Travel recommendations to Chichen-Itza? - Timeshare Users Group Bulletin Boards

Timeshare Users Group Bulletin Boards

Mexico

Travel recommendations to Chichen-Itza?

BBS Home > Mexico

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Author	Topic: Travel recommendations to Chichen-Itza?
jpl2004 TUG Member Posts: 3 From: Registered: Jul 2004	posted 05-04-2005 11:59 Was wondering about the experiences (good or bad) that people may have had with the private tours to Chichen-Itza. Four people will be taking the trip and it seems the benefits(time, pick-up, beating the rush etc) outweigh the cost. Looking at either Brant's tour or Cancun Valet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.TIA IP: Logged
Carol C TUG Member Posts: 2940 From: Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-04-2005 15:59 Honestly with 4 people you'd do well to rent a nice air-conditioned car and pitch in for gas and take the toll road. You can get an early start, get there and leave early stopping along the way, maybe take the slow road back if you want to save $ (the toll road is quite expensive.) It's safe to drive and more convenient. But then again, I don't care much for organized tour groups/buses, and even if it were two of us I'd rent a car just to have control over my scheduling. Also the four of you could stay overnight near Chichen and take in the Sound and Light Show if you were up for tacking a day onto your trip. The Club Med folks operate a very affordable hotel where we stayed...nice to spend a day at Chichen and go back to that hotel and cool off in the pool. So, whatever you decide to do...enjoy! ------------------ I met a lot of people in Europe.I even encountered myself. - James Baldwin, American novelist (1924-1987) IP: Logged
ml855 TUG Member Posts: 415 From: Eldersburg, MD USA Marriott Ocean Watch (platinum), Marriott Harbour Point (week 25), Foxrun (week 25) Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-04-2005 17:27 We are also considering a private tour for our family instead of using the public tour where we are not on our own schedule. Have also thought about renting a car for the day in order to make this trip. After reading here on tug about the scrams and the police targeting tourist in rental cars, I'm not sure if I want to rent a car any more. Don't get me wrong I would rather rent a car for the day, but I also don't want to be the target of a scram while on vacation. Have these problems gotten better since the police are no longer on stike? Carol, have you ever had any problems renting a car while visiting Cancun? Are we worring for no reason? If anyone can please give me some insight on the situation in Cancun I would really appreciate it. Thanks, -Jean IP: Logged
Carol C TUG Member Posts: 2940 From: Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-05-2005 14:03 quote: Originally posted by ml855: We are also considering a private tour for our family instead of using the public tour where we are not on our own schedule. Have also thought about renting a car for the day in order to make this trip. After reading here on tug about the scrams and the police targeting tourist in rental cars, I'm not sure if I want to rent a car any more. Don't get me wrong I would rather rent a car for the day, but I also don't want to be the target of a scram while on vacation. Have these problems gotten better since the police are no longer on stike? Carol, have you ever had any problems renting a car while visiting Cancun? Are we worring for no reason? If anyone can please give me some insight on the situation in Cancun I would really appreciate it. Thanks, -Jean We have had trouble but not related to la policia. Once at Chichen Itza, dear hubby locked the rental car keys inside the VW bug we were driving. Some guys helped jimmy the window open with a piece of wire, and we had to pay for a proper repair when we returned the car. Another time our rental car was bumped while parked in a parking lot (hit and run), and it ate up part of our day to get the rental car coverage on our credit card did pay for it. It was a minor bruise to the bumper, but we didn't even notice it until we returned the car. I don't know what's going on with tourists and rental cars in Cancun vis a vis any kind of shake down by police, but I haven't rented a car there in maybe 4 years, so, things do change. There could be some current scam, and I didn't see the threads. So maybe it would indeed be better to take an organized tour. Ask Jim in Cancun what he thinks, he's a good local source for advice to tourists and I'm sure he wouldn't steer you wrong (no pun intended!) ------------------ I met a lot of people in Europe.I even encountered myself. - James Baldwin, American novelist (1924-1987) IP: Logged
ml855 TUG Member Posts: 415 From: Eldersburg, MD USA Marriott Ocean Watch (platinum), Marriott Harbour Point (week 25), Foxrun (week 25) Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-05-2005 20:34 Thanks Carol, I'll email Jim and hopefully he can put my mind at ease. -Jean IP: Logged
JEFF H TUG Member Posts: 2360 From: Tucson,AZ Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-06-2005 01:34 private tours are a nice way to visit the ruin sites if you don't want to rent a car and drive. The private tours thru Thomas Moore and Royal resorts for example include a driver who also has the required education and license to act as a tour guide at the ruins. The driver knows all the small villages and out of the way places of intrest to take you that only the most experienced travellers would know to visit on there own. IP: Logged
beercangirl TUG Member Posts: 76 From: Westminster, MD, USA Registered: Jun 2002	posted 05-06-2005 12:04 Take a tour bus! The toll road is very expensive. It would have been much cheaper for us to take the bus! (Tolls, rental car, cost of guided tour and gas money) We have done it both ways and we prefer the bus. Plus some of the tours have beverages provided and a guided tour. We had to pay extra for the tour guide when we drove ourselves. IP: Logged
JMM TUG Member Posts: 53 From: Michigan, USA Owner: Royal Sands, MX Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-07-2005 21:27 This past February three of my roommates and I took an early morning tour of Chichen-Itza (6:00 am) in a private van of Thomas Moore. There were six of us altogether when the van had picked up its scheduled tourists. We were the only ones at breakfast at the restaurant, which made it unhurried and peaceful. We could see twenty to thirty tables of 20 or more settings each lined up and ready for the tour busses to arrive. We ate in peace then left for the ruins. It was still cool in the morning and the place was not crowded at all. Our guide was very knowledgable and we got to see the entire site at our own pace. Soon after noon it became very hot and we decided to leave. As we walked out of the park, the tour busses were coming in. People were lined up hot and sweating, ready to tour the park in the heat of the day. Our road back was through villages and down country roads that I do not believe the tour busses would have travelled. We stopped at the usual roadside shops to buy souvenirs. We were back at the resort by 3:30 pm. This is the way to do it. I enjoyed the trip and all of the traveling companions. I do not think that I would take one of those bus tours again unless there was no other choice. JMM IP: Logged
beercangirl TUG Member Posts: 76 From: Westminster, MD, USA Registered: Jun 2002	posted 05-09-2005 06:48 JMM, Wow! That is awesome. I had no idea Thomas Moore offered such a thing. Did you just rent the van or do they offer it as a tour? Also, what was the cost? Was admission to the park included? thanks! jan IP: Logged
Coarsegold Bob TUG Member Posts: 19 From: Coarsegold, CA., USA Registered: Nov 2003	posted 05-11-2005 20:54 In 2003 we used Alltournative for a private tour at Chichen Itza. We liked the guides and company so well we ended up taking three tours with them. A driver picked up the two of us early in the morning at our resort. We met our private guide at Chchen Itza for our tour. He maneuvered us around the bus loads of people in other tours and explained each site. We returned to our driver and he took us for a swim in Ikkil cenote to cool down after Chichen Itza and then off to lunch. The driver then took us to the town of Valladlid and let us explore it on our own. The driver would make stops at our request and got us back to the resort at about 8pm. A long but super day! Check out their web site www.alltournative.com. IP: Logged
3kids4me TUG Member Posts: 4366 From: Fairfield County, CT --Owner - Smugglers' Notch - 2 bedroom, week 33 plus float-- --- I remember PJ --- Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-12-2005 09:15 So it gets really hot there even in February? Can one do a private tour and plan on arriving late afternoon instead? Would that also help bet the heat? Just wondering...early morning is hard for a lot of families. Sharon [This message has been edited by 3kids4me (edited 05-12-2005).] IP: Logged
sun4fun TUG Member Posts: 34 From: Seattle, WA USA Registered: Aug 2003	posted 05-13-2005 13:21 So.... just HOW expensive is the toll road??? ------------------ sun4fun IP: Logged
ml855 TUG Member Posts: 415 From: Eldersburg, MD USA Marriott Ocean Watch (platinum), Marriott Harbour Point (week 25), Foxrun (week 25) Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-13-2005 18:27 While doing my research on a Chichen Itza tour or renting a car I was quoted about $25 (us dollar) each way for the toll road. [This message has been edited by ml855 (edited 05-13-2005).] IP: Logged
beercangirl TUG Member Posts: 76 From: Westminster, MD, USA Registered: Jun 2002	posted 05-16-2005 09:53 quote: Originally posted by sun4fun: So.... just HOW expensive is the toll road??? I think it was $25 for one of the tolls. I think there was 2 of them but I can't really remember. Anyway, we at least spent $50 on the one toll alone. Never Again! IP: Logged
jpl2004 TUG Member Posts: 3 From: Registered: Jul 2004	posted 05-23-2005 11:47 I want to thank everyone again for the suggestions regarding travel to Chichen Itza. After we arrived last week we decided to arrange a private tour through the Thomas More desk at the Royal Mayan. A total of four were traveling including my in-laws who are over the age of 80. (One of the factors in our decision to go private) We decided to go on a Monday since it was our understanding that the largest crowds and tour buses arrive on a Wednesday. The cost of van and use of driver/guide for 10 hours is 3515.00 pesos. (Total cost is the same whether 1 or 10 are going) Additional costs would be toll road charges, park entrance fees, admission to Chichen Itza, and lunch on our own. Our guide arrived in a clean and comfortable van promptly at 7:00 am at the resort. Our guide suggested we try and be at the park by 9:30 am so we should take the toll road first and then we could also take the �free road� back to save money. Along the way our guide was able to give us lots of information regarding the Mayan history and culture. After 1 � hour we reached the 1st toll (180.00 pesos), we stopped for a snack and loaded up on water for the cooler that was supplied. Before arriving at the Park at 9:20 we paid another toll (between Valladolid and Piste) for 45.00 pesos. Parking at Chichen Itza was around 10.00 pesos and admission 88.00 pesos for each person. Park only had a few tours going at the time, the weather was comfortable getting around, and the major attractions had few visitors. Our guide was able to show us and discuss the significant highlights of each of the ruins without going into minute detail. As the morning progressed we did find the heat becoming oppressive �.and we�re from Texas ! For those going in future definitely bring water and good walking shoes. We left the park around 12:30 to drop by Ik Kil cenote located just a few minutes on the �free road�. Admission to this park was 70 pesos per person. This cenote was absolutely beautiful and had easy access for swimmers. We then proceeded to Valladolid to have lunch at �San Bernardino� restaurant or as the locals call it � Don Juanito� They were serving a buffet with Yucatan specialties. Food ok but thought a little overpriced- $12.00 USD. Proceeded to town plaza for a little shopping and the proceeded back to Cancun. Since we had already passed though a few of the local towns we decided to go ahead and pay the Valladolid to Cancun toll (again 180.00 pesos) We arrived back at the resort at 4:40 pm. Overall I would recommend the private tour for anybody traveling in a group of 4 or more. My in-laws felt comfortable being able to rest without having to keep up or slow down a large group. IP: Logged
ml855 TUG Member Posts: 415 From: Eldersburg, MD USA Marriott Ocean Watch (platinum), Marriott Harbour Point (week 25), Foxrun (week 25) Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-24-2005 07:58 jpl2004, We'll be doing the same tour this upcoming June. I'm glad to hear everything worked out smoothly. One question if you don't mind, when entering the parks and for lunch, are we responsible for paying the entrance fee and lunch for the driver/tour guide or do they cover that cost? Thanks. IP: Logged
jpl2004 TUG Member Posts: 3 From: Registered: Jul 2004	posted 05-24-2005 08:31 Ml855, There was no charge for admission for the guide to either of the parks. Lunch is not required but we did invite and pay for his meal. We also tipped him at the end of the tour. When we made our reservation we did request that the guide be our driver as well. IP: Logged
JMM TUG Member Posts: 53 From: Michigan, USA Owner: Royal Sands, MX Registered: Dec 2000	posted 05-28-2005 13:46 Jan, Thomas Moore had just added the 6:00 am trip to Chichen-Itza when I visited in February. I stayed at the Royal Islander and it was not even in the list of trips given out at the Sunday orientation. The fee was $79.00 for each person. It covered breakfast, any tolls, park entrance and of course, the driver and our tour guide. Sorry, it took me so long to get back to you. JMM IP: Logged

All times are in Pacific Timezone	next newest topic \| next oldest topic
Administrative Options: Close Topic \| Archive/Move \| Delete Topic
	Hop to:

Contact Us | TUG Home | Privacy Statement

Copyright Timeshare User's Group - BBS Script customized by Laurence Chan lcc_home@hotmail.com
The Timeshare Users Group (TUG) makes no representations or warranties with respect to the use of the TUG bulletin boards, or their contents and further makes no representations with respect to the results that may be obtained from information on the BBS. The Timeshare Users Group shall not be liable for any damage or loss of any type arising from such use or content, and reserves the right to remove any posting on the bulletin boards. The bulletin boards are intended for use by Timeshare Users Group members, Non member postings are welcome. Advertising is not permitted on the BBS, TUG provides other areas on this web site for advertising. Any messages that are deemed as advertising will be deleted. Please read the full TUG BBS Usage agreement located in the FAQ. By using the BBS you accept and agree with the above statements. If you do not agree please return to the TUG Home Page