It had been a long three and a half weeks, my feet were hurting and I was quite frankly terrified my suitcase would spontaneously burst open due to the sheer volume of shopping I'd been doing. Only one stop left: Cancún. Most people would probably see the diversion from Cuba to Cancún on the way to the U.S, and vice versa, as an inconvenience, but I saw it as an excellent opportunity to squeeze one last hurrah into my trip (and also so I could see if the 'sinkhole pool', in pictures that circulate on Tumblr, truly existed).
I had a mere 43 hours to spend in Cancún, comprised of one full day, sandwiched between 2 nights. Being Australian, lying on the beach or by the pool is something that takes the back seat if there are more location-unique activities to be had, seeing as it's something I can easily do at home. I knew that Cancún was the hub for many day tours into Yucatán, a neighbouring state littered with Mayan ruins and magical natural sights, therefore, my one full day in Mexico needed to be dedicated to visiting the ruins of Chichén Itzá and the breathtaking Ik Kil Cenote. It was decided.
Booking a tour is easy; most hotels in Cancún have tour desks, where you can select and book tours from the comfort of your lobby. If not, the attendants at reception can help you out. I booked mine on the spot at the reception of my hotel (Aloft Cancún) at about 9pm the night before! Most tours that include both these attractions last about 10-12 hours, starting at around 8am and returning around 7pm, with pick-up and drop-off from your hotel.
Being picked up from my hotel was a breeze and despite the rather chatty guide who failed to give us a second of peace on the two hour bus ride, the tour left me having to heave my jaw from the ground by the time the day came to a close. How does one wrap their head around the the feats of engineering carried out by the Mayans? Chichén Itzá featured near perfectly proportioned pyramids, with an open point, designed to act as the ancient form of a microphone when the leader spoke down to his people from above. Mayans knew their sound, and even designed a playing field lined by two smooth walls off which sound would resonate and create a stadium-like effect. Engineers: you will not be disappointed.
However, the highlight of the day for me had to be Ik Kil Cenote. There are few places I have been completely in awe of, and this was one of them. Starting with a compulsory quick cold shower to remove toxins such as sunscreen from the skin, I followed the steps down into the cave and was met with the most stunning sight of sunlight streaming down from a naturally formed sinkhole above, with vines cascading into the pure, clean water below (hence the shower as not to contaminate the water). Small waterfalls also gushed from the rocky walls and I couldn't resist jumping in. Bomb style. Small, harmless catfish milled around the excited swimmers and I had a hard time believing this place existed on Earth and was not from some heavenly realm. I honestly wish I could have spent longer than an hour there!
Cancún itself was essentially America transplanted to a coastal Mexican city, and did not appeal to me at all to be honest. If you're partial to relaxing resort-style holidays with all-inclusive deals and plenty of homely comforts, Cancún would be perfect for you. However, as more of a backpacker who is always interested in the cultural side of the destinations she visits, I was chuffed that I chose to spend my time exploring these two magnificent sights.
Adios amigos,
Tilda
xxx
P.S. With 100% honesty, I can thoroughly recommend Aloft Cancún as a slightly more affordable but still large hotel in the main district. Staff were always helpful and even gave me free room service on a slow night!
I had a mere 43 hours to spend in Cancún, comprised of one full day, sandwiched between 2 nights. Being Australian, lying on the beach or by the pool is something that takes the back seat if there are more location-unique activities to be had, seeing as it's something I can easily do at home. I knew that Cancún was the hub for many day tours into Yucatán, a neighbouring state littered with Mayan ruins and magical natural sights, therefore, my one full day in Mexico needed to be dedicated to visiting the ruins of Chichén Itzá and the breathtaking Ik Kil Cenote. It was decided.
Booking a tour is easy; most hotels in Cancún have tour desks, where you can select and book tours from the comfort of your lobby. If not, the attendants at reception can help you out. I booked mine on the spot at the reception of my hotel (Aloft Cancún) at about 9pm the night before! Most tours that include both these attractions last about 10-12 hours, starting at around 8am and returning around 7pm, with pick-up and drop-off from your hotel.
Being picked up from my hotel was a breeze and despite the rather chatty guide who failed to give us a second of peace on the two hour bus ride, the tour left me having to heave my jaw from the ground by the time the day came to a close. How does one wrap their head around the the feats of engineering carried out by the Mayans? Chichén Itzá featured near perfectly proportioned pyramids, with an open point, designed to act as the ancient form of a microphone when the leader spoke down to his people from above. Mayans knew their sound, and even designed a playing field lined by two smooth walls off which sound would resonate and create a stadium-like effect. Engineers: you will not be disappointed.
However, the highlight of the day for me had to be Ik Kil Cenote. There are few places I have been completely in awe of, and this was one of them. Starting with a compulsory quick cold shower to remove toxins such as sunscreen from the skin, I followed the steps down into the cave and was met with the most stunning sight of sunlight streaming down from a naturally formed sinkhole above, with vines cascading into the pure, clean water below (hence the shower as not to contaminate the water). Small waterfalls also gushed from the rocky walls and I couldn't resist jumping in. Bomb style. Small, harmless catfish milled around the excited swimmers and I had a hard time believing this place existed on Earth and was not from some heavenly realm. I honestly wish I could have spent longer than an hour there!
Cancún itself was essentially America transplanted to a coastal Mexican city, and did not appeal to me at all to be honest. If you're partial to relaxing resort-style holidays with all-inclusive deals and plenty of homely comforts, Cancún would be perfect for you. However, as more of a backpacker who is always interested in the cultural side of the destinations she visits, I was chuffed that I chose to spend my time exploring these two magnificent sights.
Adios amigos,
Tilda
xxx
P.S. With 100% honesty, I can thoroughly recommend Aloft Cancún as a slightly more affordable but still large hotel in the main district. Staff were always helpful and even gave me free room service on a slow night!
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