We woke up well rested after an amazing night celebrating our friend’s wedding in Playa del Carmen area. We planned to see some historical sites while we were here, so we decided to rent a car for the few days in Mexico. If you know our style of traveling, you know how much adventure we like to pack into our time, so renting a car was the best for us. It’s worth mentioning that most of the places we visited are accessible by public transit, taxi, and even private tour companies, but having our own car allowed us to be on our own time, which we needed for such a short trip.
We started our drive from Playa del Carmen to Tulum to check out the Mayan ruins. We arrived at the archeological site around 11am and it was starting to get pretty crowded at this time. There are a ton of shops near the parking area that cater to tourists specifically, and also have some A/C if you need to escape the heat for a bit. To get to the ruins from the parking/shops area, you can either take a shuttle for about 55 pesos per person (about $2+) or you can walk. It’s a nice flat ½ mile paved road with sidewalks on both sides, so we chose to walk. It was a clear sunny day with minimal cloud cover, so we made sure we had plenty of water.
Let us start by saying, Tulum Archaeological Site is so unique. Tulum’s ancient Mayan ruins sit atop a magnificent cliff strategically chosen for its vantage point. The coastal location brings a salty sea breeze while walking amongst some of the more modest Mayan structures (compared to Cobá, Chichén Itzá, Ek Balam, etc.). It was an amazing feeling to walk next to El Castillo in the midday sun listening to the waves crash against the seaside cliffs.
After exploring the archeological site for a couple of hours, we decided to head into the city of Tulum for some lunch. We had been looking forward to our first authentic Mexican cuisine and decided to stop at Don Cafeto. It was a cute restaurant with open areas that were filled with fresh air, authentic aromas and the bustle of Tulum. The waiter brought out a beautiful dish of grilled and pickled vegetables, freshly fried tortilla chips, and a salsa that had heat like no other!
After having some appetizers, we chose the tacos de arrachera or skirts steak tacos and they came out with crispy seared steak pieces laid across some of the freshest corn tortillas we have ever tasted!
After lunch, we started to head towards Coba. On our way there (probably a little more than halfway), we ran across three small pueblos that had some of the most unique handmade creations. The color of these captivating Mayan relics caught our attention from the road and we had to stop. The caballero working there spoke to us about the work and even shared his love for Tottenham FC.
Cobá has a unique archeological history seemingly set in the middle of the jungle. The ruins are expansive, but mostly under tree cover. The ruins are spread out and can take some time to navigate, so keep that in mind. There is an option to renting a bike or opt for “taxi” tricycle to 1/2 guests to the main ruin for under 100 pesos (about $5).
The walk to Nohoch Mul (Giant Mound) pyramid was probably about a mile, but it was a flat trail that turned out to be quite pleasant with the shade of the jungle trees. However you get there, make sure you do see the pyramid, as it is one of the only ones that can be climbed AND it’s the tallest in the Yucatan!
After exploring the Cobá ruins and walking around under the sun all day, it was time to go cool off in a cenote! Cenotes are created over thousands of years as groundwater flows through the porous limestone and eventually causes a cave-in and allows humans to access it. To date, there have been over 4,000 cenotes discovered in the Riviera Maya region alone, and currently seven of the world’s ten longest mapped underground waterways are underneath the Yucatan Peninsula. Keep in mind, this area is also the theorized asteroid impact zone that ended much of life on Earth (#dinosaurs). Most of the best cenotes in Riviera Maya are on private property and cost pesos, but most accept American currency.
While we couldn’t see all 4,000+ cenotes, we did decide to check out Cenote Suytun, in between between Cobá and our evening destination of Valladolid. The entrance fee was about 150 pesos per person (about $8), which was significanly cheaper than some of the most touristy cenotes we encountered (Aktun Chen Cenote wanted to charge $30+ per person). I think we can let pictures speak for themselves for this one…
This little community outside of Valladolid was happy to have us and we were happy to hang around for a bit. There was a little cafe and the area was overflowing with native wildlife. The cave was home to bats that were coming and going, there were freshwater fish, and we even got to experience a beautiful male peacock showing off its feathers and courting a nearby female just outside the cave entrance.
Not only did we see a peacock, but we also caught sight of the sacred Mayan Quetzal bird! The Mayans considered the Quetzal as divine, so it was really special for us to actually see one on our trip! Unfortunately, it hopped from one branch to the next and flew away before we could snap a picture, so we couldn’t include a photo, but that’s what living in the moment is all about! J Still, you HAVE to Google this magnificent creature to see its beauty and learn about its Mayan cultural significance.
After admiring the beautiful blue waters of the cenote, it was time to head to the nearby city of Valladolid where we stayed for the night. We rented a room at Casa Marlene, which was a cute little private oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of Valladolid’s city center. This hotel is truly a hidden gem and we strongly recommend it to other travelers!
Valladolid is a beautiful and lively city. There were small festivals, light shows, reenactments, and so much more going on. The buildings are colorful and the locals match their vibrancy. We loved the old town feel and the historic sense we felt from the Convent of San Bernardino of Siena and the Iglesia de San Servacio.
After walking around for a bit, we sat down for dinner at El Atrio Del Mayab. This open and airy restaurant and had a wonderful selection of regional dishes and even regional drinks. We decided to have empanadas de chaya and sopa de lima (lime soup), which were both phenomenal.
We walked around the city center after dinner and stumbled upon a nearby local artisanal shop called, Yalat Arte Mexicano. On all the trips we go on, we value learning about the culture and history of the location, so it is important to us to bring home a little memento from local artists to remind us of these values and traditions. The shop has beautifully hand-crafted Mexican clothing, accessories, and painted trinkets, all accompanied by a short background on the artist and region in which the pieces originated.
After a long day of adventuring around the Yucatan peninsula, it was time to get some much needed rest and relaxation. Tomorrow we’ll be exploring Chichén Itzá, so stay posted!