Yeah! You’ve made it to Mexico and now the fun can begin! Cancun is known worldwide for its beaches, numerous resorts and nightlife. Once you arrive at the airport, you will have only a short ride to our hotel where you can enjoy relaxing around the pool after your long day of travel. Tonight we will venture out to one of the many delicious restaurants located nearby for our orientation dinner.

Its time to head across the Peninsula for some beach fun! Today we will arrive at Akumal, a expat resort haven located in the heart of the Riviera Maya. Akumal is known for its beautiful beaches and green sea turtle population, and it is here that we will don our snorkels and masks and set out to swim with the turtles. Don’t forget your underwater camera, because last time I was here I got some great shots of Abbie & Eddy!

We will be spending most of today in our bathing suits as we experience Yal Ku Lagoon and Dos Ojos Cenotes.

Yal Ku is unique snorkeling adventure in a coastal lagoon, where salt and fresh water mix together, creating a home for thousands of fish, including starfish, damselfish, sergeant majors, hamlets, parrotfish, blue tangs, and the magnificent queen triggerfish among other Caribbean species. Yal Ku also offers seating areas and hammocks to relax on when you are taking a break from swimming.

Dos Ojos is without a doubt the most famous cenote in the world and is part of a flooded cave system that extends far back into the earth. If you are a diver, Dos Ojos Scuba Shop can help you get the gear you need to explore the caves, but for the rest of us, we will watch you through our snorkel masks from the surface.

Today you can imagine yourself as a king or queen as you walk through the ruins of the ancient walled city of Tulum. Protected on one side by steep cliffs facing the sea and on the other by a wall of about 12 feet in height, it is thought that Tulum served as a trading port and a religious center for priests. Once we are finished at Tulum, there will be time to explore the Bazaar before we head to Valladolid for our sleep over party.

Today is one of my favorite days. We will leave our hotel early to catch the collectivo, bus or maybe even hire a driver, and head deep into the jungle. We’ll pass through rural areas and rustic homesteads and get a glimpse into “real” Mexico. You won’t want to blink because the town is so small you might miss it, but you’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the line of tricycle taxis waiting for us, which will take us to our next form of transportation – horse drawn carts that utilize an old railway system to bring us to three remote cenotes where you can swim and snorkel.

Once we return, there will be plenty of time for you to enjoy exploring Merida on your own or with the group.

After a hearty breakfast it is time to head over to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Chichen Itza, which was recently named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Steeped in mysterious Mayan history, you will marvel at the impressive architecture of the pyramids, wander through the grounds of a once thriving city, and question deep seated cultural and religious ideas as you stand at the pit of the Virgins or visit the Ball Court, site of sacrifices, or the Cenote Sagrado, a underwater sinkhole used for sacred sacrifices to the gods. 

After Chichen Itza, we will continue onto Playa del Carmen, where will enjoy dinner on 5th Avenue and take in the nightlife.

If you opted for the adventure package its time to shake up your beach routine with the ziplines, off-road tours, jungle swings and other adrenaline boosting activities!

If adrenaline’s not your thing, then you’ll be able to enjoy a beach day in beautiful Playa del Carmen instead and explore the 5th Avenue shopping district (if you liked Frida Khalo when we stayed in Merida, she has a whole museum in Playa you should check out!). 

Today we’ll take the ferry over to Cozumel. There is are so many fun things to choose from, so if you don’t want to join us in exploring the town, feel free to venture out on your own and snorkel the reef, take a glass bottom boat, visit a beach playground, rent a Jeep and drive to the wild side, explore in a mini-sub, swim with the dolphins, and much more! 

Once we return from Cozumel its time for the party to start! Its our last full day in Mexico and if I’ve timed it right, we should be in Playa just in time for the big party that usually happens each Saturday in the park. If not, we’ll make out own fun, and perhaps dance the night away at Senior Frogs.