Riviera Maya & Mayan Adventure Can-do Maps Rock!

[robint]

Back in 2000, my family went to Cozumel for the first time and we heard about and ordered the greatest map of Cozumel. It was so much help in planning our trip! A year later we ordered another one and the Playa del Carmen map. We had hoped to do a trip there specifically but never made it.

For Christmas this year, I decided to order their new Riviera Maya map (since mine was from 2001) and the new Mayan Adventure maps.... Can-Do Travel Guides
Wow!!!!!
:shocked2::shocked2:The new maps are even MORE amazing!!!!!:shocked2::shocked2:

There is more than one map in the package, also. My old RM map was one page, front and back. This time there is a group of maps of each of the cities. There is a large map of the whole area, plus a full page map of Puerto Morelos, full page of Puerto Adventures, full page of Akumal, full page of Tulum.... Wow! Tons of hotels with their websites marked, same for restaruants along with menu prices, the dive and snorkeling shops, tour agencies, taxi and travel information...

Same goes for the new Mayan ruins map. It is sooooo much more than I expected. Lots of detailed maps of Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum... but also Ek Balam and other smaller ruin sites, tons of cenotes open to public, small villages you can visit along with the prices and what you can see, maps of the cities of Piste and Vallodolid and the road map between all including traffic info, tolls, etc. And a Cancun airport map. wow!

Each map is only $10 including the shipping - that is much better than those tour books you buy at the local bookstore because there is so much information without the fluff. I mean, I really like the Lonely Planet and Moon Handbook guides, they are full of pretty pictures and long descriptions of certain things. But I don't think they put as much information into such a compact package. These maps are straight to the point and easy to read. Anyone going to Riviera Maya area should get these maps. They will help you pick a hotel, resort, activities, prices, everything!

We can't wait to plan our trip now, we hope to spend a few days diving the cenotes and then a few days doing the ruins. We did an afternoon at Coba and Tulum back in 2000, this time we want to do Ek Balam and a full day or two at Chichen Itza, plus hit Coba again if we can.


robin

 

[ScubaSteve]

Thanks for this post Robin. I just read your post and then immediately checked it out and bought myself two shiny new maps . I got the Mayan Adventure and Riviera Maya maps. I believe we will be back there next month so these will be handy.

 

[TSandM]

I agree -- these maps are wonderful resources, and I really appreciate the ton of work that has gone into making them as comprehensive as they are. They just need a couple of cave divers to help mark the cenotes and describe where THEY are, too!

 

[robint]

I agree -- these maps are wonderful resources, and I really appreciate the ton of work that has gone into making them as comprehensive as they are. They just need a couple of cave divers to help mark the cenotes and describe where THEY are, too!

yeah, my only criticism of the maps is that they don't have all the cenotes for diving marked, only a couple. I would like to know exactly where they are, but I guess they couldn't put everything on them.

 

[driftwood]

Each map is only $10 including the shipping - that is much better than those tour books you buy at the local bookstore because there is so much information without the fluff. I mean, I really like the Lonely Planet and Moon Handbook guides, they are full of pretty pictures and long descriptions of certain things. But I don't think they put as much information into such a compact package. These maps are straight to the point and easy to read. Anyone going to Riviera Maya area should get these maps. They will help you pick a hotel, resort, activities, prices, everything!

We can't wait to plan our trip now, we hope to spend a few days diving the cenotes and then a few days doing the ruins. We did an afternoon at Coba and Tulum back in 2000, this time we want to do Ek Balam and a full day or two at Chichen Itza, plus hit Coba again if we can.


robin

Hi Robin,

Glad to see that so many people appreciate Laura and Perry's hard work. We always get the latest edition before we plan a trip. Without a doubt you will save many times your $20's by knowing where to eat, shop, or visit. The restaurant reviews are pretty good but tend to be a little generous in their praise.

Ek Balam will amaze you. Coba was the most important city, Chichen Itza is the most majestic, Tulum has the best site selection, but Ek Balam has the best art. The site has literally rewritten the book on Mayan art. All the Mayan buildings were plastered but over time it has washed away. Today we are looking at unfinished buildings. At Ek Balam they found a portion of the original plaster intact since it had been covered by an addition to the Acropolis. The covering layer remained water tight protecting the underlying plaster. In that respect it is unique in Mayan architecture. One thing I will promise you, you will take home more photos of Ek Balam than CI. Spend the time to look at the small details and if possible hire a good guide who knows the site. Wish I could be there with you and point out some very cool stuff that is easily overlooked.

BTW, you are doing the ruins the right way. It is a VERY long day to either CI or EB from Playa. If it were me, I would opt to stay in Valladolid over Piste. There is a lot more to see and it is not touristy. My preference would be to stay at http://www.mesondelmarques.com. Nice central location, great restaurant and not expensive.

Have a great time and watch out for the topes on the Coba road, they will ruin your car if you are not very careful.

 

[robint]

Hi Robin,

Glad to see that so many people appreciate Laura and Perry's hard work. We always get the latest edition before we plan a trip. Without a doubt you will save many times your $20's by knowing where to eat, shop, or visit. The restaurant reviews are pretty good but tend to be a little generous in their praise.

Ek Balam will amaze you. Coba was the most important city, Chichen Itza is the most majestic, Tulum has the best site selection, but Ek Balam has the best art. The site has literally rewritten the book on Mayan art. All the Mayan buildings were plastered but over time it has washed away. Today we are looking at unfinished buildings. At Ek Balam they found a portion of the original plaster intact since it had been covered by an addition to the Acropolis. The covering layer remained water tight protecting the underlying plaster. In that respect it is unique in Mayan architecture. One thing I will promise you, you will take home more photos of Ek Balam than CI. Spend the time to look at the small details and if possible hire a good guide who knows the site. Wish I could be there with you and point out some very cool stuff that is easily overlooked.

BTW, you are doing the ruins the right way. It is a VERY long day to either CI or EB from Playa. If it were me, I would opt to stay in Valladolid over Piste. There is a lot more to see and it is not touristy. My preference would be to stay at http://www.mesondelmarques.com. Nice central location, great restaurant and not expensive.

Have a great time and watch out for the topes on the Coba road, they will ruin your car if you are not very careful.

thanks! Yes, I expect that we will stay a night up in CI or EB area so we have more time there. We have heard that all the tour buses are there from 10-2pm, so if we stay overnight in the area we will be able to spend time there without the crowds!
And you have no idea how much video or photos I take!!! LOL
When we did Coba and Tulum back in 2000, I was limited by film..... Not now....... Gotta love digital!

BTW, I have degrees in art and art history so these ruins are as important to me as the diving. I never had the opportunity to study any Mayan art in college so now I am fascinated by it all. (Part of the reason we ended up getting certified to dive is that I wanted to go to Yucatan and see these ruins! Diving was a second thought back then....:shocked2 The hard part NOW is to convince my hubby that we need to do 3-4 days of ruins and only 2-3 days of divng! :blinking: wish me luck!

robin

 

[Ed Hatfield]

Thanks for the info - just placed an order for both the PDC and Riviera Maya maps. I've been looking for a PDC map on-line but couldn't find anything that showed more than the tourist area. Again - Thanks.

 

[driftwood]

thanks! Yes, I expect that we will stay a night up in CI or EB area so we have more time there. We have heard that all the tour buses are there from 10-2pm, so if we stay overnight in the area we will be able to spend time there without the crowds!
And you have no idea how much video or photos I take!!! LOL
When we did Coba and Tulum back in 2000, I was limited by film..... Not now....... Gotta love digital!

BTW, I have degrees in art and art history so these ruins are as important to me as the diving. I never had the opportunity to study any Mayan art in college so now I am fascinated by it all. (Part of the reason we ended up getting certified to dive is that I wanted to go to Yucatan and see these ruins! Diving was a second thought back then....:shocked2 The hard part NOW is to convince my hubby that we need to do 3-4 days of ruins and only 2-3 days of divng! :blinking: wish me luck!

robin

Hi Robin,

Two days before you fly out should be plenty of time for CI and EB. If you have only been to Coba and Tulum, you are in for a real surprise. When you finish you will say why bother with Tulum or Coba.

The way I would plan the trip is to get to Valladolid around 2pm. That will give you enough time to get settled and see the town before dark. You might ask the hotel staff if they know a guide you can hire. Generally they are pretty good and it keeps tourist dollars local. Valladolid was a very important (and old) colonial city that played a major role in the War of the Castes. Meson de Marques has an excellent restaurant with very good Mayan dishes.

After a good nights rest get to CI when the gates open. You will beat both the tour bus crowds and the heat (there are no trees and the sun is brutal). Four hours is really enough to see CI since so many of the buildings are now closed. Be sure to stand at one end of the Ball Court and clap your hands. The acoustics of the site are amazing.

Grab a quick lunch and head for Ek Balam. EB is a small site but the treasure is in the incredible art that was found there. It is unique in the Mayan world. Reminds me more of India than any pre Columbain culture I have seen. Try hard to get a good guide for your visit to EB. So many little details that need an explanation. To the right of the main stair case of the Acropolis at the door way of a room is a little icon which is obviously a penis in a vagina. Probably the office sign for the fertility priest. Have to look at Mayan 'cities' as religious shopping malls for the people. Since you are an art major, if you can see only one Mayan site, make it Ek Balam. Easy to see EB in four hours. Then you can head back to the coast along the toll road and 307. I would not drive the Coba road after dark. Too many topes and not a lot of help if something goes wrong.

 

[robint]

Hi Robin,

Two days before you fly out should be plenty of time for CI and EB. If you have only been to Coba and Tulum, you are in for a real surprise. When you finish you will say why bother with Tulum or Coba.

The way I would plan the trip is to get to Valladolid around 2pm. That will give you enough time to get settled and see the town before dark. You might ask the hotel staff if they know a guide you can hire. Generally they are pretty good and it keeps tourist dollars local. Valladolid was a very important (and old) colonial city that played a major role in the War of the Castes. Meson de Marques has an excellent restaurant with very good Mayan dishes.

After a good nights rest get to CI when the gates open. You will beat both the tour bus crowds and the heat (there are no trees and the sun is brutal). Four hours is really enough to see CI since so many of the buildings are now closed. Be sure to stand at one end of the Ball Court and clap your hands. The acoustics of the site are amazing.

Grab a quick lunch and head for Ek Balam. EB is a small site but the treasure is in the incredible art that was found there. It is unique in the Mayan world. Reminds me more of India than any pre Columbain culture I have seen. Try hard to get a good guide for your visit to EB. So many little details that need an explanation. To the right of the main stair case of the Acropolis at the door way of a room is a little icon which is obviously a penis in a vagina. Probably the office sign for the fertility priest. Have to look at Mayan 'cities' as religious shopping malls for the people. Since you are an art major, if you can see only one Mayan site, make it Ek Balam. Easy to see EB in four hours. Then you can head back to the coast along the toll road and 307. I would not drive the Coba road after dark. Too many topes and not a lot of help if something goes wrong.

Awesome, thanks so much!!!!
We are planning to hire the guides for CI and EB both as I think they can give great insight which we might miss by only using a brochure. Plus, since I want to video both sights it is best to do it when the places aren't so crowded so I will be sure to spend the night up by CI. Have you done the night show? Is it worth it?

Back to the subject of the maps, I just ordered the Playa map, too. From my hotel searches, it looks to be the best bet for where to stay for most of the trip.

robin

 

[booty]

Thanks for the info! I am heading there this July and just ordered the Mayan Adventure and Riviera Maya maps.