This was supposed to be a group trip with some of my Austin friends but Dan and I were the only ones that followed through with booking flights. Considering we only thought about killing each other once in eight days, I’d say we did pretty well. Our trip included an eight day excursion through Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Chichen Itza, Cozumel and Cancun.
At this point, my only international trip was for Pearl Jam in Mexico City. Daniel is a pro-traveler. I would have never felt comfortable renting a car in a foreign country but Daniel didn’t think twice about it. This made it easier for us to explore multiple cities.
Our first stop was Cenote Chaak Tun, located just outside of Playa del Carmen. This was one of the only activities we booked ahead of time. In English, Cenote means sinkhole or a deep natural well. Here is Dan and I looking fly AF in our wet suits.
This tour was exceptional! I’d never experienced anything like it (I know, newbie here.) The tour started inside a cave and eventually led us to the Cenote. This did involve a lot of swimming and water trekking. There was even a spot that required going under water to reach the other side of the cave. Briefly.. like six seconds underwater but it seemed like an eternity! We did see some fish (which scared me to death) but interestingly, they are black because they never see sunlight. Towards the end of the tour, our guide had us exfoliate with the mud found on the floor of the cave. It was AMAZING and our skin was so soft afterwards.
After Cenote Chaak Tun, we drove to Playa del Carmen! This was my first time ever staying in a hostel! Aside from sharing a bathroom, I thought it was a really cool experience. Hostels are great for solo and small-group travelers. It’s very easy to make new friends in the communal areas. My one suggestion- always carry a small combination lock with you. Most hostels provide a locker for your personal belongings.
We spent the evening drinking on the rooftop of our hostel. The following morning I went to Playa del Carmen beach for some R&R. Work was stressful at the time and laying in the sand, listening to the waves crash against the shore was exactly what I needed.
Later in the afternoon we drove to Tulum and checked into our new hostel, Hostel Che Babel. Instead of booking a bunk bed within one of their dorm rooms, Daniel and I decided to splurge on a private room with two beds. By splurge I mean like $20 a person, haha. That’s the beauty of hostels. They are designed to save money! The staff was friendly, they had a bar in the courtyard and they arranged free group tours to nearby attractions. After getting settled, we headed to Las Palmas Public Beach where I drank coconuts and fried my skin. I learned my lesson and vigilantly use sunscreen now. No melanoma or leather skin for me, thanks!
The next morning we drove two hours to Chichen Itza to see the ancient Mayan ruins. Did you know Chichen Itza is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World?! Check out all seven here. Have you been to any of the seven wonders (original and/or new)?
This was my first time ever seeing an iguana. Correction: Iguanas! They were sun bathing all over the place! Also…so many “first time” experiences since this was my second time out of the country. I was just blown away by the structure of these ancient ruins. I can’t imagine how laborious it must have been to build these without proper machinery and in such a short amount of time.
Below are photos of “El Castillo” which means “The Castle” in Spanish. It’s the largest pyramid in the ancient city measuring 24 meters tall. I quickly learned that I love historic architecture in other countries. It’s impressive that these massive pyramids were made by hand with such intricate detail.
El Castillo 
El Castillo
We drove back to Tulum and had a few nightcaps at the hostel. The next day we went to Cenote IK KIL. This is definitely a popular tourist attraction! It was extremely busy and far less personal than Cenote Chaak Tun. If I had to choose between the two I would definitely choose Cenote Chaak Tun. Cenote IK KIL was huge and gave you the opportunity of looking down into the Cenote from the sides. Getting to the bottom required walking down several stone stairs within the Cenote wall. The water was much deeper and I could not see past my body depth.
IK KIL from below 
IK KIL from the top
The following day happened to be Valentine’s Day. We made three friends while eating breakfast at Hostel Che Babel. We decided to spend the day together exploring the Tulum Ruins. On our way there we got in a car accident! As Daniel was trying to turn left, a local tried passing him on the left side resulting in damage along the entire driver side of the car. The local was demanding that we pay him cash for the damages of his vehicle. Eventually the cops showed up and they also wanted Daniel to pay them off. The rest of us were terrified that we may be taken to jail. It was getting HEATED. Daniel called the insurance company and luckily they showed up to help with the language barrier. We ended up filing a claim under the insurance and getting a new car. After this fiasco, we went for a second attempt at seeing the ruins.
The Tulum Ruins are even more beautiful because they sit right along the beach facing the Caribbean Sea. Many years ago these ruins were used as a trading seaport for turquoise and jade. The Tulum ruins differ from Chichen Itza because they were not pyramids but more house-like. Several small square buildings created a magical town. We followed the steps down to Tulum Beach for a quick cool-off and the water was the perfect temperature!
We had a great last day in Tulum. The next morning we went back to Playa del Carmen, parked the car and took the ferry to Cozumel where I had my first diving experience! To read the rest of this trip, visit Cozumel & Cancun!