|
|
Mexico Features and Info
Puerto Morelos
- Puerto Morelos, a small fishing village located along Mayan Riviera between Cancun and Playa
del Carmen, is only 5 minutes drive distance from Playa del Secreto.
It is the perfect contrast between the glamorous, luxurious Cancun and the funky, bohemian
atmosphere of Playa del Carmen. As a serene and quaint destination with a low-key population
and a laid back attitude, vacationers here feel the essence of Mexico.
- Downtown you will find a variety of restaurants featuring fresh fish and native
dishes, a small medical center, pharmacy, church, grocery stores, fruit stand, book shop,
Mexican handicraft shops, money exchange, travel and car agencies plus bicycle rentals.
In addition, outside of the downtown area you will find a Crocodile farm plus a
magnificent botanical garden with their own Mayan ruins. It location makes it the
perfect starting point to visit all of the area’s popular attractions including the
archeological sites of Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza, the ecological parks including
Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Tres Rios and the Sian Ka'an biosphere all within a few hours of your hotel’s.
- You can experience the unsurpassed beauty of the second largest coral reef in the world,
snorkeling (daily trips from Puerto Morelos), fishing trips, jungle tours,scuba diving, or shopping in the
typical artisan stores or...have a dinner in one of the many excellent restaurants, pizzerias, pubs or cafes.
- Many of the stores maintain the traditional Mexican hours: open from 10 am to 1, closed for lunch and siesta
and re-opened from 5 until 9 pm. Puerto Morelos is home to many artists and artisans who sell their work in
the stores. On the weekends there is an open-air market called a tianguis where you can buy arts and
crafts directly from the makers.
- Weather: Because it’s on the water’s edge, Puerto Morelos gets those ocean breezes and is always a few degrees cooler
than the bigger cities like Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The hottest time of year is from end of April until
mid-May. It heats up again in July and August with temperatures as high as 34°C (110° F).
September to the end of November is the rainy season with late afternoon downpours. Hurricane season officially
starts in June, lasting to the end of November but the strongest winds are in the autumn months.
From December until the end of April the average temperature is between 22-32° C (71-89°F) with occasional cold
spells that drop the temperature to a chilly 18° C (65° F). Puerto enjoys 258 sunny days per year.
Playa del Carmen
- There are three large grocery stores in Playa del Carmen: Chedraui ,San Francisco and Sam's Club.
- The post office is three blocks back from the beach on Av. Principal, with the police station (9/87-3-02-91)
right next door and the Centro de Salud Medical Center across the street. You'll find Tourism information on
Av. 5 near the central plaza. Several hotels rent bicycles, but get a mountain bike to dodge the water-filled
cenote-like potholes and sandy streets.
- There are plenty of 'minisupers' (corner grocery stores) and fruit shops located in Playa,
as well as a few 'large' supermarkets (Super San Francisco being the most popular due to its location on 30th).
Some supermarkets also accept credit/debit cards.
- Most of Playa's activities involve the water - the beaches are fabulous for swimming, snorkeling, or diving.
There are numerous dive shops around. Try the Tank Ha (Ha means water in Mayan) dive shop at the Maya Bric Hotel.
The Abyss Dive Shop at the Blue Parrot Inn - Calle 12 North on the Beach offers a variety of dives geared
to meet each divers needs: from beginners to experts.
Playa del Secreto
- Located 30 minutes from the Ruins of Tulum, 40 minutes to Cob Ruins, and 2 hours to Chichen Itza,
Xpuha, Xcaret, Xhelha, natural park all incredible to visit and within 30 minutes.
|
Transportation
Okay, you made it into the country with yourselves and luggage intact. Now, how are you
getting to PLAYA DEL SECRETO? Most of the tourists you flew with will be herded onto
large buses and hauled off to their all-inclusives. You are probably handling your own transport. You have several choices. They range greatly in price. Driving time to PLAYA DEL SECRETO is just 20 minutes.
Rent a Car:
If you are getting a car for a week or more, book it at least a week out
and get it at the airport. All the big companies are represented at the airport.
We usually book our cars on Travelocity or Expedia (use the Canadian versions (.ca)
if you are from Canada) and go with the cheapest option. Remember that the price will
almost double when you add insurance. Most credit card insurance does not cover Mexico,
and in any case, you want to make sure you have a 1-800 number that works in Mexico
that you can call if you get in trouble or an accident.
Cheap car rental deals at http://www.hotwire.com
Rental car as low as $16.00 usd a day!!! Cars at $96 usd a week!!! During Xmast week!!!
My suggestion is renting a car online in this website , you can pick up comfortable your
car right ourside the airport, and save moneys for taxis.
Book A Private Trasport:
There are a bunch of companies that do this. We like Vic at CancunValet.com.
Cost is $50 US one way or $95 return for a vanload (up to 10 persons). A driver will
be waiting outside the doors with a sign with your name on it. If you don't see him,
you call Vic toll-free from the airport and he sends the guy to where you are standing.
It's seamless. You can also book a grocery delivery with Vic too so that you and your
food & booze will all arrive at the same time. Vic also rents cell-phones, strollers, boogie boards, coolers, VCRs, DVD players, high chairs, and playpens.
Taxi:
Book a taxi at one of the booths on the way out of the airport. Cost is about
$50 US per taxi, up to 4 persons. It will cost about $25 when you go back to the
airport from Playa del secreto. The driver will be from Cancun and will likely not know
anything about Playa del secreto, so make sure you have directions to where you are
staying, PLAYA DEL SECRETO KM. 311+4OO METERS.
Public Transport:
Book it at the booth on the way out of the airport. Cost is about $15-17 US per
person to PLAYA DEL SECRETO. Two companies, Grey Line or Greenline. Booths are just
outside the airport at the bottom of the ramp. They will wait until they have at least
four persons before they will make the trip. The driver will be from Cancun and will
likely not know anything about Puerto Morelos, so make sure you have directions to
where you are staying.
Bus:
The cheapest option is the ADO bus which goes down to Playa del Carmen about every
hour during daylight hours. They stop at Puerto Morelos up at the highway. You will need to
catch a local taxi to your accommodations at PLAYA DEL SECRETO. Cost is about $5 per person.
To get the bus, you need to walk to the far end of the terminal, opposite side of the building
to where you exited the airport.
Walk:
Not an option. The airport is in the middle of nowhere.
|
| |
|
