Chichen Itza Field Trip

This week a group of us from the Dtraveller office were delighted to take a little trip to Chichen Itza in order to be able to offer our clients the best possible service.  Who better to provide information about a tour than someone who has actually been to the site and had the tourist experience?

Monday morning we were picked up by the friendly Grayline driver Felipe and whisked off to the highway in our comfortable, modern van.  We each received a little bag of breakfast treats and were ready for the drive to Chichen Itza.  We took one taco pit stop in Vallodolid along the way, a cute little Colonial town, kind of a “mini Merida”, then proceeded to the site of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

For a couple of us, this was our first trip to Chichen Itza and we were filled with anticipation.  We arrived at the Mayaland Hotel, had a good stretch and found our tour guide Delio.  We received our wrist bands and tickets and made our way inside the archaelogical zone of Chichen Itza. Entering the grounds you can actually feel the power of the site, something in the way that you breathe changes, the energy is incredible.  Delio was a top notch guide, he was very knowledgeable and provided us with an educational and entertaining dialogue. The mysteries of the Chichen Itza Maya are fascinating, how they were able to build their structures with such accuracy, placed so carefully to align with the stars and the sun with such precise calculations, all starting around 900 A.D., a long, long time ago. No matter how much one reads about the place, it’s nothing compared to being there and seeing for yourself exactly what the history and guide books talk about.  A magical place of history under your feet and in front of your eyes.

The tour lasted about two hours and we returned to the Mayaland Hotel famished and ready for lunch.  The buffet was perfect, food to satisfy everyone’s taste, cold drinks and traditional “Jarana” dancers in their beautiful Yucatecan dress entertaining us.  The handmade tortillas were by far the best I have ever tasted and the local specialty “cochinita pibil” was delicious. After stuffing ourselves with great food, we were ready to see more of the area.  Our driver Felipe offered to take us just about anywhere we wanted to go and the majority ruled, we wanted to see the cenote Il Kil!  It’s a quick five minute drive from the Mayaland hotel so we were there in no time.  We found ourselves in a hole in the ground, but a hole in the ground that looks like the garden of Eden!  We splashed around in the cool waters for a while then headed back to the hotel.

Our day was not over yet!  We gathered together at 7:30 at the entrance to the ruins and made our way to the grounds for the Light and Sound show.  It was a starry night, with cool breezes on the skin and fireflies dancing in the sky, the fresh air carrying the aroma of the jungle.  We settled in and were treated to a display of colored lights on ancient ruins accompanied by a tale of the history of Chichen Itza.  Everyone was entranced, it was a powerful experience.  We returned to the hotel for a late dinner and promptly fell asleep, after a full day, a full stomach and with our minds and hearts filled with the energy of Chichen Itza.

For anyone coming to Cancun, Quintana Roo or the Yucatan, I highly recommend taking a Chichen Itza tour.  Being here and not seeing Mayan ruins is like visiting Egypt and not seeing the pyramids!  You can see our full set of photos in our Chichen Itza flickr set and be sure to join our Chichen Itza Facebook page to share your own experiences and photos.

Set Sail with Caribbean Carnaval Cancun Cruises

Looking for adventure on the high seas?  Join Caribbean Carnaval for a fantastic Cancun cruise!

Bring the whole family to enjoy the Caribbean Funday day trip to the beautiful island escape of Isla Mujeres.  Board the double decker boat in Cancun and set sail for Isla Mujeres while enjoying the ocean breezes and the energetic entertainers.  You’ll land on Isla Mujeres at a private beach club, “El Pescador” where you can enjoy a delicious lunch buffet, open bar and a variety of island activities including kayaking, snorkeling, bicycle tours and shopping (extra charge for some activities).  Not the adventurous sort?  Settle yourself in a hammock with a cold drink in hand and soak up the relaxing tropical vibes.  The party continues on the return trip to Cancun with high energy music and dancing to celebrate your day in paradise.

If you’re looking for an evening party cruise, check out the Pirate Assault or the Caribbean Carnaval.  Start the night off on a double decker boat ride to Isla Mujeres.  Enjoy the open bar with tropical fruit juices or your favourite alcoholic beverage while dancing and enjoying the antics of the entertainers on board.  Those aboard the Pirate Assault be warned, there´s pirates in them thar seas, you may just find yourself whisked away!  The party continues at the private beach club on Isla Mujeres with a fantastic dinner buffet, continuing open bar and a great show just for you with interactive activities and games.  This is not your typical “booze cruise”, it’s so much more with professional shows, exciting stunts and the friendliest staff in town.

On a personal note, (this is a real blog written by a real person after al!) I´ve done these tours a number of times and have laughed and danced and enjoyed myself immensely.  The buffet food is the highlight for me, you should not miss the fresh fish and the spread of desserts!  I always walk away eating far more than I should, but isn´t that what party cruises are for?  I can’t sing at all but find myself running to the stage for the karaoke contest every time. You’ve got to let your hair down, embrace the silly games and allow yourself to relax and enjoy this unique experience.  Let it all hang out!

Limited time discounts on Caribbean Carnaval cruises!  Book in October 2009 for tours up to December 20, 2009  and enjoy 20% discounts on all three cruises, Caribbean Funday for only $52 USD per adult (regular price $65 USD), and Caribbean Carnaval or Pirate Assault for only $63.20 USD (regular price $79 USD).  Three great tours at great discounts, contact Dtraveller’s bilingual customer service representatives to reserve now!

Dtraveller- Not Just a Virtual Office

Being an online travel agency we rarely get to meet our customers face to face.  Sure, we can talk with them on the phone or chat with them online, and we make connections with repeat customers via email, but we don’t often get to see their smiling faces.  Imagine our delight when a customer from Venezuela found us through our Facebook page and made their way to our offices in downtown Cancun!   A pleasure to meet them, we sure hope they enjoyed their tours (lucky folks took part in the Pirate Assault, Caribbean Carnaval and the Royal Garrafon tours, they sure know how to pack fun into their holiday!)