Kailuum/CESiak fans?

[beachreader]

Sorry, I hijacked another thread with chat about these places, but I'd love to hear more from folks who have stayed at the tents in CESiak, and I'd love to see pictures from that area as well. Sol Caribe looks pretty great too.

I was a huge fan of Kailuum up north of Playa (Punta Bete area), and when they closed pre-hurricanes, I booked a trip to the one in Mahajual. It just wasn't the same. Still Kailuum, loved the tents and the baths and the honor bar and communal dining, but the beach was tiny and the water full of seagrass, and it seemed that there were 5 "bosses" on hand at any given time, and we had about 8 guests. I know the water up at the north location was all rocky, but their beach was stunning. I loved that place.

I know that Ivan (who worked at the southern location for a while) and David are now both up at Posada Capitan Lafitte's until the new place opens, which will be called Petit Lafitte but will be molded at least as far as they can in the Kailuum model. Not tents but cabanas, and they'll have a pool, but Ivan is going to push for the communal dining that helped make Kailuum such a special place to meet fellow travelers. I hope they can make it work, but it won't be nearly as cheap as Kailuum was, in fact it'll be about twice the cost. Sigh.

Anyway, back to CESiak, I'd love to see pics--anyone have any?

Thanks!

[minniemex]

Here is a picture of the stairs from the restaurant down to the beach from the tent area - I have a couple pictures of the beach there I think, but they are at home & I am at work - will look tonight -

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Tulum/DSC01070.jpg
I do know that I thought the "tents" were more than that - they had huge screened in porches which I really liked & seemed to have permanent sides - the beach is down - as shown in the above picture, & these tents are at the top looking out over the ocean - it looked just beautiful -

This would be your view -
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Tulum/DSC01071.jpg

[Nelms]

My wife and I first went to Kailuum I in the original Punta Bete location just north of Posada del Capitaine Lafitte in the early 1990's. The beach was wide and had very few people on it, with almost no development to the north, so you could take long walks. Some rocks in the water at the beach directly in front of Kailuum were annoying, but if you went far enough north to swim and sun sans bathing suits, as many did, the beach there was almost rock free.

Then in the mid-90's, a hurricane destroyed Kailuum and picked up the beach and blew it into the jungle. Subsequently, Kailuum II was developed south of Capitaine Lafitte. We stayed there in 2002. We liked it, but it wasn't as good as Kailuum I. The beach was pretty to look at, but too rocky underfoot to swim without water shoes, which I can't stand to wear -- like wearing a raincoat in the shower! But we were able to walk back ten minutes to the old Kailuum beach to swim and sun -- not as wide, but enough fewer rocks to avoid water shoes.

Based on reports of the new location, with its narrow beach and sea grass, we've decided to focus on Tulum cabana resorts and say good-bye to Kailuum. It's really too bad -- Kailuum with a good beach (say, where Camping Oasis is located at Tululm) would be heaven. What we miss most, however, is the family-style dinners at tables of eight in a huge palapa structure with sand floor. My wife and I like to hang out together as just a two-some during the day at the beach, but we also enjoy meeting new people at dinner. That can be difficult at small cabana resorts, where people tend to stay in couples and go different places for dinner. At Kailuum, the food was very good, the honor bar economical, and the conversations amazing. The saying was that no guest should ever recommend Kailuum to anyone they wouldn't want to spend two hours at dinner with! The place seemed to appeal to teachers, psychologists, environmentalists, researchers, small business owners, managers of non-profits, graduate students -- interesting people who valued authenticity over luxury, a sense of peaceful communion with nature over noisy activities -- people who can read all day in the warm sun, take long walks, swim in the ocean every hour or two, and never be bored -- people who just want to BE, rather than to DO. There were no corporate prima donnas complaining about mosquitoes or sand in their beds, and no drunken Cancun party types -- just people who felt privileged to be in such a natural, quiet, friendly, beautiful, relaxing place.

I'm glad to hear that plans for a new property in the Punta Bete location will try to recreate that ambience, and I hope they succeed. But darn it -- why can't it Kailuum itself be somewhere on the Tulum beach between Maya Tulum and the Sian Ka'an biosphere! That's where it belongs. I suspect property values are just too high to make the concept work now. Maybe we need to try the Cesiak place -- I know the beach is great, and the tents look even nicer than at Kailuum. What are the people like there? Do they eat together at breakfast and dinner? Do they drink lots of wine and have amazing discussions about the state of the universe and the human condition? Do they have the same feeling of amazement that such a place exists, and that they are lucky to be there?

[beachreader]

Nelms, you are making me cry! I first came across a mention of Kailuum back in about 1993, but at the time my traveling companions decided maybe we'd go a different way. I always kept it in the back of my mind, but somehow never got there until early 2002, when I decided "dammit, I'm going by myself". A friend came with but was only willing to risk a couple of days. She, of course, fell in love with the place and cursed her short trip. I returned 2-3 times a year until they closed (as did she, often at different times), and I was devastated when they decided to close because I felt like I had been gypped out of 15 years of enjoying the place (i.e., had I gone when I first thought of it!).

Yes, the water wasn't good, but everything else about the place was so perfect, and I agree with you that after a day of spending time alone or with your companion, happy hour was as happy a social occasion as you could wish for, and dinners were real bonding time with your fellow travelers.

And yes, they really really should have a Kailuum in Tulum, down at the south end. I've told Ivan how great it is down there but he hasn't spent much time there, and of course is wrapped up in launching the new Lafitte's.

Let's see, the Powerball lottery is $240 million tonight. I'll let y'all know if I will be opening a Kailuum next year (though to me, it wouldn't be Kailuum without Ivan and David and the rest of the staff who made it special).

[beachreader]

And Minniemex, thanks for the CESiak pictures. I really do need to check that and Sol Caribe out in future.

Nelms, maybe we former Kailuumers can hook up in Sian Kaan someday and have our communal dinners!

[minniemex]

Nelms - welcome to the forum - Have you heard of Mayan Beach Gardens?
I have heard nothing but good about them, they are alittle further south than Tulum - but seems to have what you might be looking for -

http://www.mayanbeachgarden.com/

Here is a trip report from another board about them -

http://www.locogringo.com/forums/tm.asp?m=441939&mpage=1&key=mayan%2Cbeach%2Cgarden&#441939


Just ideas, don't know your budget or if this fits, just sounded like you might like it -

[beachreader]

Wow, yet another place that sounds amazing! The area is rife with them, but I'm so glad to hear MBG has communal dining and clear water out front. Getting those two things together could be a dream come true for former Kailuumers.

Definitely on my list. Thanks for the tip!

[Gale in KY]

Mayan Beach Garden is a bit more upscale than Kaliuum..lol..but if you love Mahahual and El Placer, you will defintely love MBG. The only real complaint I hear is that the beach isn't clean. MBG does clean their beach..but, most of the beaches in the area that don't have a lodging fronting them remain natural, same as the secluded beaches along the Boca Paila.

What most people don't realize is that cleaning up seagrass from the beach is actually destructive to the beach. Seagrass works naturally to prevent beach erosion. As for the garbage that floats in, till we figure out a way to stop cruise ships from dumping their crap..we should take a garbage bag and pick up what we can..try to do a day of litter control. lol!

Further down the Boca Paila are a couple of places that have "community style" dinners..both places are small and laid back..very secluded..but I have heard some great things about both. Both are well into the Sian Kaan, quite aways from Tulum

Sol Caribe
http://www.locogringo.com/siankaan/sol-caribe.html?name=Sol%20Caribe
Xamach Dos
www.xamachdos.com

[mariposa]

I haven't been there but I have friends who have. they said it's amazing and
the food is awesome. They have an incredible chef and everything is really fresh..He was raving about it.

[Nelms]

Thanks for the lead on Maya Beach Garden -- looks like a place we might really enjoy, and the prices are certainly reasonable. Does anyone know whether there might be opportunities there to swim and sun without bathing suits? We enjoy this aspect of Tulum (and enjoyed it at the old Kailuum), but we wouldn't want to offend the locals if they are not used to this. Actually, I have the same question about Cesiak -- would its beach be considered clothing optional like those in Tulum?

[AdGuy]

Does anyone know whether there might be opportunities there to swim and sun without bathing suits? We enjoy this aspect of Tulum (and enjoyed it at the old Kailuum), but we wouldn't want to offend the locals if they are not used to this. Actually, I have the same question about Cesiak -- would its beach be considered clothing optional like those in Tulum?

Just to set the record straight, public nudity anywhere in Mexico (whether on the beach or any other public area) is illegal. :(

[Nelms]

Adguy, I'm a big fan of your posts -- keep up the good work!

Of course, you're right -- nudity is illegal in Mexico. But as in many areas of the world where it is technically illegal, it is tolerated along many stretches of the Riviera Maya because some tourists enjoy it, and the authorities don't want to give up the income they contribute. It would be easy to stop if the authorities or the local people really had a problem with it. Moreover, the policy of de jure illegality and de facto toleration has advantages over straight legalization -- it encourages people to be discreet and find places to skinny dip that don't offend others, and it discourages the kind of lewd behavior that can be problematic at legal nude beaches, which unfortunately attract a disproportionate share of gawkers, wierdos and deviates. So while I respect the law, in this case I'm willing to break it where custom and discretion permit.

I just e-mailed Mayan Beach Garden about this question, and here is Marcia's reply:

"Bathing nude at Mayan Beach Garden would probably not be appropriate. However, there are several places within minutes that you can spend the day and not see anyone."

So: does a falling tree make a sound if there is no one in the forest to hear it? :)

[minniemex]

Here is an ariel (msp?) view of MBG

http://www.locogringo.com/maps/tour/P1010135a-t.html

I didn't get home early enough last night to check for the other pictures of Cesiak last night - will try tonight -

[minniemex]

Sorry, checked - I thought I had more but I don't - not of that part of Cesiak -:(

[calowie]

We have some pictures of Cesiak and the region but I keep getting the message that the files I am trying to attach are too big. Any suggestions from those of you who obviously have figured this out?

[AdGuy]

We have some pictures of Cesiak and the region but I keep getting the message that the files I am trying to attach are too big. Any suggestions from those of you who obviously have figured this out?

calowie,

You're limited to four images (including smilies) per post. Otherwise, if you have the photos hosted on photobucket or any other image site you shouldn't have a problem. PM me with more details and I'll try to help.