Last Visit: Jun 2015
Cost: $78/day
Stayed: 3 days
Suggest Staying: 1-4 weeks
English: 3/5
Safety: 3/5
Currency: Peso
Transport: Bus, taxi
My Favorites
1. Tulum

Tulum
Highlights: Ruins, beach, cenote
Suggest Staying: 1-2 days
Stay Around: Tulum Center (Casa Abanico Tulum)
2. Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza
3. Bacalar

Bacalar
Highlights: Laguna, cenote
Suggest Staying: 1-3 days
Stay Around: City Square (Hostal & Suites Pata de Perro)
Cost Breakdown
- Flights: $85 (Cancun => San Francisco)
- Lodging: $131 (guesthouse)
- Transportation: $- (bus, taxi; I didn't keep track)
- Activities: $12 (temple ruins)
- Food: $90 (estimated $30/day)
Total: $318
General Tips
- Don't Drink The Water. Or the ice. It's true when they say not to drink the water in Mexico or you're sure to be sick. Don't drink anything not purified or sealed, as well as accepting anything with ice in it, including shaved ice! Consult your doctor and ask about Ciproflaxin in case of stomach issues (aka traveler's diarrhea). This stuff if magic.
- Safety. I think Mexico gets a bad rap, at least in the US on the news. Mexico is a huge country, so there are of course bound to be both good and bad areas. As a general rule, it seems that it is best to stay in or around tourist areas (the northeast coast out from Cancun seemed perfectly fine), while border cities and farther up north (or south) when you get closer to drug sources and buyers (namely South America and the US respectively) is where you start to find cartels and other bad people. I spent a small amount of time and in a specific area along the cost from Central America, but my experience was very positive. People were super friendly and I felt perfectly safe. There are of courses places farther inland or like I said closer to the border towns that I stayed away from. The key takeaway here is don't just go by what you see on the news, do you own research and talk to people who have been or live there. I was quite surprised at how different the Mexico I saw was from what's depicted on the news.
- Time Zone. Depending on where you're coming from, double check the time zone. I forgot to set my watch and missed a bus in a small town that didn't have many buses running.
I love reading this blog Justin! I dream about all the stuff you do! SO NEAT!!! <3
Thanks so much for that and so glad you enjoy reading!