Our day in Calica, Tulum, & Playa

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We visited Calica while traveling on the Holiday 8/17. As you’ve probably read, Calica is a quarry pit so if you get off the ship it’s impossible to simply “walk about” town. One must take a cab to Playa or plan for an excursion. We contacted Executive car rental via e-mail in advance, and reserved an Atos (small car that seats 4) for about $38 including tax & insurance. We took along water bottles (packed from home in several trash bags) so we’d stay hydrated during the trip. The drive to Tulum took about 45 minutes on a well-paved road. Parking was $4 (if you give them a $5, you’ll get pesos in return so if you don’t want them, take the appropriate bills.) We did not take the tram, but chose to walk the ¼ mile to the entrance. They did not charge an admission fee for the children. Adult admission was about $4 each. Instead of taking a guide, we chose to walk around the ruins. There are signs in English and Spanish explaining what you are viewing. We enjoyed the ability to meander around the area at our own pace and watch the iguanas frolicking about the area. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes as the beach at Tulum was fabulous. It’s accessible from two areas of the ruins – from the right a marvelous view where you walk down numerous stairs, or from the left area of the ruins one that is accessible for all (no stairs) but less impressive. Water was gorgeous with gentle surf. Currents can be strong, so this is not a beach for snorkeling, but splashing & playing. This was frequented by an international crowd (thus some top-less sunbathing) with many languages spoken. When we were tired of splashing in the surf, we drove to Playa Del Carmen. Found some free parking on a side street and headed to the beach. Fifth Street is closed to car traffic, and is a pedestrian only shopping area. At the beach the water was more calm but sandy & murky. Since it was so busy, the children were less interested in swimming so we headed back to the ship. (For my son, the walk down the beach was a trip highlight, as there was more top-less sunbathing). We put about $5 in the gas tank, returned the car with no problem, and returned to the ship. The Executive car rental place closes at 6, so for those wanting to par-take in the Playa nightlife, they do have rental offices in town where you can return the car at a later hour.