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sarahg

Oct 4, 2006, 9:45 PM

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Christmas Travel to Yucatan

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We were going to be traveling to Oaxaca to partake in la Noche de las Rabanas and other Christmas festivities, but with the unrest have decided against that, and will instead be traveling to the Yucatan. We are one couple and a single mom and 20 year old daughter. We've been to Mexico various times (Oaxaca, Patzcuaro, Morelia, Zihua) and prefer colonial towns, cooking, culture,etc. versus hanging out on the beach all day, but are not opposed to some beach and snorkel time.

We will be flying in/out of Merida on 12/21 -12/30. Does anyone have suggestions on how/where to split the trip? Where would Christmas best be spent? We've heard of friends in the past spending Christmas day in DF and having to eat at a Denny's because everything else was closed.

I'm fairly fluent in Spanish (former Peace Corp volunteer in South America) and my partner has beginner-intermediate language skills. Our friends daughter just spent 2 months in Nicaragua with Amigos de las Americas, so we can get by communicating.

Any insights and recommendations, along with hotel/restaurant suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We'll have to save the radishes for another year, ojala.

THanks!

Sarah

yucatandreamer

Oct 5, 2006, 7:24 AM

Post #2 of 7 (4189 views)

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Re: [sarahg] Christmas Travel to Yucatan

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It is very quiet in Merida over Christmas with most activity happening at private homes. You however will not go hungry as most restaurants continue to serve meals. If I were planning a special Christmas meal, I would check with Hacienda Xcanatun . This would require a cab ride, but in my opinion, would be worth it for both the quality of food and the service. Another suggestion would be Portico del Perigrino(in all the guide books) It is an attractive place and the food is generally quite good. When we used to stay in Merida, we always stayed at Dolores Alba. It is reasonably priced and has a pool and (if you need it) parking. It is not a luxury type of place, but well run and clean. There are many new B&Bs that have opened that are more romantic and more expensive. An Internet check will turn up more than you can use. The Medio Mundo is right down the street from me and is always busy with what looks like happy people.

I checked into staying on the Mayan Riviera last year over Christmas, but it was pretty booked up. We traveled to San Cristobal de las Casas instead. If you plan to spend time over there, book now!

If you enjoy ruins, history, and people watching you can find plenty to do in Merida and surrounding areas. Our local beaches are easy to get to and almost empty at that time of year. Some people snorkel there but when they discuss it they tend to sound a little defensive to me(It's not the Caribbean but there's stuff to see)I really wouldn't make water sports a big part of a trip to Merida, but the beaches are pleasant.

Check the web site for Yucatan Today for information about things to do, tours to take using the busses, museums, daily street entertainment and so on. Most of the local businesses that cater to visitors advertise with them and they are chock full of specific information about our city. I am sure you will discover more than enough to keep everyone entertained.

sfmacaws

Oct 5, 2006, 12:53 PM

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Re: [sarahg] Christmas Travel to Yucatan

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Good advice above. I'll add a hotel, when we were staying in hotels (before the RV) we always stayed in the Gran Hotel. It's been several years since we stayed there so I can't give you price info. It was mid-range then and they have secure parking around the block that they will show you. What we liked about it were the 17' ceilings, the beautiful pasta tile floors, inner courtyard with wide balconies, the old furniture and that it had been an expensive home at one time. The location is great, a short block from the main square and the cathedral and in front of a very nice small plaza, Plaza Hidalgo I think. Ask for rooms on the 2nd or 3rd floor overlooking the small plaza, beautiful! It is walking distance to anything in the centro and there are sidewalk cafes and music in front. From memory I'd say it is near the corner of 59th and 60th, any guide book will list it.

Consider trips to Uxmal and the other ruins on the Puuc route, Uxmal is more impressive to me than Chichen Itza and it is usually less crowded. The tour of the Caves of Loltun is very interesting and is in the same area.

Go over to Celestun and take a boat trip to see the flamingos. An amazing sight to see so many of these odd birds and not in a zoo. The boat trip is interesting as well and they take you to a natural spring in the mangroves where you can swim. Sit in a restaurant on the beach and eat lots of gulf shrimp for lunch.

I'd spend most of the time enjoying the city of Merida, it is my favorite city in Mexico - beautiful, full of music, warm and slow, and it has good coffee.

The decorations for xmas will be beautiful, be sure and go inside some churches. Xmas eve is the night of most family celebrations, xmas day is almost just another day. If you are up late, go to midnight mass on xmas eve (it actually starts much earlier but the time will be posted) it will be a magical event no matter what your religion.

Enjoy!

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

roni_smith

Nov 4, 2006, 3:12 PM

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Re: [sfmacaws] Christmas Travel to Yucatan

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We are going over Christmas - our second trip to the Peninsula at that time of the year. Will be in Mérida on the 16-18, arriving on Isla de Mujeres on the 19th, followed by a week in Playa del Carmen starting on December 23.

Was a bit torn about this trip - as much as we enjoyed Guanajuato in May, we considered going back there - but we have not been to Mérida, so that is a redeeming value of this trip - and there is nothing wrong with vegging out on Caribbean beaches, is there? I don't think so
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Planning for Mexico Move Blog

sfmacaws

Nov 4, 2006, 4:20 PM

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Re: [roni_smith] Christmas Travel to Yucatan

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Send me an email when you are in Playa. We will be in Akumal then.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Bubba

Nov 5, 2006, 9:51 AM

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Re: [sarahg] Christmas Travel to Yucatan

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We stayed at the Hotel Lafitte near the plaza the last time we were in Merida and loved it. Very good free full breakfasts and a short walk to most of centro´s attractions. Very quiet rooms and friendly staff. This is where we will stay when we go back. I can think of no minuses and I am Mr. Minus. I think it was about $800 Pesos a day but check.

For side trips, I would visit the beautiful "yellow city" of Izamal staying at Hacienda San Antonio in nearby (10 kilometers or less) Sudzal. This is a refurbished 400 year old hacienda which cost us $300 Pesos a night when we were there two years ago. I believe they have large stables and you can rent horses there if you wish. Check their web site. You can have dinner there or in nearby Izamal which has two or three fun restaurants with local food. that can be very good. I believe this hacienda to be haunted (in a positive way). I was not that fond of their food but the owner claims rave reviews.

A fun drive would be along the nearly deserted Gulf Coast from Progreso to Dzilam de Bravo. You will encounter virtually no one on this drive and pass through small and primitive fishing villages . No tourists. There is much hurricane damage which gives the area a surreal and melancholic effect which we found fascinating. Great drive right along the sea and you can cut south to Izamal from there.

There is so much to see around Merida including both colonial and pre-colonial ruins that it´s hard to pick things out. Study up ahead of time. I would not miss the fascinating and still partially working old heniquen hacienda a short drive south of Merida at Yaxcopoil on the road to Uxmal. It is open for you to tour and see the way a working hacienda looked and operated. They even have an old plantation museum with machinery, documents, photographs and furnishings. I believe it was in operation up until the 60s or so.

We are soon moving to San Cristobal and will be making the short trip to Yucatan often from there. Couldn´t live there though. Way too hot and humid most of the year.

Bubba

Nov 6, 2006, 8:34 AM

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Re: [sfmacaws] Christmas Travel to Yucatan

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Jonna wrote:

Consider trips to Uxmal and the other ruins on the Puuc route, Uxmal is more impressive to me than Chichen Itza and it is usually less crowded. The tour of the Caves of Loltun is very interesting and is in the same area.

Go over to Celestun and take a boat trip to see the flamingos.

I wanted to second these recommendations in addition to the recommendations I made above.

If you drive to Uxmal you will also pass the hacienda museum at Yaxcopoil I recommended earlier and you will be relatively close to Campeche City which is certainly worth seeing if you love colonial architecture. However, do not go to Campeche for the beaches which are butt ugly.

If I were going to the Caribbean at all it would be to drive through Valladolid to Tulum through Coba. The Mayan ruins at Coba and Tulum are not considered that great by some but I flipped over both Coba and Tulum which are in beautiful settings worthy of the drive.

We found the exhaustive Blue Guide to Mexico to be invaluable when touring any place in Mexico but especially in Southern Mexico. The authors are obviously insane but have an eye to detail I have found nowhere else.