Quintana Roo Mexico

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Fine white sand and stunning coral reefs, ancient Mayan temples and legendary underground cenotes, salsa the night away with the local chicas or chill out at a laid back fishing village. This is Quintana Roo.

Arriving for your first time in Mexico on a one way airline ticket, you can be forgiven for feeling a little bit nervous while indulging in the scare stories of kidnappings and murders that are regularly portrayed through the Western Media.

With President Elected Trump escalating threats to build a wall between America and Mexico quickly reducing the value of the Pesos, you soon find your money going a lot further than expected during times of Brexit uncertainty.

Heading for Isla Mujeres (Island of women) is a hit on any solo travellers itinerary. Speeding around the island on a Golf Cart and picking up random people for a lift makes for a highly entertaining way of hanging out with the locals. Getting to visit some of the more remote beaches on the island a true adventure and escape from the realities of the western world.

Quintana Roo is the tourist hotspot for Mexico and a relatively safe place to start an overland backpacking adventure through Central America. Wondering around alone at night didn’t seem to pose any real dangers. Drinking the local rum and visiting night clubs rivalling Las Vegas a pleasant and drunken surprise.

With one of the worlds largest underground river systems spanning across Quintana Roo, thousands of cenotes are screaming out to be explored. Swimming in the crystal clear waters and caverns among stalagmites, turtles, bats and fish a unique and peaceful experience that can not be found anywhere else in the world.

Hiring a bicycle and exploring the beaches and ruins of Tulum is a highlight when travelling the province. Taking time out to learn from a new friend on an inspiring spiritual journey while visiting beautiful beaches and stunning Mayan ruins makes you appreciate the deeper side of travelling.

With Cozumel a short ferry ride away, it is still difficult to escape gravity and drag yourself away from the mainland for a few days. Hiring a 4x4 and driving around the island with new friends to remote villages, ancient ruins and isolated beaches makes for a fantastic way to unwind and have some fun. Spending an extra day diving the colourful coral gardens in Cozumel with fish and turtles an opportunity not to be missed.

Heading inland, Chichen Itza stands frozen in time. Towering towards the sun god and surrounded by woodlands and touts, It has been renovated to its former glory, almost to perfection. Too perfect perhaps as you feel the tourist trap reality of such an iconic site, while desperately trying to avoid hundreds of clapping lemmings blocking your way.

With deserted beaches, turquoise waters, amazing wildlife and trees growing in the sea, Isla Holbox is a beautiful remote backpackers island. With few tourists visiting the island, it is easy to walk 10 minutes from town and have stunning white powder sand beaches to yourself. Walk directly into the sea for 15 minutes and be surrounded by leopard patterned fish and swooping eagles while the depth of water remains only knee high.

As sun sets on Isla Holbox get ready to run with the crowds as backpackers and tourists alike run for cover while swarms of mosquitos attack ever part of your flesh. You quickly find yourself running in zigzags waving away the mosquitos and slapping your legs like a deranged chicken trying to take flight on a mission to escape the slaughter house.

With Quintana Roo offering everything from stunning beaches to ancient jungle ruins, awesome nightlife, amazing food and chilled out hideaways, its hard not to put Mexico as one of my favourite travel destinations.

With my third week now coming to a close in Mexico, its time to head towards Belize and hit Central America head on with the amazing adventures it may have to offer.

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Comments

[Dancing Dave]

Croozing
Great to hear you are back on the road getting back into what pockets of paradise have to offer. You are preceded by reputation Darren, so can we expect you are searching for the spectacular?

[FreeSpirit]

Hi Dave!!
I will be looking for something different in Central America over the next 5 months, but I dont think it will be as adventurous as hitch hiking across africa. But you never know :-)

[Clarice]

I am glad to see that you writing again.