Beginning the Journey in Tulum

Lindsay and I stayed at an inexpensive hotel in Tulum for a couple days. . Renting a bike was a fantastic was to see the Cenotes, Ruins, and Beaches.

There are many Cenotes in the area. The two we visited were just down the street from each other, and are a part of a huge underground cave structure, but for serious cave divers. The Cenotes themselves serve as amazing swimming, snorkeling, and (short) cliff jumping into cerulean colored water that makes your skin feel silky smooth. Maybe it's all the bat poop that's fallen into the water.

Different Cenotes for different things: the first one was Cenote Calavera. It felt so quaint being there, almost like being in someone's backyard. You can bring your own food, drinks, and music if you please. Not a lot of space, but it's super chill and relaxed. Nice to put up a hammock and listen to everyone having fun. In the darkness are hundreds of bats hanging up above.

The second Cenote was Gran Cenote with a totally different vibe. You purchase your ticket through a person less mirror window using a microphone and speaker, then continue through a turnstile into a pretty nice looking property with cheap snacks and cold coca cola. There are plenty of nearly naked Europeans and South Americans around, some even getting into trouble by taking off their tops (we deducted that they were from France). This Cenote is well developed with bathrooms, showers, platforms for getting into the water, and locker & snorkel rentals. Very diverse Cenote with shallow rocky areas and very deep dark drops where cave monsters will attack from, and a nice tunnel to go between platforms.

We took a 35 mile bike ride the day after, snapping only a few photos of fisherman and the beach. We were just happy to get away from all the cars in Tulum. :) visiting the ruins will happen a other day, but more on Tulum later.

We were intrigued to find a little lobster and fishing village on a map, called Punta Allen. It's at the end of a long road where the land spits out a narrow peninsula as part of the Sian Ka'an Biological Reserve. We've read stories of Mexican Cats, colorful birds, crocodiles, and massive fish there, along with more intentional inhabitants and the occasional tourist. Finding out how to get there hasn't been easy, the 45 km road is bumpy and know to take 4 hours to get there. The colectivo, a public transport van, has gone there intermittently over the years, but online research has mostly suggested we rent a car. Instead, I think we will hitchhike.... Coming up next, the Road to Punta Allen!Read more