Tulum, Mexico.

We headed to Tulum from Cancun for four nights, and the contrast was lovely. We moved from concrete jungle to a jungle town filled with Spaza shop type structures, multicolored dilapidated buildings, dodgy looking wooden structures holding up thatch roofs, hundreds of bicycle ridden tourists, and authentic Mexican food and tequila everywhere you look. Tulum is busy, it reminds me a lot of Mozambique with its almost temporary type wooden structures, bartering locals and general chaotic atmosphere. On our way to Tulum on day 1 we stopped at a beach bar in Akumal called La Beuna Vida. I had a simple salad, but the margarita I had was strong and tasty and the fajita someone else had also looked great. The bar is situated right on the beach under a whole array of swaying palm trees, the staff are friendly and it's definitely worth a visit. After lunch we soldiered on to our self catering apartment called SAASIL apartments in Tulum. The units were amazing, each with their own pools. The pics below do it no justice. 

On day 2 we ventured down to Tulum beach which is a bit away from the main road. Unfortunately it was windy and a bit chilly, but beautiful nonetheless. After a bit of a walk and a Sol beer at a colorful beach bar we headed into town to a restaurant called El Pollo Bronco. Your first impression is that it's a tiny hole in the wall, slightly dirty looking place; however your opinion will change dramatically as soon as you try the food. The chicken is grilled in their one and only wood fired oven, and it is to die for. Their menu is simple, their staff are helpful, their fridge is a help yourself fridge, and their mashed potato is enough to make you froth. If you're in Tulum looking for a quick bite to eat- definitely go to El Pollo Bronco.

After our lunch we headed to a Cenote called the Carwash Cenote ( Mexico has loads of underground rivers- where they pop through to the surface is called a Cenote, it's like a mini fresh water lake). There are many Cenotes in Tulum, it's a big scuba diver attraction. We were all having a whale of a time snorkeling in our little Cenote until we saw an alligator sitting on the shore. To be fair it was only large enough to claim a foot or two, however as South Africans and used to the lesser friendly variation of the species- the crocodile- we feared a larger creature would reveal itself and thus ended our swim in a very unceremonious manner.

On day 3 we started our day with some delicious local bakery treats and then headed towards Soloman Bay for the day. We stopped at a restaurant called Casa Cenote, I had a really interesting margarita which came in a shaker and was great value for money. From there we moved onto a restaurant at the end of Soloman Bay called The Fish Shack. This was definitely a highlight!! The Fish Shack is simply a bunch of plastic chairs, tables and hammocks widely dispersed under palm trees on the edge of the sea. The kitchen is a very modest fire with a pot of hot oil and a couple of pans for grilling fish. The charm is undeniable, the food is outstanding, and the staff are friendly and efficient. Also, their pina coladas are outstanding. We shared a mixed fish ceviche, two grilled fish, and a garlic butter shrimp. The ceviche and the shrimp were the winners, but the grilled fish was delish too. 

On our last day in Tulum we went to a water park called Xel Ha. It may be a water park but it's not even comparable to a traditional theme park. Xel Ha is made up of a natural estuary leading into the sea, a natural lazy river that runs through mangroves and a collection of Cenotes. In 2016 the park was recognized as the most sustainable theme park in the world. Xel Ha is expensive, but once inside everything is included. The park has four restaurants with different cuisines- one is a fast food restaurant, one is international food, another is a grill, and the last is traditional Mexican food. All alcohol is included too, the unlimited Carona and frozen margarita on tap makes for an interesting snorkeling experience. The food at the Mexican restaurant was nice but the rest wasn't great. We got there in time for breakfast and snacked throughout the day, but it's buffet food; nothing really to write home about. The drinks are good though and even unlimited Jose Cuervo Gold tequila is available.

We spent the day snorkeling, swimming in caves and crevices, watching manatees and dolphins, zip lining, lazing around on tubes and eating and drinking till our hearts and stomachs were content. All in all it was an amazing day, I would do it again, although I would stick to only Mexican food when deciding where to eat.

All too soon my time in Tulum ended. Onwards to the Cayman Islands I go.