On 30/12/2012 1:00 PM, "Vinayak Hegde" <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Sun, Dec 30, 2012 at 5:18 PM, Thaths <[email protected]> wrote: > > Yucatan is on the other coast. How do you plan to go across Mexico? IIRC, > > Virgin America and Aero Mexico have non-stop flights from LA to Cancun. > > > > Here are some recommendations in Yucatan: > > > > * I recommend renting a car for the time you are in the Yucatan. It gives > > you a lot more mobility and you can travel the back roads and end up > > experiencing some amazing places. The traffic in the Yucatan is very easy to > > manage.
Agree (having done this) manage petrol, it's not available except in larger cities (Merida, Chicken Itza, Cancun) > > Cancun (a > > very convenient and well connected airport to fly into from LA). Cancun is otherwise a tourist wasteland to be avoided. > How easy is it to get around by bus (tica bus ?) (and basic Spanish) ? Don't know the specific buses but in general buses are great. Note, outside the big cities many people speak Maya. Do not assume everyone is fluent in (or happy to speak) Spanish. > > * Definitely visit Merida on the weekends. They have some great free public > > cultural, music and dance shows in the city center. Merida also has some > > awesome Yucateca food Yes, this. Also good local beer. Cocinita pibil, for sure. Pavo en escabeche or en (?) nero - black chile sauce. > > * Visit the Chicxulub crater and see what killed the dinosaurs Yes. > > * At least a day in Chichen Itza Yes. > > * If you swim, then try swimming in one of the cenotoes Even better is scuba diving in a cenote but can be expensive and needs a diving cert - preferably cave diving. > Yup planning to do that. Any good reading on the different cultures? The Caste War of the Yucatan > Any recommendations for Oaxaca ? The rug weaving villages that are matriarchal, also the brightly colored the wooden animal carvings. Oh, and local oxacan food of course :-) iirc there are dishes based on ground roasted pumpkin seed that are unique and delicious. Enjoy! I am envious, that's one of my favorite parts of the world. -- Charles
