Help with the Yucatan Peninsula (hotel, restaurant, price, buses)

[Grass-Stained Feet]

Hello all,

In late September me and a couple of friends are flying to Cancun and are going to be there about a week or just over...We are flying to Cancun because I am going to be volunteering in the Sian Kaan Reserve when they leave they are dropping me off, so to speak.

But I don't think the best thing to do is to stay in Cancun, because I want them to get the most of their money from flights,and see the real Mexico, not just all inclusive hotels and alcohol (not that I am saying that is all cancun is, because I have never been).

I was thinking Tulum, or Campeche? But I don't really know much at all about the peninsula/area around Cancun. Has anyone got any recomendations? I'd like them to see gorgeous beaches (not too packed/touristy) but also a little insight into Mexican life, and maybe some Mayan Ruins. I speak Spanish so that is fine, and have no problem staying in a hostel/cheap place and using the local eating places for foods.

If anyone does have any suggestions on a town to stay at then any advice on transport to and from cancun airport, or names/directions of places to see would be great.

Also, we are flying from Cancun from NewYork, the cheapest way I can find is Via Juarez with Mexicana. Does that sound about right? I have no quarms about chaging at Juarez, we'd have like 5 hours to kill there....is the airport near the town? do you think we'd have time to see some stuff? I would really love to see the US-Mexican border, but at the same time, wouldn't like to miss my flight!!

And while we are on the Subject, any cheap but good places to stay in newyork? lol, we will be there for 4 days/3 nights at a weekend. Flying in from London.

Thanks to anyone who has read this and is thinking of replying!

Rach

[LittleDolphin]

We haven't been to that area for a few years, so this info may be a bit out of date, but we used to love to use Akumel as our base and travel from there...Akumel has incredible snorkeling, diving and lovely beaches and even a lagoon that's a mix of salt and fresh water...accommodations vary there from pricey to reasonable.

Another choice might be for a very laid-back place would be the little beach bungalows around Tulum---it may be more built-up now but they had a Robinson Caruso kind of feeling before with a few beach restaurants/bars and not too much else except miles of empty, pretty beaches...it's interesting to hire a local guide to take you to some of the nearby cenotes--big pools of fresh water that well up from the limestone---very mysterious and special places to snorkel...a visit to Tulum ruins, of course, which are so beautiful, perched on a cliff overlooking a turquoise sea--especially if you can get there before the tour buses arrive (very early in the morning) and a trip to Coba and the ruins in the jungle there are fascinating..a local guide, again, will be helpful.

This is a special part of the world and it is worth the time to venture outside of Cancun...though there's another side of Cancun outside of the tourist strip that is old and still unspoiled..takes some ingenuity to find it...have a great trip.

I believe you can take a bus from the Cancun airport vicinity down to Akumel...or take a cab to the closest bus terminal...we used to share a cab, but the costs have likely gone up since then.

[LittleDolphin]

Akumal Webcam: Riviera Maya webcams~ Mayan Riviera Mexico

This web site has lots of info about the Yucatan area and also a forum where you can ask questions...hope it helps....