Costa Maya

Tulum - Bacalar - Mahahual

The journey continues. And after the intense World Cup, there is once again time to update the blog.

After Valladolid, I would have liked to go to the island of Holbox. But unfortunately, a week-long low-pressure system was predicted, which actually flooded the island. That's why I spent a weekend in Cancun. A terrible place full of package tourists. The only noteworthy place is the nearby Isla Mujeres. There you can swim with huge whale sharks. The animals are very impressive, but when around 50 (at least!) other boats try to 'chase' the three animals, I don't find it very funny. The island itself is full of day trippers from Cancun driving around in silly golf carts. So let's get out of here!

And straight to Tulum. It is also touristy but much more relaxed than Cancun. And there is wonderful food at affordable prices. Such as Ceviche, a raw fish salad with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lots of vinegar. For Fr. 5.50 😄 And of course, there are ALWAYS Tacoooos! 🌮🌮🌮

There is a lot to see around Tulum, such as the Mayan ruins. They are located directly on a cliff by the sea and are very spectacular. And if you arrive at 8.00 am, you will have them almost to yourself. Only a few other early birds and countless iguanas are already present.
About 45 minutes inland, there is the extensive ruin of Coban with the large pyramid that can be climbed and offers a wonderful panoramic view.
In addition, there are numerous cenotes to visit and admire. However, many of them are open cenotes and resemble more of a pond and are not as spectacular as the caves. But they are still great for swimming and refreshing, especially when there are turtles living in them, like in the Grand Cenote.

After Tulum, I went to Laguna Bacalar, the 'Lake of Seven Colors'. It is supposed to shine in these colors in good weather. Unfortunately, it was mostly cloudy during my stay. But when the sun briefly broke through, the colors were truly beautiful. There is not much to do here except swimming and relaxing. The stand-up paddleboard tour through the mangroves was the highlight and very impressive. Additionally, the decision was made here to not leave Mexico yet and to take a short trip to Mahahual to get the Open Water diving certification. Because Mexico is much cheaper than neighboring Belize, but the reef for diving is the same.

So I took the ADO first-class bus to Mahahual one last time. Actually, it is a sleepy little town with a beautiful beach promenade. However, the tranquility suddenly disappears on the days when cruise ships dock and the crowds flood the promenade. Fortunately, the ships only docked once during my stay.

After arriving in the late afternoon and checking into the hostel, I looked for a good diving school to start the next day. It wasn't a problem at all since June is the absolute off-season. However, diving also includes a whole book of theory. And before the first dive the next day, I had to read and pass Chapter 1, which lasted until well after 11 pm. The same repeated itself on the following days with chapters 2&3 and 4&5. In the end, it was worth the effort. The underwater world in the Belize Reef is breathtaking! In addition to the corals and the many small fish in all colors and shapes, there were also rays, turtles, and lobsters to see.
After the exhausting diving days, I relaxed for two more days before finally saying goodbye to Mexico.

At this point, I have been on the road for three months already and have experienced so much. After the extraordinary sailing trip, Mexico impresses with its beauty and diversity. Boredom is never an issue here. I also never felt unsafe. If you follow the well-known safety rules and do a little research, nothing should happen to you. I can highly recommend Mexico to everyone 😀