Daytrip to: Chichen Itza

If you have can only see one Mayan Ruin, Chichen Itza is where you should go. It is by far the most well known and impressive ruin in the state of Quintana Roo.
First a warning that some people are irritated by the pushy sellers and lineups, but they are not really that bad. The most important items to bring are sunscreen and hats as it is extremely hot and there is little shade as you walk to Chichen.

Pricing varies greatly and is typically more expensive when booked through the hotels. There are many independent tour operators that offer prices that could offer up to $75 less per tour when compared to hotel pricing. One operator is Gray Line Tours in the shopping plaza at Playacar. If you go with Gray Line you enter the ruins from a private entrance after having a nice buffet lunch at the Mayaland Hotel. It is a 3 hour journey but I quite enjoyed seeing parts of Mexico I wouldn't normally have seen. Make sure you get a guide rather than just wandering about on your own, it is well worth the money. The souvenir sellers do come up and try to sell you ornaments and things but I don't find them pushy or rude at all as has been reported. A polite 'no gracias' and they usually go away. They have nice souvenirs and remember that if you buy a couple of things it only costs a few dollars which is nothing to us but a lot to them.

The tour lasts about an hour and 15 minutes and then you have another hour to ourselves before meeting back at the hotel. The site is massive and there is plenty of shade under trees if you get too hot.

I strongly recommend a large hat and cotton clothes and lots of water! Buy a guide book to find out more information about the ruins and next try to visit the to visit the ruins of Coba and Tulum.

Daytrip to: Playa Del Carmen

If you have spent time dreaming of a perfect, beautiful, white, sandy beach with turquoise blue water then this is the place for you! The accommodations here are reasonable and the standard is high, just hunt around and make sure you bargain! Eating is pretty expensive but the restaurants are beautifully decorated and offer good service. A lot of people use Playa as a starting point to head over to Cozumel. In my opinion except for the diving off Cozumel; Playa has much more to offer. You can also use Playa as a base to visit the various ruins in the area such as Chitchen Itza but I would recommend staying somewhere closer to the one that interest you to maximise your time there. Playa is really a place to relax in if you have been on the road for some time.

Favourite spots:
Playa del Carmen travelogue picture

Down on the beach at one of the beach bars, feet in the sand with 2 drinks in front of you (that's because there is loads of 2 for 1 happy hours), just relaxing watching the sun go down after another action packed day in the sun.

What's really great:
Playa del Carmen travelogue picture

I loved the ambience of the town. With the many mariachi musicians in the streets it is more reminiscent of the more colonial towns of Mexico than a Caribbean beach spot.

Sights:
Souvenirs here are really inflated in price so if you are looking at travelling elsewhere I would save your pesos to spend then.

Hangouts:
Playa del Carmen travelogue picture

Any of the beach bars offer fanatstic vistas, reasonable drinks and meals.
Make sure you watch the sun go down from one of these.

Daytrip to: Xel-Ha

Xel-Ha is ecological preserve park, where fresh water from underground rivers meets with a Caribbean sea. It is unique natural phenomenon and a protected habitat for marine life. You can encounter iguanas, snorkel with a colorful tropical reef fishes, see dolphins, or simply relax on the river or by the beach. A great spot for photography!!!! Stroll through the jungle floor to the caves, or rent a bicycle, also you can take the motorized train to the river.In the park you can also relax in hammocks near by the beach.

Daytrip to: Isla Mujeres

Isle Mujeres is the eastern most point of mexico. It is an island only 7 miles long and hardly a half mile wide. The views were like nothing I have ever seen. I would definitley recommend Isle Mujeres to honeymooners and backpackers. The best way to see the island is to rent either a scooter or golfcart and zip around...it was a blast.

Getting their is half the fun, I recommend going on a catamaran. Isla Mujeres is paradise. The night life was awesome and the beaches were white with crystal blue warm water. It made snorkeling really amazing. You could see so many fish and under water life! The sun sets where amazing as well.

Favourite spots:
My favorite spot on the whole island was the eastern most part where the Mayan temple of fertility was. The whole area was so beautiful. They also had famous artist from around the world build tons of sculpture art. It was really cool. Also, they had a zip line that went over the water! It was a four part zip line, starting at the top of a cliff diving into the water. It was so fun! After the zip line, walk around the tip of the island at the bottom of the cliffs, they made a walkway. The waves were almost at eye level, just crashing into the cliffs right next to us. I was completely overwhelmed with the views. My favorite in town hang out was this little coffee shop. To this day it was the most relaxing location I have every been in!

Sights:
You can be the first person in Mexico to see the sun rise, which is pretty cool.
The Mayan temple is something to see as well.