Tag: Mexico

Things to do While Traveling in Mexico
Things to do while Traveling in Mexico

Mexico is one of the most amazing countries to visit. It offers a variety of landscapes and activities that are often difficult to find in just one place.

There is something to do for everybody. Whether you are looking for some hiking adventures, history and culture, breathtaking landscapes, thrilling surf or world class scuba diving, Mexico will be your perfect playground.

If you have a couple of months available or more, you might want to consider traveling the whole country to experience all that Mexico has to offer. If your time is limited, choose an area or itinerary that best suits your needs.
1. Scuba dive in the Sea of Cortez: There are more than 3,000 marine species including Hammerhead Sharks, Sea Lions and Sting Rays just to name a few.
1. The Copper Canyon Railway: The track starts at Los Mochis and crosses some of the most rugged lads in Mexico. The views will be breathtaking.
1. Play Casino Games at Night. There are plenty of casinos you can visit and gamble in Mexico. This is one of the best ways to spend your nights. You can learn how to play in the casinos by practicing in online casino sites as you travel with a bus in Mexico. By the way bus is a great way to travel through Mexico.
1. Indulge yourself in culture in Mexico City: There are plenty museums and parks to visit.
1. Surf the waves in Puerto Escondido: This town on the Pacific Coast is home to amazing waves. Every year it hosts a famous international surf competition.
1. Hike the Selva Lacandona in Chiapas: You can organize a few days hiking in the tropical rainforest. There are several operators in San Cristobal that can arrange guided tours.
1. Eat local food and drink Tequila and Mezcal: Mexico has some of the best food in the world and of course it is the home of Tequila and Mezcal. Indulge yourself!
1. Discover the Cenotes of Quintana Roo and Yucatan: This is the only place in the world where you will find these underground caves/sinkholes filled with fresh water. If you are a certified scuba diver, do not miss the chance of a unique scuba experience.
1. Dive the reefs of Cozumel Island: This is another of the top scuba diving places in the world. Deep dives, drift dives and amazing visibility will take you into a different world.
1. Snorkel with the Whale Sharks: If you are visiting from June to mid-September do not miss your chance to swim with these gentle giants. They can be found off the coast of Isla Holbox and Isla Contoy.
Bus is a great way to travel through Mexico. ADO offers a great service connecting the Country. Some overnight journeys can be very long. Playing online casino games is a great past time when not sleeping.
05/01/2017
Palenque Archaeological Site – A Must Visit

Another must see when exploring Chiapas is definitely the world famous Palenque archaeological site.

I had been to the site before on my previous trip to Mexico in 2002. Finally, I was able to visit again with Dom.

Set in the middle of the tropical jungle, Palenque archaeological site is one of the main examples of a Mayan city of the classical period.

This ancient city saw the heights of its civilizations between AD 500 and 700. It was discovered in the 18th Century.

I would strongly suggest taking a tour with one of the onsite certified guides unless you have done much reading yourself. as a result, you will be able to understand the site better.

The Site

It takes approximately 2 hours for a thorough visit. As a suggestion, I would say to visit the site later in the day. It is less busy and you might get a great price for a guided tour.

The site closes at 5 pm, allow enough time. We arrived around 3 pm and the guide offered to take four of us at half the normal price.

As we did not have much time, Dom and I did a same day return trip to Palenque from San Cristobal which included a stop to the Cascadas de Agua Azul. We enjoyed it but it was a very long and tiring day.

If you have time available, do not rush your trip and spend a couple of days in one of the hostels or guest houses close by Palenque. It is also a great chance to immerse yourself in the jungle and if you are very lucky you could spot (or at least hear) the local Jaguars.

Best Time to Visit Palenque Archaeological Site

You can visit Palenque all year round. In the summer it will be hotter with high levels of humidity. Winter months December to March will be cooler. Palenque is in the middle of the jungle, so mosquitos hang around all year. Bring eco mosquito repellent or long sleeve and long pants light clothing.

21/12/2016
5 Things to do in San Cristobal De Las Casas

You can do many things in San Cristobal. This beautiful colonial city is nestled among the mountains of Chiapas – Mexico. I visited San Cristobal De Las Casas for the first time in 2002.

I loved the place. This mountain town looks almost magical thanks to its colourful buildings and cobblestones streets.

Finally, last year I went back with Dom. The city had not changed much. Probably there were more tourists, nonetheless, its unique character remains the same.

Most of all, we had fun walking up and down the quaint streets and enjoyed people watching while seating sipping a coffee or wine. In addition, we also went horse riding and then we drank more coffee.

San Cristobal is the perfect spot to base yourself while exploring Chiapas. Furthermore, I especially recommend it if you are planning a few days trekking through the Selva Lacandona.

5 Things to do in San Cristobal and Around

Have a coffee in one (or more) of the many coffee shops

Chiapas is famous for its excellent coffee and San Cristobal is full of small quaint coffee shops. As a result, you can spend hours sipping delicious coffee while taking in the aromatic smell.

Our favourite coffee shop was probably Libre Cafe, just around the corner from our hostel. It became our favourite place to drink coffee. Furthermore, they had excellent coffee and also amazing brownies. There were a very chilled atmosphere and hippy vibes with great tunes in the background. As a result, we really enjoyed spending time there.

Walk around

Since San Cristobal has many pedestrian friendly streets, you can easily stroll along and discover the many local shops, bars and restaurant. Seems like the colourful buildings and equally colourful people are the city’s trademarks.

Finally, you can end your day with a glass of wine or any other drink of your choice at one of the bars. Many bars offer a special of one beer and one mezcal.

Visit the museums

If you are a fan of museums, San Cristobal offers a few dedicated to the local arts and culture. Centro de Textiles de Mundo Maya is definitely worth a visit and it is especially relevant if you wish to find out about the textile production of Chiapas.

Visit San Cristobal’s Cathedral

You can take a tour of the Cathedral in the main square. Many churches surround this beautiful colonial city. If you fancy a hike, you can take a stroll to the top of one (or more) of the hills surrounding San Cristobal.

Horseback riding

You can organize a half day trip to San Juan Chamula, a small Mayan Village, by horseback riding. It is definitely worth visiting this little village and the tour is very good value for money.

Where to stay

There are plenty hostels, guest houses and hotels in San Cristobal.

We stayed at 13 Cielos Hostel. The location of the hostel is convenient right in the middle of town. It is like a little home away from home, the owner Fernando is very friendly and super accommodating.

There is also a fully equipped kitchen if you want to save money on meals.

14/12/2016
Who is Afraid of Heights?

Only one hour away from Tulum is the archaeological site of Coba.

There are many Maya lost cities in Mexico and each one is different.

Coba is no exception. It is a relatively large site, settled among a lush jungle. What makes Coba a little bit more special, is that it is the only archaeological site in Mexico where you can still climb up to the main pyramid.

Only for this, Coba is worth visiting. The climb up can be a little intimidating especially for the ones with a low tolerance of heights (like me).

Well, I did it! Very proud of myself for that. Twice. Both times I visited Coba (at a distance of 6 years apart one visit from the next), I managed to climb all the way to the top.

The trick is, do not look behind you or down otherwise it is over. Once you are at the top, the view is priceless. It will make your effort totally worth it, plus you will have a great feeling of accomplishment. You will be on top of the world… well, at least on top of the jungle.

Savour the view. Breath in the clean air. Free your mind from your thoughts and get ready for the climb down.

On the way down it is a totally different story. I did the whole descent with my bum! Yes and I am not ashamed of saying so.

You can visit the whole site in about a couple hours. The site can be explored by walking around or alternative can rent bicycles or hire a private tricycle taxi. The choice is yours.

Dom and I decided to walk around. You can encounter many little (and not so little) creatures along the way.

Special Tips

– Bring water
– Bring mosquito repellent
– Bring a hat
– Bring extra cash

If you are an independent traveler and do not wish to book one of the many touristy tours, you can easily go by yourself (like Dom and I did).

How to get there

From Tulum: catch the ADO bus from the bus terminal in town. There is only one bus to get there in the morning at approximately 10 am and there is one bus to come back at approximately 3 pm.

Journey time is approximately 1 hour each way.

From Playa Del Carmen: catch the ADO bus from the bus terminal in town. There is only one bus to get there in the morning at approximately 9 am (it is the same bus that will stop in Tulum) and there is one bus to come back at approximately 3 pm.

Journey time is approximately 2 hours each way.

You can check ADO bus timetable here on the ADO website

The bus will leave you at the ADO stop in the village. From the village is approximately a 10 minutes walk to get to the archaeological site. The walk is pleasant, you will walk by a lagoon where sometimes you can spot crocodiles.

To take the bus back, you need to go back to the bus stop in the village.

Entrance fee to the archaeological site approximately 65 pesos per person (not including guide). Guides are available for an extra fee.

If you drive, there is a paying car park – cost approximately 65 pesos.

16/08/2016
Looking For The Elusive Flamingos in Holbox

Holbox (pronounced Holbosh) is a very small Island located on the northern part of the Yucatan Peninsula, only a couple hours from Cancun. It is very close to the mainland. It can be reached by ferry from Chiquila.

Holbox is kind of magic. The streets are made of sand and no cars are allowed on the island. I wonder if this will eventually change. There is a main road that starts from the ferry dock and leads through to the village and there are several back roads. It is easy to rent bicycles or a golf cart to get around.

Most of the locals make a living from fishing.

The main activities for tourists are snorkeling, sunbathing, walking and flamingos sightseeing. The elusive flamingos…unfortunately we did not see them. We might not have gone into the right spot.

From June to September the main tourist activity is snorkeling with the Whale Sharks. These gentle giants come to this area every year to feed on plankton. If you are in Holbox at this time, you cannot miss swimming with the Whale sharks.

We went at the end of January, a little bit too early for that.

Holbox is very artistic, every other building spots interesting drawings and paintings on their walls.

It is a great spot to escape the craziness of Cancun or Playa Del Carmen and to relax surrounded by beautiful natural settings.

How to get there

From Tulum there is a daily bus to Chiquila at 8am (journey time approximately 3.5 hours)

From Cancun there are few buses daily (journey time approximately 2 hours)

From Chiquila there are several ferries to the island (the crossing is approximately 20 minutes).

14/08/2016
A Home in Tulum – At Least For Now
It has been almost a year since we made our home in Tulum. Where is time gone?

In the last few days i have being reflecting on the last year… It seems to have passed by in the blink of an eye.

Thanks to Facebook reminding me every other day of my past memories, I find myself exclaiming: “Oh mine!!! Was that a year ago??!!?” (or even two or three!).

Damn Madonna that used to sing “…Time goes by so slowly…”.

I am sorry Madonna, you used to be my idol when I was a teenager, but in that particular song you were wrong!

A Home in Tulum

Last year in May we made the decision to come back to Mexico and to make our home in Tulum for a while. I cannot honestly believe we have been here 9 months! It seems like yesterday we landed in Mexico.

We came to Tulum at the beginning of June 2015 and started to set everything up for our new Mexican adventure. We started work and found an apartment within few days of being here. And then…time started to fly by.

It is said that when you do something you enjoy time goes faster. It has been an interesting challenging year. I am still working my usual scuba diving instructor job, but I have also taken up the role of hotel manager at the beautiful Mango Tulum Hotel.

My job at the moment involves more the daily looking after of the hotel rather than scuba diving. Dom is taking care of the diving as we are getting a larger number of certified divers wanting to dive the Cenotes rather than beginner divers wanting to learn. When we do get courses, I take care of them. I do enjoy teaching!

Tulum is a lovely little town. It took sometime before I really started to appreciate it. Once I got to know it, I started to discover my favourite places (most of them are restaurants since I LOVE food). Tulum comes across like a sleepy town, but even here there are places where it is possible to have a great night out.

The nightlife in Tulum starts late. It is mainly locals that go out and party, so the party bars get busy late at night after every one comes out of work and heads to the local dance floors. Very cool vibes around.

One of the most famous attractions in Tulum is the beach. White sandy beaches and coconut trees all along are in perfect contrast and harmony with the turquoise waters of the Caribbean sea.

Who knows what will happen in the next months. For now I am enjoying my present home.

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