Mayan Mexico: Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Merida, Campeche

My wife and I are going to the Yucatan in less than a month and I'm looking for recs. I know there's this thread:

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2690

But I'd love suggestions for some of the other places we'll visit. I'm not that interested in "safe" choices unless they're especially good/interesting (like Izote in Mexico City). I'd love recs for:

* good, authentic, non-tourist-oriented options in tourist areas.
* areas that have collections of street food and cocina economica type places that generally feed the people who feed the tourists.
* great food markets
* nice restaurants for Mexicans or Mexican tourists rather than eurotrash and gringos gordos (like me).

First off, why are you even considering Cancun except as a convenient airport? It's like Vegas or Orlando. There's no there there. Actually there probably is in the Mexican part. But I'd avoid the tourist part, it's 99 flavors of concrete glitz. I saw it from the plane. That was close enough.

Playa, obviously, I've said plenty about. I've heard good things about some of the other spots near there, less touristy perhaps, like Isla Mujeres. Also, though, probably less food activity generally. Although there was an article in Food & Wine maybe, about 6 months ago, about a new casually upscale restaurant in the Tulum area. Sounded pretty cool.

I would like to go to Merida. I know Dickson went long ago. By all reports it's the "real" town in the region, the one that preexisted the tourist boom, so I think the answers to a lot of your other questions would be there, though I can't say I have them....

One thing I would say is, even in the touristy areas-- except Cancun where real estate prices surely preclude it-- it's no great trick to follow your instincts to something substantially better and more real than the place that the busload of tourists behind you is being herded toward. The place we found in Tulum, for instance, just another 50 yards off the beaten path, yet a very nice family run place, not a tourist trap at all.

Well, we arrive at 9pm in Cancun. Then my wife is planning on us making a day trip to Isla Mujeres the next day. Technically, this is her trip since our last trip together was to DF and Oaxaca and I just got back from Thailand and Tokyo without her. So beach time is going to be an important component. I think we're going to stay in downtown Cancun, however, for the two nights we'll spend there (probably plus one before the day we leave). Personally, I'm most looking forward to Merida and its market.

Oh, and on Merida, I believe it has over a million people and the oldest cathedral on the continent, so yeah, I'd say it preceded the tourist boom.

I had the best conch ceviche in my life in Progreso, the little port town near Merida. I can't tell you the name of the restaurant, but it is on the beach and is right next to the long commercial pier.

Bill/SFNM

ooh, Isla Mujeres-we'll be there in May. Many good choices there. Great Beach on N. end-Sergio's Playa Sol serves passable beach food. guac, fried fishy sticks, ceviche..Sunset Grill nearby ok too..
Always love Alexia & Giovanni's, Cafe Cito, Amigo's for breakfast, French Bistro, Taco stand by baseball field(open after 7pm only I think), Villa Rolandi's for Italian. Cazuelas M&J for Chaya & OJ. Bohemia...
So many choices. Can't suggest anything in Cancun, we only fly there & hop on the ferry outta there as fast as we can.. Guess it all depends on what you are really searching for..Lol Ha in Akumal is yummy, view even better than food.

You know Louise, I was going to point extramsg to Akumal and restaurants nearby.....Turtle Bay Cafe, Lol-Ha, Oscar y Lalos.....but they're planning on beach time and Merida. Don't know if they'll have time for Akumal (but I'd HIGHLY recommend it!!!).

Akumal is a great place to hang out....my favorite Akumal bulletin board is http://www.bill-in-tulsa.com. Lots of information there. It's a close knit community so a lot of the people converse on the BB.

There is a Yucatan style restaurant in Playa that's pretty good; can't remember the name of it (might have been covered in Mike's post - it's been a while since I read that).

I would rec. Akumal too. I haven't spent much time there, but would like to. Merida & Progresso are on our list for the future. They say Merida is lovely. Would love to see a post regarding what they find..

I'm back from my trip. Thanks for all the suggestions. I've started putting up my raw journals (well, some are written by my wife) over on PortlandFood.org, if you're interested:

http://portlandfood.org/index.php?showtopic=1074

I took about 2000 photos. Many are duplicates, but that's only so I could guarantee a good one. I'll be going through those over the next couple weeks and when I have them up, I'll post a link.

I'll try to put up a summary of places here in the next day or so, too.

extramsg, I wish I would have seen your post before your trip. We have been to that general part of Mexico the last 4 summers. We have found wonderful eateries on a very tight budget.

Even in downtown Cancun (not quite as touristy as the hotel area), where we usually spend the night before our flight home, we have found some very good places. For example: Alcatraces and Ty Coz are both great!

Playa also has some great places.

The Hotel Delores Alba near Chichen Itza is a nice place to stay and the food was very good also.

Touristy Cozumel has wonderful eateries when one gets FAR away from the water front. We have spent quite a bit of time there diving.

Hope you had a great time in Mexico. It's a beautiful and hospitable country when one gets away from the tourist areas.

You might enjoy reading/skimming my reports at the link, joby. eg, we stayed at the Dolores Alba in both Piste and Merida. Very good value, especially the one in Merida, which is only a couple blocks from both the plaza and the mercado. If you read through, you'll see that we did pretty good about getting away from the tourist areas and eating real food and real good food. Favorite meal of the trip, if you get a chance in the future, was at Hacienda Teya just east of Merida. Excellent renditions of all the standard Yucatecan dishes. And the prices were still reasonable by U.S. standards.

extramsg, your journal brought back many memories for me. We have been to several of the places that you have written about. Yucatecan food can be so good!

Thanks for the enjoyable read.

Hi,

I'm reviving this thread as husband and I are headed to Merida for the first time the second week of September. Actually, upon describing the trip to my in-laws, they thought it sounded so cool that they asked if they could come along. Yikes - good thing I like them! So, husband, in-laws, and myself will all be going. I found Extramsg's info very helpful, but I was wondering if anyone had been more recently? We will have 5 nights and six days and are staying at the Casa del Balam in Merida. We are planning a day trip to Progresso, a lunch at Hacienda Teya, and possibly a day at Akumal. We will probably avoid Chichen Itza on advice of others, including Antonio at Xni Peq who mentioned there is a lot of work being done on the site and much is blocked off to tourists right now. Antonio also gave me a restaurant rec - "El Tucho." He said ask anyone and they'll point me in the right direction. I always love a good opportunity to practice my Spanglish on the locals. Much of my "Spanish" has been picked up by working in Chicago kitchens and my husband is very fond of reminding me that "just because the guys say it to each other in the kitchen doesn't mean you can say it in Mexico and not get us killed."
Anyway, would love to hear about anyone's experiences in the Merida vicinity and specific restaurant recs would be most appreciated. Will report back, w/ photos, upon return. Thanks, Lynn

Casa del Balam
http://www.casadelbalam.com/index.htm

A good place to cross-post your question about Merida is the forum(s) at Merida Insider, I've found the people there to be very knowledgeable, and willing to share what they've learned living/working in the community/area:

http://www.meridainsider.com/

Thanks for the link Bill. I registered and spent some time perusing their boards. Very helpful - much appreciated. Lynn

Lynn, if you'll still be in Merida on the 15th/16th of September, you're in for a treat - the Fiestas Patrias. A principal celebration of Mexican Independence Day is the evening of the 15th when "El Grito" is read aloud. The 15th/16th fall on a Saturday/Sunday this year - and it'll be a weekend filled with activities. Though the Yucatan has it's own special cuisine, you might ask around for Chiles en Nogada - a traditional dish in much of Mexico during the Independence festivities each year.

And to help you brush-up on your Spanish, and terminology particular to food/cooking - click on the link below:

Rolly Brook's Spanish/English Lexicon
http://rollybrook.com/lexicon.htm

We leave on the 9th and return the 14th. Will keep my eye out for the Chiles anyway and perhaps some conch ceviche in Progresso.

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Entrepreneurial Mayans made a cottage industry out of salt.

The recent discovery of ancient salt kitchens, found underwater in a Belize national park, is giving archaeologists new insight about the role of salt in the Mayan economy.

In a study published in Antiquity last week, Louisiana State University anthropologists Heather McKillop and E. Cory Sills documented four underwater pole-and-thatch structures—three kitchens and one residence—throughout Paynes Creek National Park.
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