Luvthesun's trip report

[luvthesun]

Hi everyone!
Just got back on Monday (was SUPPOSED to be Sunday, but I will tell you about THAT later on).
I’m not going to give you a day by day report, but I will try to do my best to fill you in on the highlights of my trip. Let me begin by saying that my last visit was in Dec 2003 so it’s been a little over 4 years....
OK..here goes-

I’ll admit, this first part is going to sound a bit negative and whiney, but I assure you.... it will get better. :)

Part 1 - Arrival - Flew in from JFK on Jet Blue. GREAT flight! It only took us 3 1/2 hours, and the seats were actually comfortable! We had reserved a car from Payless, and took a shuttle to the lot. The wait was a little ridiculous even on Mexico time, and in the meantime two employees tried to sell us a day at a resort in Puerto Morelos for “ONLY” $150.00 USD each. They didn’t seem to want to take no for an answer, but we finally got off the hook when some other victims walked through the door. OK.. so we get our car... a Chevy Comfort....very low end, but we figured as long as it gets us around, and has some AC when we need it, that’s OK.
The drive down to Tulum was a little shocking. SO MANY more new mega resorts, condo complexes, and large retail stores have been built. The Playa del Carmen area was so busy and developed since we last visited. ...and I couldn’t believe how much better the roads were... but at the same time, I had the sneaky suspicion that the large hotel and real estate developers have some sort of agreement with the Mexican government. Maybe they are paying for the new roads in exchange for a few “favors”? Is this just me or has anyone else had these thoughts? hmmmmm......
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/2334936645_ae187d6444_o.jpg

Stopped for gas at the PEMEX just after the entrance to Puerto Adventuras. DO NOT BUY GAS AT THIS STATION.....EVER! They totally scammed us. We didn’t know it at the time because it was the first tank of gas we bought and had nothing to compare it to. Mariposa, (who I met later that evening) clued us in about the gas scam that is going around. What they do is distract you, and “forget” to put the counter at 0...so your bill includes the amount from the sale before you. We thought it was a little strange that our gas costs $50, but I guess we were still in that dreamlike state you get in when you get off the plane, the sun is shining, and you see palm trees!
After two hours of driving..... just as we approach Boca Paila Road, our car starts to act funny. My husband had his foot pressed way down on the gas, but the car just would not go. It just crept along and started making weird noises. At the same time, a flashing light appeared on the dashboard that neither of us could identify, and when I pulled out the manual from the glove compartment, of course, I didn’t understand much of it because I couldn’t read Spanish that well. My husband was considering taking the car back, but I just wanted to get to our hotel and have a margarita. My solution with cars and computers is always “just shut it off and it will be fixed when you turn it on again”. (eight out of ten times this works!)
Lessons of the day.. 1. Payless(car rental).. you GET less!
2. Don’t forget to watch the gas gauge.

Part 2 coming up.... Hotels

[luvthesun]

ok.. I'm dumb.. how do I get pics to load?

I tried to use the paperclip..but my attachment looks tiny..what did I do wrong?

[lazydog]

This is sounding good! (Not that I am excited about your car troubles, just excited about your trip report) Here is a link on how to post photos, posted kindly by Mgsipa.

http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=1845&highlight=post+photos

[PhyllisB]

Hey luv,

Most of us upload our pics to a picture sharing website, like flickr or photobucket. Once you do that, those sites will give you a URL for the image. Click on the little icon that looks like a picture or a mountain, and you can copy and paste the image link in there.

Not sure I'm describing it 100% right. There have been a few threads on posting pictures recently that probably do a better job....

edit: OH, lazydog found a link. Thanks LD! We need to sticky that one, or the one Gale did a long time ago that has since been buried.

[AdGuy]

luvyourreport luvthesun! Sorry the Pemex bandits got you on a scam that's been going on since way before 2003. We try to warn folks about what to watch for and what to do but it still happens. :(

Getting to Tulum can be a trial (immigration, car rentals, traffic congestion) but it's worth it once you arrive. Hopefully, things improve once you hit the beach!!! :)

[DougSR]

luvthesun! Oh girl! I never rent on the RM but I have read so many posts about the oooold Pemex scam. So sorry they got you. Also, your the second trip report this week that ended up with a very unsatisfactory Chevy Comfort. Even though I like the public transportation I've made my mental note.

[luvthesun]

ok..... thanks mucho! I think I've got the picture thing down now... stay tuned for part 2 hotels.

[mgsipa]

Cool... I've added this scam to my list of scams to look out for. Perhaps I'll start a thread later today asking for all the known scams to look out for, since my wife and I are heading down there in just a few more days....

[luvthesun]

Hi! I’m back with the first part of Part 2..Hotels.

This was the first time I was actually staying in Tulum, so making a hotel decision was kinda tough. On our last trip to Mexico, we stayed in Akumal, but ended up driving back to Tulum all the time to hang there. We always wanted to come back and stay in Tulum.

We actually stayed in two places. For the fist three days, we stayed at Ana y Jose, in the Amanecer suite. I picked this hotel because everytime I showed my friends the other options they looked at me in horror, saying in disbelief “You’re going to go to Mexico and stay in a room with NO air-conditioning !??!!!!” I don’t know why I hesitated.. my last trip was to St. Lucia, where it was really hot in June, and we stayed in a place with no AC.. it was fine..no prob. But I listened, and chose Ana y Jose.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/2335773340_9432ff060a.jpg

I have to say.. I have read reviews stating that the service was slow and the food wasn’t that great. NOT TRUE! Everyone there was really nice and helpful.The room was nice, and the grounds were well taken care of. We had breakfast there every morning we were there (it was included) and it was good. We had dinner there one night and it was VERY good! Hmmm...but I must admit... my first margarita in Tulum (at Ana y Jose's) was not very good at all. Thumbs down on the margarita, baby. The beach was clean, but it was very windy while we were there so it was a little rough for me.. I couldn’t take getting knocked around for too long! The small pool was nice,but cold. There was never anyone in the pool while we were there, and there were a pair of cute shy iguanas hanging nearby basking in the sun. Two massages were included in the rate so we gladly took advantage of that..very nice!
Our room Amanecar (means sunrise)was one of the separate small buildings on the beach. The furnishings were nice, and the bed was OMG.. sooooo comfortable. Oh.. and BTW.... we didn’t use the AC once. Here’s some pics-

Amanecer from the outside-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3159/2334938859_c8dcc33298.jpg

from the inside-

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2334940095_a4bc7a664a.jpg

Ana Y jose pool-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3220/2334937643_202c6be4c1.jpg

View at breakfast, Ana y Jose Beach-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3037/2335772132_6b4f58a14c.jpg


OK.. so here’s the thing..... everything I said above is true.. totally a nice place.. BUT... I don’t think I would go back there. Why? Welllll...... it’s kind of ..not my kind of place. I like a place that is a little more laid back. One day I found myself rearranging the towel I had draped on the outside chair to dry.... I started second guessing what I was wearing to breakfast in the morning ... my husband was tightening the elastic on his ponytail..... whoa...WAIT A MINUTE!!! We’re in Tulum.... we’re on vacation!! I was looking forward to heading south down the road to our next hotel.. Las Ranitas.

Lessons of the day... 1.Don’t listen to your friends
2. When you get a bad margarita go DIRECTLY to another bar and get another, do not pass go, do not collect $200.

[PhyllisB]

Hey luv!

Digging your avatar--not sure if it's new, or if I just noticed it, but it's neat!

I know what you mean about AyJ. Sometimes it is so hard to help people decide on accommodations, because there's just a certain "feel" that you get, and that's a really personal and subjective thing. To me, AyJ's rooms look great, and the amenities, but it's just too big a place for my taste and feels too much like a standard hotel. (Is that an alarm clock in the picture?!?!?!?!? Egads!!!!!) That isn't to say it isn't right for other folks.... it's just a personal thing. What's so nice about Tulum is that there are all those options, there's something for everyone.

Curious to hear how AyJ compares to Las Ranitas!

And good news that you had some good meals at AyJ, too, despite the margarita incident!

[luvthesun]

thanks.. yea the avatar is new.... it's actually a tile from the shower @ Las Ranitas... I'm working on that part of the report now. Stay tuned. :)

PS.. ... and yes... that WAS an alarm clock!

[DougSR]

Thumbs down on the margarita, baby.

Boy you got that right. I was not impressed with Ana Y Joses mixed drinks. I ordered a mojito and the date got a marg. She didn't even finish hers. The mojito was average.

[luvthesun]

yea... I don't think I finished mine either... it was REALLY bad!

[luvthesun]

Ok.. here goes... Part 2B.. .Las Ranitas.

After spending 3 days at Ana y Jose’s, we switched hotels, got in our piece of junk car (oh..btw, it DID run a little better after we let it sleep for the night).. and headed south to Las Ranitas.

We had booked the ground floor of Casa Memo, but when we arrived, they promptly took our bags and the cash balance for our stay and put us in room #20. OK.... room # 20 was cute, but it basically had no view, and this is not what we paid for. It was a nice day, and all we wanted to do was change and go to the beach.. but first we had to get the room situation staightened out. I went to the lobby, and told them they put us in the wrong room....that we had booked Casa Memo. Manuelo ( I THINK that was his name, not sure) at the desk was super nice, but looked a little confused, and the conversation went somewhat like this-

“But I have to call the owners, and they are in France.”
“OK.. so we’ll wait while you call them”
“But I think there is another guest in that room”
“well..... maybe we can go to the beach while you move them to another room...... no problem.... we’ll just leave our bags with you, OK?”
“OK... 5 minutes.. I have to call France.”

Well.. 5 minutes turned into 30 minutes.... I amused myself by taking some pictures of the hotel, and then out of the blue.. everything was fine.

“Ok.. come this way”

Manuelo (and if this is not his name, I'm deeply sorry), was really helpful and took care of everything.

We followed Manuelo through the walkways and paths of the hotel.... I love this place already!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2335046397_79efcbe762.jpg


We were taken straight to Casa Memo (there was obviously nobody staying there) given our keys.. and we were all set.
Wow... this place is perfect! The back door steps right out on to the amazing beach, and the room is way larger than we needed, but no complaints on that! Great tilework throughout the whole place, and lots of room to store your stuff. I always try to take pictures of the room before we mess it up, so here goes-

Bed
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/2335774888_005aa1dd1e.jpg


Looking from the bed towards the sitting area & door to deck
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2237/2334946425_f5497f8ffd.jpg


Sitting area which can be used as two extra beds-
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2081/2335778900_4b072e177e.jpg


Bathroom sinks
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/2335782424_937babdec3.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2334952537_2227ee8131_m.jpg

shower-
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2360/2335784248_cd1d157c49.jpg


Casa Memo from the beach-
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2334955561_e0df362740.jpg


the view from our deck-
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/2334950431_ff173ec25f.jpg

The beach in front of Las Ranitas is unbelievable! I have to admit....when I was reading posts on this forum before I left for Tulum, I had my doubts that one area of the beach could be so different from another.. I mean, after all, it IS on the same stretch of land! But you guys were right.. for some reason the beach there IS nicer! Even on windy days, the waves didn’t seem as brutal, and the sand was like powder. There were lots of palm trees on the property...even one growing up through the cement platform on our deck. My favorite days of the whole trip were just hanging on the beach here, taking a swim, having some beverages (we bought supplies in town and made our own drinks). My husband got into collecting coconuts, cracking them open, and adding the coconut water to our drinks or just sipping it straight. It’s a lot of work with just a pocket knife.... but he was into it, so I just sat by and enjoyed the rewards.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2011/2338288266_541f9117b4.jpg

There are indoor and outdour restaurant areas. It was soooo nice having breakfast in the outdoor area, watching the waves, and seeing the early morning sun. We had dinner at the hotel one night, (sorry..didn’t take many food pics) and it was great!

Inside restaurant area-
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2142/2334945021_c3ee323db4.jpg

Outside restaurant area-
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2380/2334956959_1097c09c9f.jpg



Also.... their margaritas & pina coladas were really good!.. (OK.. so I DO take drink pics)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2111/2338290100_698559e047.jpg


Bottom line... I would definitely stay here again if there weren’t so many choices!!! Next time, maybe I would like to stay in a more cabana-y place for part of my trip, and stay at Las Ranitas for the other half. Or better yet... take 12 days and do Akumal (or Soliman bay)- Cabana - Las Ranitas. I really liked the south end of the beach in Tulum better, but to be honest, I do love ocean water snorkeling, and I just couldn’t do that in Tulum. I tried to go to Akumal to snorkel one day, but unless you are renting a house or staying at a resort, the beach there is too crowded with people & boats.... not too peaceful.


The drive from further south on the hotel section of Boca Paila road is really nice. I took a small movie of it to remember it by. Wish I could post it for all of you, but I’m not sure how to do that. Any suggestions?

Up next........CENOTES!!!!!!!!

[PhyllisB]

Wooohoo! Wonderful. Glad everything worked out at LR. I love that outdoor patio at Ranitas too.

The only thing I'm not as fond of is how much light they use up at night. At least I think it was LR--I could be wrong, I have a hard time keeping track of the different places in the dark of night--but there was one hotel along that stretch there that was SO bright when we walked by one night. Pretty sure it was LR, though. I just think about those poor confused turtles!

Can't wait to hear about the cenotes!

[beachreader]

Great report, Luvs! Glad you liked Las Ranitas. You were in the lower room of that three-room suite area, right? Were you able to use the pool too? That pool looked really nice to me, the only pool right on the beach (at least, "real pool", not just a hot-tub sized one). If you don't mind my asking, how much do they get for those rooms?

Oh, and good for you for standing your ground and getting that room thing straightened out!

Las Ranitas gets a big plus from me for the very early-morning coffee service, but I'm pretty sure I saw a bright light coming from them at night as well. I wish they would knock that off; more and more places along the beach are doing it, and even if they turn them off during turtle season (as I've heard some do), it's still light pollution. Imagine how many more stars you could see if the hotel next door didn't have a spotlight on their beach!

[luvthesun]

wow... I was totally unaware of the bright light thing. That's not too cool. Casa memo (if you are facing the ocean) is to the far left of the main building, so we really didn't see the bright lights.. also, we were out most nights, so we were unaware.

The pool is small, but yes, everyone who is staying in one of the Casa Memo suites can use it. We took a dip after being in the ocean and it was nice. It didn't get cleaned every day, but my husband quickly pointed out.. "you just swam in the cenote, and you're looking at two leaves in the pool??!" Ha! he's right.. it was fine.

If you go to the Las Ranitas site, you can see the rates under "reservation". It's the rate for the suite. I splurged. I have been working really hard this year, and I felt I deserved a treat. Travel is the only thing I really spend my money on, so why not? Truth.... I think it was a little too pricey for what it was.... but I loved it there, isn't that what counts?:island:

[mgsipa]

Luvthesun, If you read my post (link below) on uploading photos, you can use the same exact method used for photos to upload videos. Just upload a video instead of a photo, and then use the links as described to post a link to the videos here. Pretty easy. Email me privately if you can't figure it out and I'll help you, no worries.

[beachreader]

Luvs, sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything by asking the rate. Yes, you work hard, and whatever you choose to spend on your holiday is all good! I didn't mean you spent too much by any means, was just curious. It was probably a rude question, and I apologize. I'll check the site, thanks.

[luvthesun]

no problem at all....!!!!!.. not for a second!

I guess I was just rationalizing a little to myself! :)

[luvthesun]

mspiga ... I will try that tonight. I'll be in touch if it doesn't work.... thanks!

[TheWindyCity]

Great reports LTS....I can understand how you feel about staying at A y J. Las Ranitas looks nice. My wife and I ate there once on our lasttrip and it was very memorable. And the drinks were really good, and strong as well. I had my first taste of Tikin Xic there. My wife tried the Avocado soup, which was excellente. I had the lime soup, but wasn't crazy about it. Not that it was bad, just rather have a lime in my beer or margarita...not soup!
Nice pics too!

[Lynnette]

Thanks for the report, luv. We really LOVE the stretch of beach in front of LR!!! I had to smile at your taking photos before you mess up the room...I do that too! :D Wonderful photos and trip report!

[luvthesun]

hi... I’m back with Part 3... CENOTES!!!! Sorry this is taking so long to post.

Did I mention how much I LOVE cenotes???
This trip we visited 4 cenotes...each one very different from the other. Whenever I swim or snorkel in a cenote I come out feeling great... I’m convinced there is something magical about them. Uh-oh.. I hope the developers don’t get any ideas.. ..I can just see it now.. “Cenote Mayan Spa .. you’re ultimate deluxe spa experience and condominiums.”
Well.. let’s hope that doesn’t happen anytime soon.

First up- Gran Cenote.

Gran Cenote is beautiful and very easily accessible. The snorkeling is great....you can see lots of cave formations, and there is an area where you can swim through to another side where it opens up to an outside area. If it’s your first experience with cenotes, Gran Cenote is a great one to start with.
I do have one complaint.. it is VERY crowded! Four years ago I visited this cenote and was so impressed I needed to return.... but the experience was not the same. Maybe it was the time of year, but there were SO many people there that it kind of lost it’s peaceful vibe. Last time there were two GIANT iguanas in the trees, ...this time....no senor...no iguanas... they would have been terrified! We didn’t stay too long this time. Here’s some pics-

Looking down into Gran Cenote from the above entrance-
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/2346979048_a2acaf907d.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2236/2346134523_f3736a0626.jpg

Next.... Cenotes Cristal & Escondido-

We drove south on 307 to the entrance of the sister cenotes Crystal & Escondido. We parked our car in lot on the Cenote Cristal side, paid our entrance fee (one fee for both cenotes.... I think it was only $4. each)... and then walked across the road to the entrance of Cenote Escondido. The gentleman who collects your fee needs to cross the road with you to open the entrance gate. Basically, you walk down a jungle road ( you can drive, we found out later) for a little less than a mile, and you come to the entry of Cenote Escondido. There were only a handful of visitors there when we arrived, but soon after, we were totally alone in this beutiful cenote. This cenote is very different from Gran Cenote as it isn’t “cave-like” at all. The bottom is rocky, and basically, it feels more like a huge natural pool surrounded by jungle. The water is sooo clean and soooo fresh, and there are lots of little fish to see. We stayed for over an hour and were literally the only ones there most of that time.... it was amazing! When we left, as we were walking back down the jungle road, 3 vans full of visitors were headed towards the cenote, so we had lucked out and timed it perfectly.

Entrance-
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2224/2346954106_a37e935f2a.jpg

Cenote Escondido-
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2350171197_e7d79a5b49.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2198/2346134827_581a54c52b.jpg

We crossed the road, and went to see Cenote Cristal. Another very different cenote. Cristal is a lot smaller than Escondido, and the bottom is very grassy... almost like the vegetation they sell for a fresh water fish tank. My husband thinks he saw a turtle, but all I saw were lots of little fish. We stayed for a swim and left. For me, it wasn’t as nice as cenote Escondido.

Oh, and don't forget-
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2142/2346123727_5163f1ed05.jpg
sorry.. I guess I forgot to take pictures of Cristal.

Cenote Caracol-
One very windy day we decided to head to Akumal in search of some calmer water, but when we got to Akumal Bay, it was really crowded and filled with boats, so we decided to head back to Tulum. On our way back, we noticed a sign for Cenote Caracol. We turn down a dirt road and drive and drive and drive through the jungle. There are no signs, and we begin to think that maybe we’re on the wrong road, but we put our “piece of junk” car to the test, and keep going. Soon we come to a sign and turn into a parking area. ...we walk up to a clearing,... there is a table, benches and a small shelter. Two guys are there, Pep & Sergio, and we ask them about the cenote. They tell us it’s a short walk down a path, and the fee in $20 apiece to enter. We thought that price was a little steep, but after the endless ride on the dirt road, we wanted to see what we came all this way for. We were led down the path, and soon we come upon a 6 foot in diameter hole in the ground, with wooden steps leading downwards. Yikes! It’s really dark down there and we started to question our decision to come here! My husband goes first, and I follow. We are the only ones here, and it’s really really dark......and then... the lights come on! It’s really cool, and kind of creepy at the same time. Lots of stalactites and stalagmites. (don’t ask me which is which)..and the ONLY sound you hear is that of the bats flying right above you. Whoa. This is amaaazing! What an experience! We snorkel for awhile, and as we were leaving, a few other visitors entered the cenote. We went back and talked to Pep for a little while. He told us that he and Sergio discovered this cenote while on a cave exploration. Pretty interesting.. and worth a trip.

This is the only picture I have... it was really dark, and the quality of it is kind of blurry-
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2166/2346135137_82ee021c57.jpg


I’m so glad we were able to visit these cenotes. They’re one of the reasons that make the Yucatan Peninsula so special.

Next up- food, and micellaneous adventures & misadventures

[beachreader]

Oh, Luv, that's awesome! That last one, Caracol, you said "the lights came on", were they man-made lights, or natural? Either way, it sounds truly amazing and I need to go there. I'm not real good with caves in general, but with lights and space I'm OK.

How deep do you think the water was there? One of the incredible things about cenotes to me is that the water is so clear suddenly you realize it's 100 feet deep or more, kind freaky.

Great pics, great report, thanks!

[Lynnette]

GORGEOUS cenote photos, Luv!!!! I've only been to one, and your photos make me want to see more...lots more!!

[luvthesun]

The lights were man made. It would be impossible to see anything down there if those guys hadn't installed lights. Good point, beachreader... because I was a little torn on that point. The one thing that turned me off slightly from Cenote Caracol was that these two guys discovered this great cenote, and then made it into a somewhat eco tourist attraction. On one hand.. if they didn't, none of us would be able to experience these natural wonders, but on the other hand, it seemed a little bit exploitive.... especially because they offer cave & dive tours as well.....BUT.... these two guys were super nice, I really liked them... were really informative, and no doubt, are experts in cave diving. Without them, the cenote would surely exist, but it would just be a hole in the ground somewhere in the middle of the jungle, that none of us could visit. What do you think about this?

[beachreader]

It's an interesting point. I'm OK with it, because as you said, if it weren't for guys like these, we average folks would never get to experience how cool that all is. I don't know if the lighting in and of itself would hurt anything (perhaps a naturalist can step in if there are light-sensitive cave-dwelling creatures or lichens that are being harmed), but I think it's cool and I'd like to check it out.

I'm actually a bit more curious to figure out how they were able to set up this business. I mean, just because they "discovered" it, does that give them the right to set up a business around it? It's not like they own it, but who does own it? I guess they had to set it up through the government, I just think it's interesting. Like it's the Wild West or something.

[luvthesun]

good point....I have no idea how they got around setting up their business, but I did notice that while we were driving down the dirt road, there were offshoot roads that you could drive down that let to other cenotes....different businesses... so maybe they all share access into the jungle?

I forgot to mention... the lights stay off until someone wants to snorkel or dive. They also offer a hand held underwater flashlight that I didn't rent, but I thought was a good idea once I got down there. It is so shallow in some areas that you can stand up, and in other areas it is very deep!

[TnTWalter]

Love your trip report. Ana y jose looks prettier in your pictures than I have seen it on the web...DH really wanted a pool, that's why we're heading to PDC for 2 days [sigh].

Love the cenotes report. You've seen other as well...can you give me your top 3? Thanks! :eat-drink:

[luvthesun]

Top 3... that's hard.

Gran Cenote would definitely be numero uno if it wasn't so crowded. Maybe try going first thing in the morning.

Loved Dos Ojos... if you have a car.. just drive up to the cenote.. don't buy the package...they'll want you to rent a wet suit..not necessary.

Cenote Escondido was so beautiful , tranquil & refreshing.

[TnTWalter]

Thank you! I don't care if I do anything else but I want to swim in a cenote or two....soooo cool. DH wants to zip line so I'll do that to make him happy but you can zip anywhere. I've read about some zipping into cenotes...two birds one stone. LOL.

Now I just have to figure out how to get to these....

[AdGuy]

Wow...$20USD per person to swim in a cenote? Highway robbery if you ask me!! By the way, here's a shot of Cristal for you...

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB256.jpg

[luvthesun]

oooooohhhh Thank you for the photo AdGuy! Pretty, isn't it? I see you love cenotes too!

yeah... we thought $20 was really steep too.... but after the big waves in Tulum, crowded Akumal, and driving all that way through the jungle, we caved. No pun intended. :)

[TnTWalter]

Cristal doesn't look all that appealing for swimming IMHO. Living in the midwest, it kindof reminds me of the lakes. When I picture a cenote, I picture beautiful blue water, possibly a cave scene but at least clear blue water.

[beachreader]

Trish, a few years ago a friend and I hooked up with the Alltournatives Coba/Pac Chen tour. It was a really great tour, I thought. You spend half the day at one, half at the other. We did Pac Chen first, hiked through the jungle a bit (not a very jungly jungle, more foresty to me) to a zipline, which zipped across and over a surface cenote. Hiked a bit more and we rapelled into a cavern cenote (through a hole in the roof, down and down into the cold clear water). Hiked a bit more to another surface cenote, where we were given canoes to just paddle around on our own, or swim. Then we had a lunch prepared by the ladies of the village and then off to Coba in the heat of the afternoon. Short tour by a guide (ours happened to be one of the most humorless Maya I've ever met, but I'm sure that was just our luck), then we rented bikes on our own and headed out to the pyramid.

It didn't feel all structured, but it was very cool and a good way to get off the beaten path. Of course you can do some of this on your own, but I like Alltournative as a company. They're one of the first companies to try to move tourist dollars off the main drag and back into the jungle.

I would, however, ask them if it's possible to get on one of the groups that does Coba in the morning, so you can be plunging into the cool cenotes after you're all hot and sticky, rather than before.

[TnTWalter]

BR...was it this one?

It's on the top of my list but seems like a LOT to do in a day....

http://www.alltournative.com/tours-products/maya-encounter

it's a long day though...

Then there's also this one which doesn't go all the way to Coba but different zip lines....thinking we could bike to Tulum ruins one morning and hang on the north beach one day and do this on the day we head to PDC...
http://www.alltournative.com/tours-products/maya-zip-line

I was joking to DH perhaps they could pick us up in Tulum and drop us in PDC that way we're set! LOL.

but don't know...I hear they only allow 13 per van but sometimes have 3-4 vans...yikes. Anyone here want to be our guide? We'll buy drinks! :eat-drink:

[beachreader]

I suppose that's the one, though the way they describe it you're doing BOTh Coba and the Mayan village all the way to lunch, but then it ends at 5 p.m.? That's odd, I think they're describing it wrong unless they've changed it.

I looked at the other one too, but it just seemed too bloody hot to be riding bikes back there in the jungle, at least for me.

I'm shocked at the prices of these trips now, I think two years ago we paid maybe $50 pp for the Pac Chen thing. Actually, I guess that's not such a terrible increas considering the times.

[AdGuy]

Cristal doesn't look all that appealing for swimming IMHO. Living in the midwest, it kindof reminds me of the lakes. When I picture a cenote, I picture beautiful blue water, possibly a cave scene but at least clear blue water.

Cenotes, like ruins, are very different from each other...that's what makes them interesting. The Cristal cenote is more like a lake than a cave. What makes this cenote interesting is it's jungle like setting and peacefullness. With no one there when we visited the flora and fauna were breathtaking and the songs from all the birds were incredible.

[dionski]

LTS, Thanks for the great cenote reports. Boy the list of new things to do is getting very long. Good thing we've got 17 days!

thanks, d2

[FITZ]

I so enjoyed your report. I've been pretty busy this last week and it's such great relaxation and fantasy inducing! My home-made rum punch (home-made) really accents your sharing!
Thanks so much!

[boreal j k]

Enjoying the trip report. We hope to visit some cenotes on our next trip. We only visited one last trip.

[minniemex]

Great reporting!! Beautiful pictures!! Ahhhhhhhh.... I wish I could leave tomorrow.

[luvthesun]

Hi.. I’m back after a long break. Sorry... work, life & computer problems got in the way of finishing this.
If anyone is still interested, I have a few more stories to tell.

First up, my report on food-
I just can't compete with all the wonderful food pictures I have seen on this forum, so I will just write a list of the places I’ve been , and add comments.

In no particular order-
Ana y Jose - breakfast was good, but I wasn’t wowed. Dinner was very very good. I had a fish that was made with a mango sauce, and my husband had shrimp with tamarind sauce. Both excellent. Margaritas... not so good.. yukky in fact.
La Zebra- It was really fun meeting up with the tulum.info people here for the Sunday night salsa party. There were some muy caliente salsa dancers right near our table..my husband was trying real hard not to stare..but hey... how could you NOT stare?? They were pretty amazing! The food was OK, and I agree with the other posts.. the service was really bad, but it was crowded, and the margaritas were good, so I didn’t mind too much. We returned on another night for dinner, and I was not impressed. It wasn’t very crowded, the service was real slow, and the food wasn’t great.
Pollo Bronco - I loved this place! The chicken was soooo good, the price was unbelievable, and the people were really nice. (Thanks, Mariposa for telling me about this place) I would love to get take out, and eat this on the beach.
Mayan Grill - Only had chips & salsa here, but OMG... the margaritas are sooo good! We went back twice for margaritas here.. the setting is awesome, and it’s very laid back.
Mezzanine - again, only had drinks here. the drinks were really good and the place is pretty. I would like to have dinner here someday. It was Friday evening, and they were setting up for their weekly party... looked like it was going to be fun!
Ocho Tulum - we walked up to their outside beach area for a drink. Very pretty deck area overlooking the beach. The drinks were good, too! If I had more time I would have gone back to check this place out.
Las Ranitas - We were staying here so we had breakfast here a lot... it was very good, and the restaurant area is pretty. We also had dinner here one night, and the food was delicious.
Caracol Restaurant (by the Coba parking lot)- we were starving when we got through with Coba, so we just picked one of the closest restaurants we could find. It was actually really good Mexican food , and not very pricey.
Hechizos - We had a wonderful dinner here... it was definitely a treat. I had a hard time picking because everything sounded so good. The service was excellent, the wine was delicious, and the food was amazing. IMHO, this place could stand tall next to any well known restaurant in Manhattan.
il Basilico (In town) - great pizza!
Don Cafetos - Fun, lively and a great place to have dinner and people watch. HOT salsa and good food.

next up... why I missed my Sunday flight and came home Monday.

[luvthesun]

Last installment- Why we missed our flight and came home a day later.


Sunday morning.... all packed.... eat breakfast...take care of the room bill. OK...our plane leaves at one, it takes two hours to drive to Cancun, we have to be there (technically) two hours before our flight, and we have to return the car.
It’s 8:30 AM... my husband goes to settle the bill, and I take one last look at the beach. In a way, I’m OK with it being windy, cold and overcast today. It would be way more depressing if it was a beautiful sunny day, and we had to leave.
As we load our bags into the trunk, my husband says to me “ I might as well tell you now.”
“What?!”
“ I just realized that, at some point during our trip, someone popped out the trunk lock, stole the spare and the tools, and then replaced the lock in such a way that I didn’t even notice we were robbed”
I take a deep breath..... this piece of junk car is more trouble than I can say. We missed out on driving into Sian Kaan because we thought we’d get stranded, and now this. OK..lets just move on.
We head towards Cancun. As we get closer to the PEMEX station that scammed us, my husband says he wants to stop there and give them a piece of his mind.
I’m like.. “what, are you crazy??? Do you think they even remember you? Let’s just go”
I had visions of the Federales carting off my husband and me trying to explain to my mother-in-law why he’s still in Mexico.
He agrees to let it go, but as we approach the station, he slams his hand on the horn to make a statement (it’s a guy thing)... but guess what? No horn! This piece of junk car just keeps getting worse. We move onward towards Cancun.
We stop once for gas because we had to return the car with a half tank, and the car dies at the pump. Luckily we get it started. Whew.! Finally we reach Payless, and as we turn into the lot.........and this is the honest truth.... the car dies once and for all. We coast to a spot. Needless to say, the agents were not too thrilled about the missing tools & spare, or the fact that the trunk lock & horn were broken. We ended up having to pay an extra $175 USD for this, even though we took out extra insurance. Deep breath.. we have a plane to catch.
Now we are on the Jet Blue line with our baggage. It’s a long wait. Finally.. our turn.. I step up to the desk.
“Hi. Uh... could you make sure my husband and I are seated together? They made a mistake on our flight from New York”
She asks us our names... looks confused, and starts punching things into the computer. When she called over another agent, I knew we were in trouble. She says -
“I’m sorry..... but you were no-shows. Your flight was for 12:55 AM, not PM”
What???? I would never book a flight for 1 in the morning! How did I do that?
She says we can probably get on the flight as stand-bys and to come back in an hour after everyone is checked in.
We wait like vultures.
After about 30 minutes, we notice that the Jet Blue line has turned into some airline’s line, and we rush over to see what’s going on.
“OH.. if you want to talk to someone from Jet Blue.. you need to go down there”
OK.. so I go down to speak to the agent, explain what happened, and ask if she can get us on the flight. She looks at me increduously, and says ”Senora...but my work here is almost done.. I cannot do anything! Come back at 10 PM tonight. Here’s a number for you to call.” She hands me a crumpled piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it. I go back to my husband who’s watching the bags, and tell him the news. We try to call the number many times, but all we hear is a woman speaking in spanish, and then we get cut off. It is now 12:30. I am NOT sitting in this airport for 10 hours! Finally, we see a different person at the desk, and my husband walks up to try to straighten things out. Turns out the agent had left out one digit on the phone number...so we try again. I get through to Jet Blue. So here’s the thing.. we can get on the 12:55 AM flight for $400 more, or we can get on the 12:55 PM flight the following day for $170 extra. I say, let’s just get a hotel in Cancun, and stay the night. ...we’ll go home tomorrow.
Now.. for all of you who are saying... “oh boo-hoo.. they had to stay an extra day...poor them”.. wait a minute... don’t forget.. it was really cold and windy out... people were wearing coats...nobody was in the ocean or even in the pools.. not a good day to get stranded. It ended up costing us a whole lot more than we bargained for, but we made the best of it, had a nice dinner, some drinks, and went back to NY the next day.... and I have to add..the next morning was a BEAUTIFUL sunny warm day in Cancun.

Here’s my question for all of you....

I booked my flight through Expedia. Look at the e-mail confirmation I got from them-

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/2372387392_ec44b2b53d_o.jpg



OK..it DOES say the arrival time is AM.. I should have noticed that... but the departure time CLEARLY says PM. I don’t know if I have a case because honestly, they probably sent me e-mails after this one, but this is what I printed out for my itinerary.

What do you think? Should I chalk it up to an “adventure” or try to get some $$$ back?

This ends my trip report. thanks for listening.

[Jana]

What do you think? Should I chalk it up to an “adventure” or try to get some $$$ back?

What a hassle and after that horrible car experience! I would definately try to get some money back. Expedia clearly made the mistake here - even if the arrival time says AM. You've got nothing to lose by trying.

[TnTWalter]

Man I need a glass of wine after reading that...you poor thing.

Can't hurt to try but what do your tickets say?

So glad you had a good time anyway! :eat-drink:

[beachreader]

Major suckage there, I'm so sorry. Definitely see what you can get out of Expedia. Fight them as hard as you can, I'm sure you'll get something out of it, if only credit toward some future trip. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, ya know?

[Gale in KY]

Luvs..there is nothing worse than a glitch in the flight agenda. I myself would probably stoke out over something like that..lol. I would definitely voice a complaint and see what happens..there is obviously a mistake on thier part that led to a mistake on your part. You might end up with a voucher for credit towards another trip.

That's what I did when I got home..I did not miss my return flight to CVG because of weather (that is an understandable reason for delay/cancellation) I missed my flight because Continental's Customer Service boy that was stationed at his post just thru Customs told me my flight had already gone..when in fact it was still at the gate. I ended up worming my way onto a flight to Dayton and dragging my son out of bed to drive the hour north to pick me up in the blinding rain. I complained and got a travel voucher for $100..not alot, but it will helps to pay for my airfare in May.

Give it a shot, you have nothing to loose..dont' give up easily either, they will blow your first contact off with some mumbo jumbo canned response. Fire something back at them and you may come out a winner.

Las Ranitas looks amazing! I never gave the place much thought, but I love that tile work so much, and it's beautiful in your pics!

Thanks for a wonderful trip report! It was so nice meeting you guys!

[AdGuy]

Typically, I lean more on the side of a business than a consumer. Owning my business for over a decade and helping major companies with their customer loyalty and client generation efforts, I see just how http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_4_113.gif (http://www.tulum.info/redirector.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smileycentral. com%2F%3Fpartner%3DZSzeb001_ZNxmk762YYUS) some folks can be.


That said, you've definitely got a case against Expedia and I would not take no for an answer. Start with their customer service BUT put everything in writing. They'll take you much more seriously than if you deal with "Shirley" in India on the phone. Clearly (and calmly) state the problem, the costs this problem caused you (both tangible and intangible) and quantify what you are looking for in compensation. Make no threats and don't get snarky (no horn blowing either, hubby)...allow them the chance to make this right...you may be pleasantly surprised!

[luvthesun]

Thanks guys...I think I will make my first call at work, since I am more in a "business head" there.

Gale in KY... a $100 voucher wouldn't even touch what I lost in the deal, but it sure would help! Especially if I got one for my husband too!

AdGuy... I own my own business as well... a design studio.. so I know what you mean. I just know that when you deal with huge corporations like Expedia that have a zillion people working for them, it's hard to get through to the right person. Any advice on who I should ask to speak to?

[AdGuy]

AdGuy... I own my own business as well... a design studio.. so I know what you mean. I just know that when you deal with huge corporations like Expedia that have a zillion people working for them, it's hard to get through to the right person. Any advice on who I should ask to speak to?

I'd probably start with whoever answered their customer service line and explain the situation and what I'd like them to do. If you don't get satisfaction, ask to speak to a Supervisor. If the Supervisor can't help, ask them who is in charge of the Customer Service center and either ask to speak to that person or at least get their contact info. It's amazing when you ask to speak to someone's boss how a person will bend over backwards. By the way, I saw the following (and red highlighted some interesting copy you may be able to use against them) on Expedia's website:

http://media.expedia.com/media/content/expus/graphics/other/070814_expediapromise_gowconfidence.jpg
You can count on us to provide support throughout your trip. Whether you have questions about your itinerary, have a change in travel plans, or need help resolving a problem with the trip you booked, we're here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our job is to satisfy you!

We guarantee that the travel you booked with Expedia will meet the descriptions on our site and in your itinerary (as confirmed on our site within 24 hours of travel), or we will work with our partners on your behalf to find a solution.
We’ll take responsibility—at no additional cost to you—if we make a mistake booking your travel.
If you need to change your travel plans at any time, just call us at 1-800-EXPEDIA (1-404-728-8787 outside the continental U.S.), and we'll work with our partners to find the best available solution.Good luck!

[luvthesun]

OK cool... thanks a lot! Now I'm ready for war!!!! (in a nice way of course!) ;)

[think]

Great trip report! Loved all the Cenote info, thanks. :eat-drink: Good luck with the Expedia war.