Monthly Archives: April 2013

Coba, Maya Riviera

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The Great Pyramid

The archaeological site of Coba  exists in a world that has changed very little in the past 1000 years or more. So, it is still surrounded by a natural environment  of jungle vegetation,  tropical hardwoods, lagoons, vines, and  wildlife as far as the eye can see. Although the cities origins date back to the year 600 A.D. it was abandoned after the Spanish conquered the Yucatan Peninsula around 1550. Evidently, Coba was located in such a remote area in those days that the Spanish never found the city which remained hidden in the jungle until 1842 when it was rediscovered by explorers.

Coba is an expansive site which is believed  to contain apporximately 6500 structures  that once supported an estimated 45,000 people. At this time, however,  only a small portion of Coba has been cleared from the jungle and restored by  archaeologists. This part consist of 6 separate areas called the Coba Group, the Nohoch Mul Group, the Pinturas Group, the Chumuc Group, the Macanxoc Group and the Uitzil Mul Group which are all connected by a system of dirt roads built over a 1000 years ago. To see the ruins in these different areas you can either walk, rent a bike or a chofer driven tricycle. If your visiting Coba in the  summer months it would be best to rent a bike or chofer driven tricycle and save your energy for climbing the Nohoch Mul pyramid, tallest in the Yucatan peninsula at 138 feet. Images of  this pyramid and some of Coba’s other attractions along with additional information can be found in the  photo gallery below.

This tower is located at the entrance to Coba’s ruins and has a zip over the lagoon
Found at the park’s entrance, this gallery has a unique roof garden
one of several shops around the entrance of Coba
across from the observation tower and park entrance
Located in the Coba group of structures, it is 24 meters high and is the place where rituals were carried out
a jungle canopy covers coba’s roads which were built over a 1000 years ago. here 2 visitors are exploring the ruins on rented bikes
chofer driven tricycles are a good way to get around Coba’s ruins
One of the more well perserved structures found just before arriving at the refreshment stand
just across from the Nohock Mul Pyramid, sells cold beverages and snacks which you will appreciate after climbing 138 feet in the heat
a view up the stairs from the base, there is a rope in the center for assistance when needed
a view of the surrounding environment from the top of Nohoch Pyramid
guest riding the zip line from the observation tower over the coba lagoon

Isla Cozumel, Mexico

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Tiki Bar

Cozumel is the largest of Mexico’s islands measuring 53 km by 14km and is found in the Caribbean Sea about 1 hour away from  Playa del Carmen on the passenger ferries which make frequent trips on a daily basis.  Although, there are a variety of things to do once you get to Cozumel the main attraction has always been snorkeling and scuba diving to experience the great meso american reef system. One travel guide book has a list of 86 attractions around Cozumel but 43 of them involve different scuba diving or snorkeling locations. Other things to do while on the island  are  related to either cultural activities,  parks or  beach clubs.

Three types of beaches can be found around this island and they will be either rocky,  smooth white sand or  hybrids. According to people in the know, rocky beaches are a indication of good snorkeling opportunities off shore and they are plentiful. The smooth white sand beaches are not as common as the rocky type but they can be found at the northern or  southern tips of the island’s  western shores such as Playa San Francisco near Punta Sur. Finally, there is the hybrid variety where sand has been brought in to build a beach on top of the limestone croppings that are the norm around Cozumel.. One such man made beach is found at the Chankannab National Park to the south of town.

At the end of the day, most people head for  San Miguel to enjoy happy hour, dinner or other cultural activites. This is the only city on the island and it has a population of over 75,000 people according to the last count. One of the main attractions here is the pedestrian only Plaza Centro where you can find restaurants, shops, street artist, cafe’s and nightlife. In the photo gallery below you will find images and more information about Plaza Centro, a few of the beaches  as well as some other highlights.

Carlos and Charlie’s
People gathering in the pedestrian only district for happy hour and live entertainment at Woody’s Bar and Grill
Office of Tourism and the clock tower are found here in the pedestrian only area
the beach and a few amenities at this beach club
Just across the road from Chankanaab National Park
a flea market in Centro San Miguel just off Avienda Rafael Melgar the main beach road through town
a view of the beachfront in San Miguel on Avienda Rafael Melgar
also found north of San Miguel only a few miles from the momument.on Avienda Rafael Melgar
this monument is a tribute to the maya civilization that once occupied this island. It is found on the beach road going north from town.
There are quite a few of these but this one is a little north of Plaza Centro on Avienda Rafeal Melgar
One of the locations where cruise ships drop anchor near Plaza Central and Avienda Rafael Melgar
an alternate mode of transportation around town
Jimmy Buffets margaritaville in Central San Miguel between the beach and Avienda Rafael Melgar

Tulum, Maya Riviera

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a roadside stand on the jungle side of Tulum beach road

a roadside stand on the jungle side of Tulum beach road, would you rather be here or starbucks?

Tulum is  a  mixture of 3 separate and distinct areas which consist of  the archeological zone, Tulum Playa and Tulum Pueblo. In the past, the main reason to visit Tulum was to see the archeological site but many new additions  to both the beach zone and central zone are now attracting tourist  for a variety of others reasons.  The focus of new developments in the Tulum Playa area is overwhelmingly  on  eco-tourism and preservation of the natural environment. So, new construction projects are kept to a minimum and must also meet strict standards for sustainable development.

Tulum pueblo is  primairily a business and residential area for the locals  but it also has some restaurants and nightlife that appeals to both tourist and residents alike.  The beach area, however, is the  main attraction for most people and Tulum beach road is where it’s all happening. This is where you  find all the new ecologically designed boutique and spa hotels along with beach clubs, beach parties, stores and a decent selection of  restaurants   and nightlife. This is the only way into and out of Tulum Playa and it is surrounded by jungle on one side and the caribbean on the other. This is the same road that leads to the Sian Ka’an Reserve  and Punta Allen which is a fishing resort at the tip of the peninsula. In any case, someone once said “a picture is worth a thousand words” so, to learn more about Tulum Playa, see the photo gallery below.

if you need directions on the way to the beach, look for this roadside stand
your basic and economical beach cabana
an upscale beach cabana
Volleyball game at La Luna beach club
a private 3 bedroom, 3 bath home for rent but if you have to ask the price you probably can’t afford it
there are several beach clubs in town and here’s a look at Ziggy’s swing bar
a 2 story beach side hotel on tulum road, There are new luxury hotels in towm but no high rises allowed. The limit is around 2 or 3 stories.
a jungle side open air restaurant considered one of the best in town owned and operated by Eric Werner who learned his craft at the vinegar hill house in Brooklyn and the Peasant in Manhattan restaurants
a jungle side open air restaurant on tulum beach road
a beach side stand with brick oven made pizza and bread
On the jungle side of Tulum Road is this popular restaurant serving mexican food with a mediterrian twist
If you don’t like tulum the sign says 700 miles to cuba and if you want to just help youself to the dingy
a newer upscale beach side restaurant
an arts and crafts store on the jungle side of Tulum beach road
there is a kiteboarding school on the beach here and lot’s of wind
a mexican sombrero and a look down tulum beach road going south
a beach restaurant and bar featuring Italian cusine
Tulum Beaches, Maya Riviera, U.S. News and Travel rates Tulum beaches as the best in Mexico

Puerto Morales, Maya Riviera

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Main Beach, Puerto Morales

Puerto Morales is a small seaside fishing  village about halfway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It was not built for tourist and commercial development has been kept to a minimum, so it is still more like a residential community where prices for most everything  are lower and the pace much slower than the typical “touristy” resorts. The  Great Meso American reef lies just 500 meters off  the shores of Puerto Morales and offers a variety of marine life as well as one of the most beautiful reefs in the world. So it should not come as a surprise to say that the main attractions here are fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling. The largest annual fishing tournament is held in May and offers $80,000 pesos to the winner while scuba diving features coral reef formations, wrecks and schools of colorful fish. Other nearby attractions include the Dr. Alfredo Barrera botanical garden and Crococun Zoo, in addition, the photo gallery below  provides  a look at some of the sites around the center of town.

one of many boats available for fishing trips
The old lighthouse in front was nearly knocked over by a hurricane years ago but still stands today
a local modeling posing on the boardwalk
A beachfront restaurant in the center of town
This pier is directly in front of the pelican restaurant and is used as a diving and boarding platform
a good place to relax and enjoy the scenery, this boardwalk park is part of the town plaza (zocala) in the center of town between the main pier and pelican’s pier where people relax, enjoy the view and special events
This cafe is just a block from the beach and across from the zocala (town center)
new and used books for sale in both english and spanish languages. Located right next to the cafe
The RV lifestyle in Puerto Morales. Looks like an old school bus conversion in the a psychedelic style of the 60’s
unique architectual design across from the cultural center, It is used a local musuem
it’s a dog day afternoon on the shores of Puerto Morales