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galai galai
 
M$5 December 16, 2008 12:36 AM

Looking for special places to stay+visit in Yucatan, Mexico during February.

We're planning on traveling with 2 kids (ages 3 and 6) for ~10 days in Yucatan. The kids particularly love animals. We'd like to stay at special places owned by real people, not at the mega-resorts. Any recommendations for places to stay and things to see in Yucatan would be greatly appreciated!
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pescina pescina
 
 December 16, 2008 12:49 AM
There are lots of things to see and do there. Take Mérida as your HQ. From there you can visit Uxmal and Chichén Itzá, but also Progreso, a cool beach for Mexican families, which is 45 minutes away from Mérida. Also, you can visit Celestún (Celestun Biosphere Reserve) and see the flamingos, crocodiles and other animals in their own environment. Your kids will love that place, which is run by the government but also by those who live there. You can go to Tulum and the Sian Ka'an reserve in Quintana Roo. If so, go to the small towns far from Tulum, like Punta Allen and Punta Herrero, where lobster is really cheap and there are no tourists. Oh, and you can also go to Holbox. Don't forget to take light color clothes because of the mosquitoes (just in case).

P. S. Almost forgot. Since you are going to the Yucatan Peninsula, don't forget to visit Chicxulub, which is like 20 minutes away from Progreso. Chicxulub is the place where the meteorite that ended with dinosaurs fell.
Source(s):
Lived there for a while.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sian_kan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holbox
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicxulub_crater
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celest%C3%BAn

Asker's Rating:
• Thanks Pescina. Also for the tip about Cancun, etc.


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galai galai
 
January 09, 2009 08:28 PM
pescina hey - thanks again for the answer. Just a quick followup - what exactly is "visitable" in Chicxulub? Is there a specific place that would be interesting for kids who love dinosaurs?...

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pescina pescina
 
January 09, 2009 09:09 PM
Actually you have to know a bit about the story and tell them about it, because there are no guides. Research about the crater isn't very recent, but interest on the town by the Mexican government is, so I guess there is no museum (yet). Perhaps I'm thinking more about what I would say: The crater isn't visible when you're there, but the meteorite hitting that particular place on Earth explains why dinosaurs got extincted (it would've been slightly different if it had hit a different place or even the same with a different angle); it also explains the existence of cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, which are very important for research, tourism, people living there, the development of the Mayan culture and part of their cosmovision. Chicxulub is very close to Progreso, so if you go to the beach there, you can spend an hour in Chicxulub and take a few pictures (as far as I can remeber, the town's basketball court is in the middle of the crater). If you have visited Chichén Itza or other big archaeological sites, and don't know a few facts about Chicxulub, the most memorable things you'll find there are the beach (quiet and without tourists), seafood and coconut cookies. I had visited the place a couple of times before finding out about the dinosaurs. Now that I think about it, Chicxulub would be more interesting for your older kid.
By the way, between Mérida and Progreso you can visit Dzibilchaltún:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzibilchaltun
There is a cenote in which you can swim, a museum and the ruins.

Edit: In Progreso and most nearby towns you can also rent kayaks, jet skies and boats.

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cincirule4... cincirule4...
 
December 16, 2008 12:42 AM
http://www.mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-hotels/mexico-hotels/yucatan-peninsula-hotels/esencia/

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jerkfish2 jerkfish2
 
December 16, 2008 01:09 AM
I agree with most of what "pescina" said - Merrida is wonderful especially this time of year, they have great street celebrations but the Celestun Biosphere Reserve is a bit of a downer. it took quite a bit of time and $ to werk that all out and was disappointing at best.

better to spend more time traveling south, to Chiapas, San Cristobal de las Casas is one of my favorite cities in all Mexico, and from here it's easy to visit Palanque which is an extraordinary and uber-dramatic ruin. Well worth it.
Oh, and skip the lame laser light shows, total waste of time!
cheers + have fun

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kia kia
 
December 16, 2008 02:38 AM
Depending on where you are staying on the Yucatan Peninsula, there are a variety of great resorts near animal parks.

At Crococun Zoo in Puerto Morelos you can take a tour and get up close and personal with all sorts of animals such as snakes, lizards, turtles, and small crocodiles, monkeys and deer. It’s a small zoo, but fun experience. There is also a cool little Turtle farm called Tortugranja in Isla Mujeres and also a Dolphin Discovery where you can have a dolphin encounter and feed the manatees.

Unless you know (and trust) someone in Mexico, the next best thing may be to find a family-friendly resort. There are a few resorts on the Yucatan Penninsula located at that specifically cater to families with children (kid’s club, onsite children’s pool, game area and playground with crafts etc.) The best pics for kid-friendly resorts near Isla Mujeres are:

1) Raintree's Villa Vera Puerto Isla Mujeres (see website: www.raintreevacationclub.com)

2) Isla Mujeres Palace (no website, but here’s the contact info: Carretera Garrafon KM 4.5
Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo 77400
Mexico
998/999-2020

Good luck!

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pescina pescina
 
December 16, 2008 04:38 AM
Sorry, but if you want to see the real Mexico, stay away from the north of Quintana Roo, like Cancún, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, etc. I've lived in the Yucatan Peninsula doing volunteer work and I've also hitchhiked around there for about eight or nine times. If you want to stay with local people, trustable people, that is, use www.couchsurfing.com. I bet you won't have much of a trouble finding a place to stay because of the kids and couchsurfers can take you to places you'd never see if you stayed at hotels or hostels. By the way, CouchSurfing is safe and free.

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kenford kenford
 
December 16, 2008 07:29 AM
There is more to do in the Yucatan Peninsula than anyone can imagine. A wealth of ancient ruins, restored haciendas, colonial cities and natural environments awaits your discovery.

From your modern air-conditioned hotel in a colonial city such as Merida, you can drive to the ancient Mayan ruin of Dzibilchaltun, visit the anthropological museum on the grounds, swim in the cenote, and still have time for a delicious Yucatecan dinner, perhaps at a restored hacienda.

Some of your most memorable adventures may lie in the smallest Mayan pueblos where you might find an abandoned hacienda, a friendly smile and a cold bottle of Coca Cola.


Archaeological sites:
Calakmul and Champoton
Edzna
Ek Balam
Chichen Itza
Dzibilchaltun
Uxmal
Puuc Route
Xcambo
Beaches:
Alacranes Reef
Beaches
Celestun
Chelem
Chicxulub
El Cuyo
Dzilam Bravo
Holbox
Mahajual
Marina Silcer
Progreso
Progreso Marinas
Ria Lagartos
Telchac Puerto
Tulum
Reef Yucatan Hotel
Colonial Towns:
Izamal
Motul
Tekax
Ticul
Tizimin
Valladolid
Oxkutzcab
Convent Route
Eco Destinations:
Caves
Cenotes
Cenote Yokdzonot
Ecoturistic Network
Kixil Kiuic Reserve
Ox Watz
Xcanche
San Crisanto Mangroves
Haciendas:
Hacienda Petac
Hacienda Route
Hacienda Tours
Tasting and Gastronomy
Major cities:
Campeche
Chetumal
Merida
Source(s):
http://www.yucatantoday.com/eng-destinations.php


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skitt skitt
 
December 16, 2008 06:51 PM
I especially liked Xel-Ha (pronounced Shell-Ha). There are lots of outdoor activities to do there and many are kid friendly. The last time I was in that part of the world I didn't even make it down to Tulum to see the ruins, because I went here twice...I liked it that much.

Check out their website which illustrates the attraction:
http://www.xelha.com
Source(s):
http://www.xelha.com


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