Tulum to Valladolid -- Questions!!

[JLMCA]

Hey Everyone,

I'll be leaving for Tulum in ONE WEEK! Staying at Hamaca (thanks to this board) for 4 nites and then heading to Valladolid for one night and then Chichen for one night. I have studied this board obessively and will report back on my experiences when I get back! Thank you for all the gracious advice, information and opinions.

I have some remaining questions....
Question 1: We plan to leave Tulum sunday morning, stop at Coba, then go to Valladolid. We want to stop at the cenotes along the way (not the Grand Cenote, but the ones near Coba and Valla) and still get to Valladolid in time to shop in the square. My quesiton is this -- would be also have time to stop at the Monkey Reserve in Punta Laguna or is this just too much to pack into one day?

Question 2: We want to check out Sian Ka'an while in Tulum, particularly since we'll be staying right next to it. Does anyone have any feedback on the tours, specifically, any tour that is recommended. I like the Friends of Sian Ka'an, but they only have one tour that is 9:30-3:00 and I was wondering if it would be a better use of time to just do a 3 hour birdwatching tour. We only have three full days in Tulum, so I'm not sure how I feel about spending one of them on a full day tour of Sian Ka'an.

Question 3: I hear there is a cenote right near Hamaca - within walking distance (or near TDS). Does anyone have experience with this.

Muchas Gracias!
- Janet

[PhyllisB]

I'll let AdGuy and the other folks who've done the Sian Ka'an tours fill you in on that stuff -- AdGuy is out of town for a bit, so you might try searching for his posts, there have been several threads about tours there, I think.

BUT I will say that yes, I think adding the Monkey Reserve into that day to Coba/Valladolid would be doing too much! There is so much to see and do, I know it is hard to choose, but you will enjoy it much more if you take our time. Plus, it is always nice to have a reason to go back!

IF you have time, you might want to check out the prison just outside Valladolid (marked on the Mapchick's Can-do map of Chichen Itza) and buy a hammock. Very high quality. It's just really cool to say "oh yeah, I got that at a prison in Mexico...." :)

Phyllis

[minniemex]

Well, our resident Cenote man is on vacation as BR said - so will maybe not be back to address your question - but I do know it has been posted extensively, so do a search of cenotes -



Question 2: We want to check out Sian Ka'an while in Tulum, particularly since we'll be staying right next to it. Does anyone have any feedback on the tours, specifically, any tour that is recommended. I like the Friends of Sian Ka'an, but they only have one tour that is 9:30-3:00 and I was wondering if it would be a better use of time to just do a 3 hour birdwatching tour. We only have three full days in Tulum, so I'm not sure how I feel about spending one of them on a full day tour of Sian Ka'an.



Well, only you can answer that - I do know that you do not have to book too far in advance, especially at the time of year you are going, so I would suggest maybe making up your mind when you get there - are you going to want some time to just chill on the beach?? We have two types of people on this forum - beach bums like myself - and others who love to discover & see all the sights - As to what tour you take, do a search, as I know they have been covered -

Have a great vacation & remember - we love pictures & trip reports!!



Question 3: I hear there is a cenote right near Hamaca - within walking distance (or near TDS). Does anyone have experience with this.



Can't help you with this one either & I can't remember reading about anyone who has done this cenote - unless it's the one right when you go under the arch to Sian Ka'an - if so, I know AdGuy has written about it - so should show up in your search of cenotes -