Bikes in tulum

[clotn]

We are coming 1/1/09 to stay at Playa Azul. Understand they have been closed and are having their grand opening this week. We have 3 people/kids with us, ages 22/20 and 17 and know they would love to ride bikes to the pueblo and cenotes etc since they can't drive our rental. Is it safe? Also, is it possible to rent snorkling equipment during our week stay?
I am addicted to this forum and visit every day. Thanks for all the good tips!:)
clo

[beachreader]

Hi, and welcome out of lurkerdom! I'm psyched that you're going to Playa Azul. They've been doing a lot of new construction there, I hope you take lots and lots of pictures and share them with us. I'm curious, if you don't mind saying, how much are you paying, and are you staying beachfront or in one of the units up on the dune?

As for the kids, are you sure they can't drive the rental? I know that in the US you have to be 25, but it's possible they don't have that rule in Mexico. You might ask your car company (perhaps you already did that, sorry if the advice isn't helpful).

There are bike rental places, I think there's one in the little beachtown area, but I've never used them. Check with your contact at Playa Azul and ask them about bike rentals.

As for riding into the pueblo, it's several kilometers to the downtown area, and it's a hot ride (most of the time, but it's been fairly cool down there lately). Drivers are a bit on the crazy side, and the road doesn't have a shoulder, so the kids would need to be extra careful. Also, I would not let them ride the bikes after dark (which comes around 4:30-5:00). The roads are not well-lighted and as I said, drivers can be crazy (plus, seeing bikes on the road at night gives me a heart attack as a driver).

There is a cenote just off the beach road down by the arch, but I wouldn't want them riding bikes to the larger ones out off the highway. I don't know, maybe the Coba Rd. ones might be OK.

I may be over-careful on the bicycle thing. Others (Trish?) have happily ridden bikes all over the place down there, so perhaps I should shut up and let them answer you.

Since there are three of them, they could hitchike very safely from the beach road out to the pueblo, then take taxis back, or they could take taxis both ways for probably less money than it would be to rent three bikes every day.

[beachreader]

OK, I asked the guys at Continental rental cars, and here's the reply. By "here it is the same", he's responding to my comment that here in the US, rental car companies require 25 years of age to drive. So it sounds like your kids can drive after all (if you want them to, that is):


Thank you for your e mail. Hello again! Hope everthing is well. Here it is the same, but it has become a "custom" or "habit" or whatever, to honor any drivers license, from any country, or international, even if they are only 18, the legal age in Mexico, the insurance companies have allowed that. Each rental contract titleholder, is entitled to have two additional drivers, at no extra cost. You can have more, but at the rate of 5 dollars per day, each driver, from the third one on. The only requirement is that the license has to be valid, current, not expired; and it must be written on the contract from the first day of the rental for the insurance company to honor it. The data needed is full name, license number and expiration date. Now, bear in mind, these must be drivers licenses, not permits, which are now extinct in Mexico, so I don't know if the 17 year old will be able to drive the vehicle, even if the titleholder of the rental contract is one of his parents. Hope this clears up the doubts, anything more, just feel free to ask, if you don't see it on our website page.

[clotn]

Thank you for the info. I am renting from that car company so we will be set. I am so glad as they will want the freedom.
At Playa Azul we have a beach front unit and a further back unit for 210 each per night. Unfortunately that does not include breakfast. At the time I booked they were getting ready to close for renovation and couldn't say about breakfast.
And snorkling gear. Can we rent or is it worth buying here and carrying it. We are not checking luggage.
clo

[minniemex]

I would defintely bring the snorkel equipment with you. I think it is hard to rent down there compared to other area's I have been too. Taking in your carry-on will be cumbersome, but I think you will find it worth it.

[beachreader]

Wow, $210 a night at Playa Azul? That's a lot, but I guess it is New Year's week, so I'm not really surprised. They can pretty much ask what they want for about three weeks a year down there. Holiday pricing doesn't drop until after 3 Kings' Day, January 6th.

You might want to e-mail Julio at Continental and just confirm that your kids will be driving, and make sure the kids' licenses are good to go.

[clotn]

Yeah, I thought it was high but seemed comparable. I am a little nervous because of the construction of the "ugly" building some of you have sighted but we will see. I have to say Morgan has been terrific in communicating every step of the way. Of course the web site is not really helpful as to what to expect.

[beachreader]

It'll be lovely. Just tip your chairs to the north, or pull them down closer to the water if you don't want to be staring at that building all day. :)