Tulum ruins without Carnival. Any ideas?

[catwoman5]

Two of us will be cruising to Calica on the Carnival Inspiration in March. We want to visit Tulum and have been looking for private tours. Edventures suggested renting a car from the pier to their headquarters. It appears to be inexpensive enough but might be a little scary. Since there are only two of us, a private car and guide are out of the question. Does anyone have any suggestions? This will be our second cruise, so we're not exactly pros. Thanks.

[rotomu]

Driving from Calica would be breeze. Driving the 307 is four lane traffic. Only a couple of rules to remember, if you're slow traffic, pull to the right shoulder, keep driving and let people behind you pass. If people are passing coming in the opposite direction, again just pull over to the shoulder and keep driving. Tulum ruins are well marked from the highway. You can go to the ruins, get a guide if you want. Make sure and take water, it always seems hot there. After your tour of the ruins, you can go down the steps to the ocean. Or, there is an access road south. Walk that about 1/4 mile, to the first beach bar and then you can walk down to the beach. The most beautiful wide sandy beach, (at least pre-hurricane) and stunning water. Lots of small beach bars, some with bed rentals, swings at the bars, etc. You can walk for miles south on the beach. Get a cab to take you back to your car. Driving in Mexico is not bad, just in the major towns like Playa and Cancun where the cabbies are CRAZY and tourists don't know where they are going. Get the Riveria Maya map from the mapchick.com and you'll be set.

[BSQ]

right. I'm not sure what part about this adventure is scary to you. But as the previous post says, you will be driving down a very nice highway. It is virtually impossible to get lost. Tourist attractions are signed quite well. (ok I did pass tulum and have to flip a U to double back ... but my navigator wasn't paying attention). Parking is $40 pesos (about $4)

 

All you need to remember for this particular drive is, make sure your rental car is fully insured and make sure you have cash for the gas station.

 

There are guides for hire kind of all over.

[tw67]

Two of us will be cruising to Calica on the Carnival Inspiration in March. We want to visit Tulum and have been looking for private tours. Edventures suggested renting a car from the pier to their headquarters. It appears to be inexpensive enough but might be a little scary. Since there are only two of us, a private car and guide are out of the question. Does anyone have any suggestions? This will be our second cruise, so we're not exactly pros. Thanks.

 

 

Go on your Roll Call, start talking to others who are on the same cruise as you are, and maybe you can get a group together. If you are uncomfortable driving in an unfamiliar place, getting a small group together, you could share the expense of Edventures coming to get you and giving you a guided tour!

 

Terry

[catwoman5]

Thanks to you all for some great ideas. I'm feeling much better about the car rental idea.

[roudy1]

Hi Catwoman...you also have to remember this is a foreign country...so also carry an extra policy to drive in Mexido with your auto insurance carrier. There can be some very surprising consequences if you are in a car accident in Mexico even if the accident is not your fault. So do go to your roll call and also do some research on line regarding safety in driving in Mexico. JMHO....

[rotomu]

If you rent a car, take the zero deductable. It will cost a little more, but peace of mind is priceless. DO NOT believe that your credit card coverage for a rental will cover you. You are in Mexico, not the US or US territory. We have rented a car for a week for our last several trips and have never had a problem, but if I ever do, I want full coverage.

[Eileen G]

We just rented a car last week in Playa del Carmen and drove to Tulum. The road was very easy. We spent about two hours at Tulum then drove to the Tulum beachs. Later we stoped in Ackumal to go snorkling. Ackumal has a beautiful bay with easy snorkling right off the beach or you can go on a snorkle tour. The sand is real soft and the beach is lined with palm trees. Just be glad you don't have to drive in PDL.

[markwojo]

I would second the thought of posting in your particular cruises rollcall to drum up some interest in joining you with edventure. We went with them last week and had a wonderful day (and it was pretty much the entire day) that included the ruins and pick up drop off from the end of the tender dock for $75 per adult and $60 per kid for the kids.

 

If you are going to rent a car, you definately do not have any protection from your own personal vehicle policy back home, so do buy the insurance.

[moochiejy]

I just got back from Playa last week. My friends and I went to Tulum on our own. Very very easy to do. At first I was nervous, but it wasn't too bad. We took the collectivos which was about a 5 minute walk from the port.

 

http://www.travelyucatan.com/collectivo.php

 

Just tell them that you want to go to Tulum ruinas. It's about a 45-50 minute ride. Once you get off, just cross the highway and walk in. If you want to hire a tour guide, there are some by the entrance that you can rent. We didn't get one, so I don't really know how much it is. On the way back to the port, there are collectivos waiting by the highway (where you would originally get off when coming to Tulum) Playa is the last stop, so no worries.

 

Make sure you wear a bathing suit under your clothes, cause there is a beautiful beach area there.

 

Good luck!!! You'll be fine!

[catwoman5]

Thanks so much for the information and the web site. It's certainly a lot less expensive than renting a car. I gather that pesos are required for the fare. Are there ATMs at the port? I here that there's not much there. How much cash should we plan on for admission to the ruins, beaches, snacks, etc? The price certainly beats the cruise line tour and it sounds like an adventure. Thanks

[moochiejy]

Actually for the collectivos, they accept USD, just make sure that you have exact change. I believe that it was $2.50/pp and the tickets at Tulum was $4.50/pp I believe. If you don't have exact change for the tickets at Tulum, you'll get pesos back as your change. However, if I can recall, there is a bank/ATM when you get off the port in Playa. The beach is part of Tulum. You'll see it as you're walking around the ruins. There is no place to buy food or drinks there. Make sure you bring water.. it does get pretty hot there. There are no bathrooms once you're inside Tulum, only before you go in, by the entrance.

 

Hope this information helps.

[lady in tx]

Two of us will be cruising to Calica on the Carnival Inspiration in March. We want to visit Tulum and have been looking for private tours. Edventures suggested renting a car from the pier to their headquarters. It appears to be inexpensive enough but might be a little scary. Since there are only two of us, a private car and guide are out of the question. Does anyone have any suggestions? This will be our second cruise, so we're not exactly pros. Thanks.

 

I was visiting Playa for 9 days and I did not feel comfortable w/renting a vehicle there so we just took collectivos & the ADO bus. If you don't feel comfortable w/taking a collectivo I would definelty go w/the ADO bus. The bus station is on 5th & juarez, easy to find. The buses are like greyhound buses. They have ac's, and they always play a movie. Collectivos are a little bit cheaper but they do fill up those vans!!! I believe they can seat 11-12 ppl in those vans but if they can they will try to fit more!!

 

My husband and I took the Ado bus in the morning to tulum and paid 42 pesos per person and we only got one trip not round trip. We went to tulum and paid 45 pesos to enter. You can get a guide there if you want to as well. (They were charging $40-45 bucks which you can split w/another couple) Oh, before I forget when you arrive you walk into town about 1 block away and you can 1)walk to tulum (which we did) or 2)take a train and pay 2 bucks to take you to the entrance where you buy your tickets to enter tulum.

 

After your done you can go back to where the ADO bus dropped you off and there you will find a collectivo's and the ado bus. If there is a place for you to sit down on the collectivo I would definetly take one b/c they are quicker than the ADO bus.

 

 

Like the previous poster said, bring your own bottle of water b/c it does get hot!! Thankfully Tulum is right on the ocean!! It's an awesome place to visit!!

[BSQ]

Actually for the collectivos, they accept USD, just make sure that you have exact change. I believe that it was $2.50/pp and the tickets at Tulum was $4.50/pp I believe. If you don't have exact change for the tickets at Tulum, you'll get pesos back as your change.

<snip>

 

And round up to the nearest dollar. US coins are not accepted.