A lot of people, apparently.
We got up at 7 (hey, for us, that's sleeping in!), and dressed for swimming, covering up with shorts and t-shirts, and loaded up our video cameras. I put my D-SLR in the hotel-room safe: I wasn't going to need it today.
We also wanted to make sure that we didn't apply any sunblock. Even though we bought bio-degradable sunscreen, most cenotes have a total ban. You must shower before you enter the water.
And we wanted to pack light because as soon as we returned the car in Tulum, we'd have to carry all of our belongings back to the resort. So I had the Insta360 camera, DW had our Sony Action Cam, and we each brought our smartphones, towels, and enough cash to catch a collectivo back to Akumal.
After a leisurely breakfast (I was not getting tired of the build-your-own omelettes), we hopped a trolley to our lobby and then hopped into our Chevy Beat (parking, by the way, was free at the resort: we had to show our guest wrist bands at the three checkpoints into the resort complex but once in, we had ample parking to choose from—we used the same spot, close to the Akumal lobby, every time).
The drive to the Grand Cenote took less than a half hour to get to. On this Saturday morning, the town of Tulum was bustling with cars and trucks alike. We missed the turnoff, to our right, because heavy trucks were turning and backing into a neighbouring business, but we were able to make a safe U-turn on Highway 109, which we took the other day to Cobá. We pulled into the parking lot shortly before 9, almost an hour after it opened.
It cost 180 pesos, each, to enter the grounds. Because we had our own snorkel masks (fins are prohibited), we each saved an additional 80 pesos. We did, however, rent a locker, which cost 30 pesos. But at least we could lock up our car keys and smartphones.
Grand Cenote has a wide opening and a base that houses the hut for the rental equipment and lockers. Several wooden platforms have been constructed, with a couple of access points into the pool.
The area was packed. Many people of all ages arrived at the same time as DW and me, plus a dozen or so folks were already in the crystal-clear water. I began recording with my 360-degree camera before I descended to the water level and could see that the place was filling up fast.
We locked up our valuables, draped our towels with the many others on wooden railings, and went into the water.
It was cool and refreshing. A couple of days before DW and I left for Mexico, I developed lower back issues and could barely move. Determined to make this trip, I ingested a handful of muscle relaxers, ibuprofen, and some of the morphine-based pain pills that I was prescribed after my foot surgery, but barely used.
These drugs got me through the flight and transport from the Cancun airport to our resort. Margaritas took over when we got settled.
I found that by soaking in the resort's pools or swimming in the sea and cenotes also helped ease the pain in my back. The cool water of Grand Cenote was welcome therapy.
It was tough to navigate through all the other swimmers in many parts of the water. Because I had a 360-degree camera, which captures everything, it was hard to avoid capturing bikini-clad young women when I was just trying to navigate the various stalactites that dipped under the surface.
I felt like a dirty old man when I reviewed the video.
The cenote drops in several places, making it a draw for scuba divers, but the underground caves also invited fellow snorkellers. Some people even brought underwater flashlights, which helped illuminate our way as we passed from one tunnel to a second opening.
We saw a few small fish, but we encountered several small turtles as well. Eventually, I'll get a video put together but for now, please be content with a few stills from my 360 camera.
We spent about an hour at Grand Cenote but it wasn't our only destination. We emerged from the water pit, dried off, got our belongings, and headed back to the car, where we drove a short distance.
About halfway between Grand Cenote and Tulum is another popular cenote, Calavera. A small sign that reads "CENOTE" can be missed if you're not paying attention. The parking lot is only a fraction of the size of Grand Cenote and was full, so I pulled next to a car near a tiny chapel, hoping that I wouldn't receive a ticket. I was also right next to the shoulder of Hwy. 109, so I was especially worried that I wouldn't get side-swiped.
Cenote Calavera cost 100 pesos apiece and seemed to be tucked behind someones home. We walked past a chicken coop and took a narrow pathway to find it.
If not for the people huddled around this sinkhole, we might have missed it. A hole in the ground was about the size of four manhole covers. A tree, that grew over the hole was painted with two words and an arrow, pointing into the void.
"Jump here."
I ran out of memory on the 360 camera at Grand Cenote so DW and I shared the Sony camera. DW stood in front of the sign and I started rolling.
Further over, a larger sinkhole connected to the jumping point. A ladder let swimmers climb back to the surface.
It was my turn, next.
DW noticed that when I first captured her jumping into the sink hole, I didn't turn the camera downward to show her in the water. Because I was standing a bit higher up, I wasn't able to follow her with the camera. So she jumped again.
Both of us noticed that this cenote, when you're swimming in it, had a bit of a funky smell. I didn't want to jump in a second time and DW felt two jumps was one too many, so we dried ourselves and headed back to the car.
We drove back into Tulum, filled the car with gas, and returned it to our rental agency. In researching car rentals in Mexico, DW learned that sometimes, when you fuel up, there can be scams that disreputable attendants may perform. One is to not set the pump back to zero before refuelling your tank. I left the car as soon as I pulled up and watched the attendant start up the pump.
Another scam can be them telling you that you only gave them 50 pesos after you hand them a 500-peso note. I counted out my money, one note at a time, when I paid him.
We also were advised not to use a credit card at the station. Cash is best.
When we returned our little red Chevy to the agency, DW followed the agent and me with my smartphone as we inspected the car. At one point, he asked me, "Are you sure you used the car?"
"Why do you ask?" I replied.
"Because the inside is so clean," was his response.
"We're tidy people." I wouldn't have said that had our kids been with us.
I asked the agent to write that the car was returned in perfect order on my receipt, and sign it. There's no way I'm going to have the agency come at me, months later, claiming that there was damage.
Without the car, we were left with our towels and camera gear. All we had to do was hail a collectivo to take us back to our resort. We walked to the main intersection, where the 109 and 307 meet. On the southwest corner, a thatched bus shelter already had a few commuters. But when an empty collectivo pulled up, we were the only ones who got on.
DW immediately asked the driver the cost of the commute to the gates of the Bahai Principe compound. The driver pointed to each of us and in Spanish told her 70 pesos.
"Todo?" I asked.
"Si, todo," he replied.
About two or three kilometres longer than our last collectivo ride, and 10 pesos cheaper.
We spent the next two-and-a-half days at the resort: napping, lounging by the infinity pool, swimming in the protected beach, getting it on (hey, we were celebrating our silver anniversary, and we were in guest house number 69), eating, drinking, napping. By the end of the last full day, I was ready to go home.
It was a perfect holiday. We had excellent weather, the resort was perfect, our room was ideal, and the food and drink memorable. With our rental, we had the freedom to get away and see the places that our resort charged an arm and a leg to see, at a fraction of the cost. And we were able to do these excursions early enough to beat the large tour groups and, most importantly, the heat. Our timing was such that we never missed a meal at our all-inclusive resort.
Would I do this kind of vacation again? Without a doubt, yes. I don't know that I'll return to the Mayan Riviera again—I've done it twice now and there's a lot of world left to see—but if I do, I would definitely return to the same resort.
This vacation is over but it will be in my head for years to come. I'll likely share more videos as they become available.
For now, I have another trip to prepare for. I leave for South Korea in four weeks.
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