Akumel
Cancun…not our first choice in travel destinations, but in retrospect was an important decision because it helped shape how and why we travel. We began talking about taking a trip to Florida. After comparing the prices and list of things we wanted to see, Cancun was the obvious winner. It has better beaches, amazing history, more interesting culture, and was by far cheaper.
We decided to stay at the Akumel Resort. I had never experienced an all-inclusive resort, and had never been interested because of the isolation and lack of immersion into the area that the resort is surrounded by. We chose it mainly for the location…it sits on the beach with an enormous population of sea turtles, and has some of the best snorkeling around. It also lies far enough outside Cancun to avoid the spring break party crowds.
The resort was nice, nothing extravagant, but comfortable. Again, the location was what sold it, and it lived up to our expectations. The beach access was perfect, and the proximity to the area's ruins and cenotes couldn't be beat.
The ruins of Tulum were our first destination outside our resort. We arrived early to avoid the tour bus crowds. It was an amazing place, and we had it almost entirely to ourselves, aside from the iguanas perched anywhere there was sunlight and a nice rock to sit on. After exploring the ruins, we took a snorkeling break in the ocean just below the ruins. The water was choppy and there wasn't as much to see as back at the resort's beach, but being out in the ocean with the unique view of the ruins off in the distance was a pretty memorable experience. One thing we really learned from Tulum was to plan everything around the crowds and the sun. Arriving early to any popular spot ensures you get some quiet time to explore, and you also leave early enough to avoid the intense mid-day sun.
One of the best parts about the Yucatan Peninsula are it's cenotes. Each one has a character of it's own, and is perfect for a visit after a hot day exploring the Mayan ruins. The Cenote Dos Ojos was our personal favorite. It was the only cave cenote we visited. With our snorkeling gear and flashlights, we were led through a labrynth of rock columns and deep chasms. At times we couldn't see the bottom it was so deep, and at times the rock was only inches above our heads. Since we were only snorkeling, we had to stay relatively close to the surface. Every once in a while we would see a diver far below, and if you're caught off-guard, can cause a moment of panic!
I think the ruins of Coba were my favorite part of our trip. When you go to Cancun, Chichen Itza is the iconic spot, and the first thing you think of when you mention Mayan ruins. Coba however, is like Chichen Itza's unknown little cousin. Without all of the rules, regulations, and pushy souvenir merchants, Coba retains a lot of the natural history and isolation that we were seeking. The main path that leads through the flat jungle was original to the Mayans, and showed the engineering feats of their long lost civilization. As we walked, alone, through the jungle, the insects emitted a surprisingly loud drone, but when approached would immediately go silent. A fun game to play with them. We reached the first set of ruins. Not knowing what to expect, it was a temple in extremely run-down condition, and it was roped off and overgrown with trees. At first, we were all thinking this was the main temple, and all hopes of climbing to the top were dashed. We continued on in disappointment. We passed a series of smaller ruins, but then, out of nowhere, there it was...the main attraction! The central temple maintained it's original height despite the centuries of erosion, and visitors were still allowed to climb all the way to the top using the crazy dangerous steps and one rope to aid the more feint of heart. We made it to the top, still completely alone, and performed a couple ritual sacrifices. The view was amazing. The jungle is flat, so when you're above the treeline, all you see is a flat bed of treetops all the way to the horizon, broken up occasionally by the tip of a far off temple. It was one of the most serene locations I've ever been.
Cenote Eden reminded me of a lake back in the Midwest, only surrounded by jungle. It was nice, although very crowded. We found that the smaller, less dramatic cenotes were visited by more locals, while the picturesque cenotes tended to be populated by tourists.
Chichen Itza held no surprises. It was amazing seeing the engineering feats of the Mayan people so long ago. The grounds were sprawled out over a large beautiful section of forest, with paths similar to Coba meandering between sights. Unfortunately, unlike Coba, the paths, and even the open spaces surrounding the ruins, were overrun with tacky souvenir-selling, pushy, rude people who just wouldn't leave you alone. Understanding enough Spanish, I could pick out the comments they were making as we walked by...I couldn't believe the comments they would make once they realize you're not there to buy anything. The best moment came when we were looking at some hats. The man insisted they were made of local materials and hand crafted by locals. He seemed to shut up when we turned it over and the label clearly said "Made in China." Thu had been to Chichen Itza several years ago, and was allowed to climb to the top of the main temple. At that time, there was more access and you could get near and really look at all of the structures. Now, everything is roped off, so you have to maintain a distance and miss out on the amazing detail. After this experience, we really started to think about world destinations, and when planning future trips, we now strongly consider if a location will soon be closed off like Chichen Itza, and if it is, we try to visit sooner than later.
Cenote Yokdzonot was another hidden gem. Located near Chichen Itza, it is a female-run cenote in a deep recession in the land. It was murky, and full of fish. After the heat and sun of Chichen Itza, it was probably the most refreshing swim we had. The owners seemed very concerned, and kept a watchful eye in case anyone had trouble swimming in the deep water. We had a nice lunch served by the women afterward.
Easily my favorite part of the trip...the turtle reserve in front of our resort was the perfect place to end a long day of exploring. What we didn't realize was how easy it was to find the turtles, and how little they cared about you gawking at them. We swam around dozens of turtles, studied their movements, and discovered that if you waited long enough, they would surface for air and that was the perfect opportunity to see them up close. They were so calm. The reefs were also perfect. The water was shallow and there was an abundance of colorful fish to follow around. Best of all...no sign of sharks!
