Playa del Carmen
- QUINTANA ROO, mexico -
© Etudiante Vagabonde. Photo : Playa del Carmen
Cenote Cristalino
July 13th, 2018
My first cenote experience in Mexico ! Wait a minute, what is a cenote ? This is a natural pool resulting from the collapse of limestone rocks. Back in the time of the Mayas, the cenotes in Mexico were used to do sacrificial offerings. There is more than 10.000 cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula, and all different: some of them are open-pit, others are hidden is deep caves.
Not far from Playa del Carmen, many cenotes are easily reached by bus or collective taxis. One of them is the Cenote Cristalino, accessible after a 20 minutes drive in the south of Playa del Carmen.
It is an open cenote, with a little part in a cave you can swim through. The water is so clear, fishes and rocks can be observed easily with or without diving goggles.
À savoir
In Playa Del Carmen, many public transportation will bring you to the Cenote Cristalino. Go to the main bus station (Av. 20 y Calle 2) and ask for a taxi collectivo which leaves as soon as it is full. The round trip will cost approximately 70 pesos. The second option is to take a public bus which comes every 5 minutes from any bus stop on the way.
The price to enter the cenote is 150 pesos for adults (6,70€).
Lifejackets can be rented there, but they are not mandatory. A changing area and a bathroom are available at the entrance.
Important: as in any cenote do not use regular sunscreen because it contaminates the water.
July 14th, 2018
The first night in Playa del Carmen, I had the chance to admire a beautiful pink sky above the beach at the sunset time.
Unfortunately in July a bad phenomenon affected the Caribbean coast, and every beach were covered by those seaweeds. The bath was only possible after crossing 20 meters of dark seaweeds floating on the water.
In town, la Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) is the main pedestrian route where all the shops and restaurants are located next to each other. You can find a lot of souvenirs from Riviera Maya and you can enjoy a wide range of food from all over the world. From the french bakery to the Italian pizzeria, by way of Irish pubs, you'll find what makes you happy.
When the evening comes, many bars and club liven up the city, in the Calle 12 (12th Street). Just like in Cancun, you'll be able to dance all the night long in the Coco Bongo or the Mandala Club.
The beach
À propos
The town is located on the Caribbean coast, about 70 kilometers south of Cancun. Three public buses are leaving every hour on average from the bus station of Cancun. The simple ways costs 40 pesos.
I spent my three nights in the Lobo Del Mar Hostel which is situated 5 minutes from the beach by foot. The hostel is arranged on four levels and you can enjoy a small pool and a bar on the rooftop. The bar offers free drinks every night during one hour. However, be aware that the hostel doesn't offer any kitchen.
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