get our car. They were very nice and the only “issue” was that our car was in Playa del Carmen which really wasn’t a problem at all. We waited a few minutes for another couple and they drove us to their Playa office to get our car. The short time we were in Playa did not impress me at all – it seemed way too crowded and busy. A few minutes later and we were back on the 307 heading to Tulum.

The drive was straightforward and the only thing we joked about was how the lane markings seem to change and merge randomly. George was all over the road but luckily traffic was light! Oddly enough we didn’t have that problem on the drive back so maybe we were just a little slow figuring things out on the way there. J We got to Tulum at about 4pm and decided to head in to Pueblo to get money. We were hungry and tired and knew we were going to eat somewhere close for dinner and call it a night.

George wanted to stop at the supermarket but I told him what I’d read here about that machine possibly being compromised and so we kept going and looked for the HSBC. Got some money and were finally on our way to the beach. I should mention that I liked the look of Pueblo a lot more than Playa and was feeling good about the decision to come here. I even thought the beach road was pretty before we saw any signs of beach! The jungle was so lush and all (well, most) of the hotel signs were so tasteful. It was the glimpses of the sea from the road that sealed the deal though – I couldn’t believe how pretty it was. I should mention again that I have never been to the Caribbean and George had been once and the colour of that water is pretty impressive!

We found Tierras del Sol with no problems. They have a cute little parking area and we walked through the very pretty grounds looking for Carlos. We found him at the breakfast/reception area and he took us to our cabana – La Terazza. When we walked down and saw our deck and the view we could not believe how gorgeous it was. Luckily we got there while it was still day light – about 4:30pm or so. We checked out our cabana which was cute. I think it’s the smallest one but it’s right one the beach and the deck was large – we weren’t planning to spend much time inside!

We unpacked as it got dark. We were both starving because we didn’t really eat on the plane and didn’t stop for anything on the drive so we headed up the beach at about 6pm. We first stopped as Dos Ceibas but they didn’t start serving until 7:30pm and there’s no way we’d last that long so we headed towards Las Ranitas. There were no signs on the beach so we didn’t know which hotel was which and actually walked from the beach to the road to read the signs! Luckily Las Ranitas as serving dinner and we settled in there. We got guacamole to start – I think we shared it – and each ordered a different fish dish. I forget what George had but mine was baked with a tomato and onion “sauce” and was pretty good. We liked Las Ranitas but after all of the other meals we had, I’d agree with the comments that it’s just good, not great.

We walked back to Tierras del Sol and crashed for the night.

Hopefully, there are some photos here of our cabana!

This is the view looking basically straight out:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231626487-M.jpg

This is the view looking a bit north:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231627016-M.jpg

This is La Terazza from the beach (George asleep on the lounger!):

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231622590-M.jpg

[mayaflya]

Woohoo gang! Another first time trip report...I love it! Nice job, Jana, keep blowing off work and writing your report...it's the only way to keep coming home bearable!

[lazydog]

It looks gorgeous! A new trip report, what a great thing to wake up too.... I am in Vancouver and just waiting for the coffee to brew so I though I would check in to Tulum.info. Hope we get some nice weather for you so you'll be able to see all the mountains with their snow.

[Obsessed]

Loved reading the trip report from a first-timer! We're heading to Tulum for our first time the first of March! Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!

[BP.]

How exciting! Your views were wonderful!

[Lynnette]

I remember the first time I saw the water in Tulum.....it took my breath away!! That first impression will be with you always, Jana!! I love your photos and echo everyone's what a view!!!! I don't think I've read a report from anyone staying at Tierras del Sol....do you have any photos of the interior of your darling cabana??? I can't wait for more!!

[minniemex]

Great start on the trip report!! Beautiful pictures!! I can hardly wait for more!!

[Jana]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Lynette - I think I only have one picture of the interior (our cabana was small) that I'll add to day 2. I also have some interior photos that Carlos sent me when I originally contacted him of Alta Mare which is an ocean view room on the second level. I'll add those too. It's view is also gorgeous and it was definately bigger than ours. I don't want to sound like La Terazza was bad because it was too small or anything - it really worked perfectly for us - but there are definately larger units at Tierras del Sol and other places if anyone is concerned about that.

I'm working on day 2 and have been dutifully neglecting work :) so I may have it ready to post tomorrow morning.

Jana

[Jana]

lazydog - forgot to comment about the uncooperative weather in Vancouver today! It's been raining all day and we leave tomorrow morning. I think it's milder than Toronto though so I'm not really complaining. :)

[TheWindyCity]

You posted like old pro! Photos and everything...great job! Pretty impressive for a first timer to drive down to Tulum. Tierras Del Sol's beach looks great! We love flying down to Mexico in the middle of the week as well, the airports is less crowded.
The dish you first had at Las Ranitas...was it Tikin Xic (white fish baked in a banana leaf with tomato sauce (actually, achiote), garlic and onion?
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x216/TheWindyCity/IMGP1486.jpg

[firecop680]

Once again Windy... nice pic!!:):)

[Jana]

Day 2

I woke up just before sunrise and waited for the sun to come up while George slept a little longer. It was a little cloudy so the sunrise wasn’t amazing but once the sun broke we were wide awake! We talked about going for a run but I was too excited by the beach in full sun and just wanted to take pictures – I have about a million of that view. After getting ready and taking all those pictures it was about 7:30am. Breakfast started at 8am at TDS so decided to check it out.

The breakfast/reception area is a little further up the hill and the views are equally stunning. We each had omelets and coffee and split a fruit plate. Everything was really good and they served great homemade bread with the omelets. I think the omelets were $70 pesos and the fruit plate $60 pesos – don’t remember how much the coffee was. After a few shots of the view from here, we headed to the beach to spend the morning swimming, sunning and reading.

View from TDS breakfast area:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231625126-M.jpg

I zoomed in here trying get a closer shot of La Terazza:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231627493-M.jpg

We needed to get more cash and decided to try somewhere else for lunch (TDS serves sandwiches and crepes at lunch) on the way to town. I consulted my trusty list of forum approved restaurants and decided to give Mayan Grill a try. We got there about 12:30pm and no one else was there. This made George a little nervous but I told him it got rave reviews so why not give it a try. The chef/waiter told us he had fresh yellow tail snapper which sounded great so we ordered that – a whole one grilled – along with guacamole, a calamari and chaya appetizer and killer margaritas. Those margaritas were huge and so good, I ordered another before lunch was over. The fish was incredible, one of the best I think I’ve ever had. George was starting to think that this forum knew what it was talking about when it came to food. :)

We took a few pictures of the view here and decided see what was at the end of the road. I thought that we might be able to see the ruins from here but it turns out it’s like a back entrance to the site. Since we had no cash at all, we walked back to the car and headed to the bank machine – we’d go back to the ruins tomorrow.

Views from Mayan Grill:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231623520-M.jpg

Don't know why I didn't see the tops of those plastic chairs when I took this shot:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231623438-M.jpg


We spent the rest afternoon reading on the beach and decided to give Dos Ceibas another try for dinner. Their restaurant has a sand floor and was very pretty with the paper bag lanterns everywhere. We ordered a salad and guacamole to start (we ate so much guacamole that week!) and each had fish for a main. George’s was wrapped around shrimp – don’t remember the sauce – and I had a fish dish that I forget the name of but was amazing. I thought I could look it up when I got home but I can’t find what it was called – something like xichen xit but that first word is probably really wrong. Anyway, it was great meal.

The sand fleas, however, were not so great. The night before I had gotten a few bites on my feet and ankles that I assumed were mosquitoes so I doused myself in repellant before going to Dos Ceibas. I still got chewed to pieces sitting there and it was only when I put my feet on the chair rungs – off the sand – that the bites stopped which is why I think it was sand fleas.

I’ll add the interior photos of TDS here and tell you a little bit about our room. We had a large double bed (looked smaller than a queen so I’m not sure exactly what size it was) with a mosquito net. The storage area was open and consisted of a rod with clothes hangers, three pegs beside this, a long shelf below both of those plus a bank of about four or five more shelves. We had more than enough room to unpack our stuff. There was a door to the bathroom but the wall separating the bathroom from the bedroom didn’t go to the ceiling so there was no real, shall we say, acoustic privacy. ;) The shower was large and open and we always had hot water. Electricity was on from about 5pm to 7am.

There is no problem with ventilation in this cabana. Beside the door is a window with only a screen (no glass) and below that a louvered opening, on either side of the door there were double windows that opened (no screens) and there were gaps between the wood posts along the front. We usually slept with one of the windows open and the only time we had a problem with the heat was when the wind changed one night – we just opened another window and were fine.

This is the only shot of La Terazza’s interior that I have online but I think there's one more that I will add tomorow (don't have it on the computer with me):

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231626358-M.jpg

I’ll include this exterior shot too because it shows more detail than the one posted yesterday:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231619185-M.jpg

And these are of Alta Mar the second floor room:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232076398-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232076394-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232076403-M.jpg


Jana

[Jana]

WindyCity - I guess we were posting at the same time. That wasn't the dish I had at Las Ranitas but it is the one I had at Dos Ceibas on day 2 that I couldn't remember the name of. Thanks for that! And I read Gale's "how to post pictures" instructions before I made any attempts and they worked the first time - very helpful info. :)

Jana

[minniemex]

Great job Jana!! Everytime I read a trip report I love the place they are staying at! LOL I guess that just means there is no "bad" place to stay in Tulum!! Keep the reports coming - enjoying them!!!

[Karen in OH]

Love the report and the great photos! Looking forward to more Jana. Thank you for sharing.
Karen in OH

[BP.]

Love it!! Beautiful pictures!

[PhyllisB]

Thanks for the report Jana! Great job so far! I've always thought about staying at TDS and I always end up picking some other spot, but it sounds like TDS was really great. So many good places, and not enough vacation time!!!!!!!!!! Really enjoying your report!

[Jana]

Day 3

We woke with the sun again and headed out for a run. We didn’t get moving until 6:50am which was too late. The run back was really warm and we agreed to be out the door by 6:30am the rest of the week. We ran up the beach about 4kms and turned around. Yesterday we talked about returning to Tulum the same time next year so I was checking out the other hotels as we ran but it was so hard to figure out what was what from the beach side! I have some questions for you all about other hotels that I’ll post separately. :)

We went for a swim after our run and then got ready for breakfast at TDS again. George had another omelet and I had granola ($20 pesos) and yoghurt ($20 pesos). We spent the morning on the beach.

Around 11:30am we were getting hungry and headed up the beach to Las Ranitas. George liked the location of their restaurant. We didn’t want too much food and shared guacamole and chicken fajitas. The fajitas were tasty but pretty oily. We saw our first iguana here!

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232504475-M.jpg


These shots of the restaurant are a little dark but you can see what the view is like:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232504422-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232504448-M.jpg

We went back to TDS for the afternoon. About 1pm the lady who offers lunches (different than the ladies who provide breakfast and clean the rooms) came down to let us know what she was serving that day. We’d already eaten but her dessert crepe sounded amazing so we decided to each get one. We should have shared one of these too because they were huge - full of bananas, papaya and pineapple in an amazing chocolate sauce. We were definitely stuffed after that.

After some more time on the beach I reminded George that we planned to go to the Tulum ruins today. I was getting a little antsy after two days on the beach but George slips in to a coma on vacation and I swear he could spend weeks doing nothing! Reluctantly he agreed to get moving and we headed out around 3pm. There was one tour bus in front of us that we quickly got ahead of and other than that it wasn’t too crowded. The setting by the water really is gorgeous. There wasn’t any sun on the beach below by this time of day so if you want to spend some time there definitely go in the morning.

Here are some of our pics:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231622053-M.jpg

George in the $4 shirt he bought at the supermarket (!) and wore almost every day:
http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231619767-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231626132-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231621953-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231625740-M.jpg

I had been thinking about getting a reflexology massage and so we stopped at Maya Spa on the way back to TDS and I booked one for the next morning.

I didn’t think there was much reason to pay beach prices for dinner since we couldn’t see anything and I’d be eaten alive by sand fleas so we decided to try Trece Lunas. It’s on the beach road opposite the hotel that’s between La Conchita and Piedro Escondido that I can’t remember the name of. The food here was amazing and so cheap! You can order individually or get the set menu of soup, main and dessert for $150 pesos. I didn’t get the soup tonight because it had shrimp in it (don’t like shellfish) but George did and said it was very good. The soup is in a small bowl and a great size so you’re not too full by the end of the meal. I had the fish which was grilled with herbs and had a fantastic tomato/olive/onion type sauce on it. It came with a warm potato salad and the most amazing vegetables. George had the steak that came with an amazing sauce and the same sides as mine. The dessert was small too but the perfect size to finish the meal. There’s usually only one or two options and we had a piece of coconut cake covered in chocolate with warm bananas in a caramel/citrus type sauce. We were really impressed with Trece Lunas and went back a lot. Unfortunately we didn’t take any pictures.

Jana

[Jana]

Day 4

Up again for a run and out the door at 6:30am this time. Everyone else we’d seen running the day before had been barefoot so we decided to give it a try. I always thought it would be much harder on your feet and leg muscles but if everyone else was doing it… It actually wasn’t that bad but what I didn’t realize until we stopped was that I’d developed huge blisters under each of my big toes from the sand. Luckily George packed band aids because I was going to be in pain. Finished the run with a swim again and got ready for breakfast.

We decided to venture out for breakfast and went to Mezzanine. I was curious about the hotel too. I liked the trendy/hip look of it when I was researching places to but it sounded like it could be too much of a “scene” and loud on some nights so I gave it a pass. Not to mention that it’s quite expensive.

We got a table out of the sun and enjoyed the view while we waited for our order. I got the granola, fruit and yoghurt ($75 pesos) and a latte. George got their omelet, coffee and a smoothie. Both were very good and I ended up ordering another latte while we had a lazy breakfast. It wasn’t cheap with all those extra drinks but it was about what we’d pay in Toronto and everything was very good. We took some photos of the hotel and views before heading out:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231623617-M.jpg

Looking north:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231621686-M.jpg

George in front of the rooms:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231620091-M.jpg

Too dark again (clearly we need to pay more attention to lighting!) but shows the inside of the restaurant and the view:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232507035-M.jpg

We headed back to TDS. My massage was at 11am so I basically just dropped George off, read a bit and then headed back out to Maya for my appt. The massage was in an open cabana within their gardens but close to the road so that you could hear the traffic – not terribly relaxing but not the end of the world. I love having my feet massaged so I’ve had a few reflexology sessions in the past but what I had at Maya was unrecognizable! I didn’t think it was possible to have a bad reflexology massage but that’s exactly what happened. Oh well, you don’t know unless you try right? It was a pricey experiment ($73US for an hr) though. :(

I took a quick peak around the grounds closest to the spa area which I think is Copal but I’m not sure. It was nice but I thought TDS grounds and cabanas were much nicer. I went to the car to head back. A little bit about my driving background to set this story up: my last three cars have had a manual transmission and the various cars we’ve rented in Europe have all had manual transmissions. I thought I’d experienced all of the various ways there are to put a car in reverse. Our rental was a Fiat Panda and apparently I’ve never driven a Fiat before. I could not figure out how to put the stupid thing in reverse! It was marked on the gear shift but nothing happened when I moved it there. I tried everything and unfortunately was going to have to ask for help – how embarrassing. The first two people I asked couldn’t figure it out either (thank god) and then they called over a guy who did it so easily I couldn’t even see what he did. Then he showed me – you pull up on the lower portion of the gear shift. I felt so stupid! I couldn’t decide on the way back whether or not to tell George. :o

I got back at about 12:30pm and did tell him (he insists we’ve had a car like that in the past but I think I’d remember!!). We decide to have a late lunch at TDS and spend some time in the sun recovering from my humiliation. George had a ham and cheese crepe and I had a tuna sandwich which was really good. The rest of the afternoon was spent on the beach.

We needed cash again which made it a good time to have dinner in town. After hitting the HSBC we went to Don Cafetos. It was the busiest restaurant we’d been to so far (we actually couldn’t believe how quiet it was in Tulum that week – we loved it without crowds) and got the last table on the side walk. We split a salad and George got fajitas and I got the beef brochette. The salad wasn’t anything spectacular but the veggies that they bring you to start were incredible! I’d forgotten that I’d read about them on the forum. They had the perfect balance of sweet and heat – I loved them. And my beef was incredibly tender and flavorful. I think I made the better menu choice but George liked his too. It was a great meal and really reasonable too.

Jana

[BP.]

George in the $4 shirt he bought at the supermarket (!) and wore almost every day:




That's the way to roll on vacation! Love your photos!

[FITZ]

I'm really enjoying the reports and pic's. Very comforting as I look out to a freezing morn with new snow and more on the way.
George's t-shirt is actually pretty nice, esp. for 5 bucks! That comes out to about a dollar a day!!

[Jana]

Day 5

The weather changed last night and it was incredibly windy for the rest of our stay. This was the first night that I needed more than just a sheet for sleeping. I woke up just before sunrise and it was cloudy again but I took one picture:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231624988-M.jpg


This was the first morning we had "guests" in our sink when we woke up:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231619662-M.jpg

We had baby crabs in our sink every morning after this which made me think it might have something to do with the change in the weather. I just helped them outside the sink so they could get a grip (the sink was too smooth apparently) and they scurried off until the next morning. :)

I decided to give my toes a break from running today but George went out for a short run. He wanted to go back to Mezzanine again for breakfast so we headed out after he got back. We both had the exact same thing as the day before! Took a few more photos – the waves are a lot bigger now.

Looking south:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231624015-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232538298-M.jpg

Because of the wind we decided to go to the Muyil ruins for the morning. They’re about 20kms south of Tulum and it was an easy drive. We really enjoyed these ruins and the walk through the jungle to the lagoon although I think we missed part of it! I’m pretty sure we should have taken a path that didn’t look like it was actually a path but we still had a great time. I think there were only two other groups there the entire time we were.

Here are some of our photos from there:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232539069-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231624592-M-1.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231624341-M.jpg

George decided to give his supermarket shirt the morning off. He was saving it for the beach later! This is on the jungle path to the lagoon:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232539665-M-1.jpg

On the way back we stopped at La Zebra for lunch. They had the doors closed because of the wind but it was still a very pretty view. We each ordered salads and George got chicken tacos and I got chicken empanadas. My salad was spectacular – jicama, pineapple, walnuts and a little goat cheese in a lime dressing. Everything else was good too.

This is the view from the restaurant taken through the doors:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231622998-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232541169-M.jpg

This one's dark but shows the cabanas closest to the beach:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232540922-M.jpg

We headed back to TDS after lunch and hung out on our deck for the rest of the afternoon. We decided to go back to Trece Lunas for dinner. I had the steak this time, George got the vegetable lasagneta and we each had a couple of glasses of sangria. It was another amazing meal. We really liked this place.

Jana

[minniemex]

Great!! Loving it!! My favorite drink is Sangria!! Was it good there at Tres Lunas??

[Jana]

Day 6

When we woke up the wind hadn’t died down at all. Not a big deal, it was still hot in the sun. We head out for another run with running shoes this time but the “stormier” weather brought the water level up higher on the beach. There wasn’t that nice packed area of sand right above the water and so we were running in soft sand. We were dying and moved out to the road at La Zebra. We ran to Maya and back to La Zebra on the road. When we went back to the beach, I took my shoes off and ran in the water to get on the firm sand. Another swim when we got back to TDS. Those waves are a lot more intimidating when you’re actually in the water! I couldn’t believe how big they were.

We were still in day trip mode and planning to go to Coba this morning. We stopped for breakfast at Trece Lunas on our way and of course it was great. George got huevos mexicanos (I don’t remember how much it was $50 or $60 pesos I think) that came with toast and coffee and I got fruit, yoghurt and granola ($40 pesos) and a latte. Everything was great and cheaper than the beach but I must admit that their lattes aren’t great – too much milk. And then we headed out to Coba.

The drive was easy and took us 40-45 minutes. We rented bikes when we got inside to get around a little faster – it’s very spread out. We also really liked this site. It wasn’t too busy and because it’s so large I think it could handle a lot of people before it would feel crowded. On our bikes I think we got through the site in about 90 minutes or slightly less.

Here are some of the pics:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232542897-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232543037-M.jpg

Yes, we climbed this:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232542508-M.jpg

This is me at the top:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232541296-M.jpg

Looking down from the top:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232541647-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232543436-M.jpg


We stopped for a look at the crocodiles in the lagoon across the road from the Coba parking lot too:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232544712-M.jpg

George had been dreaming of Mayan Grill since our first lunch there so we stopped here on our back from Coba. It was crazy windy and there was no shelter all here but we found the best spot we could. We ordered the guacamole, margaritas and the same grilled whole fish again. I think it was even better this time. This was George’s favorite meal of the trip.

Here are a few more pics with the wind and big waves:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232545200-M.jpg


http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232545272-M.jpg

George wanted a coffee after lunch and we stopped at Trece Lunas yet again for iced coffee and cookies. It was still really windy when we got back to TDS and late in the afternoon so we actually stayed inside and read/napped until dinner.

We were planning to go back to Don Cafetos in town for dinner but when we got there it was really busy and we didn’t want to be too far inside (too warm). So where do we go? Back to Trece Lunas of course. George got the lasagneta again and I tried the herbed chicken breast. Yet another incredible meal there. The waitress/owner is very sweet and she brought us a complimentary Bailey’s on ice at the end of our meal.

Jana

[Jana]

Hi minniemex - we aren't big drinkers (so take our advice for what it's worth) but we both really liked the sangria there. It could be considered too sweet by some but it wasn't sickeningly sweet or anything like that - it went down very easily!

[Jana]

Day 7

Our last full day in Tulum. :( We decided to branch out for breakfast and headed to Zamas after our morning run (barefoot and in the water this time!). Zamas is in a perfect spot when it’s windy because they’re sheltered a bit. It was great to be sitting outside. Their breakfast menu looked very good but we ended up ordering the same thing – banana pancakes with fruit, yoghurt and granola ($50 or $55 pesos I think), coffee, a latte and a smoothie. The pancakes were excellent – this was my favorite breakfast. One thing we found odd here though was the wait staff. Everywhere else we’d been the staff were always friendly and smiling but these guys seemed miserable! The service wasn’t bad; they just looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. Definitely didn’t ruin breakfast, it was just funny because it was such a sharp contrast to all our other experiences.

Only took one picture of Zamas:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232546111-M.jpg

We were going to spend our last day on the beach and so we headed back to TDS after a stop in town for cash. We were in and out of the water all morning. It was still windy but very hot in the sun. We had lunch at TDS again. We split a chicken and vegetable crepe and then another dessert crepe. The food was very good but this is the first time we’d noticed the prices (there was no set menu and she just told us what she had each day) – it wasn’t cheap. Oh well, it was fresh and good and we had taken out plenty of extra money earlier so we should be fine for check out.

A few more pictures of our beach:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232547071-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231627777-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/231618783-M.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232547013-M.jpg


Some more time on the beach and then off to Trece Lunas for iced coffee and cookies. In case you hadn’t noticed, we like to eat and we really liked Trece Lunas. :D But as much as we liked it, we couldn’t go back again for dinner so we stopped at Posada Margherita to make a reservation for later that night.

We arrive for dinner just before 7pm and there are still a few tables left. After we're seated one of the waiters comes over and tells us what they have – no printed menus. I order grilled fish and vegetables and George orders lobster pasta with vegetables and pine nuts. We get our appetizer platter and the rest of the tables are filling up. This is the busiest place we've seen all week. The appetizer platter was decent but I didn’t think it was amazing – assorted grilled/herbed breads, pistachios, olives, cheese, marinated veggies. We wait a while for our mains and when they arrive, George’s looks great. About the only positive thing I can say about mine is that it must have been very healthy because nothing at all had been added to it. There was zero flavour. I doused everything in balsamic vinegar so I could eat it! I thought I just ordered the wrong thing but George wasn’t impressed either. I can’t figure out why this place gets rave reviews and neither one of us liked it - I wonder if it was a bad night or maybe just not our thing? I really didn’t want to end on such a bad note so we decided to order the tiramisu for dessert – an Italian restaurant can’t screw up tiramisu. And they didn’t. It was excellent and we felt a little better. Our worst meal of the trip was also the most expensive – about $800 pesos. :(

Jana

[Jana]

Last day :(

We had to drop the rental car off at 12:30pm in Cancun so we planned to leave Tulum around 10/10:30am. George went for a run but I wanted to start packing. We had another breakfast at TDS and then George finished his packing. It was just before 9am and we figured there was no point in trying to kill an hour so we might as well get moving. We had some extra time and thought we'd stop for coffee or something in Playa del Carmen to get a better look at it than we did on the way down.

We get our bill from the breakfast ladies and it’s a lot more than we expected. Those omelets and crepes certainly added up! We’re short $105 pesos but luckily Carlos agrees to take some Canadian dollars to save us a trip to town and back (it was very nice of him). We still had to go get money for gas but at least we didn’t have to come all the way back here too. And so we headed out.

Here are a few pictures of the grounds at TDS on the way from the parking area:

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232546353-M-1.jpg

http://janaturner.smugmug.com/photos/232546496-M-1.jpg

We get gas and pull in to the Pemex just north of the super market. We’d filled up once before here with no problems and everyone had been so nice the whole week that I think we let our guard down. George took out a $200 peso note to pay for gas and when he hands it to the attendant, the attendant goes away for a second and then comes back saying we only gave him a $20 peso note. We laugh at our stupidity (!), hand him a $200 peso note and leave with our change. As soon as we pull out George says that he’s sure he gave him a $200 peso the first time and tells me to check his wallet. The only cash we had was from the withdrawal we just made so it would be obvious if there was money missing. And of course there was. George was p*ssed and made a u-turn to go back. I wasn’t sure how this was going to play out but he was so angry there was no stopping him at this point. He goes over to the attendant that served us and gets right in his face but the guy won’t even look at George. George is 6' 5" and was hoping that his size would be indimidating enough. Luckily another guy comes over and just gives George the $200 pesos, no questions asked. Apparently when we pulled back in George saw the attendant that served us motion to the other guy that we were back because of him. Anyway, it all worked out and we were on our way to Cancun.

We stopped in Playa del Carmen for a quick bite at La Cueva del Chango (recommended in my Rough Guide). It’s a nice café in a pretty outdoor garden. I had fruit with yoghurt and granola (large bowl for $40 pesos) and George got the same thing but in crepes. This was the best granola of the trip and prices were pretty reasonable. We also got the special juice – chaya and pineapple – which was amazing. It was a great meal. Traffic in PDC was heavy so we were running a little behind and didn’t get down to take a look at the beach. Next time!

We headed back to Cancun, returned the car with no problems and were dropped off at the airport with plenty of time. The flight home was horrible. We sat on the tarmac for 3 ½ hrs while they fixed electrical problems. Once we got moving the flight was fine and we got home at midnight.

We had a very relaxing, fantastic time and will definitely be back. It’s a fairly easy flight from Toronto (3 ½ hrs) and we’ve talked about using points to go down every December. It’s snowing, windy and freezing in Toronto today so I’m going to spend the afternoon checking out hotels for our next visit. We obviously really liked Tierras del Sol but there were so many cute places we may try something else next time. I have some questions for everyone about that that I’ll post in a new thread.

Thanks for hanging in for the whole report and thanks so much for the fantastic information on this forum. I only used my Rough Guide for the ruins – the information here was so helpful I didn’t need anything else.

Jana

[AdGuy]

George was starting to think that this forum knew what it was talking about when it came to food. :)

Several of us our pretty experienced when it comes to food and drink...we definitely have the credentials (waist lines) to prove it! :D


I could not figure out how to put the stupid thing in reverse! It was marked on the gear shift but nothing happened when I moved it there. I tried everything and unfortunately was going to have to ask for help – how embarrassing. The first two people I asked couldn’t figure it out either (thank god) and then they called over a guy who did it so easily I couldn’t even see what he did. Then he showed me – you pull up on the lower portion of the gear shift. I felt so stupid!

I got back at about 12:30pm and did tell him (he insists we’ve had a car like that in the past but I think I’d remember!!).


Jana...don't feel too bad...the same thing happened to me...twice! I've driven stick on several of my cars but couldn't unlock the secret of reverse with Mexican transmissions! Then, a few years later, I forgot all over again and needed the rental car guy to show me! So much for learning from my mistakes! :rolleyes:


thanks so much for the fantastic information on this forum.

Now that you're a seasoned veteran at posting, make sure to ask plenty of questions before next December's trip. As Austin Powers would say: "We don't bite.............hard." Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!!! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_17_1.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxmk762YYUS)

[Jana]

Thanks for the moral support Lee! I will never again leave a rental until I know how to put the car in reverse.:o

As you can see, all of the resturant recommendations were bang on except the last one. About half way through the week George said that he will continue to make fun of me for doing so much research before our vacations but that I should never stop! We've never had food as consistently good as we did on this trip.

Jana

[Uno Mas]

LOVE the banana pancakes with fruit, yogurt and granola at Zamas, my favorite breakfast in Tulum.
I suspect the staff there seems so miserable is because I have the heard the owners are pretty harsh.


Day 7

Their breakfast menu looked very good but we ended up ordering the same thing – banana pancakes with fruit, yoghurt and granola ($50 or $55 pesos I think), coffee, a latte and a smoothie. The pancakes were excellent – this was my favorite breakfast. One thing we found odd here though was the wait staff. Everywhere else we’d been the staff were always friendly and smiling but these guys seemed miserable! The service wasn’t bad; they just looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. Definitely didn’t ruin breakfast, it was just funny because it was such a sharp contrast to all our other experiences.

Jana

[TheWindyCity]

Really loved your report, Jana. And the pics were amazing as well. You gave us some great ideas for our next trip.

Trece Lunas is great, isn't it? The owner, Amanda, is one of the most hospitable proprietors we ever met in Tulum. When we were there in May, she was about 8.5 mos. pregnant, and still working full days!

The gas station....ahh...the gas station. They tried the little trick with us on our first trip in '06, (must be us big white guys that have pigeon written all over us) but we were ready. My wife got out of the car and started yelling at him in Spanish, and he shrugged his shoulders and gave us the right amount of change. Did this guy have a mouth of metal teeth???

[Jana]

The gas station....ahh...the gas station. They tried the little trick with us on our first trip in '06, (must be us big white guys that have pigeon written all over us) but we were ready. My wife got out of the car and started yelling at him in Spanish, and he shrugged his shoulders and gave us the right amount of change. Did this guy have a mouth of metal teeth???

Yes!! Sounds like the same guy. Sadly it must be working for him if he's still doing it a year later.

[AdGuy]

Yes!! Sounds like the same guy. Sadly it must be working for him if he's still doing it a year later.


So glad to hear a couple of gringos got one over on them! Gosh...what it must be like to be 6' 5"!!! :D

[mayaflya]

LOVE the banana pancakes with fruit, yogurt and granola at Zamas, my favorite breakfast in Tulum.

That makes three of us....four, if you count my wife. Thanks for the memories!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/235/458882634_2c9cbf408e_o.jpg

[Uno Mas]

OK here is mine :D

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/tul9033/Picture029.jpg


That makes three of us....four, if you count my wife. Thanks for the memories!

[Jana]

I don't know why I didn't take pictures of our meals! Definately will next time. I would love some of those pancakes right about NOW.

Jana

[TheWindyCity]

OK here is mine :D

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i204/tul9033/Picture029.jpg

WOW!!! What a pic!!! Thanks for sharing it with us!

[AdGuy]

TWC...you are NOT good for my diet...OH WAIT...That doesn't start till January 2!! :D

[minniemex]

Absolutely awesome report an pictures Jana!! Thank you!! And I keep saying - do not pay for gas with 200 peso notes - only use the 100 peso notes!! LOL
there is no 10 peso note to pull the scam!!

Thanks again for great Tulum stories and pictures!!

[preeya]

GREAT trip report!!! Excellent pictures!! It was our first time in Nov and I miss it so much after reading your report. Already planning for the second trip like you :) Good you guy covered all the ruins!

[Jana]

And I keep saying - do not pay for gas with 200 peso notes - only use the 100 peso notes!! LOL
there is no 10 peso note to pull the scam!!

To make things worse, I remembered reading your recommendations but after it happened I was thinking, "But couldn't they have just done the same thing with a $100 peso note?" I didn't even notice that there wasn't a $10 peso note. :o We'll be very savvy verterans next time!!!

Jana

[Gale in KY]

Jana..what a terrific report..I really enjoyed it!

Am I the only one who finds the gas scam thing a bit amusing? It's a challenge to disuade them from seeing me as a target...and I guess they see it as a challenge to pull it off..I don't know..but when I think about it, I tend to snicker a bit and remember that guy's face at the Pemex on the oceanside of Tulum..Minnie is right, 100 peso note worked great!:p He had the funniest grin on his face when I asked for that amount..guess that's why...heehee..."Curses, foiled again!"..was what his eyes said..heehee.

[AdGuy]

I can't wait to go there next time, order 200 pesos of gas, then pay him in single peso coins! :D

[Jana]

I agree, NOW it's amusing but it certainly wasn't at the time! :D

[TheWindyCity]

My goal is to get this guy's photo and post it on the forums. Say "Queso" buddy!

[heenan]

Loved your trip report. I am interesting in seeing the Muyil ruins. How do we find the trail/path from the road in the Sian Kaan? Thanks, Heenan

[Jana]

Hi Heenan,

It's really easy to find the path to Sian Kaan once your in the site. There are signs from El Castillo pyramid that will point you in the right direction. I just found this map on Loco Gringo (hope it's okay to post it here) and if you follow the sac-be (#7) it will lead you right to the start of the jungle path to the lagoon.

http://www.locogringo.com/lgunet/images/spotlight/dec2002/map.gif

Thanks for reading my report!

Jana

[AdGuy]

My goal is to get this guy's photo and post it on the forums. Say "Queso" buddy!


Amen, TWC!! Can't be too hard to find a guy with a mouthful of metal at a Pemex, right?

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/Jaws.jpg

[TheWindyCity]

Ahh haa haa! JAWS! Pretty close,pretty close. Thanks for diggin' that one out, Lee!

[beachreader]

Hi, Jana! Great trip report, you're a real veteran now! And I just had one of those stupid cars with the lift-up reverse things, but happily the guy showed me how to do it before I had to figure it out on my own.

And does Trece Lunas have a liquor license now? Sounds like it. When I was there last year he didn't have one, sort of gave me some wine in a coffee cup (like a speakeasy) so I just overtipped. I don't know WHY I didn't eat there this time around! D'oh!

[Jana]

And does Trece Lunas have a liquor license now? Sounds like it. When I was there last year he didn't have one, sort of gave me some wine in a coffee cup (like a speakeasy) so I just overtipped. I don't know WHY I didn't eat there this time around! D'oh!

They must have a liquor license now because we didn't ask for anything specifically, she told us what they had when asking if we wanted anything to drink. And she mentioned more than just sangria.

Thanks again for your comments!

Jana

[RooTrekker]

I haven’t chimed in for a while but now we’re really missing Tulum after your great report and pics Jana. We stayed next door at HL in July and your pics really make me homesick. We’re booked for July again, however.

For the gas guy – I think I’ll ask for 200 pesos next time and give him a 20 to see his reaction. “Oooops, I thought I gave you 200.” :confused:

[beachreader]

For the gas guy – I think I’ll ask for 200 pesos next time and give him a 20 to see his reaction. “Oooops, I thought I gave you 200.” :confused:



That would be awesome, Roo! :D:D

[boreal j k]

Really enjoyed the TR and the pictures.

To prevent the dark subjects with very bright backlighting, (with most digitals), point the camera mostly at the subject, press the shutter button half way, then frame the picture and press it the rest of the way.

[SoKaliBeachBoy]

Nice report......thanx! What were your dates? We had posters at HL, LVL and TDS around the same time! I better get going on my report but I am soooo soooooo busy w/ the holiday!

[Jana]

To prevent the dark subjects with very bright backlighting, (with most digitals), point the camera mostly at the subject, press the shutter button half way, then frame the picture and press it the rest of the way.

Thanks for that! I'll definately try it out. I keep trying to force these types of pictures (there are a ton from every vacation) so it would be great if my camera could help out. Really appreciate the comment!

Jana

[Jana]

Nice report......thanx! What were your dates? We had posters at HL, LVL and TDS around the same time! I better get going on my report but I am soooo soooooo busy w/ the holiday!

Thanks SoKaliBeachBoy! We were at TDS December 4th-11th. I was the one that asked you how long the strong winds lasted because I think it was the day you arrived that they started. I can't believe they lasted so long!

Patiently awaiting the rest of your report. :D

Jana

[MakinHay]

Lots Of Pics!! I Love It!!

[SoKaliBeachBoy]

Thanks SoKaliBeachBoy! We were at TDS December 4th-11th. I was the one that asked you how long the strong winds lasted because I think it was the day you arrived that they started. I can't believe they lasted so long!

Patiently awaiting the rest of your report. :D

Jana

U asked me while there....? Or in a thread? Dec. 7-16 so we were neighbors!

[Jana]

U asked me while there....? Or in a thread? Dec. 7-16 so we were neighbors!

In your trip report thread. :)

[SoKaliBeachBoy]

oh yes!

kinda do remember the couple of runners now..... i was the non runner lazying around out front LVL on my lounger!

as for the pics.... u have mastered the sunlight, now look on your camera to see if there is a "backlight" setting. that would fix your problem in a heartbeat. u could also use "flash" or if u have a "fill flash" setting even better. and if that doesn't work and u have AE or a "auto exposure" camera aim the camera down at the ground/shadow area, hold the button down a bit/half way and that should lock in a better exposure....aim at your subject, let camera focus and bang!

[firecop680]

Got an idea what the Mayan Grill hours of operation are?

[Jana]

Hi firecop680,

I'm not sure what the Mayan Grill hours are. We got there around 12:30pm one day and when we left around 2pm there were still people arriving. The second time we got there around 1:30pm and left around 3pm. Some of the board "regulars" may know better though.

Jana

[minniemex]

Got an idea what the Mayan Grill hours of operation are?

I have never seen hours posted anywhere down there for when they are open. I think they are open when they are open and that is the end of the story!! LOL!! I think during the busy season you would see them open regular, and off season, take your chances. There was someone on this board who went to Mayan Grill every day and it never opened while they were there. When I was down in October they were open. Mezzanine was closed the whole time I was down there. No signs, no nothing.

[firecop680]

I have never seen hours posted anywhere down there for when they are open. I think they are open when they are open and that is the end of the story!! LOL!! I think during the busy season you would see them open regular, and off season, take your chances. There was someone on this board who went to Mayan Grill every day and it never opened while they were there. When I was down in October they were open. Mezzanine was closed the whole time I was down there. No signs, no nothing.


Hopefully it will be open because I have to have some of those tacos I keep seeing!!! YUMYUMYUM!!

[PhyllisB]

I'm guessing they don't open before 8:30 or 9 am! :)

BUT if you walk up, and it seems like no one is there... just look around for someone and ask if they are open... sometimes when we've gone, we've had the place to ourselves! Nearly walked away once figuring no one was there, but a guy came walking up behind us asking if we were there to eat, telling us he had just caught some fresh fish. It was yummy!

p.

[Gale in KY]

WOW...I was disconnected from the world when you posted this..reading it has been like taking a visit..I could smell the sea, feel the breeze, and hear the quiet at Muyil...thanks for an amazing report that really took me back to Tulum!!!

[Jana]

Thanks Gale! Bringing this to the top reminded me that I was going to add a link to our pictures. I still haven't gone back and organized the last few pages (out of order and some not so great/flattering ones still in there) but here's the link if anyone's interested: http://tinyurl.com/5dbsfo

[Barblin]

Wow, thank you for those wonderful pictures! Felt like I was there too! Where was that alligator?

[Jana]

The alligator was across the road from the Coba entrance. We could actually see the alligators from the road so we pulled over to check them out. There's a little "pier" that you can walk out on. Some enterprising young men were charging to get on the pier but it was really cheap (I think 100 pesos each - or less) so not a big deal. They would feed the alligators from sticks over the water to get them to come out a bit more - not sure if that's such a nice thing to do... There were a ton of turtles in that "lake" too.

[Lynnette]

Thanks for posting the link to all of your photos!!! Your porch views are amazing!! I'm not real crazy about the iguana in the room, though. :eek:;)What is the cabana configuration at TDS? Do they all face the beach? I might have missed it, but don't see individual cabanas named on their website. Again, great report!!! :)

[Jana]

I'm not real crazy about the iguana in the room, though. :eek:;)What is the cabana configuration at TDS? Do they all face the beach? I might have missed it, but don't see individual cabanas named on their website.

He wasn't really IN the room, more like on the outside ledge below the palapa roof. ;) I don't think he (or she) moved from that spot - every time I looked, he was still there!

Not all the rooms at TDS face the beach - and most aren't individual cabanas. There are two beachfront cabanas and at least two (maybe three) ocean view rooms and three garden view rooms. I know, the pictures on the web site aren't really helpful but Carlos will email more pics of any specific units available for your stay. Tripadvisor was helpful here too because a few people indicate which room they stayed in. A friend of mine stayed in the Alta Mar ocean view room and said he preferred it to the beachfront one we had becuase it was more private. It has a fantastic view too.

Thanks for your comments! :)

[Lynnette]

I'm relieved about the iguana! lol Thanks for the TDS cabana info!!!

[sparklegem]

Super trip report!! I loved reading it and appreciate all the pictures and food reviews.

You mentioned that you might stay some where else next time. Have you picked a spot for your next trip?

[Jana]

Hi Sparklegem,

You must have had to dig deep to find this thread! :) Next time we go we're thinking of renting a house - Behla - with friends but haven't really decided. If we went back on our own, I actually think I would stay at TDS again - cabanas (which I prefer to a storied building), fantastic beach and reasonably priced.

Where have you stayed? Or are planning to stay?

Jana

[LoveTulum08]

Hi Jana and other forum readers,

Your trip report was fantastic! I am getting married in tulum next year and have been trying to find the best cabana for our honeymoon.

I have narrowed it down to tierras del sol and hamaca loca, I have read every posting on this forum trying to figure out which place I'd prefer, but I am still unsure. I love the spacious look of hamaca loca but tierras del sol also looks nice and serves breakfast and lunch. I'm pretty sure that hamaca loca doesn't serve any food, but I have read there are many nearby restaurants to choose from.

Did you get a chance to look at the hamaca loca beach front cabana called tortuga? I believe it is next door to tds.

If so would you stay there over tds?

If we decide to stay at tierras del sol, would you recommend staying at la terraza cabin or posada de los buzos (the larger beach front cabana) at tds? I would usually opt for the larger place, but there is something that seems more quaint about la terraza from the pics I have seen online.

Thanks again for sharing your trip with us!

[PhyllisB]

Personally, I'd spend your honeymoon at Suenos Tulum. But if it's between HL and TDS, I'd go with TDS.

Did you post this question on the main forum? I vaguely remember other similar posts about someone trying to decide between the two, but not sure if that was you or not!

[LoveTulum08]

Yes Phyllis, I did post on the main forum, a few weeks back, I have been in Croatia for the past few weeks and didn't read all the responses until today....I read them all and I am still torn.

I just checked out the suenos website and the link you provided (in a reply to my previous post) of a thread with images of suenos. It looks beautiful and it seems a little more luxurious than tds or hl correct? The only thing that I don't love about it is the three level cabana situation. It seems not as quaint and cute as tds or hl??? However, I do really like the decor and the onsite restaurant / service that is mentioned. The pool also looks fabulous.

Can you tell me why you enjoyed it so much for your honeymoon? Is it also on the southern end of the beach like tds or hl? Have you stayed at tds or hl?

How does it compare in your opinion?

[Jana]

Hi LoveTulum,

I thought HL's Tortuga looked great - much larger than La Terazza but maybe not as much character inside. And I'm only judging that from the one time we walked by at night and there were super bright fluorescent looking lights so we could see inside pretty clearly! We obviously really liked TDS and I think the grounds are cuter than HLs plus the convenience of the small restaurant.

As for which beach front cabana, that's a tough call. I like the idea of the extra room in Los Buzos but La Terazza is completely stand alone and is definately cuter! I know that doesn't really help but I think you'd be happy with either.

If you have any specific questions, please ask away. :)

Jana