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For some, Mexico means tequila, for others, a group of musicians with sombreros, or a tropical paradise where we can discover traces of the lost Mayan civilization, or just enjoy relaxation on the white beaches of the azure Caribbean. Currently, Cancun on the Yucatán Peninsula is the most famous holiday destination. Here you will find two towns, old and new, as well as two worlds – Mexican and another one for tourists. Once they were just fishing villages and mangrove thickets, today it is mainly a lively 25 km long “Hotel Zone.”
(follow cheap flights)
Grand Oasis Hotel
The modern Grand Oasis Cancun Hotel, shaped like a pyramid, is located right on the beach with white sand, in the center of Cancun’s hotel zone. In the extensive hotel garden, there is a huge 450-meter-long pool in the shape of an S (the longest in Cancun). The hotel offers all-inclusive service 24 hours a day, with a choice of 15 restaurants and 12 bars offering a wide range of dishes and drinks from Asian cuisine, Mediterranean to Mexican. The hotel is extremely busy, especially during college holidays when it is mainly used by students from the USA to spend holidays according to “their ideas,” especially between the ages of 18-21. They go there to drink because they can’t do it at home yet. (I experienced their spring break and the incredible noise they managed to create during the day or night there, I’ve never experienced anywhere else in my life).
The nightlife, as well as the daytime activities, are truly bustling, catering not only to fans of wild bars and discotheques. Inside the hotel reception area, there are several local travel agencies offering discounted tickets to multiple bars per night, occasional concerts in bars (Coco Bongo), excursions to the surroundings, and even car rental services. Shopping centers and disco bars are about 2 km from the Grand Oasis hotel, and the entire Cancun area is easily accessible by local buses or taxis.
The advantage of the hotel was that the Oasis network offered the possibility to spend a day in two other Oasis hotels located in different parts of Cancun, where all-inclusive was valid in bars, restaurants, by the pools, changing towels, using the beach and sunbeds. For me, the best was our hotel Grand Oasis, as it had the most beautiful beach with huge waves and open sea, the hotel and the area were also the largest. The other two hotels were smaller, quieter; one was located in the bar, nightclub, and shopping center zone, and the third one was by the harbor, with a clear view of Isla Mujeres island, so there were always boats passing by and no waves there (more for non-swimmers).
Isla Mujeres (Island of Women)
Regularly during the day, pirate ships operate from the port to the island. It used to be quiet, but today the island is full of tourists, offering various attractions, restaurants, souvenirs, but here you will mainly find the Azure Caribbean, palm trees, and white beaches without the backdrop of hotels and relaxation. The island can be comfortably and quickly explored on rented golf carts. It is possible to stay overnight in small hotels and sleep on a typical hammock for Mexicans. Hammocks are very common in Mexico. Locals often have them hung crisscross through their rooms in a draft and very often they are the only part of their bedroom furnishings.
Aquaworld
A center near the Grand Oasis hotel. I took advantage of their scuba diving crash course, which included training in the pool, a knowledge test, and then diving in the open sea at Isla Mujeres island – a dive to a depth of 12 meters. Under the sea surface, there is an underwater museum, with scattered large sculptures and other ‘props’. It may be a bit kitschy, but interesting.
Trips to Monuments
Six of us agreed to rent a car for a few days and visit all the monuments on our own. The roads are fine, but it’s a bit wild out there (issues in the country related to smuggling and drug trafficking). We experienced a raid where we all had to get out of the car, surrounded by armed police officers pointing guns at us while searching all our belongings and luggage in the car. The trips were great overall and cost us less than going through a travel agency, including rental, entrance fees, and refueling almost half the price from the tour package. We especially tailored the schedule and visits to the monuments to suit us.
Mexicans are quite fond of nightlife, and despite this community being among the poorer nations, they are very hospitable and warm-hearted. What brings them together are various celebrations, the so-called “Fiestas,” which are common and gather the whole family or village. For example, believers from a church invited us to such a celebration when we visited a small village, where we went to a local tavern for lunch and walked around the nearby area close to Chichén Itzá.
Chichén Itzá
The most famous and renowned Mayan archaeological site, belonging to the “Seven New Wonders of the World,” is located in the central part of northern Yucatan, about a 2.5-hour drive from Cancun. Chichén Itzá translates to “at the edge of the Itza well.”
It is primarily the pyramid of Kukulkán, then the Temple of the Warriors along with the Group of a Thousand Columns, the ball game court for pelota (the largest in Central America), the Platform of Eagles and Jaguars, the Wall of Skulls, the Venus Platform, and the sacred cenote/cave.
Almost every visitor wants to see the famous Kukulkan Pyramid (winged serpent), which mesmerizes them right after entering. The square-shaped ground plan is oriented in the direction of the cardinal points, with the pyramid having 9 levels, symbolizing Mayan mythology, where the underworld was divided into 9 parts. It has 4 staircases, each with 91 steps and an additional step at the top leading to the temple, summing up to 365, the number of days in a year. Every 52 years, “fire ceremonies” were held, where the Mayans bid farewell to the old, welcomed the newly born Sun, and built new structures, mostly on the site of the original ones. That is why inside Chichén Itzá, we can find a smaller pyramid that once housed a red jaguar throne and the Chac Mola statue – a sacrificial altar. During the spring and winter equinoxes, we can admire a mystical experience when the rays of the setting sun on the edge of the staircase, crowned by a stone serpent head, create a perfect shadow illusion of a slithering snake. It looks as if the snake is crawling down.
Cenotes / Caves
There are many of them there. The best experience is swimming in a cave during lunchtime when a beam of light pours into the lake from a ceiling opening. The overall pleasant climate, the water was not too cold. We managed to get into the cave only about an hour before closing, so we swam in the twilight. Later, we learned that the opening was mainly used to throw people in as sacrifices to the gods. During the exploration of the bottom, scientists discovered hundreds of drowned individuals.
Valladolid
It is a relatively small town that we passed through on our way back from Chichén Itzá.
Xcaret
Originally a port connecting the mainland to Cozumel Island, Xcaret eco-archaeological park now showcases the true wealth of Mexico: Mayan culture, archaeological sites, water activities, and the opportunity to swim with dolphins. The park is laid out like a maze amidst tropical fauna and flora,. You can let yourself be carried away by the currents of two underground rivers stretching two kilometers, on the way discovering caves/cenotes, rocky formations, and marine fossils.
Tulum
A fortified ancient coastal city with a mysterious origin, Tulum stands on a cliff in one of the most beautiful spots on the Mayan Riviera about 130 km from Cancun. Where the sun’s rays reflect on the white sand, the Mayans decided to establish a fortress, protected on 3 sides by the Caribbean Sea, whose waves crash against the cliff on which the fortress stands. It is one of the few places that was still inhabited at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, as the others had long been abandoned and swallowed by the jungle. The name Tulum is not original. It was given by its discoverers F. Catherwood and J. Stephens, who found it in 1842. Originally, the city was called “Zamá”, which means dawn, which is fitting as the sun rises over the sea directly opposite the main temple.
Xel-Ha
It is a magical place, which in Mayan means “Place where the water is born”. It is a tropical park of indescribable beauty, with a turquoise blue lagoon, gently flowing freshwater river, and lush jungle. The Xel-Ha or Xplore theme park, according to personal choice, with all-inclusive entry, where it is worth snorkeling, rafting on a tube down the underground river, or just relaxing… It’s best to head there early in the morning and plan to spend the whole day.
Cobá
In Mayan translation, it means “restless waters”, which refers to the five surrounding lakes or cenotes: Cobá, Macanxoc, Sacalpuc, Yaxlaguna, and Xcanh, and the monuments deeply embedded in the tropical jungle. All of this connects you with the ancient Mayan civilization, as if it were dozing on the stones in the forest, waiting for the right moment to be reborn from the ancient depths of time.
The pyramid “Nohoch Mul,” 42 meters high, offers a beautiful panorama from its top. At the base of the pyramid, you can see the ball court “pelota.” Thanks to its amazing acoustics, a sound made by clapping hands reverberates back within seconds. The walls surrounding the court show how hands and feet were used during the game as players attempted to get a ball through a stone ring. It may give you chills to think that, as depicted in the art, the game did not end in celebration but with the sacrifice of the losers.
In today’s world, demonstrations for tourists are still being organized, but players no longer have to fear for their lives.
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is a smaller tourist resort, located 50 kilometers south of Cancun. Originally a fishing village, it gradually expanded. At first glance, the peaceful and friendly atmosphere here enchants, which is completely different from Cancun. It has beautiful beaches and especially the famous 5th Avenue (5th av. in NY). This is the heart of Playa, a pedestrian zone full of well-known hotels, restaurants, shops, cafes, bars, and nightclubs.
