11/22
Happy Thanksgiving… Missing America today!
We decided to take a drive down to Bacalar to see the famous Lake of Seven Colors. Unfortunately Shane had a bit of a cold and wasn’t feeling great all day, so it probably wasn’t the best timing for a long day trip.
Even so, we made the most of it.
Once we arrived, we took a boat ride around the lake and out over a very deep cenote that connects to the lagoon. The water really does live up to its name. Different shades of blue stretch across the lake depending on the depth, and it was absolutely beautiful.
Along the edges of the cenote there were trees that had fallen into the water, their roots and branches stretching down into the deep blue. It made the whole place feel really peaceful and untouched.
After the boat ride we grabbed some lunch, wandered around a bit, and then headed back to Tulum so Shane could get some rest.
Even though it was a shorter day than we expected, the boat ride alone made the trip worth it.
11/23
We checked out of Hotel Latino early in the morning and decided to take one last quick look at the beach before heading out for the day. Our plan was to visit Xel-Ha and then drive back to Cancun afterwards.
Well… that plan changed a little.
While walking along the beach we ended up stopping at CoCo Tulum, and before we knew it we had booked a room in one of the beach towers for the night.
Oops.
Honestly though, it felt like the right decision. One more night in Tulum, especially right on the beach, seemed too good to pass up.
Since it was still early and we couldn’t check in yet, we left our bags and headed to Xel-Ha Aquatic Park for the day.
Xel-Ha is basically a giant natural aquarium. We spent most of the day snorkeling through the lagoon, watching all kinds of colorful fish swim around us. At one point we even spotted a stingray gliding along the bottom.
The snorkeling there is incredible. Everywhere you turn there are schools of bright tropical fish, and the water is so clear you can see everything.
One of the coolest moments of the day was spotting a manatee. I kept wanting to call him Snooty the whole time.
We also swam through a small cave and around the mangroves. While exploring near the mangrove roots we stumbled across a pretty intimidating fish with some seriously nasty teeth. I called Shane over to look at it, and right as we were watching it chomp down on another fish. That was enough for both of us. We swam away very quickly.
After a full day in the water we headed back to CoCo Tulum. By the time we arrived it was already dark, so we grabbed some coffee and took a quiet walk along the beach before heading up to our room.
The room was incredible.
We left the doors open all night and could hear the waves crashing right outside. At one point during the night I woke up and honestly thought I might be dreaming. Falling asleep to the sound of the ocean was absolutely perfect.
11/24
We woke up to an amazing view from our room overlooking the beach.
We started the morning with a quick swim in the ocean and spent some time relaxing on the balcony. Unfortunately it was a cloudy day, but we still managed to enjoy the beach for a bit and soak up what sunshine we could.
Most of the morning was spent just sitting out on the balcony, taking in the view and enjoying the sound of the waves before it was time to check out.
Eventually we packed up and made the drive back to Cancun, where we’ll spend the last few days of our trip.
Hard to believe this adventure is already starting to wind down.
