I’m taking my mom to Mexico at Christmas. We’ll be visiting a family friend in Campeche over Christmas and New Year’s. Then, we’ll be staying in his family’s apartment in Cancun for four days.
My mom is in her early 70s. She has problems with walking anything beyond short distances, in that she has a blockage in her leg that makes her leg get very tired very fast, especially when walking up inclines (even rather slight ones).
Wondering if anyone has advice for my mom on visiting Mexico. Are there some good day trips from Cancun that won’t require significant amounts of walking. Are there wheelchairs available at sites of ruins and other places, so that she can sit insteak of having to walk too far? She’s not a beach person, so we’ll be looking for things to do while in Cancun. Any recommendations?
So…nobody has been to Cancun? Or nobody has been to Cancun whilst being a senior?
I have been to the Yucatan a few times, I’ll tell you what I know.
The first thing that comes to mind is to get you out of Cancun. It is a tourist city built for spring break kids. Head for Playa de Carmen. Constitution ave. is a wonderful market place. Good food and shopping. If you are up for a boat ride, take the ferry to Cozumel from there, if not, head to Puerto Adventuras. There is a great court yard by the lagoon where you can have lunch and watch the dolphins and people swim (or swim with them yourself). It is very laid back and not so crowded as the Avenue in Playa. I always spend some time there. A really great and isolated beach can be found between Puerto Adventuras and Tulum, Oscar and Lolas. It is on the left of the highway a few miles past the cenotes (cave diving expeditions) services. Look carefully for the small sign. It is a couple of miles down a dirt road. Beautiful lagoon with a small tiki bar and hammocks. Won’t find many people there but it is one of the most beatiful places I have seen. Tulum is the most significant site for ruins in the area. In the past few years it has become very tourist friendly with shuttles and accomidations for most everyone. It is fairly crowded nowdays with day trips from Cancun regularly.
I don’t reccomend XelHa, very crowded and very expensive and you will be courted for your patronage there. Don’t go. Puerto Morales is a port city, not much there for tourist. I don’t reccomend the cave diving, the water is cold and I was unimpressed. Doesn’t sound like your mom would be up for that anyway.
If you do want to get out and see the sites I highly reccomend a car rental. There are free shuttles to and from most of the regular attractions from all of the resorts but you will spend lots of time waiting for the bus, sitting on a crowded bus and constantly clock watching so you don’t miss the bus. I have always used Budget and reserved a car online before hand. You can rent an economy for about $150 for a week with unlimited mileage. The roads are good and if you can drive in any US city the Mayan Riviera is a pleasure cruise.
Hope that helps. 