Solo Travel – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
One of the most common questions I get other than “How much money did you spend?” is about whether or not I get lonely or bored while traveling alone. One of my first inspirations for international travel is a book called Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. I would recommend this book to everyone. Potts is a travel writer, maybe one of the best in the business, but really digs deep into advantages of solo travel. With the right attitude, you don’t have to be alone. Traveling solo has also seduced me into the hostel lifestyle.
Even when I am home in Lafayette, I bounce between my seven locations of Cajun Hostel with a backpack in tow. Although most of the time I choose to stay at a location with privacy, it doesn’t always work out that way. If I feel like being social, I can usually just pop over to one of the shared houses and make conversation about what to do in Lafayette or other travel stories. The hostel lifestyle encourages you to plop down next to a total stranger from a different part of the world, introduce yourself, and share travel stories about your current location or places you’ve been or plan to go. And there are also the locals.
Cozumel, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum are places where locals move to do short-term work in tourism industry or move permanently out of their home towns. The beaches, bars, museums, and mountain views are a big part of why we travel but the people you meet and the relationships you develop are priceless. Below are my pics from my short time in Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and an unexpected trip to Akumal Beach (swimming with GIANT turtles). I need a Go Pro!!!
Roman soldiers attempting to lift Jesus. This particular Jesus had a few extra pounds on him so they had a little trouble. 
In Playa del Carmen each year at Easter time the people reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was extremely hot on this day. I kept thinking to myself how miserable these guys hanging on the cross must have been. 
Portal Maya Sculpture – Playa del Carmen
Indian Dancers – Playa del Carmen. Check out my youtube page for the video of the Indians swinging upside down hanging from rope.
These last to pics are from a spontaneous trip to Akumal Beach, about a 45 minute drive from Playa del Carmen. Here we rented snorkeling gear and had a guide (250 pesos) take us out into the ocean in search of large turtles. We found them, a lot of them. These huge turtles were swimming and feeding just a few feet from us in the open ocean. It was a great experience and I’ll be buying a go pro so that I can capture other experiences like this one. Unfortunately, all I was able to capture were pics of the beach.
Akumal Beach, Mexico
Day 2 Expenses:
- Breakfast – (Free at the hostel, again thankfully because I still had no money)
- Lunch – $4.25 (75 pesos)
- Taxi ride to the Isla Mujeres ferry – $2.27 (40 pesos)
- Roundtrip Ferry ride to Isala Mujeres from Cancun – $8.28 (146 pesos)
- Bottle of Evian water (big mistake) at the ferry dock – $2.38 (42 pesos)
- One hour massage on the beach – $35
- Dorm bed in 4 bed mixed dorm at Mezcal Hostel – $26
Day two total = $78.18
Running total = $169.91
Day 3 Expenses:
- Bus from Cancun to Playa del Carmen – $3.46 (60 pesos)
- Lunch at Leche de Tigre – $7.94 (140 pesos)
- Hostel bed in mixed dorm (8 bed) at Hostel 3B – $22.00
Day three total = $33.40
Running total = $203.31
Day 4 Expenses:
- Breakfast at McDonald’s – $3.46 (60 pesos)
- Sunglasses at Bershka clothing store – $13.21 (229 pesos)
- Parking at Akumal beach – $4.54 (80 pesos)
- Lunch for two in Akumal – $11.34 (200 pesos)
- Tour guide fee to swim with the turtles – $14.18 (250 pesos)
- Gas for my friends car – $14.18 (250 pesos)
- Private room/bath at Beds Friends Hostel – $51.05 (900 pesos)
Day four total = $111.97
Running total = $315.28
Day 5 Expenses:
- Breakfast at Palmeras Restaurant – $14.36 (249 pesos)
- Starbucks Mocha Frappe and bottled water – $6.11 (106 pesos)
- Bus to Tulum – $3.60 (66 pesos)
- Hostel bed in mixed 7 bed dorm El Jardin de Frida, Tulum – $10.32
Day five total = $34.39
Running total = $349.67
Day 6 Expenses:
- Lunch at Canopia in Tulum – $11.63 (201.60 pesos)
- All day Bike rental – $2.85 (50 pesos)
- Laundry – $2.55 (45 pesos)
- Hostel bed in mixed 7 bed dorm El Jardin de Frida, Tulum – $10.32
Day six total = $27.35
Running total = $377.02
Day 7 Expenses:
- Lunch at Tequila Barrel – $10.67 (185 pesos)
- Bus from Playa Del Carmen to Merida – $23.53 (408 pesos)
- Taxi from Merida bus station to Hostel – $2.84 (50 pesos)
Day seven total = $37.04
Running total = $379.86
Day 8 Expenses:
- Gran Museo Taquilla entrance fee – $8.65 (150 pesos)
- Souvenirs and a Mexican cowboy hat for me – $33.39 (578.94 pesos)
- Dinner at El Trapiche – $6.17 (107 pesos)
Day eight total = $48.21
Running total = $428.07
Day 9 Expenses:
- Bus from Merida to Campeche (1st Class) – $11.65 (202 pesos)
- 2 nights Private room with private bath and AC at Viatger Inn, Campeche – $57.67 (1000 pesos)
- Bottle water – $.63 (11 pesos)
- Moto taxi – $2.72 (50 pesos)
- Colectivo van to Homun and back to Merida – $6.00 (estimate)
- Dinner – $4.90 (90 pesos)
Day nine total = $83.57
Running total = $511.64
Day 10 Expenses:
- Mocha Frappe – $2.88 (50 pesos)
- Jardin Botanico entrance fee – $.87 (15 pesos)
- Museo Baluarte De La Soledad entrance fee $2.31 (40 pesos)
Day ten total = $
Running total = $
Day 11 Expenses:
- Nomades Hostel, Merida – Private Room Shared Bath – two nights – $25.56 (472 pesos)
- 1 -way taxi to Pirate Boat Lorencialla – $2.44 (45 pesos)
- Taxi to Merida bus station from Pirate Boat – $4.06 (75 pesos)
Day eleven total = $
Running total = $
Day 12 Expenses:
- Beer – $11.91 (220 pesos)
- Dinner at Don Muchos – $5.96 (110 pesos)
Day twelve total = $
Running total = $
Day 13 Expenses:
- Waterfall Tour Transportation – $9.21 (170 pesos)
- Lunch – $2.71 (50 pesos)
- 3 Late night street hot dogs in Villahermosa – $1.35 (25 pesos)
Day thirteen total = $
Running total = $
Day 14 Expenses:
- Taxi to Villahermosa airport – $12.18 (225 pesos)
- Replacement immigration form – $21.12 (390 pesos)
Day thirteen total = $
Running total = $
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