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Destination: Away for the Day in Mexico
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Staying in Cancún or on the Riviera Maya? Pick a quick day trip to sweeten your week
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BY BARBARA PECK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREGORY ALLEN
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A hat vendor at the entrance of Chichén Itzá; Iglesia de San Gervasio, on Valladolid's main square; a papier-mâché creation at La Sirena on Isla Mujeres.
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Sure, you go to Mexico to relax. We get it. But let’s say that, after a few days of margaritas and beach time, you’re a little antsy. A quick day trip might be just the ticket. These three getaways are all within easy reach, whether you’re staying in Cancún or anywhere on the Riviera Maya. There’s one for archeology buffs, one for history lovers and one for island fans. They’re waiting if you need a break. No rush.
CHICHÉN ITZÁ
Just two hours west of Cancún’s crowds sits one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.” But even before making the final seven in a 2007 poll, Chichén Itzá (pronounced chee-chen eet-zah) was a wonder. Your first glimpse of these ancient Mayan ruins is El Castillo (“the Castle”), a beautifully proportioned 80-foot-high pyramid that is the city’s centerpiece. Staircases with 91 steps climb each of the pyramid’s four sides, making for a total of 364 steps. Add the platform and you have a step for each day of the solar year. Details like these help bring the ruins to life; the easiest way to learn them is by hiring a guide.
Some of the structures here may date back to the 5th century. Intriguingly, new pyramids were built atop old ones, so inside El Castillo is a series of smaller buildings that have yet to be explored. Chichén Itzá’s Great Ball Court, the largest of nine courts built here, was used for a bruising sort of field hockey played for the benefit of the gods. Your guide can point out carvings that depict everything from the protective gear worn by players to the game’s dramatic close: the ritual decapitation of the captain, possibly the winning team’s. Losers never had it so good.
Nearby, look for the Cemetery, whose walls are covered with eerie skull carvings that look trendy today. On the Platform of Venus, you can still see traces of the brilliant paint that once covered all the buildings. Beside it is a Chacmool figure, reclining casually on its elbows. Celebrants would place sacrificial offerings to the gods on its stomach. Walk farther to see the Observatory, a building aligned with the planets that, according to guides, acted as a sort of Farmer’s Almanac to predict rainy seasons, weather cycles, eclipses and so on.
THE DETAILS
Entrance fee, about $10 per person.* Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m., followed by a sound and light show at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. in summer). An English-speaking guide costs $50 for two hours (rates are posted). Come before noon to avoid the crowds and heat, and allow at least three hours to do it justice—the site covers 2½ square miles. For lunch, walk to the adjacent Mayaland Hotel, where a buffet meal ($15 per person) in the restaurant offers a lot of choices. Look in the outdoor area for servers making fresh tortillas and serving them up with cochinita pibil, a delicious slow-cooked pork dish.
VALLADOLID
The nearest colonial town to Cancún is ready for its close-up after two years of polishing. Valladolid is luring visitors with its replanted town square, buildings lavished with fresh coats of colorful paint, and a brand-new crafts bazaar, the Centro Artesanal Zaci, where vendors sell embroidered Mayan dresses, leather bags and huaraches, the rubber-soled sandals favored by locals. Parking spots that once surrounded the square have been banished; visitors now leave their cars in well-marked lots nearby. Stone frogs spout sparkling water in the restored fountain; handsome lampposts surround the square. This small city (pop. 90,000) founded in 1543 has never looked better.
Valladolid (pronounced vaya-doe-leed) is about a two-hour drive west of Cancún—it’s near Chichén Itzá, but don’t try to do both in the same day. This is a town rich in history. The two churches are both worth a visit. The first, the Iglesia de San Gervasio (known to locals as San Servasio), is right on the main square. A 10-minute walk southwest on Los Frailes Street will take you to the second, the 16th-century terra-cotta-colored Iglesia San Bernardino, a church and Franciscan monastery. Look for ancient frescoes, carved altarpieces and elegantly crumbling plaster walls. Retrace your steps to the town square, stopping on the way at Coqui Coqui. This stylish, Italian-flavored boutique sells gorgeous handmade scarves, fringed bags, and seven different perfumes using local scents like eucalyptus, cedar, agave and plumeria. You can even have a relaxing massage on a table in the garden.
If the day is hot, a refreshing dip will sound tempting by now. A couple of blocks away is the Cenote Zaci, and if you’ve brought a bathing suit, you can take a swim; the cost is about $1. (Cenotes are natural freshwater pools found throughout the Yucatán Peninsula, some underground.) The water is 260 feet deep and wonderfully cool, and there’s a thatched-roof restaurant overlooking the pool.
VALUE
Save $40+ by skipping the 180D toll road to Valladolid/Chichén Itzá. Take Route 180 (no “D”) instead.
THE DETAILS
Your best lunch spot is steps away from the Iglesia San Bernardino: the surprisingly sophisticated Taberna de los Frailes, with tables in a pleasant walled garden. Try the Frailes Satay for a light meal: skewers of chicken, shrimp and beef; or shrimp Kukulcán—grilled, with achiote. Or stop at the El Mesón del Marqués hotel, right on the square, with tables surrounding an interior courtyard.
ISLA MUJERES
From Cancún, the closest getaway is reached by boat after a taxi ride to the terminal at Puerto Juárez. Hop aboard an Ultramar ferry, with inside seating (air-conditioned!) and more seats on a breezy upper deck. The boats leave for Isla Mujeres (“Island of Women”) every half-hour during the day, and the ride takes about 15 minutes.
In recent years, this five-mile-long island of about 16,000 residents has become increasingly developed, but it’s still a more casual alternative to Cancún. If you want to explore, rent a golf cart and putt down the paved coastal road to see the historic ruins of the Hacienda Mundaca and do some shopping in the crafts center that just opened at its entrance. Nearby is the Turtle Sanctuary, where you can visit with rescued sea turtles (in season, collected eggs are incubated here; the hatchlings are later released by schoolkids and visitors). At the island’s southern tip, Punta Sur, is a garden with sculptures donated by various countries, and a Mayan-style stone temple where the waves crash.
During your tour, stop for lunch at Lancheros Beach, whose casual restaurant serves the island specialty called Tikinxik: whole fish grilled with spices and served on a huge platter with rice and salad. Return by the less-populated eastern coast, avoiding the Garrafon “eco-park” unless overpriced ziplining is your thing.
If you prefer to stay put, simply stroll from the ferry terminal to North Beach, where you can sun on the sand for a few hours. Lunch can be at funky Minino’s Cocteleria, gorging on “cocktails” of shrimp, conch and octopus ceviche while you watch pelicans dive between the boats in the marina. Follow that with a little browsing on Hidalgo Street; don’t miss La Sirena, a shop just off Hidalgo on Morena Street, for excellent folk art from all over Mexico. And stick around if you like nightlife: As the sun goes down, Hidalgo becomes Party Central.
THE DETAILS
Ferry tickets are $5 each way. Once “on island,” expect to pay about $35 to rent a golf cart for the day. Most sights, like the Turtle Sanctuary, charge modest fees ranging from $1 to $3.
STAY
RCI-affiliated resorts in Cancún
and on the Riviera Maya include:
HOTEL Y VILLAS SOLARIS CANCÚN
This 500-room all-inclusive has eight
restaurants, five bars, two pools and a
mini waterpark. 63-64 Blvd. Kukulcán,
Cancún
Member Reviews:
“The nightly shows put on by staff and
local artists are amazing.”
“We were greeted by our personal
coordinator for the week.”
“Nice pool area, and just steps from
the beach.”
ROYAL SUNSET—ALL INCLUSIVE
The all-inclusive plan covers lobster
dinner, nightly entertainment, room
service and kids’ activities. Km. 10
Blvd. Kukulcán, Cancún
Member Reviews:
“An ideal place to unwind.”
“Activities every day at the pool;
my favorite was bartender class.”
MOON PALACE
A 123-acre resort just south of
Cancún, with 2,457 rooms, 14
restaurants, 12 bars and eight pools.
Km. 340 Carr. 307
Member Reviews:
“Family-friendly, but comfortable
for singles and young people too.”
“Our adult children had fun playing
Tequila Volleyball at the Grand
Olympic pool.”
“The spa is top-notch.”
THE GRAND MAYAN RIVIERA MAYA
A short walk or shuttle ride to the
beach and a half-hour from Playa del
Carmen, this resort has international
chefs, a large pool and a Jack Nicklaus
golf course. Km. 48 Carr. 307
Member Reviews:
“The grounds are gorgeous and very
well kept.”
“You will see flamingos, crocodiles
and iguanas.”
MAYAN PALACE RIVIERA MAYA
This resort shares the amenities and
grounds of The Grand Mayan. Km.
48 Carr. 307
Member Reviews:
“The Mexican Fiesta Buffet included
a show; very enjoyable.”
“The pool was fabulous!”
“Great choice of places to eat.”
For more information, including more
member reviews, visit RCI.com or call
Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476
Club Members, please call your specific
Club or RCI telephone number.
NON-RCI-AFFILIATED
RESORTS IN THE REGION:
OCEAN BREEZE RIVIERA MAYA
A new 98-room hotel a half-hour’s
drive from Playa del Carmen, adjacent
to The Grand Mayan and Mayan Palace.
877-282-2115; oceanbreezehotels.com;
doubles from $175 per night, all-inclusive
ROSEWOOD MAYAKOBA
A luxury resort just north of Playa
del Carmen, with stunning overwater
bungalows and superb service.
888-767-3966; rosewoodmayakoba.com;
doubles from $445 per night
MAYALAND HOTEL
This traditional hotel is as close as
you can get to Chichén Itzá, if you
need another day at the ruins.
800-235-4079; mayaland.com;
doubles from $110 per night
El MESÓN DEL MARQUÉS
A Colonial-style hotel on
Valladolid’s main square.
011-52-985-856-2073;
mesondelmarques.com;
doubles from $54 per night
PLAYA LA MEDIA LUNA
A stylish family-friendly hotel
on an Isla Mujeres beach.
011-52-998-877-0759;
playamedialuna.com; doubles
from $95 per night
*Prices throughout have been converted to U.S. dollars.
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: Fall 2010 Issue
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