yucatan

Mexico’s Coba Ruins – 2TravelDads

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Mexico's Coba Ruins - 2TravelDads

We love all things history and nature. And Mexico. Although we spend the most time in Baja California Sur there’s something truly unique and wonderful about the Yucatan Peninsula and the state of Quintana Roo. In addition to the pristine waters, wildlife and cenotes, the magical attraction of the Yucatan is the concentration of Mayan ruins, and visiting the Coba Ruins is really a special experience, but you need to know how to visit.

The Coba Ruins are by no means the most famous or most popular ruins on the Yucatan, but they are the most awesome to explore, especially the site called Nohoch Mul, the great pyramid. A visit to the Coba Ruins is a lesson in history, an incredible demonstration in nature, and an intense workout. Of the several sites I’ve visited for Mayan Ruins on the Yucatan, the Coba Ruins was, hands down, the best.

Which is Better, the Tulum or Coba Ruins?

More people visit Tulum which is much more famous than are found visiting the Coba Ruins, but it is not better. In terms of the quality of the site and access to the many ruins, both sites are very similar.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Yucatan Gay Travel Resources

Yucatan Road Trip – 2TravelDads

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Yucatan Road Trip

We will never not appreciate how colorful Mexico is. From our trips around Baja California Sur to road trippin’ on the Yucatan, there are always new places to enjoy. The colorful towns of the Yucatan are exceptionally cool and fun, and each is so different! OMG, road trip theme: colorful towns and street art. Okay, here you go!

Starting in Cancun, since that’s where you fly into usually, grab your rental car and plan your stops. The plan I’ve made here is good for a four to six day road trip focusing on towns and relaxation, but it could easily be stretched out to ten days if you wanted. And know that this plan doesn’t include every cenote or Mayan ruins site, but you can add those in too.

First Stop: Puerto Morelos

South of Cancun about forty minutes, this colorful little town is at the start of the Ruta de Cenotes: the Cenotes Road. While it isn’t a resort town, per se, it’s very much centered around tourism and the beach. The town square is just off the beach and it’s surrounded by small hotels and open air restaurants. There is some beautiful street art, plenty of colorful buildings, and a small malecon for strolling

This town is great for a day trip if you’re in the mood to relax and people watch, or if you are looking for a quiet town to escape to for a few days. There are tourists here, but not many. Puerto Morelos feels like the town locals probably visit when they’re having their own beach days…

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Yucatan Gay Travel Resources

Mexico’s Best Yucatan Mayan Ruins – 2TravelDads

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Yucatan Mayan Ruins - 2TravelDads

One of the most cool and unique aspects of touring the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is the abundance of Mayan ruins. The Mayans were spread all across the Yucatan and down into Belize, Guatemala and beyond. They left behind thousands of small and large structures on the beaches and in the jungles. I spent several days exploring the Yucatan Peninsula and can recommend, what I’m confident are, the four best Mayan ruins sites on the Yucatan and each is completely worth the visit.

Planning your visit to the Yucatan Mayan Ruins

Most people visiting the Yucatan will be staying in one of the larger tourist areas, such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum. As you make your decision about where to stay, consider the following activities that you’ll want to be close to: the Yucatan Mayan ruins, beaches, and cenotes.

You’ll find beaches all along the Caribbean side of the Yucatan and most are picture perfect, but to find the perfect spot that puts you close to endless opportunities for exploring ruins and more is tricky. Playa del Carmen is the most centrally located place to stay and there is plenty of fun and wonderful food to be had there, so that’s my top pick for a home base when you’re touring the Peninsula, particularly if you’re planning to visit the best Yucatan ruins.

Tip: I stayed at the Club Yebo Hotel in downtown Playa del Carmen and really enjoyed both the accommodations and the location of the hotel. With kitchenettes and plenty of quiet relaxation space, it’s a great find.

I recommend planning an itinerary that allows you to have ample beach time, including at Akumal where you’re nearly guaranteed to see sea turtles, as well as where you can easily do a day trip to the Mayan ruins of your choice. You’ll find cenotes everywhere, so research which ones you want to visit to be sure you’re not wasting your time at a lame one when you can swim at an awesome cenote.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Yucatan Gay Travel Resources

Two Days in Cozumel – The Globetrotter Guys

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Cozumel - The Globetrotter Guys

Our friends recommended Cozumel to us, and we are glad they did! Cozumel is a popular stop for cruise ships, and its easy to see why. The island is home to beautiful beaches, dramatic coastlines, adventure activities (including some of the best scuba diving) and some amazing places to eat. Best of all, if time is tight, you can get around the entire island in less than a day! We spent 2 days in Cozumel and here is what we think you should do to make the most of your time! (You can see our short video of all the action here).

Scuba Diving

Home to the start of the second largest coral reef in the world, the great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Cozumel is a mecca for scuba diving.
It is well known that Cozumel has beautiful, bright coral, a diverse range of stunning marine life and crystal-clear waters. After our visit, we could not agree more.

Back in 2011 we completed our PADI Open Water qualification in Koa Tao. This meant we could do what is known as a fun dive (your equipment is set up and you just follow the dive master). We completed two dives during our stay and can definitely see why people make a special effort to come here instead of diving from Cancun or Playa del Carmen.

The water truly was crystal clear, you could see straight down to the bottom (about 22m) from the boat. We saw multiple loggerhead turtles, lionfish, beautifully coloured parrot fish, and most exciting of all, 3 eagle rays.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Yucatan Gay Travel Resources

Two Days in Gay Cozumel – The Globetrotter Guys

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gay Cozumel - the Globetrotter Guys

Our friends recommended Cozumel to us, and we are glad they did! Cozumel is a popular stop for cruise ships, and its easy to see why. The island is home to beautiful beaches, dramatic coastlines, adventure activities (including some of the best scuba diving) and some amazing places to eat. Best of all, if time is tight, you can get around the entire island in less than a day!

We spent 2 days in Cozumel and here is what we think you should do to make the most of your time! (You can see our short video of all the action here).

Scuba Diving

Home to the start of the second largest coral reef in the world, the great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Cozumel is a mecca for scuba diving.
It is well known that Cozumel has beautiful, bright coral, a diverse range of stunning marine life and crystal-clear waters. After our visit, we could not agree more.

Back in 2011 we completed our PADI Open Water qualification in Koa Tao. This meant we could do what is known as a fun dive (your equipment is set up and you just follow the dive master). We completed two dives during our stay and can definitely see why people make a special effort to come here instead of diving from Cancun or Playa del Carmen.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Cozumel Gay Travel Resources

Adventures in Tulum – The Globetrotter Guys

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Tulum - The Globetrotter Guys

There are many exciting adventures in Tulum, it’s just a case of looking! Cycling around Tulum is the best way to find these adventures and see as much of this beautiful town as possible. Take a look at our short video on what we saw in Tulum here. We recently spent 4 days in Tulum and here are some of the things we did.

Cycling around Tulum – Just explore!

Tulum is quite small. Equip yourself with a map, a bike, plenty of water and set off on an adventure. Our hostel included free bikes, however there are plenty of places to hire them. We saw on the map a section where there was a thin strip of land separating the sea and a lagoon. This looked like it would be spectacular to see so off we went!

Our route

We cycled 15km along the coast and back. This was away from the main roads so was very easy and safe. Along the way there are many beautiful hotels, boutiques and restaurants. There seemed to be a bit of an “LA vibe” around as there were many health-conscious places to eat, yoga retreats and bikini boot camp resorts! Or if you just wanted to break up your cycle, plenty of boutique cafes and super food smoothie bars.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Quintana Roo Gay Travel Resources

A Day on Isla Mujeres – Keep Calm and Wander

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Isla Mujeres - Cancun - Keep Calm and Wander

Isla Mujeres is an island just off northeast of Zona Hotelera in Cancun. The island is visible if you’re standing on the beaches of Cancun and vice versa. It is known for its white sand and idyllic beaches. The island is only 5 miles long and a half mile wide. In other words, you can walk around it if you’ve got a sun-proof skin. Isla Mujeres, in English means, Island of Women. The Spanish called the island as such because of the presence of a number of women statues.

How to get to there. If you’re staying downtown or along Zona Hotelera, there are three major ports where you can take the UltraMar ferry. We stayed at Occidental Costa Cancun and the Embarcadero terminal is right next door to us. The other two ferry terminals are: Playa Tortugas and Playa Caracol.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Villa Merida – Merida Gay Bed & Breakfast

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Villa Verde Merida - Merida Gay Bed & Breakfast

Come visit us at Merida’s Villa Verde Merida B&B/Boutique Inn – a lovely, restored 250 year-old colonial mansion and grounds in Merida’s “Centro” district. We’re close to everything!

Villa Verde features just five guest rooms to ensure your tranquility and comfort during your stay here in Merida. Your guest room features a private bath, premium linens and towels, upscale amenity products, free WiFi access, flat screen TV, safe, iPod/iPad charger, blow dryer, and much more.

We serve a complimentary breakfast each morning and a happy hour cocktail each evening in our bar.

Love to swim? Villa Verde has a large, sexy waterfall pool surrounded by sunny and shady areas, including our clothing optional rooftop deck.

You can also relax in our front portico courtyard, with five trickling fountains.

Our dining room has a guest computer, as well as a library of Merida maps and history. Read a book, share some margaritas in our outdoor lounge – or reserve a relaxing massage in our private tropical garden.

Villa Verde Merida is a gay owned, gay friendly home away from home while you explore beautiful Merida and the wonders of the Yucatan. We offer spa services, can arrange excursions, and are always here to help you with restaurant and bar referrals, details and directions.

Click on our website link for property details, services provided, and directions.

Michael and Robert welcome you to Villa Verde Merida – come join us!

See the Villa Verde Merida Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Villa Verde Merida Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Casa Del Maya B&B – Merida Gay Bed & Breakfast

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Casa del Maya B&B - Merida Gay Bed & Breakfast

Come explore the Yucatan from Casa Del Maya, an historic bed and breakfast in the heart of Merida that has been carefully restored to meet the needs of modern travelers, while maintaining its historic charm.

Although English is our native language, we also speak Spanish, and always love to speak with people from other cultures.

At Casa Del Maya, we respect and celebrate diversity – everyone is welcome here!

Casa Del Maya is a lovingly restored colonial-style Merida bed and breakfast, filled with Mexican charm and celebrating the rich culture and craft of the Mayans. An artful blend of hacienda and Mayan-inspired rustic elegance makes Casa Del Maya a unique and romantic Merida destination.

Come stay with us to explore Merida and everything it has to offer – we’ll make you feel at home.

Our Mexican bed and breakfast is in the heart of the Merida Centro, away from the bustling hotels. Casa Del Maya is located in the historic Santa Ana close to the parks of Santa Ana, Santiago and Santa Lucia, the Grand Plaza, and Paseo de Montejo. Our location is perfect for strolling, shopping, and sightseeing in Merida.

Our six spacious guest rooms include:

  • air conditioning
  • ceiling fans
  • light-filled windows
  • large modern bathroom with rain shower
  • WiFi internet access in rooms
  • television
  • decoratively patterned “pasta” tile floors
  • handcrafted furniture
  • hand-sewn Mayan textiles
  • hand-painted Talavera tiles and sinks
  • Come stay with us at Casa Del Maya!

See the PROPERTY Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in AREA

 

Mexico’s Ik Kil Cenote – Keep Calm and Wander

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Ik Kil Cenote - Keep Calm and Wander

The wonderful cenote Ik Kil in Mexico will never fail to stun you. We arrived around 10:30 in the morning and the parking lot was still almost empty. Yes, we were one of the few who arrived before tour buses came in droves. No, we didn’t join one of those tours because we’re too fabulous to be in crowded buses. 😀 😀 😀 (Scroll down below if you wanna know how we got there.)

What is a cenote?

Cenotes are unique to Mexico, especially in the Yucatan State. They are natural wells surrounded by rocks. Most often they serve as the mouth of an underground river or a cave. They’re also good for snorkeling and diving.

Travel Tips:

Most bus tours to Chichen Itza do not include this in their itinerary. Only few do this. Even the tour agents in our hotel don’t combine this with Chichen Itza Pyramid Tour. However, most Cenote Ik Kil Tour is combined with some other unknown Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula.

If you’re renting a car or on your own, be sure to get here between 9:00 to 10:00 in the morning. This should be your first itinerary of the day if you want to avoid the crowd. The famed Chichen Itza Pyramid is just 5 minutes drive from here.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Yucatan Gay Travel Resources