Unforgettable Mexico
I still could not gather my thoughts to write a review about an unforgettable trip to Mexico. It was a dream from my youth, I was always captivated by the secrets of ancient civilizations. Visit the land of the Mayan Indians, see with your own eyes the great buildings that are thousands of years old. And of course, rest on the extraordinary Caribbean Sea, sun, beach, tequila…………)))
Well, now everything is in order.
FLIGHT: We chose the Yucatan Peninsula, the Riviera Maya coast, the Grand Palladium Resort complex, the Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & SPA hotel as a place of rest. We flew from Kyiv via Paris on Air France, we were lucky, because my husband and I were sitting on three chairs, so the 12 hours of the flight were quite comfortable, you can even say that we could “fall apart”, as always there was wine from alcohol.
Before the trip, I read on the Internet that upon arrival there was a document check and customs for 2 hours, and I mentally prepared for this not very pleasant moment, but I was pleasantly surprised, because in 20 minutes we had already taken our suitcases and talked with our meeting party. The transfer was not individual, we had to wait another 20 minutes for the rest. Since there were not many of us, we stopped at just one hotel, everyone left there and then we went straight to our hotel. As promised in 1 hour 20 minutes. We have already checked in at the reception.
HOTEL: This delightful hotel is located on a huge territory, consists of five hotels, Grand Palladium White Sand, Grand Palladium Colonial, Grand Palladium Kantenah, Grand Palladium Riviera, "Grand Palladium Royal suites", which are geographically located nearby and form a single complex Grand Palladium Resort . All guests of this hotel have access to the service and food of other hotels in this chain, except for the VIP "Grand Palladium Royal Suites".
The dense tropical jungle was preserved as much as possible during the construction of the hotel, you can completely merge with the surrounding nature by walking along the paths and bridges that connect the three-story cottages and other infrastructure. On the territory of the complex, in natural conditions, there is a large number of exotic birds and animals (Coati, Capybaras, Raccoons), etc. , which you can even feed if you wish. The Colonial room has everything you need: an iron with a board, in the bathroom (bath, toilet, hairdryer, toiletries, magnifying mirror) refrigerator (mini bar replenished regularly), fan, air conditioning, TV, coffee maker, safe. We lived on the 2nd floor, no insects bothered us, the room has a mosquito net on the balcony door. One minus, we had not one bed, but two.
They wanted to change - they said to come the next day at 11 o’clock, there might be a room - but it wasn’t there, and we decided not to wait anymore, since it was already not a very pleasant experience in the Dominican Republic, when we spent 3 days walking and sitting at the reception with the same goal, therefore, wasting time, which, and so only 2 weeks did not. Tipping was left every day 20-30 pesos (1 dollar = 12 pesos in the hotel, in Playa del Carmen above 1 dollar = was even 13 pesos)
FOOD: The food at the hotel is good, a lot of seafood, in the morning 6-7 types of fresh juices, not very many fruits, the most delicious were papayas and pineapples, very tasty guacamole, but they didn’t manage to eat enough))) at home, even in a Mexican restaurant, it’s not so tasty. Smoking is not allowed in indoor restaurants, but snacks and bars please.
BEACH: the beauty of the Caribbean Sea is incomparable to anything, the white sand does not heat up (which is good news), there are a lot of sun loungers, enough for everyone and even more, but the biggest minus is the entrance to the sea, a lot of coral stones, if any there is a wave on the sea and raises the sand, then they are still not visible, there are cleared places, but they are small enough, for me it was very important, because only a week before the departure the plaster was removed from my leg and I could not walk on the corals, but then she adapted, immediately lay down on her stomach near the shore and crawled on her hands))), this, of course, if she was too lazy to go where it was cleared or there were a lot of people.
ENTERTAINMENT: animation is designed for Americans, a couple of times it was very interesting and beautiful, but since we were there for 2 weeks, on the 10th day they began to repeat it. There was live music playing in the lobby (different styles).
There is also free Wi-Fi in the lobby of each hotel, but since in the evening vacationers from the entire complex came to Colonial, there was a communication problem. If you need internet, then it’s easier for you to go to the reception in Kantenah, where in the evening it’s quiet, calm and Wi-Fi works fine.
EXCURSIONS: I will not describe the excursions themselves and the ancient history of the Maya, there are many of them in the reviews, and they will tell you everything there, I will write only useful information.
We were in Cancun, Chichen Itza, Tulum, Xcaret Park and a couple of times went to Playa del Carmen.
The hotel specifically chose this one because of its very convenient location, it is located in the middle between Playa del Carmen (about 30 km) and Tulum (about 34 km). Therefore, we bought from the guide only 2 excursions to Cancun to the Tequila Museum and Chichen Itza, the rest we visited ourselves.
Cancun: the tour lasts half a day, somewhere from 13-30 to 20-00 cost $ 45 per person.
The first stop was at the observation deck, a view of the Caribbean Sea, the color of the sea as in Cancun (this cannot be described, it must be seen) I have not seen anywhere else, even in Tulum. Then we drove around the city and to the tequila museum. The museum is on the second floor, they will tell you how it is made, then in the tasting room they will tell and show how to drink tequila correctly, what it is like and how it differs (tequila el Jimador). When we didn't audition, we went down to the first floor, where we could buy whatever we liked. Our purchase turned out to be successful, since we bought a lot, and not only tequila, they gave us a small discount, gave us a branded cap and issued a receipt, according to which we could return VAT at the airport ($15 is not a lot, but nice). We then compared the prices for el Jimador Anejo tequila in Playa del Carmen and in Duty free - this tequila was almost half the price of what we bought, and there was no such choice anywhere else.
After the museum, we were taken to the shopping center (we were greeted with champagne) we were given 2.5 hours for everything, who needed to go shopping, and we went for a walk in the evening Cancun. At 7 o'clock we got on the bus and after 1.5 hours we were at the hotel, just in time for dinner.
Chichen Itza: Full day tour from 8 or 9 am (can't remember) to 10 pm cost $135 per person. From our hotel it takes 2.5-3 hours to go to Chichen Itza, where at first the tour itself with a guide, then they give another hour for self-examination and photos. Throughout Chichen Itza, the so-called spontaneous market - the local population sells souvenirs, dishes, rugs, etc. The guide said that they were not of very high quality and did not advise buying, we obeyed, but I could not resist and of course I asked and looked , now I can say that what I saw was of the same quality as I later bought in Playa del Carmen, but in Chichen Itza it was cheaper (I bought a bright plaid made of agave thread for $ 15 more and this is already with bargaining).
After Chichen Itza, we were taken to Ak Kel (natural synod), incredible beauty, swimming in clear water, and lianas and tree roots hang from above and water flows like a waterfall on our heads, everything is super, but there are a lot of people and we arrived there in the afternoon , sorry, but the sun no longer hit the synod itself and the photos turned out not as bright with blue water as I saw on the Internet. But the feeling is great! According to the program, we were supposed to have dinner later, but when we arrived at this institution, there were so many people and such queues for food that we all agreed that we would rather buy beer and go to dinner at hotels than the next hour we will stand in line. We as a group refused, signed a paper and we were taken to the hotels.
Xcaret Park: This is an eco-archaeological park with monuments of ancient culture and the splendor of tropical nature.
Here you can swim along the underground river, visit an aquarium, a turtle farm, a garden with butterflies, and for an additional fee - swim with dolphins or manatees, as well as stingrays and sharks))), take a horseback ride, or swim with a snorkel and mask, see mini performances in different parts of the park, and the main 2-hour super show.
We went to the park ourselves, on a local minibus, which runs every 2-5 minutes, travel for 2 60 pesos = 5 dollars. With travel, everything is easy, entering the minibus, you just tell the driver your destination, and they will stop you where you need to. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from our hotel to the park, where a free bus “Park Shkaret” arrives to the highway, which brings you to the very entrance of the park (you won’t get lost). We had to wait 10-15 minutes, I think they go every 15 minutes, it's not worth walking, it's a long time. I advise you to go to the opening of the park (8:30 - 9:00) in order to have time to visit everywhere, see everything, swim, see all the shows, etc.
I don’t understand those who write that you can go for half a day, that there is nothing to do there, and I’m glad that we went in the morning, then they regretted that we didn’t buy tickets for 2 days, since we didn’t immediately orient ourselves and went in the wrong direction, lost time and did not have time to see everything. The cost of entry for the day is $69 per person, at the box office they issue a card and even in Russian (Russians are more than enough). The ticket for $99 includes: rental of fins, snorkels, masks, rescue. vest, lunch in one of the restaurants and 2 bottles of water. A life jacket for swimming in an underground river is free of charge, but a mask and fins are extra. a fee (I don’t remember the cost), you don’t need to return barefoot after swimming along the underground river - you can rent a special one. a bag (free of charge) in the same place as life jackets. At the beginning of the attraction, you put all your things there, hand it in, and at the end of the river you get it back.
Towels and 2 bottles of water were taken from the hotel (enough), no one checks the bags, so the water will not be taken away))). We saw - some were even with sandwiches, we went to a Mexican restaurant, $ 20 per person buffet with alcohol and sit there at least all day. So no difference. To make it convenient to visit all the performances, at the entrance there is a board with an announcement when they will take place and where, there are special places on the map to record or you can take a picture of this sign. To get a good seat in the theater for the main show, it is better to arrive 30 minutes before the start. It is best to sit on the first rows in the sector from the entrance to the left. And remember where the bus dropped you off when it brought you to the park, or specify where it will stand at the exit, because when you get off, there will be a lot of buses and not only so that you do not get confused.
The guide offered this tour for $ 120 per person (travel and entrance) without meals, the point is not even that you can save money, you just can decide when you go and regulate your time, but you can also save 69 ( entrance) + 5 (travel in both directions) = 74 dollars (saving 46 dollars per person).
Tulum: $120 guided tour with lunch in a so-called Indian village and canoeing. Of all this, we were only interested in Tulum, so, while still at home, I found everything about Tulum on the Internet, including a map with a city plan with all the buildings, their names and history. So we didn't even need a guide.
And most importantly, we could again decide when we should go there and how long to stay there, because in the reviews I read that they bring you with excursions when there are already a lot of people and in the very sun, they give little time to swim and sunbathe near an ancient civilization (well, where else is this possible) and enjoy the surrounding landscape, which is so unusual and beautiful that a stay in this city deserves to spend more time there than you can be given on a group tour. We left at 8 in the morning on a local minibus fare 60 pesos = 5 dollars (for two) 30 minutes to go, from the bus stop to the Tulum Archaeological Zone itself, go for 15-20 minutes, you can take a train and if you need to take a guide (English). Tickets at the box office 6-7 (do not remember exactly) dollars per person. Near the ticket office there are toilets and taps to wash the sand off your feet on the way back.
They took beach towels and a lot of water with them, so as not only to drink, but also to wash off the salt afterwards, since the beach is not equipped. We had a great time and by the time we started to bring groups of tourists, at 12-00 we had already looked at everything, swam, caught fire, photographed everything without unnecessary faces in the frame)))) and drove back on a local minibus (there are a lot of them , drivers even know which hotel you are from by the wristbands and invite you to the right one), so you won’t pass by, the return trip is the same - 60 pesos = 5 dollars for two. In total, we spent $ 24 for two and got a lot of pleasure, we had a full dinner already at the hotel. Savings: 240-24=216 dollars for two)))
As for excursions, I would also like to add that if you are fluent in English, then excursions for English-speaking tourists can be bought right on the territory of the hotel and the price difference will be about 50 dollars.
Playa del Carmen: this is a cute town that has its own 5th Avenue - a street with many cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops - a great place for leisurely evening walks. We walked there until the night, and felt at home, a very relaxing atmosphere. Everything is there - from magnets and maracas to sombreros and tequila of various varieties, brands, and prices. Do not rush to buy in the first store - go further, it may be cheaper further. Always bargain with small merchants and you can safely knock down prices almost immediately by half (+/- depending on the product), in large stores this is almost impossible - there are electronic cash desks everywhere. Both local currency and dollars are accepted for payment. We bought all the souvenirs here: magnets 1-5 dollars, ashtrays 5-20 dollars, plates with Mayan and Aztec calendars 45 dollars for 2 pieces (a little expensive, but very beautiful), a blanket 60 dollars, a hammock (sitting) - 21 dollars.
We went there several times all on the same local minibus, the price is stable - 60 pesos for two = $ 5, drive for 35 minutes, get off at the final one, you need to go a little there, ask anyone, even if he does not know English, he will definitely tell you she will understand and show, as it was in our case, a woman who did not speak Russian and English, and we spoke Spanish, but she understood us and “by the hand” took us to 5th Avenue. ))))
And of course I can't help but write about people. We were conquered by this country, and its people played an important role in this! ! !
The people we met there made a very good impression on us; most of the stores are not intrusive (of course, within reason))), which of course is very nice and going for souvenirs does not turn into "going through the throes")))))
We flew home from Cancun to Mexico City and Paris on Air Mexico. I must say that flying with this airline was much more pleasant than with Air France - both service and food, from alcoholic beverages, offered not only several types of wine, but also whiskey. From Mexico City to Paris, the plane was half empty, we could disperse and sleep like in a bus on 2, and who managed to take, even on 3 chairs. So, 11 hours of flight were great! )))
Well, like everything, I hope my information will be useful to someone : )
And happy travels to all! ! !