Before I get going with the tips, I must say that I really enjoyed writing while I was away - and now I don't really want to stop... One of my favorite part of the blog was to share recipes. Who's kidding who... food is a delight to explore!
Among the souvenirs I stuffed in my luggage, I have a big bottle of honey which is very special to me, because it was a present from a great new friend. I started to look for good 'honey' recipes the day after our return, and I started to experiment. So. dear followers, I would love to stretch the pleasure and share more culinary discoveries as I get to use my little treasures... like the honey, achiote paste and vanilla that I brought back. I will also be looking for the right ingredients for my Mexican concoctions, and share my findings. More recipes coming soon! But for now, here are some tips planning a family trip in the Yucatan Peninsula :
Accommodations is one of my favorite part when planning a trip. I have tried a wide range of lodging types throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, from camping, to luxurious villa, and everything in between. Depending of the length of your stay, I would recommend that you try different types accommodations within your comfort level.
You will find a very wide selection vacation homes online, and for vacation houses here are some good and reliable sites to browse through : kab-yucatan.com (highly recommended), VRBO.com and VacationRental.com are also pretty good. You should also take a look at the accommodation section of the Yucatan Today web site - yucatantoday.com. Note that Yucatan Today is an excellent source of information when planning your trip, and the printed monthly magazine is available for free throughout the state, and contains all the maps you need to get inside and out of the beaten path.
For pricing - The longer your stay, the better the daily rate. Watch for seasonal tendencies too, rates before Christmas or after Easter are lower - and in between these two Holidays is the high season. When looking for a rental home, you should check the special amenities like bikes, snorkeling equipment, or kayaks, and WiFi and parking, which are often included in the deal. As for air conditioning, it is unlikely that you will need it from December to February inclusively, when nights are nice and cool.
Things you should know: Electricity and water are precious resources which are tightly managed. Hot water is usually available only in the shower, and not in the kitchen. The power lines are subject to surges, so it is recommended to bring a small power bar to prevent damages to your electronic devices. Purified water is usually available in big water cooler dispensers, or bottled water is supplied in hotel rooms. Also, pretty much everywhere in the Yucatan Peninsula, you do not put toilet paper in the toilet.... no - not even for number two. It all goes to the garbage bin.
Starting in April, it gets increasingly hot until August inclusively, and temperatures often reach 40 celcius at the peak of the hot season. If you can handle the heat, it's the best time to observe pink flamingos (Gulf coast hosts the biggest population in the Americas), sea turtles come to lay their eggs on beaches all over the peninsula (Caribbean and Gulf coast), and it's also the season to swim with the biggest fish on earth : the gentle whale shark (around El Cuyo and Holbox Island)
Camping is also possible, and good destinations are Holbox Island, and the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve near Tulum. I have not seen camp grounds along the Gulf coast, but modest and clean hotel rooms are easy to find if you are on a budget.
Finally, if you are looking for exquisite snorkeling and scuba diving, go to the Costa Maya (Majahual and Xcalak). If you are looking for amazing beaches, the so called Riviera Maya is great (try Tulum). If you are looking for interesting colonial architecture and archeological sites, go to the state of Yucatan - which also has beautiful beaches on the Gulf coast, very laid back and tranquil.
Okay... it seems that this concludes this post - Moving on to the food - and the occasional update on the aftermath of leaving town for 3 months : )
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