The Adventurers Guide to One Week in Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo is a Mexican state within the Yucatán Peninsula. My friends and I visited the beautiful area in September. We spent the week exploring local towns such as Play Del Carmen, Tulum, & Cancun. Discovered crystal clear cenotes, 13th-century Mayan archaeological sites, and National Parks.
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Spend 2 Days in Cancun
Transportation: We flew roundtrip out of the Cancun Airport, giving us a full day to explore the Caribbean version of Las Vegas. Renting a car in Mexico can get tricky with insurance, some rental centers require high deposits up to $2,500 usd. Do your research on how car insurance works in Mexico prior to your arrival.
My recommendation for if you’re traveling during the off season is to wait until you’re at the airport to book your rental car. The rental companies at the airport will have more competitive pricing opportunities then you will find online and will negotiate with you. Have them explain the two different insurance options to you before you agree to rent with them.
What To Do: Head to the north side of the hotel zone and spend the day beach hopping down to the Caribbean side. There are 11 public beaches within the hotel zone, each beach is unique and offers visitors warm turquoise colored water along white sand.
Adventures Guide to Quintana Roo
Our last day of the trip we stayed in Cancun & explored local restaurants, shops and accommodations. I regret not planning a water activity for that day, so I would highly recommend doing so because it looks like a blast. Next time we’re in the area we plan to rent surf boards, kayaks or paddle boards to explore the area further.
Go Parasailing!
Where To Eat: Quieres un, café? Brunch at one of the delicious local restaurants. We started our day with coffee and food after an early arrival before heading into the hotel zone. We ate at an adorable coffee shop (no longer open; updated 2020) which had a huge menu of pasteles, and traditional Mexican dishes ranging from sweet crepes to savory huevos rancheros. We had a tough time choosing, so we ordered both (plus a chilaquiles verdes con pollo).
Where To Stay: Our last night in Mexico we had breathtaking Caribbean sea view. We stayed right in the center of the Hotel Zone to be close to the beach but not too far from the airport for our early flight the next day.
Climate Change in Mexico
Notice the “red tide” or mounds of decaying algae in my Cancun beach photos…Scientists have warned that the algae are a grave new threat to the Caribbean, not just Cancun. In the open ocean the algae support birds and other sea life. But when washed ashore, as they start to decay they become an environmental nightmare. The decaying algae, emit hydrogen sulfide fumes that kills fish, coral and sea grass.
It also causes headaches and nausea in people- especially those that must clean it each morning before the tourists arrive. When not cleared, the algae becomes piled high blocking endangered sea turtles from reaching the shore to lay their eggs.
Day Trip to Akumal
Akumal is a small Caribbean community known for its sea turtles! Spend a day swimming with Sea Turtles in Akumal. The town is just a short drive from Playa del Carmen or Tulum making for an easy day trip. You can see the sea turtles on your own or take a guided tour. We decided to try our luck and explore on our own. Vendors will try and tell you that you MUST join a tour/wear a life vest to see the turtles- this is not true. There are roped off buoyed areas protecting major turtle feeding areas; if you stay inside the designated swim areas you can explore on your own as we did.
My recommendation would be to arrive at the beach early, the visibility in the water goes down as people swim throughout the day and stir up the sand. I would recommend not going through a guided tour and arrive to the beaches early for your best chances to see some turtles.
Make sure each person has their own mask/snorkel if you choose to search for turtles on your own. Our group had two snorkels/masks for 6 people to share, and only a few of us were able to spot some turtles. There are plenty of vendors along the town center that sell masks and snorkels for your convenience.
Spend 4 Days in Tulum
Along the Caribbean coast, the town of Tulum offers seaside Mayan ruins to explore, sandy beaches for relaxing and undersea caves for diving. September is the birth month of my favorite travel partner Logan. He earned his PADI Diving Certification a couple months before his birthday so that he could dive the cenotes in Mexico.
Explore Cenotes
A cenote is a freshwater filled Mexican sinkhole. The word Cenote is of Mayan decent and was originally called dzonot or ts’onot, meaning well. The cenotes played a crucial role in the development of the Mayan civilization.
There are over 3,000 unique cenotes throughout the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. The cenotes are mostly found in the crater area that formed from the meteorite impact (the same meteorite responsible for the dinosaur extinction in this area). The cenotes are great for swimming, diving, snorkeling and more! The extensive underground river systems, make this area of Mexico the best place to experience cave diving.
Go Scuba Diving in Cenotes
Just a few weeks before our trip to Mexico, Logan had completed his PADI dive certification! Dos Ojos was unanimously the favorite dive of the group. Noted as “The World’s BestCavern Dives” the name Dos Ojos translates to “two eyes”. Which refers to two nearby cenotes connected by a massive underwater cave system shared between the two.
Check out my post HERE on the Best Cenotes Near Tulum
The two caverns start and end in the same area. Each dive routes are unique, giving divers different areas of the cave to explore. The first dive is 500 meters (1,600 feet) along The Barbie Line and leads divers along the opening of the second eye with plenty of daylight to see the stalactites. The dive along The Batcave Line is a much darker route. With little to no daylight entering the cave system. Divers will ascend up the cave to an open air pocket filled with bats flying everywhere!
Go Kayaking at Casa Cenote
Explore Tulum’s Ancient Ruins
Where to Eat in Tulum
Budget Friendly: Antojitos La Chiapaneca: Mexican $$
Best Ocean View: Mezzanine; Authentic Thai and casual beach menu includes a legendary Happy Hour if you’re looking for a boozey brunch on the beach, $$$$
Best Tacos: Las Antorcha Food Truck; location varies, $
Instagram Worthy: Kin Toh; Mayan-Mexican cuisine in a tree house venue offering guests an experience they’re sure to remember. Enter the restaurant and you will be surrounded with sounds, smells, and decor. Engaging each of your senses. Make reservations in advance, $$$$$
Where To Stay
We spent four nights in a jungle paradise. The three bed three bath penthouse came with a private rooftop pool, penthouse roof suite, and two bed/bath on the main floor.
Check out AirBnb for other amazing places to stay, and enjoy jungle views! New to AirBnB? Click here for $55 usd towards your first trip!
Until Next Time Mexico!
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This place looks absolutely beautiful. I would love to visit Mexico in the future 🙂 Thank you for sharing this 1 week itinerary.
I loved reading this. Mexico is moving higher up my list of priorities when I see posts about it. I spent a couple of weeks travelling in Mexico many years ago but by the time we got to Cancun, just wanted to laze by the pool & enjoy the beach. There is so much more to the area & I’m now keen to go back. Loving the idea of the Scuba in the cenotes – very intriguing. Swimming with turtles is always a treat too but concerning about the algae. Thanks for sharing.