Plans or no?

[BBQ Guy]

Alright - the countdown has begun. We are wheels up @ 6:40 a.m May 25 out of Nashville. First time going and passports are in hand. We have made exactly zero plans - basically because we don't really know what we are getting into. All we know at this point is we have the Tortuga cabin @ Hamaca Loca for 6 nights and a car rented from Continental. Here's the issue - I wanna go and veg out...have the Corona commercial. She Who Must Be Obeyed wants to do...So what is a good mix? I know the ruins are on the schedule and she wants to snorkle. We may hit a cenote or two, but nothing is scheduled. Is it better to just go and figure out what we want to do once we get there or have it all planned out? It is just going to be the two of us.

[lazydog]

On the clearest calmest day go snorkeling, on the overcast in the morning day go to the ruins. The rest of the time, um...drink beer and revel in the sun?

[Imma Bomba]

Live in the moment! You won't regret it!

You will always have too much to do and you will wonder where the time went so make sure you have plenty of "corona commercial time" :eat-drink:

[MadeInTexas]

You've done all you need to do. As someone who has spent only a little time there, but enough to know...

My upcoming trip is exactly as you've planned - we're stopping at Wal-Mart in Playa del Carmen on the way for basics we don't want to pack (sunscreen, cooler, etc...), plan a stop at the San Francisco market in Tulum for perishables (cerveza, snacks, more cerveza) and we're not going anywhere we can't walk once we nestle into the sand and hammocks down south in our little cabana paradise near Ocho and Casa Violeta.

In the past, I've rented a bike to go to Tulum Pueblo and out to the cenotes south of town. I've hung out at Santa Fe with hippies from countries all over the world, drinking beer with luminarias lighting the beach, roamed down to Mezzanine for tequila and the Friday night party, made friends with the ex-pats who live in the Pueblo and have had a nap every single day in a fabulously cozy hammock as the sun settled in for the evening. Heavy sigh. The best plans are the ones you make in the moment.

I can't wait to go back in one week!!!!!!

[AdGuy]

For the activities mentioned you won't really need to schedule or reserve anything. That said, planning is different. Planning is the upfront knowledge and information gathering that will let you know when or what (should the mood strike to venture out) would be the best option to do depending on your current interest, the weather, amount of time you have, distance, etc. It allows you to maximize the experience. In the next six weeks gather info about snorkeling, tours, ruins, cenotes, or anything else of potential interest...then, when you've had enough vegging on the beach, you'll be able to head off to a great adventure.

[minniemex]

To snorkel I would suggest Soliman Bay or Akumal. I haven't snorkeled Soliman ~ on my list, but I have snorkeled Akumal and would suggest that for ease of entry. I agree with lazydog ~ if it is overcast or rainy ~ hit the ruins. On a beautiful calm day, hit Akumal.

[mayaflya]

I hate to say it, (because anytime someone does, another poor schmuck gets squeezed off the dock in Key West) but Lee is right. Knowledge is power...when you experience your sweetie's lower lip starting to curl down after four straight days on the beach, you are in a much better position to say, "you know, why don't we .....(insert alternate activity that YOU might enjoy here)....I know where there is a great place to do that, just up the road! You become the hero and you don't waste (beach) time trying to figure out what to do. The worst is wandering aimlessly trying to reach concensus when neither one of you really has a clue. A great resource, if you want to condense a lot of information into a small package to take with you is Mapchick's Riviera Maya map...


For the activities mentioned you won't really need to schedule or reserve anything. That said, planning is different. Planning is the upfront knowledge and information gathering that will let you know when or what (should the mood strike to venture out) would be the best option to do depending on your current interest, the weather, amount of time you have, distance, etc. It allows you to maximize the experience. In the next six weeks gather info about snorkeling, tours, ruins, cenotes, or anything else of potential interest...then, when you've had enough vegging on the beach, you'll be able to head off to a great adventure.

[Tranquilo Tomas]

Mayaflya, you should be a marriage counselor. Good advice!

[TnTWalter]

What Lee and Maya said...have an idea of cenotes, adventures, etc. that might be fun and how to go about doing them...and restaurants that get good reviews and ones to avoid....and when you get there play it by ear! My hubbie is like you and I have learned to do all the research so we don't wander aimlessly trying to figure something out and waste precious time there.

:beerchug:

[AdGuy]

Wait...did you guys hear that? It was the sound of perfection...it was the sweet whispering of angels...it was the most pure resonance known to Man...



Lee is right.


Good golly...I just never tire of hearing that! :D

[mayaflya]

wait...did you guys hear that? It was the sound of perfection...it was the sweet whispering of angels...it was the most pure resonance known to man...





Good golly...i just never tire of hearing that! :d

splash!

[TheWindyCity]

My Wife: You can always veg out in your back yard. Make plans to do things early in the trip...you never know if you're going to ride the bowl. Also, you never know when and if you'll be back. Take in as much as you can.

Me: Alternate days. Veg out on the beach your first day to relax and unwind. Plan an early day trip for the next day so you can get back to the beach by afternoon to relax and unwind. The next day, veg out on the beach to relax and unwind!

[minniemex]

Wait...did you guys hear that? It was the sound of perfection...it was the sweet whispering of angels...it was the most pure resonance known to Man...





Good golly...I just never tire of hearing that! :D

Lee, do you print these out and show them to Jennifer too??:D

[AdGuy]

Lee, do you print these out and show them to Jennifer too??:D


For some reason that's beyond me, she doesn't respond well to my reminding her when I'm right. Perhaps it's the jig of joy? :D

[BBQ Guy]

Let's say that we veg out 3 days and do the other 3 - what are the "don't misses"? Sian Ka'an? Cenotes? Ruins? Hanging out in the Pueblo? What can be combined? I kinda like the idea of alternating days.

[AdGuy]

Let's say that we veg out 3 days and do the other 3 - what are the "don't misses"? Sian Ka'an? Cenotes? Ruins? Hanging out in the Pueblo? What can be combined? I kinda like the idea of alternating days.


W:eek:W! There will be as many answers to that question as there will be responses to this post. For me it would be...


Coba Ruins - Punta Laguna Monkey Reserve
Ek Balam Ruins - Valladolid City Exploration
Sian Ka'an Day Tour With CESIAK
Okay...I know I'm cheating by offering a bonus option: Muyil Ruins - Cenote Trifecta (Cristal, Escondida, and Gran)

For the first two (plus the bonus option) you'll need a rental car (not to mention a healthy dose of planning/knowledge) and will also have to hit the road early to maximize your experience. The third option will require advance reservations but, depending on when you're in Tulum, you should be able to schedule something with a 24 - 48 hour notice.

[mayaflya]

Oh man, once again, Lee absolutely NAILS it...what more can you say....

Lee, you are TOO MODEST!!!


W:eek:W! There will be as many answers to that question as there will be responses to this post.

[AdGuy]

Lee, you are TOO MODEST!!!


Yep...that's my challenge...lose the modesty and then I'll be perfect. :rolleyes:

[minniemex]

Yep...that's my challenge...lose the modesty and then I'll be perfect. :rolleyes:

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Smileys/censor.gif http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Smileys/censor.gif http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Smileys/censor.gif http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Smileys/censor.gif

[beachreader]

I agree with the planners. Know what's possible to do, then play things by ear once you're there.

There's a CESiak office on 307 just north of the entrance to the ruins (near the Pemex); you can just stop in and say hello and ask about tours. You're supposed to book them in advance, but at the end of May they may not require that. Go check out their website and you'll see what's on offer from them. We did a morning kayak tour of the lagoon and it was very cool; we had a nice lunch and then back to the beach for the afternoon.

I should really let Susan respond to this one, she's the true Sian Ka'an expert.