travel in cancun/yucatan

[sunkist]

Has anyone who''s gone to Cancun have any recommendations for transportation down there? Or just any transportation advice for traveling with lots of people?? I am booking a trip for my family and there are 14 of us (10 adults and 4 children). We are actually staying in a town south of Cancun called Puerto Morelos. We''ll be there for 12 days and it''s quite expensive to rent cars for that long! Especially since a majority of the time we''ll be relaxing on the beach

!!! Anyways, does anyone have advice on this topic? Whether to rent cars, take shuttles, rent cars only on the days we need them??? Thanks a bunch!

 

[teebee]

Date: 12/20/2005 6:43:31 PM
Author:sunkist
Has anyone who''s gone to Cancun have any recommendations for transportation down there? Or just any transportation advice for traveling with lots of people?? I am booking a trip for my family and there are 14 of us (10 adults and 4 children). We are actually staying in a town south of Cancun called Puerto Morelos. We''ll be there for 12 days and it''s quite expensive to rent cars for that long! Especially since a majority of the time we''ll be relaxing on the beach

!!! Anyways, does anyone have advice on this topic? Whether to rent cars, take shuttles, rent cars only on the days we need them??? Thanks a bunch!

Hey Sunkist ~ I don''t guess I have any good solution to your transportation dilemna but just wanted to tell you that I LOVE Puerto Morales!!! We stayed at Moon Palace just south of Cancun a couple of years ago but we completed our open water scuba certification with a dive shop in Puerto Morales and really enjoyed that little town. As for transportation... I dunno... there is bus service which is very affordable but trying to travel with 14 will be tricky. I would probably just suggest renting cars only on the days that you need them - I know that a taxi ride was about $16USD from Puerto Morales to our hotel (probably $20 into Cancun) and about $18USD to Playa del Carmen.

You might want to check out the message boards at www.travelnotes.cc and then towards the bottom right hand side of the page is a link to TravelNotes Chatters & ask for any suggestions. I have gotten some good information there and also at www.scubaboard.com, which has a section for Mexico diving/traveling - a lot of the participants either live in or travel to the Yucatan frequently.

Also, when will you be going? I think the area has made remarkable progress after being hit so hard by Hurricane Wilma (hurricane force winds for about 60 consecutive hours) and I know that many hotels and tourist services are already back up and running but curious if/what services are not back online yet. We were planning our honeymoon for the last week in May at Cozumel Palace hotel but it isn''t reopening until June... So I think we''ll be staying in Playa del Carmen instead.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 12/20/2005 6:43:31 PM
Author:sunkist
Has anyone who's gone to Cancun have any recommendations for transportation down there? Or just any transportation advice for traveling with lots of people?? I am booking a trip for my family and there are 14 of us (10 adults and 4 children). We are actually staying in a town south of Cancun called Puerto Morelos. We'll be there for 12 days and it's quite expensive to rent cars for that long! Especially since a majority of the time we'll be relaxing on the beach

!!! Anyways, does anyone have advice on this topic? Whether to rent cars, take shuttles, rent cars only on the days we need them??? Thanks a bunch!

Sunkist,

I'm just back from the holidays, so this info may come late, but there's plenty of transpo on the Mayan Riviera. I would speak to a travel agent stateside to see about the services.

Teebee makes a good point about cars not being so expensive, though when I visit a resort I don't want to be driving. If you have some people in your group who are so-inclined that may allow you the most freedom. You should really check out the company or you may be driving in a parade of Pintos.

I know they have regular buses to Tulum and Xel-ha for purposes of seeing the ruins, swimming with dolphins, etc. Those buses go through Playa del Carmen and you can catch the ferry to Cozumel there. Getting to Cancun should be very easy by bus or cab (see if your resort or hotel has a shuttle to Cancun). The resorts I've been to in Playa and Cancun have travel company reps who will approach you at check-in to discuss transpo. Since you have a large group this may be a good option. I am not sure they offer this at all hotels, but your concierge can help you. The reason I suggest to arrange it stateside if you can is that if you pre-pay here it can be half the cost of making those arrangements onsite when they have you at their tender mercies.

here are a couple of threads I recall that have comments on the Mayan Riviera hither and thither.

These days I stick to the private beaches, but if you visit a public one don't let anyone approach you about time-share unless you're mellow, have a fruity cocktail and don't mind letting those guys burn 30 minutes of your life away.

 

[eks6426]

I just booked my summer vacation to Mexico. We are staying south of Puerto Moreles in Tankah Bay. I learned a lot from a website: locogringo.com There is a lot of information regarding the different beach areas in Riveria Maya, very active forum boards & also transportation information. It seems the locogringo favorite for car rentals is Easy Way rentals. Still though, a car for that many people will be pricey...but then again so is cab fare. If you are going to pretty much stay put in Puerto Moreles once you get there, you could possibly rent one car and move people in shifts...some people remaining in Cancun as you drive batch one down, then return & get shift 2 etc. Then you''d also have a car in case you need to run to the grocery/bank etc. Just a thought.

 

[sunkist]

Date: 12/28/2005 7:25:45 PM
Author: JohnQuixote

Date: 12/20/2005 6:43:31 PM

Teebee makes a good point about cars not being so expensive, though when I visit a resort I don''t want to be driving. If you have some people in your group who are so-inclined that may allow you the most freedom. You should really check out the company or you may be driving in a parade of Pintos.

Hahaha!! Wow John Quixote, I''ve been on PS for a few months now and that is the first time I''ve actaully laughed out loud!

Oh that is too funny!

I just wanted give a quick thank you to Teebee, John, and Islanddreams. I just got back from our vacation to the Yucatan a week ago and it was awesome!! Yes I can tell it is very cleaned up from what is was after Wilma. Sadly they do still have a ways to go. There is so much damage there, but they are doing a great job in restoring their home. It was actually very interesting for me to see first hand the destruction of a hurricane.

Teebee have you already been to Playa del Carmen and Cozumel before? If so, then I guess you know what you''re doing. But in my opinion, Playa was such a crowded and busy place that I wouldn''t want to stay there. Unless, maybe there are some places to stay further down the beach away from all the action that I didn''t see. I went to Cozumel for one day for a dive and I absolutely fell in love with Cozumel!! When (not IF

) I go back, I will stay on Cozumel. It is such a cute little island and shopping was even cheaper than on the main land. They bargain more. Do you dive? Diving here was AMAZING!!! Sad story though, I went with my BF and he got a cold the day before but tried to dive anyways. He got 20 ft down and couldn''t go anymore cause of the squeeze in his ears. So he missed out on the BEST diving in the world! So we''re definitely going back

 

[Diamond Princess]

Mmmmmm...... *daydreaming of Cozumel*

The beaches and the water in Cozumel are absolutely stunning! I took so many pictures of the water it was ridculous..... LOL I just couldn''t help myself. Crazy... I know...

My BF and I absolutely fell in LOVE with Cozumel. The shopping was truly amazing! The atmosphere and the people were realllllllly awesome! I had never been forced into a situation to bargain with someone before, but every shop that we went in to they pretty much made us bargain with them. We later found out that they take it as an insult if you do not bargain with them. Who knew... obviously we didn''t... LOL

You MUST go to Carlos and Charlie''s in Cozumel! They have a famous shot that you can take that will actually leave you feeling a little violated afterwards (especially for the males) LOL

I cannot WAIT to go back.

My only advice would be, do not take a taxi in Cozumel.

I seriously thought we were going to die and the guy never once let off his horn. So, he drove for like 6 miles at about 70mph on an overly crowded, very small street hitting the horn constantly and not really paying attention to the road or other people and cars. Needless to say, we walked back to the docks ourselves.

We also took a tour to Chichen-Itza in the Yucatan to stimulate our brains and little and explore some Mayan history in Playa Del Carmen. It was one of the most amazing places that I have been and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a little history. Just make sure that you wear lots of sunblock (especially if you''re a redhead, like me

) and very comfy shoes.

You will definitely have to take lots of pictures to share! BF and I are looking to make it back down that way so the pictures will just make me want to go even more and have to work harder on the BF to get in gear for planning!

Jamie
www.whiteflash.com