I'll give you a run-down of our itinerary, how much we spent, and some advice on how to make your trip go a little bit smoother than ours.
Day 1: Playa Del Carmen
We arrived in Cancun and the weather was perfect. It's January (and early January at that), so it's not going to be TOO hot. The temperature hovered around 77-81 degrees while we were there. We got into Cancun around 2 and went straight to the ADO Bus ticket stand. If you don't see it inside, it should be outside by Platform 4 & 5. The tickets to Playa Del Carmen from Cancun were $190 pesos per person. That was definitely a deal because the bus was nice and air-conditioned, had charging outlets, and comfortable seats. It wasn't packed at all the day that we went. An hour later, the bus dropped us off at the ADO Bus Station in the center of Playa Del Carmen on 5th Avenue. From there, we took a taxi to our hotel, Grand Fifty Suites. The taxi was about $170 pesos to our hotel. Upon arrival, the hotel was so nice! It is fairly new and very close to the beach. The rooms were clean and spacious. There was a rooftop pool and bar. The hotel gave you tickets to breakfast, which was about a block away or a five minute walk. They also provided towels where you had to give them the towel cards and in return they will provide you the towels. Our room had two queen beds and was $436 USD for 4 nights. Check in and check out was 24 hours and they also provided a shuttle to/from the airport for $40. The shuttle was however not 24 hours, so we had to take a taxi to the airport when we left which was about $60 USD.
After wandering around the hotel and settling down, we decided to get some pizza around the corner at Pizza Italia. It was around $200 pesos for four slices and drinks. It filled us up just enough because we were starving after traveling all day, and we wanted something quick. After we ate, we got changed and went to the beach. It was about an 8 minute walk from the hotel. We really just relaxed and saw the scene. We could see Mamita's Beach Club from where we were and it looked like a huge party! The music was loud and the beach looked so crowded. We opted out of that and went back to the hotel for a quick nap. After catching up on some rest, we went to an Italian restaurant, Salento, that was a 5 minute walk from the hotel. The food was SO good. I had the famous lasagna and it just melted in my mouth. It was a really long wait to get our food because the restaurant was packed, but it was worth wait. We all decided that were too tired to go explore 5th Avenue, which is the strip, and turned in for the night.
Day 2: Tulum
We woke up bright and early because we had to go pick up our rental car this day. We reserved the car for two days for about $82 USD from ADOCar Rental. The offices are between 10th and 4th Avenue. Now, when I reserved the car, it said nothing about a deposit but the deposit ended up being about $500 USD. Of course, they return this to you when you return the car, but it kind of took us all off guard. I would still recommend this car rental company because the insurance is all included and they were super nice as they let us extend the rental car for a day and didn't charge us when we turned the car in an hour late (oops).
After having breakfast, we headed to Tulum which was about an hour away. We had to fill up first at PEMEX, gas station, and it was about $200 pesos for half a tank. They pump the gas for you and wash your windows. They even tried to check the oil but we declined. Once we got to Tulum, we decided we wanted to go to the ruins first. Parking was $100 pesos at the lot we chose and entry to the Tulum Ruins was $35 pesos per person. We really enjoyed learning the history of Tulum and the ruins were definitely impressive. We didn't go on a big tour or pay a guide, but we were able to read the information on the stands in front of each ruin and we thought that was good enough.
By this time, we were starving. We headed to Charly's Vegan Cafe and had a tasty lunch. Tulum is a hippy, ecology-friendly, vegan town! Not all of the restaurants are vegan, but A LOT of them are. And they are so environmentally conscious that some places did not have paper napkins or straws, Charly's included. After lunch, we wanted to go to a cenote. A cenote is a natural fresh-water pool formed by collapsed limestone. We asked our waitress at Charly's what cenote was closest and they told us one that was about 3 minutes down from the restaurant. I don't remember the name of this one, but we hated it. We didn't even get in. It didn't really look like a cenote, and it wasn't too impressive.
I had previously made reservations at a newer restaurant, Bejuco Hotel Tulum, in Tulum that had tee-pees you could enjoy dinner in with a view of the beach. This place was AMAZING. They had hammocks, swings, great views, and great food. I had the salmon which was so fresh and my friends had the pasta. We all enjoyed a glass of wine while watching the sunset. I would definitely go back and possibly even get a room there next time.
After eating, we headed back to Playa Del Carmen and went to sleep after a long day sight-seeing and exploring Tulum.
Day 3: Chichen Itza and Cenote IK-KIL
We woke up around 7:30 A.M. in an attempt to get to Chichen Itza early before all the crowds. From Playa Del Carmen, it is about 2 hours away. However, everything did NOT go as planned. Remember to take money out for the tolls! Pesos!
When we got to Chichen Itza, we ate at the restaurant they had on site. It was delicious. My friends got pizza and pasta and I got the shrimp tacos. Everything was so good. They even held our leftover food for us while we went into the ruins. The entrance fee was $232 pesos per person. Definitely get there early, the line was so long and around 11-12 is when all the tour buses start arriving. We parked outside of the park on the side of the road and it was free. It was a good 10 minute walk to to the entrance from where we parked. Chichen Itza was so beautiful and rich with history. The ruins were breath-taking. It was well-worth two hour drive. Be prepared for hecklers trying to sell you things all throughout your time in the ruins and outside waiting in the line to get in.They just don't let up sometimes, but just be polite and try to enjoy your time there.
After Chichen Itza, we took some advice and went to Cenote IK-KIL. Beautiful and COLD! The entrance was $30 pesos per person and $2 USD for a life-jacket and a locker. The cenote is 150 ft deep so if you are not that great of a swimmer, get a jacket (don't be that guy). We stayed there for about 30-45 minutes and then got out because the sun was going down and the water was getting colder. We definitely had a good time watching people jump in from different platforms and everyone seemed to be in good spirits enjoying themselves.
The swim left us hungry so we headed back to Tulum and went to Mateos Restaurant. I had the baja bites and my friends shared a pizza. The total was around $30 USD with drinks, non-alcoholic. The food was okay to us but the music was lively and we had a good time. When we were heading out of Tulum, we got pulled over. The officer said we were going to fast around the roundabout. We were going about 10 MPH so we knew we were being targeted because we were tourist. We had heard that they target tourist, but did not think we would experience it first hand. Basically, he was trying to take my friends ID and keep it over night until we paid a $3000 pesos ticket in the morning. We weren't going for this and somehow my friend talked him down to either $900 pesos or $100 USD. The officer asked us to pop the trunk, just to see how much stuff we were carrying and probably how much he could get out of us. It turned out we only had $400 pesos and he was not accepting this at all. Finally, we gave him $100 USD and he let us go. He even made us turn the light off in the car while we gave him the money. I don't know about you, but I have never known police to accept money on the side of the road. It seemed real shady and left us all with a bad taste in our mouths. We made the hour drive back to Playa Del Carmen and got some rest.
Day 4: Mayan Jungle Spa & Cenote Kin-Ha
Today we wanted to just chill. We went to Cenote Kin-ha in Puerto Morelos since it was close to our spa appointment later and we soon realized we should have came earlier in the day. They had ATV's, zip-line, and two cenote's. You can buy access to two cenotes, but we just went to Kin-Ha. Everyone was really nice and they had hammocks everywhere. A guy named Flavor led us to cenote and showed us a hole, saying we had to jump in. Well he was kidding, that was an option, but there are also some steep stairs. We loved it and we pretty much had to ourselves. There were some ropes you can swing off of and there was a zip-line rope you could use to swing into the pool. We definitely enjoyed ourselves here. It was about $17 USD including a locker, life-jacket, and snorkel gear.
Sometimes on trips, I will want to make a visit to a local spa (not the ones found in resorts or hotels) for extra relaxation. I made a reservation through Facebook for Los Colibries Mayan Jungle Spa for all of us. For two people and a 2 hour treatment, it was $180 USD They only take cash or pesos so make sure to head to an ATM before going to your appointment (don't be like me and forget - oops, again). The 2 hour treatment includes sitting in the Tezmacal (traditional Mexican Sweat Lodge) for 30 minutes with cold showers every 15 min, clay treatment everywhere on your body (literally), a dip in a hot bath after washing off the clay while getting massaged, and ending it with a 30 minute massage. My friends and I can easily say this was the BEST massage we have ever experienced. I would definitely recommend taking some time out of your trip to go here.
After the spa, we headed to drop the rental car back off and changed for dinner. We went to La Buena Vida in Akumal. The taxi to get there from Playa Del Carmen was $350 pesos (we bargained - try it!). We wanted to make it before sunset but failed and went anyway. They have tree-houses you can eat in and you have to pull up your meals and drinks. Even though we did not get to experience that part, we still loved it. I had blackened fish and it was great. The drinks were pretty good as well. I think I spent about $25 USD for my meal and two drinks. When we were done with dinner, we sat on the hammock and looked up at the stars for bit and then got a taxi back to the hotel for about $600 pesos.
Total Spent (Approx.)
$436 on hotel, Grand Fifty Suites (this was total, not divided)
$290 round trip flights on Spirit and Frontier
$200 on food/snacks
$12 ADO bus from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen
$50 on two cenotes and things included
$122 on rental car (added extra day, around $40/day)
Advice
Take pesos out, you're going to need it
Check deposits for rental car companies, if you don't see it - ask
Go local with a rental car company, cheaper prices
Make sure to check your routes and see if they have tolls, don't be like us
Get a rental car if you want to do your own thing
Wear walking shoes if you are going to the ruins
Go see Chichen Itza and Tulum Ruins (both were worth it to me, make it to Coba!)
Get to the ruins early to avoid long lines and big crowds!
Stay present and enjoy yourself
Overall Thoughts
I can definitely say I would go back to Playa Del Carmen again, We felt as though we didn't have enough time to go sit on the beach and explore Playa Del Carmen like we wanted to. I would not mind spending more days in Tulum as I really liked the vibe of the beach town. I really wish we could have gone to Merida and Coba, but there's definitely more time!
Thailand is amazing and Chiang Mai may be my favorite city there (we also visited Phi Phi islands and Phuket)
There is tons to do.
-We started our trip with a trip to the Hug Elephant Sanctuary, AWESOME TIME.
You feed the elephants, bathe them in mud, rinse them off then hike to a waterfall to rinse yourself off.
The staff was great.
-We went to the Chiang Mai Cabaret Show which was hilarious. Males beware, they WILL touch and kiss you.
-The markets sell a lot of the same things, just be sure to haggle. You can usually get things for half of the price they start with.
-You have to get a massage, or 3 :) They're way too cheap not to. My favorite was the hour head, back, neck, foot and shoulder massage for only $6! But of course when in Thai, you've also got to try a Thai massage. Even if you feel a bit beat up afterwards.
- We ended our trip and Baan Cooking School. I cannot commend this place enough! GO! GO! GO! And make sure you have an appetite, you'll eat every dish you make.
Adventure:
I had the BEST time in Oahu. Hawaii itself is a bit expensive, but you there's plenty of hiking/adventuring that's completely free. We rented a car and Airbnb to save a bit on accommodations and to take the island tour on our own. We started out early morning and drove the shoreline on HI-72. The views are breathtaking and there are stops labeled "scenic point" along the way, making it very easy to do on your own.
Excursions:
The excursions in Oahu are also endless, but of course, not free:
Parasailing 5/5, $35 - exceptional views of diamond, we even saw a whale! Awesome guides.
B.O.B underwater scooters 5/5, $89 – Sooo much fun. We’re even able to snorkel while waiting for your turn on the scooter.
Kualoa Ranch ATV Tour 3/5, $85 – The ranch was beautiful, but as far as the ATV’n, I didn’t like that we could only move as fast as the slowest person in the group ☹
I'll give you a run-down of our itinerary, how much we spent, and some advice on how to make your trip go a little bit smoother than ours. Day 1: Playa Del Carmen We arrived in Cancun and the weather was perfect. It's January (and early January at that), so it's not going to be TOO hot. The temperature hovered around 77-81 degrees while we were there. We got into Cancun around 2 and went straight to the ADO Bus ticket stand. If you don't see it inside, it should be outside by Platform 4 & 5. The tickets to Playa Del Carmen from Cancun were $190 pesos per person. That was definitely a deal because the bus was nice and air-conditioned, had charging outlets, and comfortable seats. It wasn't packed at all the day that we went. An hour later, the bus dropped us off at the ADO Bus Station in the center of Playa Del Carmen on 5th Avenue. From there, we took a taxi to our hotel, Grand Fifty Suites. The taxi was about $170 pesos to our hotel. Upon arrival, the hotel was so nice! It is fairly new and very close to the beach. The rooms were clean and spacious. There was a rooftop pool and bar. The hotel gave you tickets to breakfast, which was about a block away or a five minute walk. They also provided towels where you had to give them the towel cards and in return they will provide you the towels. Our room had two queen beds and was $436 USD for 4 nights. Check in and check out was 24 hours and they also provided a shuttle to/from the airport for $40. The shuttle was however not 24 hours, so we had to take a taxi to the airport when we left which was about $60 USD. After wandering around the hotel and settling down, we decided to get some pizza around the corner at Pizza Italia. It was around $200 pesos for four slices and drinks. It filled us up just enough because we were starving after traveling all day, and we wanted something quick. After we ate, we got changed and went to the beach. It was about an 8 minute walk from the hotel. We really just relaxed and saw the scene. We could see Mamita's Beach Club from where we were and it looked like a huge party! The music was loud and the beach looked so crowded. We opted out of that and went back to the hotel for a quick nap. After catching up on some rest, we went to an Italian restaurant, Salento, that was a 5 minute walk from the hotel. The food was SO good. I had the famous lasagna and it just melted in my mouth. It was a really long wait to get our food because the restaurant was packed, but it was worth wait. We all decided that were too tired to go explore 5th Avenue, which is the strip, and turned in for the night. Day 2: Tulum We woke up bright and early because we had to go pick up our rental car this day. We reserved the car for two days for about $82 USD from ADOCar Rental. The offices are between 10th and 4th Avenue. Now, when I reserved the car, it said nothing about a deposit but the deposit ended up being about $500 USD. Of course, they return this to you when you return the car, but it kind of took us all off guard. I would still recommend this car rental company because the insurance is all included and they were super nice as they let us extend the rental car for a day and didn't charge us when we turned the car in an hour late (oops). After having breakfast, we headed to Tulum which was about an hour away. We had to fill up first at PEMEX, gas station, and it was about $200 pesos for half a tank. They pump the gas for you and wash your windows. They even tried to check the oil but we declined. Once we got to Tulum, we decided we wanted to go to the ruins first. Parking was $100 pesos at the lot we chose and entry to the Tulum Ruins was $35 pesos per person. We really enjoyed learning the history of Tulum and the ruins were definitely impressive. We didn't go on a big tour or pay a guide, but we were able to read the information on the stands in front of each ruin and we thought that was good enough. By this time, we were starving. We headed to Charly's Vegan Cafe and had a tasty lunch. Tulum is a hippy, ecology-friendly, vegan town! Not all of the restaurants are vegan, but A LOT of them are. And they are so environmentally conscious that some places did not have paper napkins or straws, Charly's included. After lunch, we wanted to go to a cenote. A cenote is a natural fresh-water pool formed by collapsed limestone. We asked our waitress at Charly's what cenote was closest and they told us one that was about 3 minutes down from the restaurant. I don't remember the name of this one, but we hated it. We didn't even get in. It didn't really look like a cenote, and it wasn't too impressive. I had previously made reservations at a newer restaurant, Bejuco Hotel Tulum, in Tulum that had tee-pees you could enjoy dinner in with a view of the beach. This place was AMAZING. They had hammocks, swings, great views, and great food. I had the salmon which was so fresh and my friends had the pasta. We all enjoyed a glass of wine while watching the sunset. I would definitely go back and possibly even get a room there next time. After eating, we headed back to Playa Del Carmen and went to sleep after a long day sight-seeing and exploring Tulum. Day 3: Chichen Itza and Cenote IK-KIL We woke up around 7:30 A.M. in an attempt to get to Chichen Itza early before all the crowds. From Playa Del Carmen, it is about 2 hours away. However, everything did NOT go as planned. Remember to take money out for the tolls! Pesos! When we got to Chichen Itza, we ate at the restaurant they had on site. It was delicious. My friends got pizza and pasta and I got the shrimp tacos. Everything was so good. They even held our leftover food for us while we went into the ruins. The entrance fee was $232 pesos per person. Definitely get there early, the line was so long and around 11-12 is when all the tour buses start arriving. We parked outside of the park on the side of the road and it was free. It was a good 10 minute walk to to the entrance from where we parked. Chichen Itza was so beautiful and rich with history. The ruins were breath-taking. It was well-worth two hour drive. Be prepared for hecklers trying to sell you things all throughout your time in the ruins and outside waiting in the line to get in.They just don't let up sometimes, but just be polite and try to enjoy your time there. After Chichen Itza, we took some advice and went to Cenote IK-KIL. Beautiful and COLD! The entrance was $30 pesos per person and $2 USD for a life-jacket and a locker. The cenote is 150 ft deep so if you are not that great of a swimmer, get a jacket (don't be that guy). We stayed there for about 30-45 minutes and then got out because the sun was going down and the water was getting colder. We definitely had a good time watching people jump in from different platforms and everyone seemed to be in good spirits enjoying themselves. The swim left us hungry so we headed back to Tulum and went to Mateos Restaurant. I had the baja bites and my friends shared a pizza. The total was around $30 USD with drinks, non-alcoholic. The food was okay to us but the music was lively and we had a good time. When we were heading out of Tulum, we got pulled over. The officer said we were going to fast around the roundabout. We were going about 10 MPH so we knew we were being targeted because we were tourist. We had heard that they target tourist, but did not think we would experience it first hand. Basically, he was trying to take my friends ID and keep it over night until we paid a $3000 pesos ticket in the morning. We weren't going for this and somehow my friend talked him down to either $900 pesos or $100 USD. The officer asked us to pop the trunk, just to see how much stuff we were carrying and probably how much he could get out of us. It turned out we only had $400 pesos and he was not accepting this at all. Finally, we gave him $100 USD and he let us go. He even made us turn the light off in the car while we gave him the money. I don't know about you, but I have never known police to accept money on the side of the road. It seemed real shady and left us all with a bad taste in our mouths. We made the hour drive back to Playa Del Carmen and got some rest. Day 4: Mayan Jungle Spa & Cenote Kin-Ha Today we wanted to just chill. We went to Cenote Kin-ha in Puerto Morelos since it was close to our spa appointment later and we soon realized we should have came earlier in the day. They had ATV's, zip-line, and two cenote's. You can buy access to two cenotes, but we just went to Kin-Ha. Everyone was really nice and they had hammocks everywhere. A guy named Flavor led us to cenote and showed us a hole, saying we had to jump in. Well he was kidding, that was an option, but there are also some steep stairs. We loved it and we pretty much had to ourselves. There were some ropes you can swing off of and there was a zip-line rope you could use to swing into the pool. We definitely enjoyed ourselves here. It was about $17 USD including a locker, life-jacket, and snorkel gear. Sometimes on trips, I will want to make a visit to a local spa (not the ones found in resorts or hotels) for extra relaxation. I made a reservation through Facebook for Los Colibries Mayan Jungle Spa for all of us. For two people and a 2 hour treatment, it was $180 USD They only take cash or pesos so make sure to head to an ATM before going to your appointment (don't be like me and forget - oops, again). The 2 hour treatment includes sitting in the Tezmacal (traditional Mexican Sweat Lodge) for 30 minutes with cold showers every 15 min, clay treatment everywhere on your body (literally), a dip in a hot bath after washing off the clay while getting massaged, and ending it with a 30 minute massage. My friends and I can easily say this was the BEST massage we have ever experienced. I would definitely recommend taking some time out of your trip to go here. After the spa, we headed to drop the rental car back off and changed for dinner. We went to La Buena Vida in Akumal. The taxi to get there from Playa Del Carmen was $350 pesos (we bargained - try it!). We wanted to make it before sunset but failed and went anyway. They have tree-houses you can eat in and you have to pull up your meals and drinks. Even though we did not get to experience that part, we still loved it. I had blackened fish and it was great. The drinks were pretty good as well. I think I spent about $25 USD for my meal and two drinks. When we were done with dinner, we sat on the hammock and looked up at the stars for bit and then got a taxi back to the hotel for about $600 pesos. Total Spent (Approx.) $436 on hotel, Grand Fifty Suites (this was total, not divided) $290 round trip flights on Spirit and Frontier $200 on food/snacks $12 ADO bus from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen $50 on two cenotes and things included $122 on rental car (added extra day, around $40/day) Advice Take pesos out, you're going to need it Check deposits for rental car companies, if you don't see it - ask Go local with a rental car company, cheaper prices Make sure to check your routes and see if they have tolls, don't be like us Get a rental car if you want to do your own thing Wear walking shoes if you are going to the ruins Go see Chichen Itza and Tulum Ruins (both were worth it to me, make it to Coba!) Get to the ruins early to avoid long lines and big crowds! Stay present and enjoy yourself Overall Thoughts I can definitely say I would go back to Playa Del Carmen again, We felt as though we didn't have enough time to go sit on the beach and explore Playa Del Carmen like we wanted to. I would not mind spending more days in Tulum as I really liked the vibe of the beach town. I really wish we could have gone to Merida and Coba, but there's definitely more time!
Thailand is amazing and Chiang Mai may be my favorite city there (we also visited Phi Phi islands and Phuket) There is tons to do. -We started our trip with a trip to the Hug Elephant Sanctuary, AWESOME TIME. You feed the elephants, bathe them in mud, rinse them off then hike to a waterfall to rinse yourself off. The staff was great. -We went to the Chiang Mai Cabaret Show which was hilarious. Males beware, they WILL touch and kiss you. -The markets sell a lot of the same things, just be sure to haggle. You can usually get things for half of the price they start with. -You have to get a massage, or 3 :) They're way too cheap not to. My favorite was the hour head, back, neck, foot and shoulder massage for only $6! But of course when in Thai, you've also got to try a Thai massage. Even if you feel a bit beat up afterwards. - We ended our trip and Baan Cooking School. I cannot commend this place enough! GO! GO! GO! And make sure you have an appetite, you'll eat every dish you make.
Adventure: I had the BEST time in Oahu. Hawaii itself is a bit expensive, but you there's plenty of hiking/adventuring that's completely free. We rented a car and Airbnb to save a bit on accommodations and to take the island tour on our own. We started out early morning and drove the shoreline on HI-72. The views are breathtaking and there are stops labeled "scenic point" along the way, making it very easy to do on your own. Excursions: The excursions in Oahu are also endless, but of course, not free: Parasailing 5/5, $35 - exceptional views of diamond, we even saw a whale! Awesome guides. B.O.B underwater scooters 5/5, $89 – Sooo much fun. We’re even able to snorkel while waiting for your turn on the scooter. Kualoa Ranch ATV Tour 3/5, $85 – The ranch was beautiful, but as far as the ATV’n, I didn’t like that we could only move as fast as the slowest person in the group ☹