Summertime at the Mayan Palace

Spending a week on the Mayan Riviera is great! We stayed at our new timeshare: The Mayan Palace. There are lots of things to do at the The Mayan Palace although it is only about 50% finished. The pool is the largest in Latin America. Most people relax in the heated pool with its fountains and whirlpools. At night, you are serenaded by mariachis. Two restaurants as well as room service serve delicious meals. Lots of activities for children including crafts, water polo, and volleyball. Salsa lessons are offered for adults. Xel-Ha and X-Caret are nearby. A bit further are the ruins of Tulum, Coba, and Chichen-Itza. The Mayan Riviera is a fantastic place to soak up culture! By car or by bus you can travel down the Mayan Riviera and see cenotes, beaches and ruins. Xel-Ha is a sort of theme park/natural aquarium. You can snorkle, hike, swim, float on tubes, or swim with dolphins. There is a beautiful underground cave at Aktun-Cha. Xcaret is expensive but great- there is an evening show and you can float in tubes through an underground tube in the hottest part of the day. The small town of Puerto Morelos is about 15 minutes away by bus or taxi. Here, there are a few shops and restaurants, some overlooking the water and you can pay a local fisherman to take you out on the water. At night there are local activities in the town square. About 30 minutes from the Mayan Palace is Playa del Carmen- full of nightlife, shops, and restaurants.

Quick Tips:

Meals are not cheap, so buy groceries at one of two large grocery stores in Playa del Carmen (30 minutes away). The government will not let the resort clear the water of rocks at this time. There are no ocean views from the rooms. The nearest town of Puerto Morelos is a 15 minute ride. Rooms do not have ocean views but the one bedroom has a double bed, two bathrooms, two pull out single beds from the sofas, two televisions, a microwave, refrigerator, 4 burners, plates, cups etc. Buy your snorkling gear before you come as rental prices are high and there are so many places to snorkel! Our favorite is Xel-Ha, which they have turned into a sort of theme park- so prices are high- minimum of 25 dollars for the day and higher for all inclusive eating which you will not want to do because there are so many water activities. If you want to see the same fish without the park atmosphere, take the bus to Akumal and then walk (45 min) or take a taxi to Yal Ku, a lagoon where you will only have to pay 5 dollars.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rent a car before you arrive for best access. Otherwise, take the golf cart to the main road and cross the street to avoid high taxi prices inside the resort. A taxi on the road can cost as little as three dollars to Playa del Carmen, instead of the 17 dollars you pay from inside the resort. You pay about one dollar if you take the colectivos that frequent the road (van). You can also take the Mayab bus for about 50 cents.A shuttle to the airport is about 15 dollars each way, but it is very convenient. They will pick you up from the airport and deliver you directly. Prices coming back to the Mayan Palace are always higher once you tell them where you are going, but you should never have to pay more than two dollars for a colectivo. Enjoy! The buses and colectivos are the best way to see the people of Mexico.

Best Things Nearby:
It is located in the middle of Playa del Carmen to the south and Puerto Morelos, to the north. Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Tulum, Aktun-Cha are all within an hour drive. Puerto Morelos is 15 minutes away and it a quiet little fishing town. Lots of good restaurants and shops. The fisherman will take you out in a boat to fish and snorkel. Take the bus from the Mayan Palace (50 cents)and then a short taxi ride from the main highway (no more than $2). Playa del Carmen is about 25 minutes away. It is a town bustling with people, nightlife, restaurants, and nightclubs. You can take the ferry from here to Cozumel.

Best Things About the Resort:
There is a gigantic interactive swimming pool -- could be the largest in the world. Two swim up bars, a whirlpool, fountains, and water polo area are contained in the pool. Very friendly staff and very good food. There are daily activities for adults and children -- water polo, water aerobics, crafts, dance classes, volleyball, etc. There is a buffet --all-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner as well as a nightclub and an a la carte restaurant.

Resort Experience:
This resort will be fantastic when it is finished. There are plans for two more restaurants, a Jack Nicklaus golf course, and built-in canals for paddling and snorkling. Right now the resort is not finished but there are two restaurants and a bar. The pool is fantastic and everyone seems happy here. Rooms are nice although there are no ocean views and the balconies are not large enough to stay out on. They do not face anything interesting - mostly construction at the moment.

We stayed in a one bedroom unit. The bedroom had a double bed. Two sofas pull out into two more single beds. There is one bathroom. The kitchen had four burners, a refrigerator, cups, plates, pots and pans and a microwave, but no oven. They do not supply dish soap - you must buy your own. Cleaning service was not regular - once they came in at 6:30 at night. You cannot walk into the ocean from the beach as there are coral and rocks on the ocean floor that have not been removed due to government regulations.

Prices are lower now because the resort is not finished. Food and drink prices are high. Rent a car if you really want to get around the area and explore the ruins. You can use public transportation and that is cheap if you leave the resort and walk to the highway. If you are not an owner, you can get freebies by taking a tour. Be warned that it is a high pressure tour. From my experience you are promised many things that are not true in reality. You''ll have a better time if you don''t do the tour. They have not begun much work on the golf course and won''t say when it is going to be finished. But all in all if you like the resort life, you will be happy sitting around the pool and sipping a pina colada.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

We felt so lucky to find this restaurant because we are vegetarian and we were getting tired of beans and rice or spaghetti.

The atmosphere is incredible. The restaurant is built around huge trees, no ceiling, and all is lit with small lights. You feel like you are eating in a jungle. The service is friendly and the menu is extensive. Many types of fruit drinks, veggie burgers, typical Mexican food, yet vegetarian, and salads galore! You can get any combination of smoothies and fruit drinks.My favorite was the Oasis. The veggie burgers included about 10 different choices of toppings- mushrooms, cheese, peppers, onions, etc. Caesar salad is made with a yogurt dressing- no anchovies. We Portions are huge- we always overordered. Many different types of burritos and sandwiches and pastas. We ate here almost every night when we stayed at Playa del Carmen. Very inexpensive prices. Waiters were super friendly, service was a little slow so don't go in super hungry.

You must go snorkeling at Xel-Ha during your stay at the Mayan Palace. Take the resort golf cart to the road and catch the Mayab bus which will take you to Playa del Carmen where you can catch another going to Xel-Ha and Tulum. Or you can take colectivos there. You will still have to get off the road near Playa and catch another colectivo to Xel-Ha. Xel-Ha is a bit costly -- 20-40 dollars depending on whether you want the all-inclusive (food, gear etc.)

You really won't want to take the time to eat. Don't combine this trip with Tulum. You'll want as much time here as you can get. Bring your own snorkeling gear to cut down on the cost. Wearing of sunscreen is prohibited, as it kills the coral and fish. You can swim with dolphins here for an extra 80 dollars or so. Snorkeling is everywhere, but the staff will tell you the best spots. The really big fish are by the swinging bridge. You will also see sting-rays here.

You can float down the river in an innertube, which we found to be exhausting because the current is often against you. There is a beach, a small cenote where you can swing from a rope, and a lagoon. There is a train that can transport you from one side to the other.

We had the most fun just snorkeling for hours. It is like a huge aquarium. Get there before noon because then the people really start coming.

Although the ruins of Tulum are not spectacular, the setting is. The majestic cliff top ruins overlook vast stretches of beach and turquoise water. You can swim here and that is the best part. As you swim below you look up at the splendid Mayan Ruins and the sight is impressive. There are many little coves and beaches and private spots. To best enjoy the ruins go early in the morning or in late afternoon when the tour buses aren't there. It is free on Sunday and that is when the Mexican locals go.

Tulum was occupied from 1200 - 1521 and was a walled city. Its strategic function was that of a fortress. The city was abandoned about 75 years after the Spanish conquest. Tulum's tallest building is a watchtower fortress overlooking the Caribbean named "El Castillo". When you take the bus to Tulum, make sure you tell the driver to let you off at Las Ruinas, the town is another couple kilometers away. Then you must walk about half a mile to the ruins, or you can take a train-like shuttle but you have to pay and the walk really isn't long. The heat is oppressive though in the middle of the day. Thunderstorms come up quickly and there is not much shelter when you are viewing the ruins. Last time we took protection down by the water under some cave-like formations.

We go back to the ruins of Tulum time and time again because of the beauty.

The Mayan Palace arranges tours but you can easily go on your own. You can take the Mayab bus to Playa del Carmen and then transfer to another that will take you to Tulum, or you can take two colectivos (white vans that you flag down). Tulum is a little down the road from Xel-Ha but spend a day at each as you will want the entire day at Xel-Ha. After you finish at the ruins, take a taxi to town( fares are posted everywhere and are regulated) and eat lunch or dinner.

If you don't want to pay the prices for Xel-Ha, but what to see the same fish, visit the Lagoon of Yal Ku in Playa Akumal. This lagoon is a protected habitat for regional marine life. The waters are a combination of salt water from the Carribean and fresh water from underground rivers. You can snorkel here and hang out on the small beaches and docks. The lagoon is a short 10 minute walk from Half Moon Bay, at the end of the road in Akumal. Take a taxi if you are coming from the arched entrance for it is about a 5 kilometer walk from there. There is a parking lot and you can rent snorkeling equipment.

The lagoon is an easy walk to nearby restaurants. A stay for the day will cost you 5 dollars or 50 pesos. To save the fish, they ask that you do not wear sunscreen in the water. This can be a problem because the sun is intense and you will burn. Try to go early in the morning to avoid the heat and crowds- although there were never very many people there when we went in July. Tour busses do pull in around noon.

We saw lots of tropical fish all around the lagoon as well as underwater caves. If you swim toward the ocean, you will see the turtles and manta rays as well as incredible brightly colored coral.

If you are coming from the Mayan Palace, take a taxi (expensive) or take the Mayab bus to Playa del Carmen and then switch buses going further south towards Tulum. Get off at Playa Akumal and then walk 5 kilometers or so or take a taxi for a few dollars from the arch to the Lagoon. You will pass Half Moon Bay, which is very nice also, and where you will see baby turtles hatching if you are lucky.