Ruth Bayan
Northwest Asia Weekly
When you hear “Cancun”, what do you think of first? For me, it was the beach, warm and sunny weather.
Cancun is located in the northeastern part of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo (QR) on the Yucatan Peninsula and is famous for its nightlife. I celebrated my birthday there in 2020, just before travel stalled due to the coronavirus.
Tulum
Bicycles are a popular means of transportation in Tulum. (Photo courtesy of Ruth Bayang)
After more than a year, I am eager to explore other parts of QR to provide different experiences. So in late March, I took a direct flight from Seattle by Alaska Airlines to Cancun International Airport. I arrived just after 7pm local time and the airport was empty except for the other passengers on the same flight. I only have one carry-on baggage, and I was one of the first people to leave the building after passing through the immigration office.
A private shuttle driver took me to the Naala Hotel in Tulum, nearly two hours’ drive south of the airport.
I chose this hotel because it is located along Avenida Coba-the road to the beach (only one!)-between pueblo (city center) and playa (beach). I decided not to rent a car because it feels uncomfortable to drive alone in an unfamiliar place, so my mode of transportation is walking, biking or colectivo-from Cancun, Playa Del Carmen to Highway 307 White pickup truck, and Tulum.
Cycling is a very popular way to visit the town. It was a bit disturbing at first, sharing the road with pedestrians, ringing the bell to warn others that I was coming from behind, and braking and parking if necessary. A large part of the sidewalk is uneven. It would be better to rent a scooter, but I don’t know how to ride it.
I rented a bike from Ola Bike Tulum, which was only a few steps away from the hotel where I was staying.
The 24-hour fee is 150 pesos (1 USD ≈ 20 pesos), with ID (I gave them a driver’s license in Washington), and a refundable deposit of 500 pesos. They are very busy, you need to book in advance, sometimes a day or two in advance.
I was not able to get a bicycle until two days after I first arrived in the city.
It took me about 30 minutes to ride from my hotel to the entrance of Tulum Archaeological Zone. My advice is to do it first thing in the morning (I am the first to reach the door!) so that you can avoid most of the crowds and the hot sun. Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and change for the entrance fee (80 pesos), because they won’t give you change.
You can choose to walk around on your own or with a tour group. There is also a tour guide standing at the door to provide services. A man wanted 2,000 pesos for a 90-minute guided tour, but I refused. I believe I can negotiate a better price, but I don’t want to spend energy on it.
Tulum is very different from other Mayan ruins because it is located on a magnificent cliff overlooking the sea. I feel like walking around without a guide, reading information plaques written in English and Spanish, and describing the history and usage of each building in detail in front of each structure. I think it is enough. Tulum ruins include sacrificial temples, castles, watchtowers and trading posts.
I am a sun lover, so, of course, I have to go to one or two beach clubs to get some sun, close to the Caribbean Sea. Taquería La Eufemia along the hotel area is a gem I learned through a few tours-there are no club fees, no minimum spending, and they serve cheap (and delicious!) tacos and drinks. According to their Facebook page, their cabin is still open, but it seems that their beach bar is now closed and they will relocate.
Overall, I spend an average of $10 on dinner-including tips and non-alcoholic beverages. I chose a local family restaurant instead of a chain store, and I am more and more fond of tacos made with fresh local ingredients. I rarely eat Mexican food when I am at home.
Most of the hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, and ADO bus stations in town are within two square miles of town—everything I need is within walking or biking distance. The Chedraui supermarket is just a few steps away from my hotel-where I bought water, food, fruit and snacks for my breakfast and lunch, and stored perishable items in the refrigerator in my hotel room. Chedraui also has an ATM where I can withdraw pesos-I strongly recommend bringing a small denomination of pesos (instead of U.S. dollars) for tips, or you can buy goods from small local businesses.
If you absolutely must pay or tip in U.S. dollars, use original banknotes instead of coins. In the United States, we can withdraw on all our bills and still use them as legal tender. This is not the case in Mexico. I found that the Mexican people are friendly, kind, and polite, and they will accept your payment without complaint. But in short, they can be troublesome and costly to exchange your dollars for pesos.
Wifi is an important consideration when I book because I want to work. The wifi signal in the rooftop restaurant and pool area of my hotel is good-I mainly work on the balcony by the pool or outside the room, overlooking the lush courtyard with trees and water views, and use WhatsApp or Google Voice to make calls via wifi.
Tulum is becoming more and more popular among digital nomads, so if your hotel does not have Wi-Fi, there are plenty of co-working spaces and Internet cafes. Although it is sufficient for casual browsing, I found that the wifi on the beach is uneven and unreliable for things like Zoom calls.
Using “Airbnb Experiences”, I booked a snorkeling tour of Akumal Bay (use sunscreen that is safe for coral reefs!), and Chemuyil’s cenotes (naturally occurring underwater caves) tour-both are in the NATO of Tulum Half an hour’s drive away. Every time, I take a colectivo (outside 7-11, at the corner of Avenida Coba and Highway 307), the one-way fare is 40 pesos. One way, a taxi will cost at least 500 pesos.
I met a family of five from North Carolina during my cenotes trip. They told me that they had to arrange two taxis for five people to reach Chemuyil. They took a colectivo back to Tulum with me because there were no taxis around to return. They are happy to spend a small part of the amount they spend to get there.
Playa del Carmen
After a few weeks in Tulum, I went to QR for the second time-this time to Playa Del Carmen (PDC).
I noticed some differences this time.
At SeaTac Airport before departure-Alaska Airlines requires all passengers to fill out a health declaration form and scan the QR code while waiting at the boarding gate. The flight is fuller this time.
Upon arrival, I noticed that Cancun Airport was a bit crowded.
The PDC is located an hour south of Cancun, and again I chose a private shuttle to take me to my hotel, which is a stone’s throw away from the main road, Quinta Avenida, and only 50 feet from the beach.
The problem of sargassum (seaweed) is much more serious. The staff did their best to clean it up, but sometimes, it would be piled up in the sun and it smelled bad.
Enjoy a meal in the cave of the Alux restaurant. (Photo courtesy of Ruth Bayang)
One of the highlights of my PDC trip included dinner at the Alux restaurant-this is in a cave with a cenote! Reservation is required, I don’t know, and the bar is not open due to COVID. But my boyfriend and I sat down almost immediately after walking in and agreed to spend at least 5,000 pesos-in my opinion, this is a special date night, well worth it.
It’s warm and humid—after all, you are in a cave—thank goodness, a large number of fans are strategically placed between the stalactites and stalagmites to circulate and cool the air.
If you want a more private and private environment, the restaurant even has a Mayan ceremonial hall for weddings or vows updates, wine cellars and private vaults.
Other delicacies include La Cochi Loka (open 24 hours), I used 130 pesos three delicious tacos to satisfy my hunger at 5 am; El Fogon, where my boyfriend ate what he called “the best in the world Tacos”, the ceviche of El Doctorcito; and Aldea Corazon in the jungle-like environment of Quinta Avenida, where we ate grilled tikin xic fish with pickled onions, avocado salad and grilled plantains.
We also enjoyed a one-hour seaside massage near the hotel for 500 pesos per person. In Tulum, I found a massage at a similar price, right on the beach of La Eufemia.
More Tianya Sites
El Castillo is both a temple and a fortress, overlooking the sea on the Mayan ruins in Tulum. (Photo courtesy of Ruth Bayang)
I did not have time to visit the Coba ruins during my trip in Tulum, so it is a must do this time. I rented a car for a day and drove for an hour and a half to Coba.
The entrance fee is 75 pesos (unlike Tulum, they do get change), and this time, after walking through the revolving door, I hired a guide. I don’t remember how much it costs, but it is half of what the tour guide outside the gate wants to charge.
Unlike the ruins of Tulum and Chichen Itza, the Koba ruins are more scattered.
Instead of walking, we opted for a “bicycle limousine”-a trolley with two seats in the front and a driver in the back seated on the pedal-150 pesos. Regular bicycle rental is 50 pesos.
I would love to climb the Pyramid of Ixmoja or Nohoch Mul, but my guide said that it is forbidden to enter because of COVID restrictions. So the return journey is in my future! The pyramid has seven floors, each of which is built every 52 years, so the Maya built Ixmoja for 364 years.
Other important information
You need to get a negative COVID test result 72 hours or less before your flight back to the United States. Accept antigen (rapid) test, and the cost is lower than PCR test. I paid $40 in Tulum and $50 in PDC. There are many inspection points in the tourist area and no appointment is required. There is a checkpoint at Cancun Airport, but the Mexican government urges you to use it only as a last resort in case you cannot get the results in time.
You need to fill out a health declaration form (Alaska Airlines provides links to all passengers) before departure, and present the form along with your boarding pass when you pass the security check line. I noticed that many people skipped this step or did not realize that they had to step aside to complete this step.
I strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance, as well as any travel insurance you get from your flight and hotel reservations. It is quite cheap, and make sure to include COVID medical insurance and medical evacuation in case you test positive and need to be isolated. If you must be quarantined (beyond the original booking), many resorts will also provide free accommodation and conduct a free COVID test before you return to your flight.
As of August 5, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classified Mexico’s travel advisory rating as level 3—”high” risk. Level 4 is a “very high” risk. The CDC recommends that travelers be fully vaccinated before travelling to Mexico.
Ruth can be at editor@nwasianweekly.com.
