Although these two archeological sites can be reached by car, we chose to take organized tours. Coba and Ek Balam are both remotely located several hours from the coast; Coba to the south towards Tulum, and Ek Balam to the north west towards Chichen Itza. These were two separate day trips. We had visited Cancun over 20 years ago and were not aware, at the time, of these two archeological sites. It was only recently that they were opened to the public.

They are both still in ruins, and little to no reconstruction has taken place. We particularly enjoyed the rugged nature that surrounded these two sites. We felt that we were going back in time. It was well worth the climb up to the top of the pyramids of both locations. Uneven steps made out of irregular stones were a little hard on the knees and definitely not for the skittish traveler but the view from the top was well worth the climb. There was jungle as far as the eye could see. The large expanse of seemingly uninhabited nature was impressive. And just knowing that underneath the raised areas of jungle were many lesser pyramids, yet to be uncovered, added mystery to the sights.

The wild jungle vegetation is in the process of being cleared but there is still much to do there. Multilingual guides were available at the entrance gate for a fee but it was not necessary for us to hire one as most good travel books make reference to these two sites. We were free to walk around anywhere on the site and explore to our hearts content. As these two sites are quite remote, no restaurant or toilet facilities were located on site. It gets very hot during the day and so we were pleased to be there early in the morning with our bottles of water.

Chichen Itza is perhaps the better known of the Mayan sites however tourists are no longuer allowed to climb the pyramids there. In Coba and Ek Balam tourists may climb to the top of the pyramids and the sites are equally as ancient as in Chichen Itza. We enjoyed visiting Coba and Ek Balam because they are less frequented by tourists and yet they are steeped in ancient Mayan culture. Although we were not very far from civilization, in these two archeological sites we felt far removed from the modern world.

Health And Vaccinations There were no advisories but bug spray was essential in the jungle and we only drank bottled water.

How To Get There The nearest airport is Cancun International Airport. Rental cars were available but we chose to take a tour bus departing from our resort in order to admire the scenery and local color. The tours were easy to arrange from our hotel.

Location In the Yucatan Peninsula, inland about two to three hours form the hotel zone of Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Measures Metric System

Coba Located about two hours south of Cancun, the ruins of Coba date back to 600 A.D. The area was abandoned by the Mayan people for unknown reasons. At its height, Coba housed over 45,000 inhabitants and was a major stop between Tulum, on the coast, and the cities inland. The site was undiscovered by the Spanish. Excavation was started in the 1970’s and there are still many ruins that are covered in vegetation. An early start was essential for us as there was a 20 minute walk through thick jungle to get to the archeological site. Bicycles were available at the entrance, for a fee. We made sure to have water as there were no restaurants on the site. This area of 50 square kilometers or 80 square miles was in almost pristine condition. Coba is believed to contain up to 6,500 structures of which only a small fraction have been restored.

The tour we chose included two stops. After an early morning visit of the site, we went to a nearby village where we were treated to a typical Mayan feast. After this late lunch, and on our way back to Cancun, we stopped off at a cenote for a cool swim. Cenote comes from the Mayan word dzonot meaning well. A cenote is a deep water filled sink hole created in limestone formations when part of the roof of an underground cavern collapses. The cenote is fed by clear underground streams and rainwater. The water was cool and refreshing. Tucked off the road, at the end of a narrow path in the jungle, we enjoyed the healing waters of the cenote . This was the end to a perfect day of exploration.

Ek Balam Located about two hours north and inland of Cancun, this sight was a real gem. Ek Balam means the black jaguar, a powerful image in Mayan culture. Only a few buildings had been excavated when we were there, but we could already see the complexity of the architectural plan. On our arrival at the sight, we saw a system of roads that date back to 100 A.D. As we entered through an archway, we crossed the ball court and could follow any number of roads to various buildings. The central pyramid/tower is unique in the Yucatan and also one of the largest pyramids in the area. We climbed to the top and we marveled at the unbroken view of jungle scenery. Just knowing that there were many more ruins and ancient villages hidden underneath the lush greenery, waiting to be discovered, was awe inspiring.

As a side trip we went to the colonial town of Valladolid which was founded in 1543 by Francisco de Montejo. As in so many other places, the Spanish built their towns on the sites of old pagan temples. Valladolid used to be a Mayan town by the name of Zaci. The central plaza is surrounded by small hotels and restaurants built in the typical Spanish style of the 16 ^th century. The walls go right to the edge of the sidewalk but each building has a central courtyard lush with greenery and a small water feature. We enjoyed a cool drink on one of these terraces. Along one side of the square, Mayan women, dressed in immaculate white embroidered dresses, sold their handicrafts. We found this area to be a good place to buy our souvenirs and gifts.

Reviewers Article by Andrea de Gosztonyi-McRae and Doug McRae

Photos by Andrea de Gosztonyi-McRae

Would We Go Again Yes

After registration, we were invited to take a tour of the facilities and to reserve our outings. A staff member was assigned to us to see to our specific needs: we were able to reserve our golf tee times, arrange transportation, and spa services and all other outings conveniently. Our concierge, Xavier, was available for us all week and made it his business to see that all went well. We liked that the hotel assigned us a tour advisor for the duration of our stay and we could consult him about various activities throughout the week. We immediately reserved two golf days and a spa day for both of us. We also planned two outings: Coba and Ek Balam. After our tour of the property, we decided that we would be eating on the premises. The four a la carte restaurants were most appealing and seeing that we were only there for one week, we decided to make full use of the amenities.

There were a number of aspects we liked about this property such as its location, the staff’s fluency in English and their service oriented attitude, extra privacy on the beach, and our access to other properties owned by the same company. We were pleasantly surprised by the level of attention that we received. The tour/trip advisor, concierge and hotel staff were ready to assist us. Throughout our stay the staff were attentive to our every need and were most helpful. We appreciated that English was spoken throughout the complex. We also liked the relative privacy on the beach because the resort is located at the end of the Hotel Zone and the beach was used primarily by resort guests. The sand was pristine white and the water turquoise blue.

Handicapped Access Two of the rooms were designed to accommodate handicapped guests

Internet Wireless connectivity was available in our room. There was a computer and office facility in the main lobby.

Length Of Stay Seven nights

Location Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, the resort is 15 minutes or 8 miles from Cancun International Airport (CUN) and 17 miles from downtown Cancun. The resort offered free shuttle service to and from the airport which we had to request upon making our hotel reservations.

Owned And Managed Palace Resorts Inc.

Pets Allowed No

Size The property had 252 rooms

Year Opened-Renovated The Sun Palace originally opened in 1986. After Hurricane Wilma in 2005, the resort was completely rebuilt and turned into an adult only luxury spa and beach resort.

We discovered a charming outdoor lounging area on the second floor that became the outdoor Thai restaurant in the evening. During the day, the bar catered to those sunning themselves on cream colored lounge chairs. The hot tub was also located there. From there we had an excellent view of the Cancun skyline and it became our preferred spot for an end of the day drink.

Spa Facilities The Asian style spa facilities were in a separate building overlooking the ocean. While at the spa we felt totally detached from the rush of travel and completely relaxed. We liked that the spa facilities in the Sun Palace were quite intimate. A relaxation massage the afternoon of our arrival set the tone for our vacation. I enjoyed a manicure and pedicure the morning of our departure and was glad that the staff were pleased to accommodate an early appointment.

Reviewers Article by Andrea de Gosztonyi-McRae and Doug McRae

Photos by Andrea de Gosztonyi-McRae

Service Room service, available 24 hours a day, was included in our rate. The staff were pleasant and discreet. One evening we were particularly tired from our excursion so we ordered a room service dinner. The waiter arrived with flowers and complementary wine with our meal which arrived hot and fragrant. We particularly appreciated the privacy button that discreetly flashed red or green for the service personnel.

Would We Stay Again? Yes

With the exception of the Reception Cabana, there was no electricity anywhere at Azulik, so that as the tropical night fell, our villa took on a warm glow from the many votive candles scattered about the place. The garden paths were equally marked by candle light. Within this tranquil hide-away schedules became a remote concept.

While there were many activities readily available, such as complimentary early morning yoga at the Maya Spa, only a few minutes walk away, and every imaginable ocean sport literally at our door step, the rhythm of our days naturally slowed to a luxuriously relaxing pace, orchestrated by the sun and the moon, much like the Mayan civilization that once flourished in the area. Our enjoyment of these secluded surroundings was further enhanced by the outstanding quality of the service of the ever-friendly and attentive staff that managed to remain unobtrusive while thriving to anticipate our needs and wishes.

Connectivity Wireless Internet connectivity was available only in the common areas of the Maya Spa located less than a five minute walk away from our villa. Our multi-band mobile phone operated seamlessly everywhere on the property.

General Manager Hans Peter Eggler

Handicapped Access No

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location Approximately 75 miles south of Cancun, on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico .

Managed Azulik is the flagship property of the several eco-facilities operated by EcoTulum Resorts & Spa

Owned Eduardo Neira and Holly Elizabeth Worton

Pets Allowed No

Size Azulik was a cluster of fifteen free standing one-room private ocean-front villas built on a ledge overlooking the ocean against the backdrop of a lush two and a half acre tropical garden.

Year Opened-Renovated Opened in 2003

All the outer walls of the villa were floor to ceiling glass, with the exception of the head of the bed, which was solid wood. Wooden shades ensured privacy. In addition to a king-size bed swathed in immaculate mosquito netting, a queen-size lounging platform was strategically located in the center of the room. Hanging from the roof beams on thick ropes, it provided a luxurious indoor alternative to the hammock on the deck. Its brightly covered pillows offered just the right touch of color to the room. Additional visual interest was created by the highly polished floor of variegated golden and black hardwood, and a couple of large Mayan dream catcher mobiles.

Beach A mile-long, semi private, clothing optional beach of silky white coral sand began about fifty feet away from the landing of the private stairs leading from our terrace to the ocean. Another smaller beach was located at the other end of the property, a five-minute walk away. Both beaches were raked daily and very tidy. As is the norm on the coast of the Yucatan , both beaches gently sloped into the ocean, allowing us to wade for distances of up to two hundred feet in some places, waist-deep in the crystalline water.

Spa The Maya Spa, within a five-minute walk through the gardens offered a variety of traditional Mayan massages as well as relaxation and esthetic treatments. Resort guests could also arrange for massages in their private villa.

It was possible to leave messages for guests at the resort at azulik@hotmail.com , a mailbox checked daily

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Review May 2005

Reviewers Article and photos by Josette King

Would You Stay There Again Yes! At the first opportunity!

In addition to the fully excavated 12 ^th century walled port city, there are now two contemporary components to Tulum: Tulum Pueblo , an unremarkable small town divided into two halves by Federal Highway # 307 approximately four miles south of the archeological site, and the Tulum Zona Hotelera ( hotel zone). Starting about two miles south of the ruins, this area of small eco-friendly, beach-hugging cabana hotel s offers a welcome antidote to the concrete jungle now sprawling from Cancun to Playa del Carmen. Easy access to the Tulum ruins has made it a popular destination for day-trippers. Next time we are in the area we will make sure to visit before 9 am or at the end of the day, around 4 pm , to avoid the crowds.

The choice of accommodations runs from basic to luxury. With its easy road access to several major archeological sites and ecological preserves in the area, and immediate proximity to all water sports, we found the comfortable, relative seclusion and the pristine white coral sand beaches of the Tulum Zona Hotelera a good reason to linger for several days

Location, location, location! In addition to its easy access to notable archeological sizes, Tulum, with the second largest coral reef in the world situated only a few meters from its shore line is a diver’s and snorkler’s paradise. Further underwater delights can be found a short distance inland, where a number of crystal clear Cenotes (limestone pools fed by an underwater river) offer interesting underwater rock formations. About three miles south of Tulum, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve is a 1.3 million acre national park of impressive mangrove swamps and tropical vegetation that are home to abundant wildlife including hundreds of species of birds.

Currency Mexico ’s currency is the peso. The peso symbol is ‘$’

Electrical Current 110 Volts

Health And Vaccinations Though there were no mandatory inoculations to enter the Mexico at the time of our visit, it is prudent to keep an eye on advisories such as the Center for Disease Control in the U.S. In Mexico , the “don’t drink water from the tap” rule applies to brushing teeth as well. We made sure to use the bottled water in our room for that purpose.

How To Get There The majority of travelers to this area arrive by air through the Aeropuerto Internacional de Cancun . This busy airport receives up to 80 international flights per day at the height of the season, mainly from major North American and European airlines. The Yucatan peninsula’s other four minor international airports are in Campeche , Cozumel , Chetumal and Merida .

Location In Mexico ’s Yucatan peninsula on the Gulf of Mexico, Tulum is approximately 125 Kilometer (75 miles) south of Cancun Airport by the new multi-lane Federal Highway #307. The drive takes approximately ninety minutes.

Measures The metric system prevails

Money Issues The peso had an exchange rate of around 11 pesos per U.S. dollar at the time of our visit. The easiest way to exchange U.S. dollars for pesos is by using ATM machines, available at the Cancun airport and several bank locations around the area.

Technology Tulum is an ecology-conscious enclave in the jungle. Electricity is provided by generators in all tourist areas. Running water is available with the usual conservation recommendations. During our stay, we were not aware that television reception was available anywhere in Tulum. However, wireless Internet access was broadly available, as was excellent cell phone reception.

Time GMT/UTC -6 (e.g. U S Central Time)

Transportation For those intending to visit extensively around the area, renting a car is an option. The main roads are well maintained and with reasonably good signage. For those planning to mainly enjoy the secluded beaches and local resources of Tulum, taxis are available and reasonably priced.

Shopping And Souvenirs We found no shopping of note in Tulum; only the usual souvenir shops with the ubiquitous local pottery, jewelry and textiles . Basic necessities were readily available from small convenience stores and drugstores.

Reviewers Article and photographs by Josette King

Would You Visit This Destination Again? Yes