Mexico – Tulum 11/12/16 – 14/12/16

Well we have now been in Mexico for nearly 7 weeks, stayed in 10 towns and as our tour of Mexico comes to an end we arrive in Tulum. Only 1 hour south of Playa del Carmen by bus at a cost of only MXN 70 pp that’s just under NZ $5. A short taxi ride and were stood outside Hotel Casa Sofia our home for the next 3 nights. The 3* Hotel is very cute, small, family run and friendly. Booking.com states no check in before 3pm, we arrived around 1.30pm only to drop our bags off and the owner checked us in straight away. We’re only a street away from Tulum high street, 15 minutes bike ride from its very famous fabulous beach and 3km away from Tulum’s Mayan Ruins. On first impressions of the high street, we were amazed at how different this town is from any other we’ve visited in Mexico. No high rise buildings, no world famous shops, not even a Starbucks for miles, or any 5* luxury resorts, however what it lacks in these areas, in makes up for in pure undisturbed Mexican traditional buildings with thatched roofs and brightly coloured facades. It’s high street you could almost expect tumble weeds to be blowing down it, rubble everywhere and the odd worn out derelict building. Yep its beautiful and stunning in every sense of the word. On reading about Tulum, it is said to be Mexico’s up and coming tourist area due to its fab beaches and ruins. I really do hope that the “bigwigs” from American companies don’t get a sniff of this place and turn it into yet another themed destination. It’s natural beauty speaks volumes itself. We’re only here 3 nights so will see how much it presently has to offer the tourist. Tomorrow were heading for the said fab beach.
We took a taxi to the ruins, paid our entrance fees (MXN 70 pp), and spent a lovely morning walking around them. It’s said that these are the oldest Mayan ruins in Mexico, the whole site was built around 300 BC. Cant imagine how they build these colossal structures with no machinery, not even the wheel? It really is a beautiful place, right next to the ocean and it has been kept impeccably clean and tidy. Obviously you can’t get up close to these and wonder around inside them, but I suppose that’s part of its beauty, it also adds to great photos as no one is in them! The grounds are beautifully kept and in some places you walk through a jungle – like area with fabulous palm trees stretching high above you. It’s made up of many buildings all in different states of dereliction, but you can still get a sense of its status when it was first built, and of course it is right next to the Caribbean Sea. You stand atop it’s cliffs with views for miles, no wonder it was built here its stunning even on a cloudy day like today. As you meander through its grounds and view all the ruins in their magnificence, you come across many signs and diagrams all written in Spanish and English explaining which building was which and how that building related to the others. The main building stood on the cliffs edge was the Palace, here there’s pretty much of the original building in situ with views to die for which is also next to an open cenotes obviously just for the royal family use. If your not interested in trawling through the ruins, then a walk in its grounds is spectacular and we’ll worth the entrance fee. At the end of the ruins lies many beautiful beaches mostly public beaches. The first one we came across was Santa Fe beach, and my oh my it is breathtakingly beautiful. We’ve never seen sand like this before anywhere on our trip. It’s “super fine” almost like walking on icing sugar, as white as snow and as soft as a teddy bears fur. It’s backdrop Is a jungle with thick lush bush rearing backwards for miles, with huge exotic plants just a few feet away from the edge of the beach. Tour boats line it’s waters edge taking the tourists out to a sand bank in the ocean for a spot of snorkelling with turtles, and dotted around are a few thatched roof wooden structures – cafes etc- and of course there’s a bar right on the beach with swings for seats so you can people watch to your hearts content. A few sun loungers, deck chairs and tables are scattered around but not too many to spoil the natural beauty of this hidden gem. There’s even taxis waiting on the dirt track road at the side of the beach to take you back into town. Don’t worry as the taxis are well hidden so don’t affect the wonderful Vista. Whatever your imagination drums up as to a beautiful, natural, unspoilt beach in the Caribbean nothing can compare you for the views of this beach.
So we went for a semi night out in Tulum and was pleasantly surprised at how the main street transforms between day and night. We even thought the town looked better at night. It has many restaurants, good ones at that, which aren’t open during the day, most sprawling onto the streets with tables and chairs, whereas others are brightly lit with candles etc which you don’t see until you enter the premises. Tulum appears to have a very high Italian essence to it according to the many Italian restaurants scattered around. The “Nave” being very popular, owned by an Italian family whose pasta dishes are to die for, so delicious. We also ate in an Argentinian Steak House restaurant, again with a high calibre of menu choices and rather refined. So what appears to resemble a third world country during day light hours turns itself into a rather glorified affair when the sun sets. Not in the sense of neon lights everywhere and loud pumping music but rather soft lights and dulcet tones.
Mexico has been a high light for us on our travels, we have loved everything about this country and each town/city we have visited has been so different from each other. It certainly has everything anyone needs from a holiday, stunning beaches, awesome cultures, scenic landscapes, history, sun, sea and everything else. It’s inner cities are steeped in Mayan ruins, cenotes, caves and low levelled buildings painted in a kaleidoscope of bright colours. It’s coastal towns mostly very busy, but a few we visited were so calm and relaxing, time really did stand still. On the whole we found Mexico to be very reasonably priced from food to gifts to day trips, however the Eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula was the most expensive, that’s probably due to it being on the Caribbean Sea and where most holiday makers head for. If you have the time I would strongly suggest you travel through the country visiting as many towns as possible aboard its very good public bus service. Again its reasonably priced and the country side is beautiful. Mexico is a place for everyone where your eyes will be opened, your jaw dropped and where you will rediscover the sensation of being in awe of something so stunning. It will leave you with ever lasting memories of adventure and with a longing of returning ASAP.