solman2
12th March 2008, 05:52 PM
For anyone who isn't on "the other" board
Trip report January 28-February 11 2008
This is MY perspective of a 2 week vacation in the Tulum corridor from which I have just returned. A little background…2 couples (who met courtesy of LG and ABR) who decided to do a 2 week vacation split over 3 places to stay. We booked what we could thru Loco Gringo and the rest over the internet. We booked our car through Caribbean Rental and had no problems. A little VW Derby with 106,000kms (65,000 miles) on it. Gassed up and away went headed south. We (actually Grasshopper) had promised Lucy that we would bring her a part for the ice cream machine, so a quick stop there and one at Pamuul and we were headed to Tulum.
We spent the first three nights at a cabana resort on the Tulum beach road, known as Papaya Playa. This place has RUSTIC stick cabanas and shared bathroom/shower facilities. It is quite often referred to as a “backpacker’s haven”. We did our research and booked this place with open eyes knowing what to expect. We were not surprised, even somewhat happy that it was even better than we expected. Yes, the cabanas are rustic, the mattresses are older and the mosquito netting could be replaced. However, it is on a very quiet stretch of beach that is shared by Cabanas Copal and Azulik to the south and Tribal Village to the north. We wanted to start our vacation with immediate relaxation, and that is exactly what we found. Very few people on the beach, and a very wide and clean beach. No blaring music ( like Parisio), but still room to walk around and not be crowded. Having Copal to the south was nice as it allowed those of us who wanted to (me), take advantage of the “clothing optional” beach. Probably what disappointed me the most, was the number of people who go to a “clothing optional” beach and “don’t” That and the fact that the restaurant is open to the public and overlooks the beach. Good thing that I’m not shy!!
We did not eat at the restaurant at Papaya Playa (as per our research) however we did take advantage of several great restaurants on the beach road and in Tulum. Zamas seemed to be the closest and best breakfast that was available at 7am(when we wanted to eat), and we were not disappointed. The coffee was good and the food was excellent and the prices were reasonable. We had suppers at both Don Cafeto’s and El Miriachi, and decided that both were good, but El Miriachi got our vote for better food and slightly cheaper prices. The best dinner we had in the Tulum area went to Nachos’(Latitude 20, Mayan Grill..whatever they call themselves on a given day). We each had a different main course and all were fantastic. Breaded fish(me) was great, Arrachera(MakinHay) was excellent, MexicanVirgins enjoyed the garlic shrimp and GrassHopper said the garlic fish was to die for. The Margaritas here were both tasty and large and the view was the best on the whole beach. My suggestion would be to go for an early supper so you can enjoy the daylight view from the restaurant. It doesn’t make sense to me to go to a beautiful beach side restaurant and not be able to see the water and beach due to the darkness. Dinner for 4 with margs and beers was $100.00. Definitely money well spent.
The following morning we were to pack up and head south to Xamach Dos. Unfortunately, MakinHay woke up and was feeling like crap. At first we thought it was sunstroke but alas not and the poor guy had a bout of the flu. Anyways, we loaded up on pesos and beer at the SanFransisco and were on our way. The beach road down to the Siaan Kaan entrance was a little rough, but nothing compared to what we were about to experience. The road is rough to say the least and potholes abound. Shortly into our adventure the driver(me swerved to the left to avoid a monster pothole and then back to the right to avoid a second one. Unfortunately for the driver(me) a very large rock was trying to cross the road at the same time as I came back to the right and I ran right over it!!! The rock won….we had a flat!!! Punctured right through the sidewall!!!! Everyone knows where the spare is and everyone knows how much crap 4 adults have in the trunk of a car when they’re on vacation, so here goes….My dying friend and I unload the trunk, get the spare and the jack and go to work like a fine tuned NASCAR Pit Crew. A few minutes later, we’re back on the road and now traveling about the speed of a slow snail. Some 28 kilometers (and 1 hour later) we arrive at Xamach Dos.
This place deserves a paragraph all to itself. It is paradise nestled in the middle of nowhere. We were greeted by Margo, the manager and her help Sergio and his uncle. I don’t think we touched a bag during the unloading process. This was a good thing as MakinHay was falling fast. The cabanas are VERY clean, and spacious with the MOST comfortable beds ANYWHERE!!! We shared a two bed cabana, that was more than enough room for the 4 of us. The two “groundlevel” cabanas have a front porch, which became a great spot for morning coffee and for afternoon cocktails while preparing for supper. The bathroom and showers are in a separate building a few short steps away. We Got MH tucked into bed and filled him with as many drugs as possible and we went about exploring.
What a beautiful place!!! As secluded as one could possibly imagine, with nothing but blue water and beach as far as you could see, and NO neighbours!!!! One thing I must put in here…the staff at Xamach does an excellent job of keeping their beach area clean, but the trash on the beach to the north and south of the property, is one of the most disheartening things we have ever seen. Shoes, bottles, plastic, you name it, and unfortunately it is there as far as the eye can see. It certainly made us pause and give thought to what happens when we throw out garbage. I do realize that almost none of this garbage comes from Mexico, but it does come from somewhere. Next time you buy a bottle of water, or quart of oil, stop to think about where it may end up.
OK…back to Xamach….as MH started his recuperation, (aided greatly by Nurse Margo, who really is a nurse, and her Mayan friends, who made him a Native remedy, which did really help) GrassHopper, MV and myself, made ourselves at home. This was not hard to do at all. We were shown the beer fridge(very important) and introduced to the ladies as they prepared our supper.
The food at Xamach deserves a story itself. The family (and Margo) who do the prep and cooking prepared us the BEST food we have ever eaten anywhere!!! Breakfasts were always fantastic(our favourite was by far the coconut banana pancakes) , lunch was perfect( our favourite, homemade chorizo tostadas) and the dinners were to die for. We have everything up to and including a Lobster dinner. Everything was made fresh and from scratch. If there was something you wanted, or couldn’t eat, it was prepared for you as you liked. Fresh juices and homemade agua de sandia. If you have trouble with anything from the kitchen here, then you probably are the type of person who sends back food at any 5 star restaurant.
There are some activities to do right at Xamach and some others if you wish to travel a bit. Our car did not move for 4 ½ days, so you get the idea of why we were here. They have two kayaks and a beautiful bay in which to use them, lounge chairs and a volleyball net. There is also a boat and guides available for snorkeling or fishing. We used the kayaks a bit and definitely spent time in the lounge chairs. Our favourite activity was fishing. Because I am a fishing nut, I took down a pole and reel and some tackle and Sergio and Teo made sure we had all the bait we needed. We spent a full day and half in the water catching a variety of fish. Saturday morning, we managed a pretty good stringer of red snapper, gave them to the staff to prepare, and a few hours later….fresh red snapper on our plates!!! For me this was a highlight!!! I must say, that next year, there will be more fishing poles making the trek with us!!! MH was starting to come around and felt good enough to spend the day fishing(and even havin a coupla beers) so it was nice to be back at full team strength!!!
If you want to do some beachcombing, this is the place to do it!!! Along the beach there are some abandoned houses and lots of stuff to “go through” that has washed up on shore. Another cool short trip, is a hike across the road to Xamach’s own little ruin. It is a short trip through the jungle(a path is there and it is only about 50 yards), but make sure you put on the bug spray. It is well worth the trip and it’s right on site. On the way back from the ruins, stop at the cemetery that is the “front lawn” of Xamach.
This is the type of place where one should not expect to be entertained from sun up to sundown, it is a place to come to relax and let the stress melt out of your body. Margo and her staff will make sure you are comfortable and WELL fed, and if you need a little bit of help staying occupied, let them know and they’ll find something for you to do.
I’m not sure what else to say about Xamach Dos, I could go on forever, and with all honesty, I would not be able to come up with a complaint. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me and I’ll be happy to answer what I can.
After four(too short days) in Paradise, it was time to load up our little VW Derby and head north to Akumal. We had decided that we were going to spend 7 nights in the Villas Maya Bungalows, due to their central location and proximity to everything in Akumal.
This is the part of the trip report where “Akumalholics” will want to cover their eyes!!!! We have been to Akumal in 06 and 07 and I for one was disappointed with our visit this year. Our accommodations were great and I will return again, but after that, it was very difficult to “relax”. The number of people that come for snorkel tours and just day trippers that come by cab and collectivo have the ability to make for a very crowded beach by lunchtime. We did meet some wonderful people on the beach, so I don’t want anyone to think that it was not a good week, however, I was surprised by the “A-I” feel of the beach, very crowded and not much respect for “space”. I was very surprised with the inflation rate in the village, and with the attempts to “upscale” the area. Drink prices were out of this world at LolHa, and at LBV, the owner seems to have forgotten that a beachbar, needs “beachbar” food, I was quite surprised that there was no “appetizer” menu, and what was on the dinner menu was far over priced. I had a difficult time justifying the prices we were paying for what we were getting. We did have fine pizza at LolHa, but other than that, really difficult to find good things to say about the dinner restaurants. We had breakfasts at the Loncheria and TurtleBay and were very happy with both places. Coffee kudos goes to the Loncheria. Our other meals were either in the Pueblo or out of the village. We did get a “pueblo” chicken for lunch one afternoon to enjoy on the beach, and went to Ultima Maya for supper in the pueblo. The food here was as good as anywhere and priced very well.
Link to the pictures
http://picasaweb.google.com/JulieandT/TripReportPictorial
Trip report January 28-February 11 2008
This is MY perspective of a 2 week vacation in the Tulum corridor from which I have just returned. A little background…2 couples (who met courtesy of LG and ABR) who decided to do a 2 week vacation split over 3 places to stay. We booked what we could thru Loco Gringo and the rest over the internet. We booked our car through Caribbean Rental and had no problems. A little VW Derby with 106,000kms (65,000 miles) on it. Gassed up and away went headed south. We (actually Grasshopper) had promised Lucy that we would bring her a part for the ice cream machine, so a quick stop there and one at Pamuul and we were headed to Tulum.
We spent the first three nights at a cabana resort on the Tulum beach road, known as Papaya Playa. This place has RUSTIC stick cabanas and shared bathroom/shower facilities. It is quite often referred to as a “backpacker’s haven”. We did our research and booked this place with open eyes knowing what to expect. We were not surprised, even somewhat happy that it was even better than we expected. Yes, the cabanas are rustic, the mattresses are older and the mosquito netting could be replaced. However, it is on a very quiet stretch of beach that is shared by Cabanas Copal and Azulik to the south and Tribal Village to the north. We wanted to start our vacation with immediate relaxation, and that is exactly what we found. Very few people on the beach, and a very wide and clean beach. No blaring music ( like Parisio), but still room to walk around and not be crowded. Having Copal to the south was nice as it allowed those of us who wanted to (me), take advantage of the “clothing optional” beach. Probably what disappointed me the most, was the number of people who go to a “clothing optional” beach and “don’t” That and the fact that the restaurant is open to the public and overlooks the beach. Good thing that I’m not shy!!
We did not eat at the restaurant at Papaya Playa (as per our research) however we did take advantage of several great restaurants on the beach road and in Tulum. Zamas seemed to be the closest and best breakfast that was available at 7am(when we wanted to eat), and we were not disappointed. The coffee was good and the food was excellent and the prices were reasonable. We had suppers at both Don Cafeto’s and El Miriachi, and decided that both were good, but El Miriachi got our vote for better food and slightly cheaper prices. The best dinner we had in the Tulum area went to Nachos’(Latitude 20, Mayan Grill..whatever they call themselves on a given day). We each had a different main course and all were fantastic. Breaded fish(me) was great, Arrachera(MakinHay) was excellent, MexicanVirgins enjoyed the garlic shrimp and GrassHopper said the garlic fish was to die for. The Margaritas here were both tasty and large and the view was the best on the whole beach. My suggestion would be to go for an early supper so you can enjoy the daylight view from the restaurant. It doesn’t make sense to me to go to a beautiful beach side restaurant and not be able to see the water and beach due to the darkness. Dinner for 4 with margs and beers was $100.00. Definitely money well spent.
The following morning we were to pack up and head south to Xamach Dos. Unfortunately, MakinHay woke up and was feeling like crap. At first we thought it was sunstroke but alas not and the poor guy had a bout of the flu. Anyways, we loaded up on pesos and beer at the SanFransisco and were on our way. The beach road down to the Siaan Kaan entrance was a little rough, but nothing compared to what we were about to experience. The road is rough to say the least and potholes abound. Shortly into our adventure the driver(me swerved to the left to avoid a monster pothole and then back to the right to avoid a second one. Unfortunately for the driver(me) a very large rock was trying to cross the road at the same time as I came back to the right and I ran right over it!!! The rock won….we had a flat!!! Punctured right through the sidewall!!!! Everyone knows where the spare is and everyone knows how much crap 4 adults have in the trunk of a car when they’re on vacation, so here goes….My dying friend and I unload the trunk, get the spare and the jack and go to work like a fine tuned NASCAR Pit Crew. A few minutes later, we’re back on the road and now traveling about the speed of a slow snail. Some 28 kilometers (and 1 hour later) we arrive at Xamach Dos.
This place deserves a paragraph all to itself. It is paradise nestled in the middle of nowhere. We were greeted by Margo, the manager and her help Sergio and his uncle. I don’t think we touched a bag during the unloading process. This was a good thing as MakinHay was falling fast. The cabanas are VERY clean, and spacious with the MOST comfortable beds ANYWHERE!!! We shared a two bed cabana, that was more than enough room for the 4 of us. The two “groundlevel” cabanas have a front porch, which became a great spot for morning coffee and for afternoon cocktails while preparing for supper. The bathroom and showers are in a separate building a few short steps away. We Got MH tucked into bed and filled him with as many drugs as possible and we went about exploring.
What a beautiful place!!! As secluded as one could possibly imagine, with nothing but blue water and beach as far as you could see, and NO neighbours!!!! One thing I must put in here…the staff at Xamach does an excellent job of keeping their beach area clean, but the trash on the beach to the north and south of the property, is one of the most disheartening things we have ever seen. Shoes, bottles, plastic, you name it, and unfortunately it is there as far as the eye can see. It certainly made us pause and give thought to what happens when we throw out garbage. I do realize that almost none of this garbage comes from Mexico, but it does come from somewhere. Next time you buy a bottle of water, or quart of oil, stop to think about where it may end up.
OK…back to Xamach….as MH started his recuperation, (aided greatly by Nurse Margo, who really is a nurse, and her Mayan friends, who made him a Native remedy, which did really help) GrassHopper, MV and myself, made ourselves at home. This was not hard to do at all. We were shown the beer fridge(very important) and introduced to the ladies as they prepared our supper.
The food at Xamach deserves a story itself. The family (and Margo) who do the prep and cooking prepared us the BEST food we have ever eaten anywhere!!! Breakfasts were always fantastic(our favourite was by far the coconut banana pancakes) , lunch was perfect( our favourite, homemade chorizo tostadas) and the dinners were to die for. We have everything up to and including a Lobster dinner. Everything was made fresh and from scratch. If there was something you wanted, or couldn’t eat, it was prepared for you as you liked. Fresh juices and homemade agua de sandia. If you have trouble with anything from the kitchen here, then you probably are the type of person who sends back food at any 5 star restaurant.
There are some activities to do right at Xamach and some others if you wish to travel a bit. Our car did not move for 4 ½ days, so you get the idea of why we were here. They have two kayaks and a beautiful bay in which to use them, lounge chairs and a volleyball net. There is also a boat and guides available for snorkeling or fishing. We used the kayaks a bit and definitely spent time in the lounge chairs. Our favourite activity was fishing. Because I am a fishing nut, I took down a pole and reel and some tackle and Sergio and Teo made sure we had all the bait we needed. We spent a full day and half in the water catching a variety of fish. Saturday morning, we managed a pretty good stringer of red snapper, gave them to the staff to prepare, and a few hours later….fresh red snapper on our plates!!! For me this was a highlight!!! I must say, that next year, there will be more fishing poles making the trek with us!!! MH was starting to come around and felt good enough to spend the day fishing(and even havin a coupla beers) so it was nice to be back at full team strength!!!
If you want to do some beachcombing, this is the place to do it!!! Along the beach there are some abandoned houses and lots of stuff to “go through” that has washed up on shore. Another cool short trip, is a hike across the road to Xamach’s own little ruin. It is a short trip through the jungle(a path is there and it is only about 50 yards), but make sure you put on the bug spray. It is well worth the trip and it’s right on site. On the way back from the ruins, stop at the cemetery that is the “front lawn” of Xamach.
This is the type of place where one should not expect to be entertained from sun up to sundown, it is a place to come to relax and let the stress melt out of your body. Margo and her staff will make sure you are comfortable and WELL fed, and if you need a little bit of help staying occupied, let them know and they’ll find something for you to do.
I’m not sure what else to say about Xamach Dos, I could go on forever, and with all honesty, I would not be able to come up with a complaint. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me and I’ll be happy to answer what I can.
After four(too short days) in Paradise, it was time to load up our little VW Derby and head north to Akumal. We had decided that we were going to spend 7 nights in the Villas Maya Bungalows, due to their central location and proximity to everything in Akumal.
This is the part of the trip report where “Akumalholics” will want to cover their eyes!!!! We have been to Akumal in 06 and 07 and I for one was disappointed with our visit this year. Our accommodations were great and I will return again, but after that, it was very difficult to “relax”. The number of people that come for snorkel tours and just day trippers that come by cab and collectivo have the ability to make for a very crowded beach by lunchtime. We did meet some wonderful people on the beach, so I don’t want anyone to think that it was not a good week, however, I was surprised by the “A-I” feel of the beach, very crowded and not much respect for “space”. I was very surprised with the inflation rate in the village, and with the attempts to “upscale” the area. Drink prices were out of this world at LolHa, and at LBV, the owner seems to have forgotten that a beachbar, needs “beachbar” food, I was quite surprised that there was no “appetizer” menu, and what was on the dinner menu was far over priced. I had a difficult time justifying the prices we were paying for what we were getting. We did have fine pizza at LolHa, but other than that, really difficult to find good things to say about the dinner restaurants. We had breakfasts at the Loncheria and TurtleBay and were very happy with both places. Coffee kudos goes to the Loncheria. Our other meals were either in the Pueblo or out of the village. We did get a “pueblo” chicken for lunch one afternoon to enjoy on the beach, and went to Ultima Maya for supper in the pueblo. The food here was as good as anywhere and priced very well.
Link to the pictures
http://picasaweb.google.com/JulieandT/TripReportPictorial