Liu Family Vacations

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Cancun local food

Dining Tips

The Check Please: It is considered quite rude for a waiter to bring the check before asked. Simply say "la cuenta por favor" or make the international scribbling on your hand sign to get the bill when you are ready.

Tipping: Leave a minimum of 15% for satisfactory service, or more for exceptional service, but make sure the tip hasn't already been added to the bill. In Spanish, the word for "tip" is "propina" and may appear that way on the tab. Your tab may also say "servicio."

Hours to Eat: Breakfast usually starts around 10, lunch at 1 (the main meal of the day) and dinner around 9 or even later. Eating earlier at tourist restaurants is not a problem since they start serving breakfast at 8 or 9, but if you show up at a truly local place for lunch at noon, you will find that nothing is ready yet.

For budget food, follow the locals and make for the markets. The biggest in Cancun is Mercado 28 , close to downtown's main post office at the western end of Av Sunyaxchen. There are plenty of food stalls and tiny cheap restaurants here. The other market in Cancun, Mercado 23 , is much smaller but makes a relatively peaceful venue for a decent Mexican lunch. From the bus station, walk a few blocks north along Tulum and then turn down Flamboyan or Cerdo. Further along, at the junction of Tulum and Lopez Portillo, is a small plaza, complete with fountain, at the edge of another market. The little café here are packed with Mexican families.

Yucatan cooking has gained a reputation as one of the finest in all of Mexico with a combination of Mayan and European ingredients, a tasty byproduct of the Spanish Conquest. Dishes include the famous cochinita pibil (suckling pig baked in banana leaves with a rich annatto sauce) papadzules (tortillas stuffed with boiled eggs in a pumpkin seed sauce) and panuchos, (tortillas with fried black beans, chicken and pickled onions).

Cancun Museums

MUSEUMS

National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)

Cancun’s museum is located on the ground floor of the city's convention center. It traces the Maya culture with an impressive collection of 1,000 to 1,500-year-old artifacts. There are a number of impressive carvings and frescoes, along with ancient artifacts that have been unearthed at nearby sites throughout Quintana Roo. A visit to the National Institute of Anthropology and History can add another dimension to your exploration of the Maya ruins and is a fascinating introduction to the ancient culture. It’s also a great way to pass a rainy day in Cancun. Guided tours in English, French, German, and Spanish are available. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 AM – 7 PM. Admission: $3, children under 11 free. Sundays free. Located at the Cancun Convention Center, Blvd Kukulcán Km 9. Tel: (998) 883-0305.

Museum of Anthropology and History
(Museo de Anthropologiá e Historia)

This museum is located in the grand capital of Mérida. Originally a residence for the governor, this mansion was transformed into a museum in 1977. The Museo de Anthropologiá e Historia showcases the Maya culture and history with exhibits of artifacts found from ruins on the peninsula. Here you can see ancient conch shells, stones, feathers, jade objects and jewelry used in Mayan rituals. Another display case explains the various customs of tattooing and head binding along with the myths associated with them. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8 AM – 8 PM, Sundays, 8 AM – 2 PM. Admission: $1.60. Free on Sundays. Located on Calle 43 and Paseo Montejo, Mérida. Tel: (999) 23-05-57.

Museum of the Maya Culture (Museo de la Cultura Maya)

Chetumal, the capital of Quintana Roo, is home to the impressive Museum of Maya Culture. This is a sophisticated, interactive museum that explains the complex world of the Maya. Various exhibits outline the social classes, politics and customs along with the medicinal and domestic uses of plants. The most exciting display is the three-story Sacred Ceiba tree that represents the Maya cosmology. You can journey to the bottom floor into the underworld, to the middle floor that is earth or the top floor where the heavens and Maya gods reside. There are also hands-on exhibits demonstrating the long and short Maya calendar and their mathematical system. Models of the various sites show the differences in architecture. This museum is extremely popular with young and old alike and it’s well worth a visit for those who wish to learn more about the Maya. Open Tues-Thurs, 9 AM- 7 AM, Sat 9 AM-8 PM, Sun 9 AM – 2 PM. Admission: $3. Located on Héroes and Calle Mahatma Gandhi, Chetumal. Tel: (983) 326-838.

Cancun sights

Xcaret

Tulum, a lovely place to spend a day!
Exploring ancient ruins is a favorite adventure of mine while in Mexico. If you stay at the Royal Mayan you will surely want to explore El Rey, an excavation site within walking distance of the Mayan. Then you'll want to see more! Only about two hours down the coast from the Mayan is Tulum. This is a beautiful site with enough to keep you busy for a day. Be sure to take your bathing suit, as there is a nice little beach there too.
For more on Tulum visit this site: Tulum

To really get a feeling for the grandeur of Mexican history take a tour to the ruins at Chichén Itzá . You can rent a car and drive yourself, but I recommend a tour bus, at least for your first visit. For an at home tour of Chichén Itzá here are a couple of great links.
Mysterious Places and Chichén Itzá

Free use of

snorkeling equipment

golf clubs

tennis courts & equipment

beach/pool towels

welcome party

Cultural and Ecological Activities in Cancun

You can take a side trip to see the Mayan Ruins such as Chichen Itza and Tulum. The Mayan encounter is a tour to Coba and the perfect way to immerse yourself into the history and the culture of the region. Visit the ruins of Coba, witness a Mayan ball game and enjoy a traditional Yucatecan meal. Another great Cancun activity for those looking for nature is visiting the eco-parks like Xcaret and Xel-ha.

Tourist Zone
The Tourist Zone, which stretches for 14 miles along Cancun Island, contains a wide range of Cancun attractions and destinations to explore during your stay. One favorite destination for visitors is Laguna Nichupté, a beautiful lagoon located on the inland side of Cancun Island that plays host to countless shopping destinations, waterfront restaurants, golf courses, and water sports around the islands and inlets. Another attraction in the Cancun Tourist Zone is the “Party Zone” where the discos and nightclubs are concentrated. If you are not a clubber or drinker, there are countless stores to shop in and restaurants to dine in this area, so pay a visit and see what this Cancun destination spot offers to you.

For archeology buffs seeking remote Cancun destinations, do not forget the Ruinas El Rey located that Kukulacán Blvd. These Mayan ruins are located right in the heart of more contemporary Cancun attractions, and can be toured for a marginal fee. Other ruins can also be found along the beaches of Cancun Island.

Cancun City or “Centro”
Cancun is home to over 450,000 permanent residences who offer an entirely different set of attractions than the Cancun tourist zone. Although not as heavily promoted as the more famous Cancun attractions and destinations, This is a fantastic place to shop for merchandise of all kinds (local and modern) at amazingly low prices and to visit some small, family restaurant with their own unique charm and special authentic cuisine.

http://www.cancun-map.com/maps/

http://www.royalresorts.com/download/resort-tips-cancun.pdf

Planning for Cancun

http://tonygraz0.tripod.com/triptips.html

Each Royal resort will exchange money or travelers checks into pesos at their lobby desks at about the best rate you can get (they do not change pesos to dollars). Current rates are posted in the lobby and at the Royals' website. Beware of the little exchange booths which almost always charge a commission or short change you.

Another thing you might want to do in preparation is order the Entertainment Plus 2X1 card for savings on dining. The card website also offers tours at substantial savings over the Thomas Moore tours. You can check out the details of this card and the tours at: Entertainment Plus 2 for 1 Card

After picking up your luggage, you head to customs where you will be asked to press a button. If you get a green light you pass, if you get the red light, they will check through your luggage

After customs a porter will grab your luggage or you can take it out of the airport to where all the taxis and vans are. Look for a Thomas Moore sign or whatever sign it would be for pre-arranged transport. Last I heard cabs were around $ 40-45 (agree on fee before you get in). Van transport is usually $ 8-10 per person.

When you arrive at the resort a bellman will take your bags. Go into the lobby and check in. Your luggage will be delivered to your unit (a tip of around $ 1 per bag is suggested).

The Resorts:
The Royal Islander, Royal Caribbean and Royal Mayan are all together, with the Royal Caribbean in the middle of this 3 resort complex. Club International (VCI) is located closer to downtown on the bay, while the Royal Sands is located in between, about 3-1/2 KM from the tri-Royals. The facilities and amenities of all 5 Royals are available to members/guests at any of these resorts. The Royal Solaris and the infamous Royal Sunset are not a part of the Royal Resorts of Cancun group.

Daily maid service is provided, except on Sunday and some Holidays. A concierge and assistant will be assigned to your unit, but you should be aware that one of their duties is selling of resort memberships at the newest resort, the Royal Sands. They will provide you with invitations to free events- the orientation (Sunday AM), the welcome party (Sunday PM) and the cocktail party. They will also provide you with a discount card (10-15% off) at selected Cancun restaurants. There is a loose leaf book in each side of the unit that details the rules (which should be read immediately) and other information.

There is at least one restaurant at each Royal resort and they all have an all you can eat breakfast buffet. The Royal Sands even has a lunch buffet. The Royal Mayan has a restaurant called El Conquistador which is one of the finest in Cancun. It is only open for dinner and does have an affordable "sunset special" menu for early dining. Reservations are required and El Conquistador is next to the Royal Mayan lobby at pool level. Each of the restaurants also has special theme nights and information is posted in several common areas about these nights.

On the other hand, parking is often hard to find in many places, gasoline is expensive and the public and private transportation is good. The resorts even offer a free shuttle service between the tri-Royals and the Sands and back every hour and every two hours between the Sands and VCI (with a stop at the Pok-Ta-Pok golf course included). The schedules are not in writing yet, so its best to check on them when you arrive. There is no service on Saturday.

Local buses run about every 5 minutes or less until late at night (less frequently) and cost 6 pesos per person per trip (no transfers). They run from Wet and Wild to downtown and beyond. All the buses run to downtown, with R-2s running to Walmart and beyond. On the way back from downtown be sure to get on a bus that says "hoteles" or "hotel zone". Tell the driver where you are going to get off and press the buzzer when you approach your stop. Hang on to the ticket you get(for the duration of the bus trip) in the event the bus auditors get on and request it.

Taxis are waiting on call at the resorts and start at 60 pesos per trip for up to four people. Prices are posted at the resorts fixing the cost to popular destinations. Tipping is discouraged unless an extra service is provided. The rates on the street and downtown are much less than at the resorts or mall cab stands. While it costs 120 pesos to go to Walmart, I have paid as little as 50 pesos to get back. Fares should be established clearly before you get in the cab. Rates on the street may be quoted in pesos or dollars and I have paid as little as $ 2 for a trip within the downtown area. Vans can also be obtained for personally scheduled trips.

Shopping:
Each resort has its own mini-market, but a better selection and price can be found downtown. Chedraui and Commercial Mexicano are two stores in the downtown area on Tulum avenue that carry groceries and many department store items as well. Walmart and Sam's club located just beyond downtown have groceries too. There is even a Costco and another Commercial Mexicano in a plaza not far from Walmart. The hotel zone has many plazas and flea markets for souvenirs, clothing, jewelry and other items. Strong bargaining and price awareness is suggested when bargaining outside the malls. There is also a place called Market 28 where items for sale are a little more geared towards locals. If you go there, try the seafood restaurant there called El Cejas.

English is fairly widely spoken in Cancun and US currency is almost as readily accepted as pesos. When the exchange rate is higher (pesos per dollar) than the resort is offering, it is better to pay in dollars when the option is offered.