AdGuy’s Trip Report – Dure Dias (Siete & Ocho)

[AdGuy]

For the first two days of this report, please click: http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=555 (http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=555)

For days three and four of this report, please click: http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=561 (http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=561)

For days five and six of this report, please click: http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=572 (http://www.tulum.info/showthread.php?t=572)


Dia Siete – Wednesday, December 13: After a restful (and rainless) night’s sleep, we rose to our last full day of paradise. Probably because we packed so much into this trip, we felt like it didn’t really fly by. Don’t get me wrong…we weren’t looking forward to heading back to home to work, bills, and cooler weather (yes, even Florida’s temps start dropping a bit beginning in December). Over the past six days we had experienced so many adventures and created a bunch of special memories. With the sun rising on what looked to be a perfect day, we decided we needed to make some additional memories.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB396.jpg

As we had spent a good amount of time inland (Valladolid, Punta Laguna, Ek Balam, Muyil), today would be “water day” filled with cenotes and the ocean. Though we’re both certified scuba divers, we decided to just bring our snorkel fins and masks. We grabbed our gear and headed to Zamas’ Que Fresco for breakfast.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB057.jpg

The restaurant and grounds of Zamas are very nice. Tucked into a small cove, there’s great scenery with the large rock formations, avian life, and ocean. The cabanas are lovely but the whole complex is a bit too close to the road for our taste. The food was “good not great” and the service was lacking. Overall, we’d score this 6.5 out of 10. After downing our heuvos con chaya, heuvos mexicanos, and chaya-orange juice, we headed towards town to Cenote Cristal.

We had attempted to visit Cenote Cristal earlier in the week, only to find it (and it’s “partner cenote” Escondido) closed. We were thrilled to find Cristal opened but learned that Escondido would remain closed. We lost something in the translation…I never fully understood why it was not open to the public. If you have the chance, definitely visit these two unknown (aka not often visited so you’ll likely have the place to yourself) spots. It’s only 40 pesos/person and a nice way to cool off.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB256.jpg

When you go, make sure to bring bug spray as (since you are in a jungle) the mosquitoes can be bad. You’ll also want to bring snacks/drinks as there are no services there. Also, make sure to check out the sign on your way in…it’s a hoot:

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB299.jpg

The snorkeling here can be good. Keep in mind, you’re in a cenote not on a reef…the fishes will be less colorful and the turtles smaller. Even so, it’s well worth the experience. The sounds of the exotic birds filling the air, the beauty of the different species of butterflies, and the lush jungle vegetation surrounding the cool, clear water makes for a delightful experience. While we could have stayed longer, we decided after an hour to head up the road to Solimon Bay. We jumped in our rental car and arrived at Oscar y Lalo’s fifteen minutes later.

[AdGuy]

For those unaware, Solimon Bay (and specifically Oscar y Lalo’s restaurant) was the filming location for some of the Corona commercials. Think of the couple skipping stones while looking out at the ocean, only to then fling their buzzing pager into the waves, and you’ll know the ones I’m referencing. This is a BEAUTIFUL place to swim, snorkel, nap, drink (Coronas, of course) and boat (kayak rental is available). We quickly grabbed an outside table right on the beach. Due to my profession, I felt it my occupational duty to recreate the popular commercial…

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB439.jpg

If you’ve read about our dinner at Nacho’s the previous night, you’ll remember me referring to it as “movie star moment”. The situation you never feel you could afford because you’d have to rent out the entire place to duplicate. Though not realizing it as we pulled into an empty parking lot, this afternoon would become a “movie star afternoon”. That’s right…the entire time there we had the whole beach to ourselves. With the exception of an Alltournative tour that came in, grabbed kayaks at the other end of the complex, and spent an hour paddling in the bay, we were the only folks there!

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB401.jpg

The weather was perfect…the water was perfect…our waiter was perfect. The only downside I can ‘ding’ this place for are the food prices. The food quality (and quantity) is very good but most entrees are $15 - $25 each. We split the chicken fajitas – which were plenty for the two of us – for about $12. I’d give them another “good not great” review but you really don’t come here for the food. The place is just drop-dead gorgeous…

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB433.jpg

Both Jennifer and I have a hard time “sitting still” but it was pretty easy to just hang out in such an amazing environment. Still, after four hours, we felt our ‘wanderlust’ rising up and decided to head back towards Tulum. On the way back down the beach road, we stopped into a few candidate hotels to check them out. Cabanas Tulum…Zacil Kin…Dos Ceibas…they’re all nice depending on your budget and requirements, but we didn’t find anything that beat Hamaca Loca or Tierra del Sol (or our current accommodations of Tita Tulum). Finding ourselves near the Sian Ka’an arch, we decided to head back for the cenote swim we had taken a rain check for on Monday. We were thrilled to find our original guide, Ben, there as we jumped into the cool water.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB317.jpg

For those interested, anyone can head over to this hidden cenote and swim for free. Simply park your car at one of the southern most hotels (like Amansala’s Casa Magna) and walk towards the arch. Just before the arch, on the west side of the road, you’ll notice an interpretive trail heading into the jungle. Follow this to the cenote and jump on in! Again, you may want to bring some bug spray as this is the jungle!!

[AdGuy]

After our cenote swim, we headed to Dos Ceibas’ happy hour (2-4-1 drinks) and had a couple of margaritas. Though not as potent as Tita Tulum’s drinks, they were quite tasty. Feeling a bit grimy, we headed back to our hotel, grabbed showers, and changed into our last set of nice clothes (boy…did we gauge that right, or what?). Since we had late dinner reservations (8:30pm) for Hemmingway’s, we knew we still had time to visit the festival …we decided to head into town to check it out.

We love to explore the back alleys of a town, interact with the local people, try regional delicacies, and attend neighborhood celebrations. The experiences are so enriching! Expo Feria Tulum 2006 did not disappoint, with its offering of food, vendors, and entertainment…

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB351.jpg

We walked the grounds for an hour (though it seemed like only a few minutes) with big smiles and wide eyes. For a moment, we thought of skipping our Hemmingway’s reservations so we could gorge ourselves on the tempting treats, watch the talented performers, shop with the locals, and dance in the streets. As 8:30 approached, we elected to do the ‘responsible’ thing and headed off to Hemmingway’s restaurant.

We first met the couple who run Hemmingway’s earlier in the week. They were making some renovations that prevented them from accepting dinner guests until Tuesday. We decided to give them an extra day to “work the kinks out” and made reservations for 8:30. When we arrived, we were thrilled to find we were, once again, the only folks in the restaurant. Unsure if to chalk it up to dumb luck or if tales of bad eating manners had driven folks away, we picked a table and sat down.

Again, no menu or wine list picture to share with you. As with Posada Margherita (PM), the owners simply ask you what you like to drink and eat. Also like PM, no appetizer options are offered as a complimentary starter is provided. In this case, it’s Italian bread with a warm olive-artichoke spread. Not my first choice but not bad either (and hey, it’s free). Upon taking our order, Jennifer asked for shrimp and I decided upon garlic fish. The waitress scurried back to the kitchen.

Besides sharing conversation (we still are as animated as when we first met twenty-seven years ago), we spent the next half hour looking around the place and noticing the unusual assortment of family members draped around the restaurant. It was clear the collection of relatives (old world mother, Euro trash daughters, fresh-off-the-boat son, accommodating daughter) were having a tough time adapting to the local culture. They longed for tortellini, not tortillas, but for some reason were doomed to the shores of Tulum.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB374.jpg

Just as we were beginning to wonder if we’d made the right decision to come, our meals arrived. It was then confirmed we HAD made the WRONG decision. My garlic fish was covered in white, cream-based gravy. I didn’t detect any garlic (isn’t that a main ingredient in Italian cooking?) and I couldn’t confirm it was actually fish. I do know it was surrounded by potatoes…and a lot of them.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB376.jpg

Jennifer’s shrimp turned out to be more of pasta with shrimp. Not a big deal but the shrimp, which were mixed into the pasta and sauce, were not peeled and some still had the entire heads on them. This was a real mess to deal with.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB377.jpg

To top it all off, the price was the same as PM and more expensive than the great meal at Nacho’s. After a string of home runs, we finally struck out. Overall, we’d rate this place 5 out of 10. The only thing that could have made it worse is if we had been pitched a timeshare by the restaurant manager while we waited for our meals…oh wait, that DID happen! Let’s change it to 4 out of 10.

[AdGuy]

Dia Ocho – Thursday, December 14: Regardless of where we are, how long we’re staying, or the type of vacation, we find we have ‘unwritten rules’ we tend to follow. One of those unspoken commandments is to put off packing up until the last moment. Upon waking to our last day in Tulum, we realized now would be that moment! We quickly took care of this task, showered, and settled our bill with Tita Tulum. Since our flight didn’t leave until 2:00pm, we knew we’d have a little time to say goodbye before we had to make the 100 minute journey to the Cancun airport.

Don Cafeto’s downtown location is a favorite spot for us. It’s actually the very first place we ate when we discover Tulum years ago. We have had breakfast, lunch, and dinner at their Highway 307 location but never have visited their beach location. We decided to rectify that oversight with today’s breakfast.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB011.jpg

The menu, and therefore food offerings, at the beach location and downtown restaurant are identical. We ordered (Aztec Desayuno and the huevos motulenos) and our food quickly arrived. As usual, the meals are wonderful.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB441.jpg

We sit back and reminisce on the past week. In some ways it was over in a blink…in other ways, it felt like a long journey. We decide we have time for a quick stroll on the beach…

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i317/FloridaAdGuy/December2006TulumPictureson16MB014.jpg

The rest of the day is spent doing those things no one wants to read about in a trip report (driving to the airport, turning in the rental car, flying, trying to remember where you parked the car in the airport lot, etc.). We arrived to find our farm and animals all in good shape. Success…we didn’t die, we didn’t break anything expensive, and all those we care about are healthy and happy!

For those that have hung around this long, let me offer a few final thoughts…

Many folks have commented that Tulum is changing and soon will be lost. We didn’t see much evidence of that. Yes, Tulum is growing. Yes, Tulum is becoming more popular. But the Tulum you love is still there…go out and find it!!
If I could offer one word of advice, it’s “explore”. Without sounding too preachy, my heart breaks when I hear of folks who spent their ENTIRE vacation at their resort. Tulum, and the surrounding areas, have too much to offer! Try a local restaurant...visit a cenote...go to the bakery!
We’re the type of travelers not interested in duplicating an experience. If we find a great restaurant or fantastic attraction, we’re likely to NOT go there again during the week. It doesn’t mean we didn’t like it, we’re just too interested in discovering other great finds.
For full flexibility and convenience, I highly recommend renting a car. By the time you add up private transfers and cab fares, you’ll likely spend the same money as if you’d just rented a small automobile.
There’s a ton of photos and experiences that did NOT make it into this four-part trip report. We took over 500 photos and traveled over 1,000 kilometers. Due to time and posting limitations, I pared this way back. If I didn’t cover something you're interested in knowing more about, please ask as we (or other knowledgeable contributors on this board) may have an answer for you. Don’t hide in anonymity…ask a question and get involved!!
Thanks for coming along for the ride! :)

[minniemex]

Bummer - trip report over:( Great reporting:) I will re-read your report again & again, as it is almost like being there - Thank you;)

One question - where will you stay next time?? I am really liking what you had to say about Hamaca Loca & also what has been reported about Tierras Del Sol - pros & cons

Again, thanks Lee - & Jennifer of course!

[Susan&Mike]

Great report, so much good info....thanks!!! I must tell you though that I am already having anxiety about posting my trip report...I am the worst picture taker...in that I don't take them:( I always have big intentions, that I will take my camera everywhere and take lots of shots...yup never seems to happen. But..this time will be different I know how much I appreciate all the fab shots you guys have shared, so just out of common courtesy I need to get my pictureless butt in gear!!! Just need to get that light bulb adapter thingy so I can't blame dead batteries. :D

[lianne]

Lee, that was amazing! Even if I were an armchair traveler who had no plans to visit Tulum, that trip report would have been good enough. But for those of us heading for Tulum (43 days!!!!) soon, it was really invaluable, and I just want to say thx for sharing!!:cool:

[MollyJ]

What a great trip report! :) I just loved every minute of it. I keep reading and rereading it. The pictures are wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

MollyJ

[firecop680]

I feel like I have been on the trip with you. Nice Job! I am really looking forward to seeing a different Mexico. We are not really tour type people, but we are up for the Tulum eating experience. I have read your whole trip report(front to back) and I will need to reread and take notes before I go to remember all the good things that were said. I appreciate you taking the time to do this. I have been around the puerto aventuras area in all inclusives for that last 6 years and I haven't gotten to the Tulum area yet, but I feel this will be the best ever! Thanks again!

[joellybaby]

Thanks for taking the time to share this wonderful story AdGuy. It looks like you had an amazing time. I've just discovered these boards and have really enjoyed reading your report and getting more and more excited about planning my first Tulum trip!

[beachreader]

Wow, what a great trip report! Thanks so much for putting all the work in.

I am SO sorry about the last night dinner at Hemingway. I stayed there last March and loved every meal I had there, but I recently heard that the chef from March is no longer there. His food was great, portions huge, prices much more reasonable than PM (though PM was a bit better), and his English was perfect so you could really have a comfortable conversation with him.

I didn't know they did timeshares. Do you mean that Paola really came over and tried to sell you something? How odd!

I've been considering going back to Hemingway this trip because the rooms were great, the staff was great (even with my limited Spanish), and the food was great, but now I'm not so sure.

[AdGuy]

Bummer - trip report over:( Great reporting:) I will re-read your report again & again, as it is almost like being there - Thank you;)

One question - where will you stay next time?? I am really liking what you had to say about Hamaca Loca & also what has been reported about Tierras Del Sol - pros & cons

Again, thanks Lee - & Jennifer of course!


My vote would be for Hamaca Loca (with Tierra del Sol being a second choice). Tita Tulum was nice but those two look superior!

[AdGuy]

I didn't know they did timeshares. Do you mean that Paola really came over and tried to sell you something? How odd!

I've been considering going back to Hemingway this trip because the rooms were great, the staff was great (even with my limited Spanish), and the food was great, but now I'm not so sure.


Beachreader,

Not sure the name of the "timeshare guy" but I do recall he had recently (within the past couple of months) come over from Europe. His role was something like a 'business manager' for Hemmingway's. Just soured the meal that much more. :( We didn't see the rooms but the grounds looked lovely...just wouldn't eat there again when there's so many other options.

[Moon23]

Finally got done reading your report. Thanks for taking the time to do that. We are renting a car for our first trip in the beginning of March, do you think we need a Jeep Wrangler or is any small car ok? Some of the roads in the pics. looked kinda rough.
Thanks again.

Another Tulum Newbie

[AdGuy]

Finally got done reading your report. Thanks for taking the time to do that. We are renting a car for our first trip in the beginning of March, do you think we need a Jeep Wrangler or is any small car ok? Some of the roads in the pics. looked kinda rough.
Thanks again.

Another Tulum Newbie

Depends on where you plan on going. The only spot we went that you'd need a Wrangler is on the beach road, south of the Sian Ka'an arch. Otherwise, a standard Toyota Corolla-style car will be fine.

[beachreader]

AdGuy, that's interesting. I think I'd heard that Paola's brother has a travel agency in Italy, which is why the place is always full of Italians. I wonder if it was he who came over? Doesn't matter, sorry your meal was soured, and that it didn't sound so good to begin with. As I said, every meal I had there was great, but that chef isn't there anymore. Too bad.

I'm really interested in staying at Tita, Loca or TDS, thanks for all the info about them!