Mexico
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Schedules of the Colectivo & Second Class Bus from Uxmal to Merida (Mexico)
There is indeed a second class bus of the SUR brand that passes regularly between Uxmal and Merida. You can leave your luggage in the trunk but you have to open it and collect your luggage yourself (but tell the driver that you are going to open it anyway, otherwise he might leave). Just wave and say “maleta”, he will understand. This bus is a second class bus and stops at all the small villages on the way. Duration: 1 hour (it depends on the traffic and the stops made on the spot). Departures: 7h55, 9h40, 12h15, 15h, 18h, 20h15 (don’t despair if you don’t see it, it can be…
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Road trip in Mexico #7: Ruins of Palenque, Misol-Ha and Agua Azul Waterfalls
If you want to visit Calakmul, you might as well push the trip to Palenque. We are no longer within 300km. Thus we found ourselves in the only bus of the day at 3:30 am, leaving Xpujil for Palenque. Note: this article is part of the 17-day roadtrip series in Mexico. Go to previous articles: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6 Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Day 11 (December 29th) Xpujil – Palenque by bus The small village of Xpujil is so badly served that all buses pass by at impossible hours. At 3:30 am, there is…
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How to go by Bus / Shuttle to Calakmul from Xpujil, Campeche, Palenque or Bacalar (Mexico)
The archeological site of Calakmul is considered one of the most beautiful in Mexico, but not so visited – because of its off-center location compared to other tourist sites (we are in the middle of nowhere). These ruins in the middle of the jungle seduce tourists with time and patience, but all these efforts will be largely rewarded. To go there, you have to really want to. The bus schedules aren’t well adapted. Basically, you have to spend an afternoon drive to the nearest town, Xpujil 1 day to go to the site and visit the ruins and the whole morning to leave Here are the transportation options available to…
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Road trip in Mexico #6: the Ruins of Calakmul, at the end of the jungle
Calakmul, once the most powerful Mayan city in the area and constantly in rivalry with Tikal in Guatemala (as the crow flies, we are only 30km from Guatemala), had at its peak 50,000 inhabitants and covered more than 70m². Covered by trees and buried in the protected reserve of Calakmul, this ancient city is now little frequented by tourists. The capricious transport schedules make that everyone sulks these absolutely splendid ruins. By taking the bus, it is necessary 1/2 day to go there, 1 day of visit and 1/2 day to leave. The visit of the Calakmul ruins is one of the most awaited of this roadtrip, as I took…
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Road trip in Mexico #5: Bacalar, Los Rapidos, les Cenotes & Cocalitos
To celebrate Christmas with dignity, we granted ourselves 3 full days of rest in Bacalar, near its beautiful lagoon of the 7 colors. Surprise! We are joined by two other digital nomads we met in Istanbul: Ar. and Am. (for a question of privacy, their first names will be written in abbreviation). Note: this article is part of the series of articles of our roadtrip in Mexico. Click here to access previous articles: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Day 7 (December 25th) Our nomadic friends have just spent a horrible vacation in Cuba being plucked in…
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How to visit the Sian Ka’an Reserve without a guide (2020): by Car or Bus / Colectivo (Mexico)
Most tourists visit Sian Ka’an with an agency (minimum 100$/person from Tulum). But what to do when you don’t have a lot of money? Here are two methods to visit this reserve. First ofall, you have to know that the reserve is very, very big, so depending on where you start, you will visit completely different things. The agencies also propose 2 different starting points, so make sure you are well informed before you choose. If you leave from the archeological site Muyil, like most bloggers visiting Sian Ka’an independently, the access is easier, you float on the canals dug by the Maya, carried away by the current but in…
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Road trip in Mexico #4: Sian Ka’an, Dream Beach, Dolphins & Turtles
Starting today, we leave the ultra tourist places and discover real treasures of the Yucatan Peninsula. Today’s visit to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve has been thought out and researched for weeks. Because I hesitated a lot between visiting it myself and going through an agency. Finally, we decided to trust a French-speaking agency for a dream day in this extraordinary reserve. Note: this article is part of the series of articles about our 17 days of roadtrip in Mexico. Read the previous notebooks here: part 1, part 2, part 3 Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Day 6 (December 24th): Excursion to Sian Ka’an…
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The Sargasso invade the coasts of Mexico: Beaches spared, Tips (2020)
During our trip to Florida, we were shocked by the massive presence of stinking sargasso (algae) on the beaches of Florida. Not only is it visually unpleasant, but also the stench is such that we were not able to swim at some of the beaches. This phenomenon, particularly affecting the Caribbean zone, is due to the excessive use of fertilizers in areas near the Gulf of Mexico and the Amazon Basin. These fertilizers end up in the ocean, feeding algae. Studies have shown that after a first wave in 2015, the phenomenon exploded in Mexico in 2018 with the arrival of 24 million cubic meters, the equivalent of 3,000 soccer…
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How to buy Playa del Carmen – Cozumel and Cancún – Isla Mujeres ferry tickets online with Ultramar Ferry? (Mexico)
The question deserves to be asked because, apart from the homepage, the rest of this site must date back to the 2000s. There are so many ferries to Cozumel and Isla Mujeres that most people just show up at the port and ask “which boat leaves first”. The rates are the same for all companies. No stress! However, I have to be on Cozumel Island at a specific time and since it’s Christmas time, I prefer not to miss my ferry and have to cancel my trip. Contrary to what the Internet says, it is possible to buy tickets online, and even from abroad. However, I had to tear my…
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Road trip in Mexico #3: Tulum, Playa del Carmen & the Cenotes
In order to enjoy Tulum and the cenotes in the area without wasting too much time in transportation, we decided, exceptionally, to rent a car for 2 days. I’ve told you in more detail about the points to pay attention to when renting in Mexico here (insurance, corruption etc.). We were warned about the ultra touristic side of Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun and the presence of algae so we basically have very little waiting for these destinations. Note: this article is part of the series of articles for our roadtrip in Mexico. You can access the 1st part here and the 2nd part here Part 1: Travel Diary…
