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Any one have an opinion on which spot offers a better mix of things to do. I want to be somewhere where I have beach time, but also things to explore ex cities, shopping or cultural. Not interested in night clubs or bars.
Cancun is too crowded and touristy for me. Nothing on the island that isn't mass commercialized.
I'd say Riviera Maya, either Playa del Carmen or Tulum as a base. You can still get the touristy stuff but also plenty of local restaurants and shops. Beaches are better and you're closer to the ruins and cenotes.
I know they are close to each other. I have been to Cancun a long time ago.... but am considering going to either area for a quick vaction in early Nov 2016 and want to go to Xcaret park for Dias De Los Muertos. I have been to this park before and it is greally cool. The show was geat too. If I can not get to Oaxaca for the real deal ... I might have to settle for the Mickey Mouse version for now. I have heard the beaches and resorts in the Mayan Riveria are nicer.. but Cancun has more stuff to do.
As much as I do love nice beaches ... I don't want to spend a whole week sitting on a beach being tempted to stuff my face/ bordom eat because there is nothing else to do. I can only hang out of the beach for a 2 hours a day max and then I am going to get crazy bored. I had fun a Xcaret park when I went. I can only imagine it is even better now.
Anyone have a suggestion as to the best place to stay in Mexico to get a best possible mix of city/culture and beach? I don't speak Spanish ... and at best can only say random stupid things so I really don't want to have to think too hard. Getting to Oaxaca for a 1 week visit sounds like a pain in the butt and there is not beach... so I might not get the complete mix of what I am looking for. If I head to Cancun or Mayan Riveria... I can try to get to Xcaret park to soak in some Dias De Los Muertos stuff and still get a mix of other things to do.
I think most locations will have the traditional weekly market nearby, for shopping. Cancun is mostly about the bar scene, aside from the swimming.
You might consider Merida, instead. It's more of a Mayan town, so there will be traditional markets as well as shops, and of course there's a beach. From there, you can take buses to archaeological sites in the area. People (women especially) find it mellower than many of the other tourist areas, due to the Native influence.
Two distinct ways to do hotels depending on your style preference. If you stay in the town of Tulum or PDC you can get a small cheap hotel and then explore the town and it's shops and restaurants on foot, taking excursions to xcaret and ruins. Or outside the towns the coast is peppered with pricier all-inclusives that will have everything you need on site and you can take excursions from there.
Merida is a more cultural city but is not on the coast although it's only 15-20 miles to Progresso where there is a beach.
I would recommend Playa all the way. It used to be a sleepy fishing village. It is now bustling with activity. No shortage of things to do. I was there in 2010 and stayed at an all inclusive in PDC, not the outskirts. From there you can grab a collectivo or rent a car and get to any nearby sights. The bus is too inconvenient. A collectivo is the shuttle service that many use. It is nice and comfortable and has A/C. There is a forum for PDC and Maya Riviera where you can ask all the questions you like. If interested send me a PM and I can tell you about it. The rules here don't allow it.
I love the colectivos. They are so cheap. Fare from PDC to Akumal is 35 pesos. Taxi fare would be over 300 pesos. You will be riding mostly with Mexicans. And maybe a few chickens. The terminal in PDC is on 2nd street just north of 15th ave. Along the highway you get on by standing beside the road and waving your hand as a white van approaches. Like hitchhiking. You get off by telling the driver your destination when you get on and reminding him by hollering Alto <insert place> when you get near it.
Anyone have a suggestion as to the best place to stay in Mexico to get a best possible mix of city/culture and beach? I don't speak Spanish ... and at best can only say random stupid things so I really don't want to have to think too hard. Getting to Oaxaca for a 1 week visit sounds like a pain in the butt and there is not beach... so I might not get the complete mix of what I am looking for. If I head to Cancun or Mayan Riveria... I can try to get to Xcaret park to soak in some Dias De Los Muertos stuff and still get a mix of other things to do.
Getting to Oaxaca shouldn't be too much of a pain. I have never been personally but now plenty of people, specially form Montreal that used to spend a lot of time there, in Puerto Escondido. You said there is no Beach? Oaxaca has beautiful beaches. I wouldn't count out Oaxaca just yet, look into it a bit more.
Thanks for all the feedback and ideas. From my end... I literally want to just book a vacation package and show up without too much thinking and planning in advance. I am not really in a mood right now to spend to much time or effort searching for rooms and stuff. I want to pay ... get to the airport and be delivered safely to hotel with no drama. Otherwise I would just go to Mexico city. If I spoke Spanish or was with someone who spoke Spanish and had a lot more time to kill I would go about it differently, but right now I just want to go the easiest route possible. When I was there I was with someone who spoke Spanish and I just had to nood and smile .... ahhh the good old days. I am not a fan of getting in to taxis anywhere when I don't speak the language unless desperate. I have heard a lot of worrisome stories about tourist getting robbed and assaulted by taxi drivers in Cancun over the last few years. How common it is I am not sure... but I want a drama free vacation if possible. Lost to think about. I am considering trying to booking last minute to see if I can get a better deal and like my wallet guide me. In some ways I dont want to go back to Cancun because I have already been there and don't really like doing repeat visits to the same location unless there for a specific purpose. Nicagragua, Hondoras and Colombia are also offering vacation packages direct from where I am there year ..... so if the price is right... I might go that route instead.
I think not speaking Spanish and not having a lot of time is sort of making be less interested in going to these more interesting places in Mexico right now.
Has anyone every stayed at a hotel in downtown Cancun/ in the city. There is a pretty good deal I keep seeing for hotel and flight there that seems tempting.
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.... ahhh the good old days. I am not a fan of getting in to taxis anywhere when I don't speak the language unless desperate. I have heard a lot of worrisome stories about tourist getting robbed and assaulted by taxi drivers in Cancun over the last few years. How common it is I am not sure... but I want a drama free vacation if possible. Lost to think about. I am considering trying to booking last minute to see if I can get a better deal and like my wallet guide me. In some ways I dont want to go back to Cancun because I have already been there and don't really like doing repeat visits to the same location unless there for a specific purpose. Nicagragua, Hondoras and Colombia are also offering vacation packages direct from where I am there year ..... so if the price is right... I might go that route instead.
