Mexico – Maldo Travels

Tulum – Scenic Beaches and Cenotes

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 10 May 2018 20:30:03 +0000

A 1-hour bus journey from Playa del Carmen takes you to the tranquil city of Tulum. Although the city is fairly small, all its tourist sites are well spread out and definitely not walking distances between each other. There is public transport available consists of combis/colectivos¹. Another option is a car rental which would be of maximum convenience and comfort. Alternatively, there are bike rentals which at 100 MXN² for a day turns out pretty cheap. The main beach at Playa Paraiso is a 15-20 minute bike ride from the downtown area depending on where you stay. Once at the beach, the views are cinematic with several beach chair rentals and bars/restaurants serving food and ice cold drinks.

Mayan Seaport Ruins

Tulum’s Mayan ruins are a 5-minute bike ride from the beach. There is ample parking space and you can lock up the bikes on the trees. Entrance costs 70 MXN without a guide and does not include the optional train ride to the ruins’ entrance which is a 15-minute walk away. These ancient Mayan ruins are one of the best conserved in the country and it also offers a stunning beach. The complex is quite small and can be completed in about 2 hours but there are several practically intact structures and walls. The Mayan city of Tulum is believed to have been used as a fortress and a port to trade with its neighboring civilizations. It is also rich in wildlife and you will be able to see iguanas up close and personal. The ruins are a very popular destination so plan to get there early to avoid the crowds especially at the beach. The weather is also very hot so take plenty of water and sunblock.

Gran Cenote

Cenote options are abundant in Tulum but one of the best has to be Gran Cenote and is located at just a 15-minute bike ride from downtown on Av. Coba. Entrance is 180 MXN for the ample site which offers great shower and changing room facilities. There are also several hammocks and seating areas to lounge around to relax or do some reading. They also rent out lockers (30 MXN) and snorkel gear (80 MXN) to take a dip in the cenote, however, both of these are optional. The water temperature is refreshing to cool off from the heat in Tulum. Once in the water, you can see fishes swimming around and if you look carefully, you may spot a turtle.

Cenote Cristal and Cenote Escondido

These two cenotes are adjacent to each other and are a 15-minute bike ride from downtown on Chetumal Street. The combined entrance for both cenotes has to be purchased at the entrance for Cenote Cristal and costs 120 MXN. There are no showers or changing rooms at either of the cenotes but there are a couple of benches and tables. Cenote Cristal has a platform where you can jump from into the water which is great fun. The only downside to this cenote is that there are a lot of mosquitos so make sure to take repellent with you. Cenote Escondido, in my opinion, was the better of the two. There are fewer mosquitos here and its shape is long but narrow like a swimming pool which makes for a great swim.

Playa del Carmen – Lively Beach Town

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 08 May 2018 20:34:45 +0000

A quick one and a half hour bus ride away from Cancun, we can find Playa del Carmen which offers spectacular beaches, fun activities, and a great nightlife. The pedestrian-only Fifth Avenue is a nice walk during the day with many shopping options and a variety of restaurants. There is also Plaza Paseo Playa del Carmen which is an outdoor shopping center with many high-end stores and a food court. The port to take the ferry to Cozumel island is around the corner from this shopping center. Other exciting activities which Playa has to offer are snorkeling, skydiving, and theme parks. At night, there are a number of bars and clubs along Fifth Avenue. My personal favorites are the rooftop or beachside bars where you can enjoy a nice cold drink whilst getting the breeze and fresh air from the ocean.

Cancun – Sun, Sea, and Resorts

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 06 May 2018 17:16:24 +0000

With a short two hour flight from Mexico City, you can reach the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean in Cancun. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be swarmed by tour operators offering to take you to your hotel. It is also possible to schedule transportation beforehand online and you simply look for the operator outside. There is no Uber³ in Cancun and Taxis are quite expensive compared to shared transportation. Since Cancun is a popular tourist destination, anyone working in tourism speaks at least English. The airport is about a 20-30 minute ride to the hotel zone and downtown.

Boat Tour And Snorkeling

I’m not much of a beach person so naturally, my first instinct was to look for activities. There are a range of options and the one that interested me the most was the boat tour to Isla Mujeres with a snorkeling session to see the ‘underwater museum’. The tour operator picks you up from your hotel or in my case, from a nearby hotel and drops you off at the pier. The 220 MXN⁴ Marina fee was not included in the tour price and is paid for at the pier. They hand out the snorkeling gear here as well and give you a colored wristband for when they call out groups by color. The boats are very big with capacity for about 50 people. There are benches with storage space underneath them for personal belongings and a net at the front of the boat to sit on. The boat ride is very relaxing as you feel a cool breeze whilst sipping on unlimited rum punch and taking in the amazing views of the crystalline water. It takes about 30 minutes to arrive at the snorkeling zone. There are several other boats in the area so it’s important to remember the name of the boat and stick with the guide. If you’ve never been snorkeling, then this 30-minute experience will make for a nice first time and you’ll see a couple of ruins and a car but not much sea life. There are other snorkeling destinations that are much better.

Once back on the boat, it’s a 45-minute ride to a restaurant at the southern point of Isla Mujeres. The restaurant has a private beach to relax and take in the view. After lunch, the boat takes you to Playa Norte which is the main beach at Isla Mujeres. There’s a tequila tasting session and then you have an hour to roam around. The island is long but narrow and you can cross to the west side in a 5-minute walk. The Isla Mujeres Sign is on this side and there aren’t many people here since they stay on the main beach. It’s also possible to rent quad bikes if you want to see the whole island. The beaches are beautiful but the island is quite expensive.

Chichen Itza – Mayan World Wonder

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 05 May 2018 10:56:00 +0000

Chichen Itza is one of the current Wonders of the World for their meticulously calculated structures. It remains a mystery as to how the Mayans were able to architect and plan such full-featured buildings. The main pyramid Kukulcan not only focuses on the Mayan calendar but also on their spiritual beliefs. The number of steps and sections represent the calendar days and months of a Mayan calendar. The pyramid’s position is also no coincidence. During the two yearly equinoxes, triangular shadows form along the steps giving the appearance of a Mayan god – the feathered serpent – making its way down the pyramid to fertilize the land for a good harvest. The pyramid is also built in such a way that that when you clap near its base, you get a quetzal echo response from the pyramid – a sacred bird to the Mayans. This is not all, the temple at the top of the pyramid also serves to amplify sound for when the leaders addressed their citizens. This awe-inspiring complex is only two and a half hours away from Cancun by bus. I’d recommend going with a tour as it is definitely worth hearing the explanations from a guide.

Another structure with impressive features is the ceremonial ball court. The Mayans used to play a game once a year where the winning team’s captain would be sacrificed for a good harvest. At one end of this ball court, there is a platform with what appears to be six sections separated by pillars where it is hypothesized the guests sat. At the other end is a throne where the emperor would have taken his place. It is important to pay attention to the ball court side walls. The bricks are large near the guests and then get smaller towards the emperor’s throne. This is for sound to travel in that direction so the emperor could listen to his guests’ conversations. However, sound did not travel in the other direction so the guests were oblivious they were being spied on. This is why it is speculated that the guests would have likely been enemies invited to these spiritual ceremonies in ‘good faith’.

Other highlights in Chichen Itza include the Temple of Warriors. This is where soldiers would visit to make an offering before heading out to battle. The Wall of Skulls is a platform where it is believed that enemies were sacrificed and their heads left on display to inspire fear to visitors. There is also a structure which is akin in appearance to modern observatories. It is assumed that these were used by the Mayans to study the stars. There are also two cenotes, one north and one south of Chichen Itza. The north cenote is about a 15-minute walk away and there are many merchants selling souvenirs on the path which leads there.

Mexico City – Ruins of Teotihuacan

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 03 May 2018 22:15:00 +0000

There are several day trips available from Mexico City, but if you like exploring ancient ruins, then Teotihuacan is the one for you. Many people assume that all Mexican ruins are either Aztec or Mayan and whilst the majority and most popular ones are, Teotihuacan is actually from a much earlier civilization. When the Aztecs discovered the abandoned empire, they were astounded by the magnitude of the structures and named it Teotihuacan meaning ‘built by the gods’. They probably couldn’t believe anyone could build structures bigger than the Aztecs hence the name.

It is not known how this empire fell but in their prime, the people of Teotihuacan were expert architects, mathematicians, artists, and stonemasons who traded with civilizations reaching regions as far as what is now Guatemala. There are two key structures, the Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon both of which are along the ‘street of the dead’. All the standing structures are believed to have been used specifically for spiritual rituals and public ceremonies with residencies built around them. A truly magnificent archaeological site that has stood the test of time. The complex is currently being excavated with the recent discovery of tunnels beneath the pyramids which were revealed by a flood.

Mexico City – Sightseeing By Bus

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 02 May 2018 21:55:00 +0000

Mexico City is massive. The official population stands at 9 million, however, it has grown so much that its city limits have joined with towns in its outskirts which to the locals, are considered to be Mexico City. A guide mentioned that the estimated population stood at 20 million and it continues to grow. The city has metro lines and buses to get around, however, I’d recommend taking a tourist bus. Tickets were between 180 and 200 MXN¹ and can be purchased online but it is a little cheaper at the stalls the operators have in the Zocalo plaza. The operators have bus stops in all the popular tourist destinations which is why this service is ideal in contrast to taking the bus or metro. You will likely not be able to cover all the tourist stops in one day given the size of the city and traffic. Also, avoid taking the tourist bus during peak hours since we were stuck in a 1-hour bumper to bumper traffic which is normal during those times periods.

Bosque Chapultepec

If you’re short on time like I was, then getting off at Bosque Chapultepec is one not to miss. This is a huge park home to memorials, museums, lakes, a zoo, and a botanical garden. If I had to choose one site in this area to see, then it would be the National Museum of Anthropology adjacent to Bosque Chapultepec. A modern indoor and outdoor museum with excellent artifacts and exhibits. The museum is masterfully laid out for you to explore different civilizations following a chronological timeline as you progress throughout the museum.

Bosque Chapultepec is divided into three sections and most of the attractions can be found in the first section known as Bosque Chapultepec I. A key highlight is Castillo Chapultepec at the top of the hill. A former fort where the last of the Mexican resistance fought US forces before surrendering. This fort has now been converted into a national museum and has great panoramic views of the city. There is also a monument at the park entrance dedicated to those who gave their lives to protect the country.

Mexico City – History And Culture

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 01 May 2018 18:09:00 +0000

Ciudad de Mexico was the beginning of what became almost a six-month journey of adventure through Central and South America. A five-hour flight from New York City and similar or less for the rest of the US, it’s a convenient short vacation getaway to a land that is rich in history and culture. The Benito Juarez International Airport is in the city itself with a number of transportation options to all parts of the city. The cheapest is public transport, followed by bus/shuttle, and the more expensive taxis. Uber¹ is also available, however, the driver will ask you to sit in front as it appears it hasn’t been completely legalized yet. There are several cash ATMs in the airport and they charge between 18 and 30 MXN² to make a withdrawal. The airport also has a 15 minute free WiFi session which I took advantage of to order my Uber to my hostel in the Historic City Center in Zocalo.

A 30 minute Uber ride later and I was at my hostel two blocks from Zocalo plaza. Other than the plaza and Metropolitan Cathedral, there are several sites and attractions that are walking distances from the Zocalo area. Around the corner from the cathedral lie the Aztec ruins of Templo Mayor. The ruins are visible from a balcony like structure but there is also a museum and guided tours of the excavation work done on the site.

From the Zocalo plaza, there is a nice walk down Av. Francisco I. Madero which is a pedestrian-only zone. There are several high street shops, restaurants, and bars on this road which leads to the Alameda Park. In here we can find the El Palacio de Bellas Artes and La Torre Latinoamericana. From here, it is also a short 10-minute walk to Plaza Garibaldi also known to the locals as the “Plaza de los Mariachis”. However, you should probably take an Uber to this place as the walk was through an area which is very run down, deserted, and didn’t feel safe.