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mnight

Nov 30, 2002, 11:57 AM

Post #1 of 9 (1107 views)

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Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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Hello,

I am going to drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah in February. Does anyone know how long this will take? I have heard some estimates say that it will take 6.5 hours, and some say that it will only take 5. Which one is correct? How much time will I save if I take the toll road (180)?

I plan to take a shortcut by driving down past Coba, rather than going all the way over to Cancun and then driving down the coast.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

--M

Sherrill

Dec 6, 2002, 12:16 PM

Post #2 of 9 (1022 views)

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Re: [mnight] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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Check out the map on this web site: www.bill-in-tulsa.com -- It is easier and faster to use the toll road from Merida to Cancun to Tulum-about 6 hours. However, it is more fun, takes longer, gives you more of a feel of the country side to cut over to Coba. I have not done this since last year. My concern is that I read in EL DIARIO de YUCATAN that some of the road was destroyed during hurricane. I don't know if it has been repaired. Maybe someone else does! Coba is worth the trip. Have fun.

Harry

Dec 6, 2002, 1:19 PM

Post #3 of 9 (1008 views)

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Re: [Sherrill] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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Shortly after Isodoro, I drove from Tulum to Merida via Coba. As you leave Merida there is some road construction, and as a result, slow traffic. If you select the toll road, exit at Valladolid. and join the old highway at the main square. Head east a few miles until you encounter the Coba signs. Turn off to the right. There is absolutely no problem unless you view a few potholes and some topes as such. The scenery is non-wonderful, but this road is very much shorter than going to Cancun. At moderate speed it should take between four and five hours.

Sherrill

Dec 6, 2002, 1:32 PM

Post #4 of 9 (993 views)

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Re: [Harry] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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Thanks, Harry. Your recent experience should help the poster. Am glad to hear that the road is ok. The pic in the newspaper showed a rather large gapping hole in the road.

Harry

Dec 6, 2002, 2:02 PM

Post #5 of 9 (984 views)

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Re: [Sherrill] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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Might have been a pot hole!

Sherrill

Dec 6, 2002, 2:36 PM

Post #6 of 9 (983 views)

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Re: [Harry] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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In fact, it showed one whole side of the road caved in. Impassable from Coba. The states of QR and Yucatan are probably the best at maintaining highways! Wanna know if you enjoyed Coba. I did. Liked it because it is somewhat off-the-beaten-track. I liked the natural setting. I live here in Celestun, Yucatan.

Harry

Dec 6, 2002, 7:13 PM

Post #7 of 9 (976 views)

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Re: [Sherrill] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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Actually, I did not stop at Coba. I have been planning to go to that ruin for twenty years, but each time I come close something crops up. This time it was the post-Isodore clean-up. Living in the area, I get to take visitors to ruins on a pretty routine basis, so I find myself growing a little less enthusiastic than the past. One of the things that remains interesting is the imagination shown by the guides concerning the sites.

Celestun is another matter. I like the coast in the area a good deal and of course the birds are truly spectacular.

Sherrill

Dec 7, 2002, 7:59 PM

Post #8 of 9 (967 views)

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Re: [Harry] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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Now I see where you are coming from! It is funny when you live here and have guests you sometime loose perspective and start to take things for granted. I had reached that point with the flamingo tour. BUT everytime I thought oh do I have to do that again? I was wonderfully surprised because nature is constantly changing. Of course, I will never go out there after 8Am or before 6PM in the summer. I'm not happy about the busloads of day trippers who arrive around 11AM, board the launchas and pollute the area by their presence. Hope that does not sound too elitist. I love birds, wild life and am anti disneyland. Thank you for keeping up the correspondence. -One of my favorite things after a long day in Merida is to stop on the bridge on the return home and just look at how beautiful it is here.

Harry

Dec 8, 2002, 8:43 AM

Post #9 of 9 (951 views)

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Re: [Sherrill] Best Drive from Merida to Tulum/Tankah

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I have taken a couple of parties to Celestum, and had much the same reaction to the boat dock and environs that you expressed to me. I reallly enjoyed the tour but found myself wishing I could have my own boat and could do it at my own pace. You can approximate that wih some of the provate boats, but some of these look "unlagoonworthy".

A few days after the hurricane, the flamingos appeared on the lagoon as you approach Progreso. One could pull over to the side of the main highway and watch thousands of them, much like you can on your lagoon. The Flamingo Road Show soon moved on and now we are left with occasional sightings in the lagoons near Chixilub.