TripAdvisor Review: Mayan Adventure

As the third (and likely, the final) TripAdvisor review of our Mexico vacation, I offer my recap of our day on the Mayan Adventure Snorkeling Tour with Aventuras Mayas.

My husband and I booked the Mayan Adventure Snorkeling Tour via the travel rep at our hotel during our April 2010 vacation -- we'd known we wanted to go snorkeling, but didn't know where. I'm so glad that we ended up with this tour!

Our guide, Julio, drove our tour group from Playa del Carmen out to Akumal, our first of three snorkeling locations. There, he distributed life vests (manually inflatable), masks, and individually-wrapped breathing tubes. After renting some slightly suspicious-looking snorkel gear on a previous vacation, I was glad to see the focus on hygiene.

There was also a focus on environmental awareness, mainly centered around sunscreen. My husband and I had been told by our travel rep that only biodegradable sunscreen was allowed; truth be told, though, the guides would prefer that snorkelers not wear sunscreen at all, since even the biodegradable versions need sunlight to biodegrade. We'd already slathered it on in our hotel room previously, though, and I can attest that most of it had washed off by the time we got to the underground cenote at the end of the tour. Julio suggested that those who are highly susceptible to sunburn simply keep their t-shirt on, although he didn't force us to shower off any previously-applied sunblock.

We snorkeled in three locations: an ocean inlet, an open cenote, and an underground cenote. Julio made sure to point out all the potential dangers and wonders of each spot. We were especially glad that he showed us a map of the ocean inlet, as my husband and I got separated from the group and had to find our way back on our own! (Both of us wear glasses, and there were several red-shirted tour guides for various groups, so one red guy started to look like another...) Apart from that minor scare, the snorkeling at Yal-Ku Lagoon was beautiful.

The open cenote that was next on the agenda included a diving platform and a zipline, for the adventurous types. I passed on both, but my husband did the zipline and loved it! Several people jumped off of the diving platform multiple times. Not as many fish as in the lagoon, but the water was crisp and cool and refreshing.

The underground cenote was even colder, but was completely breathtaking. A few beams of natural light filtered from above us down into the deep, and the crevasses below us seemed to go down forever. The beauty was amazing (and was, unfortunately, too dark for my underwater camera to capture).

Lunch is included in this tour, which we hadn't realized at the time of booking. The food was delicious yet basic: chicken, tortillas, rice, beans, all fresh and very welcome after a morning of snorkeling.

I brought a camera with an underwater case, but there were some staff photographers at certain locations -- at the zipline and diving platform, and in the underground cenote. They took some candid shots at the open cenote, and some posed shots of couples and family groups at the underground cenote. The price of the photos was extremely reasonable: about $20 for a CD-R of the candid and posed shots, plus some stock photos of the cenotes and wildlife.

Overall, this was a fabulous experience. Highly recommend!

Sun Protection

[Taken 25 April 2010 | 1/1600 sec at f/6.3 | ISO 200 | 200mm]

During our final afternoon on the beach in Playa del Carmen.

TripAdvisor Review: Alltournative Mayan Encounter

This week's review, posted to TripAdvisor, details the fun we had going on a Mayan Encounter with our tour guide, Rodolfo:

My husband and I went on the Mayan Encounter in April 2010, and had a fabulous time! Our guide, Rodolfo, had a great sense of humor. He also made sure to keep the youngest member of our tour (about age 9) safe and engaged.

The day started with a trip to the ruins at Coba. We were the only two people in our group who opted not to rent a bicycle or take a "Mayan Limousine" (bicycle taxi) out to Nohoch Muul. If I had it to do over, I would have gone ahead and spent the extra money for the taxi. While the walk wasn't difficult, it took up valuable time -- we had just enough time to walk out, climb the stairs, take a few pictures, and come back, and we were the last ones back to the van.

After the ruins, we headed to the Mayan village, where we stowed our gear and went for a walk in the jungle....

I also brought a waterproof camera with me, and was discreet about photographing, as there are Mayan photographers with Alltournative that take photos during the activities. Rodolfo asked us, in his own dry and amusing way, not to interfere with the photographers on-site. He also made it clear that he wouldn't be climbing down into any ravines to fetch lost cameras. I believe his quotable on the subject was, "Too bad, so sad." Cameras ARE allowed, but you bring them at your own risk.

The activities aren't necessarily done in the order they're listed on the Alltournative website: we rappelled into the cenote first (after being purified, of course), then went down the zipline, then went canoeing. The rappelling was the most nerve-wracking for myself and my husband, but also very high on the fun factor (for me, anyway). The most dangerous, though, could well have been just walking in the jungle! It had just rained, so the ground was slick, and there were rocks and roots everywhere. My husband and I were glad to have worn our hiking sandals, and I would encourage anyone going on this tour to consider a pair. I would have been uncomfortable in closed shoes, especially with either damp socks or no socks at all after swimming.

The rappelling could have been disastrous, but wasn't: at the very bottom, as I was settling into the inner tube that was waiting for me in the cenote, my hair got caught in the hooks and ropes of the rappelling harness. The native guide in the cenote called up to the people back at the top of the rope, and they hauled up on the rope just enough to free my hair. An incident that could have ruined my entire vacation in a very major way ended up being just a 30-second blip in the fun.

The zipline was brief but enjoyable. We each got a helmet and a wooden stick to be used as a brake. For those of us larger types, the brake didn't seem to do much, and the photos of us at the end of the zipline were basically us with expressions of abject horror that we WEREN'T STOPPING -- but there was a foam sleeve around the zipline at the end that finished the braking process, thankfully.

The canoeing seemed to be just a timesink -- something to allow the staff to finish up the meal preparation and photo transfers -- but it was relaxing and enjoyable nonetheless. It had been years since either I or my husband went canoeing, so just tooling around a lake was fun and relaxing.

The Mayan meal was simple and delicious: chicken, beans, empanadas, tortillas, rice, and flavored waters (I'm a big fan of the tamarind water).

After lunch, we got to view the photos taken by the staff. There were a few that were well-composed and better than your average snapshot, but a single printed photo cost $20, and even the package deals (digital photos on CD) were entirely too expensive. I'm glad I brought my own camera, but disappointed that the staff photos were so overpriced.

On our way back, Rodolfo took us past the Alltournative shop for a "technical stop" and a round of tequila shots (for those of us of age). Unfortunately, he didn't mention that he wanted to do a toast, so one person grabbed her shot, and the rest of us followed suit while Rodolfo was away from the table for a moment. When he came back and saw that we'd already finished our shots, he seemed very disappointed that we hadn't gotten to toast our day together, "but this time we do it the American way, no?"

Overall, this was a great way to try some new things, see some amazing and beautiful sights, and learn about the Mayan culture. To Rodolfo -- I had a great time, and I hope you weren't too intimidated by my TripAdvisor hat. I wasn't really a "secret shopper." :-)

Our Waiter, Jorge

[Taken 22 April 2010 | 1/13 sec at f/3.5 | ISO 1600 | 18mm]

At Maria Marie, the French-Mexican fusion restaurant at the Royal Playa del Carmen.

TripAdvisor Review: The Royal Playa del Carmen

As the first of several reviews I'll be writing about our experiences with the businesses and services in and around Playa del Carmen, QR, Mexico, I chose to review our resort, the Royal Playa del Carmen.

Despite a few negative experiences I felt necessary to point out, I gave the resort a rating of five out of five. My review reads, in part:

In a nutshell: The Royal has spacious rooms, a beautiful beach, delicious food, and impeccable service. There were negative points, of course, but the positives far outweighed those.

We stayed at the Royal for six nights, and ate at every restaurant at least once. Maria Marie, the French-Mexican fusion restaurant, quickly became our favorite; we'd had little to no prior experience with pricey French cuisine, and discovered that we love the selections at Maria Marie. Second on our list was the 24-Hour All-Inclusive Snack Bar, oddly enough. They had hors d'oeuvres that were appropriate for the time of day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night), plus beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, so it was a great place to stop in at off-times: for an early breakfast before a tour, or in the afternoon if we were planning a late dinner.

Regarding our room (Junior Suite): It was easily the largest and most posh room we've ever stayed in. The ceilings were amazingly tall; the bed large and comfortable, with plenty of pillows to choose from; the AC worked splendidly, as did the ceiling fan; and the double jacuzzi was much appreciated.

...

[The] negative points really were far outweighed by the fabulous experience we had at the Royal. There were beach chairs both in the sun and the shade (which we, as pasty white Midwesterners, highly appreciated), with servers who brought us beverages as we read books and surfed the internet on our smartphones using the resort's free wi-fi. The service at all of the restaurants was nearly impeccable: never before have I had my chair pulled out for me AND my napkin laid on my lap. The food was delicious and attractive, and the desserts (especially anything involving chocolate) were absolutely amazing. And whenever we were at a loss as to where to go or what to do, we'd simply stop into the Lobby Bar and enjoy the comfy chairs, the breeze, and a few drinks. (And the wi-fi.)

As far as relaxing, resort-style beach vacations go, this was an amazing experience. I would definitely recommend the Royal to anyone who is considering a vacation in Playa.

For my full review, along with photos of The Royal, visit my list of reviews on TripAdvisor. They take a few days to approve reviews, so it should be posted by early next week was posted on Wednesday.

Nightly Candle

Each night, while we were out at dinner, housekeeping would come by and turn down our bedding, light a candle under the scented oil burner, and leave Bon-Bons on our bed.

Vacation Slideshow

Finally! All the vacation photos are processed and posted!

Yes, I know they were all digital. And, yes, they still needed "processing." Deciding which ones to post. Tweaking the color and contrast until the images are just like the ones in my memory. Cloning out pimples and other indignities. Stuff like that.

If you watch the whole slideshow from start to end (199 photos and two very short videos), it should take about a half hour of your time. We did take about a half hour of video on our MiniDV camcorder, so I'll probably be editing that down and posting it to YouTube later, too.

FYI, you'll need to either watch our vacation media online or contact us for a private screening at the Schnuth abode, because we're not planning to host a Post-Vacation Mexican Fiesta this year. We'll be happy to join individuals and couples for dinner, possibly drinks, and a screening of our vacation video (once it's finished), though. In fact, we encourage that.

Now That We're Back

I have several ideas for relatively short, Wil-Wheaton-esque vignettes from our recent vacation. The only thing that's stopping me from writing them is my desire to get all my photos posted first. After that, I'm sure I'll want to edit together the small amount (less than an hour) of video we shot, and hopefully integrate the snippets of video from our iPhones and my point-and-shoot digital into the DV footage.

It's all about priorities.

So, in the meantime, enjoy this short snippet of how we spent much of our vacation.

When We Arrived

[Taken 20 April 2010 | ¼ sec at f/4 | ISO 200 | 18mm]

There was a cake made out of towels on our king size hotel bed, sprinkled with real rose petals.

Last Day in Playa

Enjoying our final afternoon of vacation by lounging on the beach -- again, under a shaded cabana.

Beach Cabanas

Spent the afternoon safely enjoying the beach beneath a shaded canopy.

Nohoch Muul, Coba

[Taken 22 April 2010 | Apple iPhone 3G | processed with PS Mobile]

Seen during the Maya Encounter tour with Alltournative.

Bienvenidos a Playa

Our first evening in Playa is a rainy one, but we don't mind. The staff at the Royal are bending over backwards to make sure we enjoy ourselves.

T-minus 20 Days and Counting

YouTube user alexkelowna1963 has uploaded several videos of the Royal Playa del Carmen, including this one of the resort's beach. They're only serving to make me even more excited about our trip.

We're really not beach people. I swear. We spent one afternoon sunning and swimming at Waikiki back in 2008 before we got bored of it. Granted, this was after we'd already experienced things like parasailing and snorkeling, and had walked up and down the beach both by day and by night.

As for this trip, we have one tour already booked — on my birthday, no less — and are planning to do some other excursions on the fly: snorkeling, maybe parasailing, and definitely exploring Playa. And exploring the menu options at the Royal — it's all-inclusive, after all.

As for now, though, we're focusing on the little things. Making sure our shorts still fit, and buying new ones if necessary. Procuring swimsuits. Making sure the sunscreen we bought for Hawaii is still good. For me, getting a haircut (and getting my nails done). Finding cute sundresses at the thrift. Getting new glasses (and prescription sunglasses). Checking to see if any exit-row seats have opened up on our flight. Refreshing our rudimentary knowledge of Spanish.

The build-up is half the fun of vacation! So, while I might seem like I'm wishing the days away, it's really kind of like Christmas — the waiting is what makes it exciting.

Schnuth Vacation 2010

What's the cure (or at least a palliative) for the early onset of winter blues?

Why, booking a summer vacation, of course!

(originally uploaded by wine me up on Flickr)

For a combination of beach and adventure, we're planning a late-April trip to the Riviera Maya in Mexico. Six beautiful nights at an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen, just south of Cancún.

Those who have been following our vacation adventures may recall that we had toyed with the thought of going to Cancún last year. We opted for a second trip to Japan, instead — and that certainly turned out for the best, since the H1N1 swine flu epidemic hit Mexico at the EXACT time we would have been heading there for fun in the sun.

Plus, there was the fact that, whenever we told anyone we were planning to go to Cancún, their first response was, "Oh, you like to party?"

Actually, no. But thanks for the heads-up.

Playa del Carmen is a small fishing town that's blossomed into a tourism alternative to Cancún. The community has apparently made a concerted effort to keep the town small and quaint, as opposed to the touristy insanity just a few miles north.

Also, the resort we've booked is an adults-only establishment (the family-friendly resort is just across the street). No spring-breakers allowed. It sounds like, if we want a party vibe, we could easily get our party on in one of the bars; if not, we could chillax either in the hammock on the balcony or in the suite's double jacuzzi.

(I have to credit Tn Pham, a complete stranger, for influencing our decision on where to stay. I'd been looking at the sister resort, not realizing that it was intended for families. When I Googled the hotel name, I came across Tn's travelogue and realized that the adults-only resort was the way to go. Just check out his pictures!)

We're not very good at being beach bums, though — we only managed a short afternoon sunning and swimming in Waikiki before we grew bored with the beach. We have plans to do plenty of other activities: touring the Mayan ruins, snorkeling, ziplining, parasailing, and checking out the town of Playa del Carmen. Our hotel is within easy walking distance of the shopping district, and I'm sure we'll come up with a list of restaurants and shops to check out (on top of our all-inclusive dining options).

We just have to make it through four months of winter. Just four more months! When the last snow falls in Ohio, we'll be booking it to sunnier skies.