Apota,

Great report.

I post my ride reports here just as a travel journal so that I can always look back to the places I've been. As time passes by I tend to forget and re-reading my own reports jogs my memory.

HU members don't comment much on ride reports.

Big Roads, Big Trucks, and a Bit of a Letdown

Left Escárcega early this morning and made my way to Chetumal. And yes, pretty much straight roads again the whole way. Big highway, wide shoulders, decent pavement overall, but not particularly exciting. There was a fair bit of traffic and a lot of construction. I’d say around 30% of the ride was torn up or being worked on. Some of it you couldn’t even figure out what they were doing. Some of it seemed kind of pointless, but I’m sure someone has a plan.
And the military presence? Heavy. Not patrolling, but big army trucks—convoys hauling gear, and some even helping with the construction. There’s gotta be a big base somewhere nearby. They were everywhere.
So yeah, kind of a cruise. Nothing challenging, just time in the saddle. Lost an hour due to a time zone shift when I hit Chetumal.

Chetumal: Not What I Imagined
Now, about Chetumal. This was supposed to be a bit of a milestone. Even though Zihuatanejo was the fun, symbolic first stage destination, Chetumal was the real geographical turnaround point. The Caribbean coast. The edge. I always knew I’d end up here before heading north up the coast toward Cancún.
And I’m not sure what I was expecting—but it wasn’t this.

Chetumal is just really different. It’s flat, like most of the peninsula, and the streets are wide, blacktop, and laid out almost like a grid. No cobblestone, no brick, none of the usual charm. It felt… like the USA or Canada. Honestly, parts of it really reminded me of a smaller U.S. or Canadian city. And maybe that was part of the problem.
I’d planned to treat myself to a seafront room on the Malecón. First hotel didn’t seem to exist anymore, but the next one had a great corner room with a wraparound view on the third floor. Room wasn’t quite ready, so I sat down at the restaurant and had a simple Milanesa de Pollo. And it was… fine. Not bad, just very “prepared.” Like something you’d get in a chain restaurant back home. The sauce was decent, but the vibe was off. Wait staff felt less friendly than what I’ve gotten used to all across Mexico. Prices were definitely more touristy.

Exploring the City
Once I was settled in, I cleaned up and hit the Malecón. The weather didn’t help—overcast, windy, and the sea was rough and a bit dirty. So no turquoise Caribbean postcard view today. Still, I walked a good stretch of it. The Malecón itself is long and clean, but again—felt kind of impersonal. Government buildings lined a big stretch of it, and what I thought were vendor tents turned out to be protest camps. Dozens of them. Some kind of civil worker or education protest from what I could tell, with banners, folding chairs, and signs everywhere.
There are a lot of statues here. Every few hundred feet, another monument to someone or something—some impressive, some not so much. There’s even a huge structure out over the water that looks like maybe a lighthouse or something marine-related. Nope—Googled it, and it serves no real purpose. I think it’s called the Mega Escultura. It might house tourism offices underneath, but otherwise? Just kind of… there. And the waterfront was a lot of nightclubs and restaurants that looked pretty uptown, not very Mexican

As I made my way back through central, I kept trying to figure out why it all felt so off. And here’s some thoughts. In the smaller towns across Mexico, the markets and street vendors feel personal. You’re buying from someone who owns that spot, who lives off what they sell. You feel a connection. Here, it’s mostly storefronts—big, clean, organized places, staffed by employees. There’s just not the same soul in it. The streets are all like that, because they are wide and far apart that sense of closesness and community are lost. I did not see many streets that two cars could not comfortably pass with cars parked on either side, unless it was a one way and they were also wide with parking on both sides.
In “real” Mexico, the vendors are shoulder to shoulder, or their store and wares literally spill out onto the sidewalk. Here? There’s nothing really on the sidewalk. Because who would put it all out and bring it in every day? Employees??

Chetumal isn’t bad. It’s just… not what I thought it would be. For the most part on this trip I have just let myself be amazed and taken it all in, no thoughts on how "it would be" and possibly that was my mistake here. Or maybe I caught it on a rough day. Maybe the sea is bluer when the wind isn’t blowing. Maybe the smiles come easier on another day. But after so much warmth and character in the towns I’ve passed through, this place felt kind of sterile. A little Western. A little… forgettable.

Calling It a Night
So that was Day 37. A long straight ride, a new town, and a reminder that expectations can be tricky. You never really know what you’re gonna get. I might hang around a little tomorrow, or I might push north. But I'm moving forward much more open minded on what is ahead.

And that's why it's called .. AllPartOfTheAdventure

ps: Back in Escárcega, someone mentioned they thought they’d heard Andy and Red were heading toward Chetumal. After today, I can’t imagine they’d be here. Maybe I just didn’t find the right part of town. Or maybe they worked there way up the coast to somewhere smaller.

A Short Ride, a Long Exhale

Not a very big mileage day. Went all the way from Chetumal to Bacalar. According to Google Maps, a whole 40 kilometers—25 miles. A big day indeed.
Got up this morning and decided my best move was probably to leave Chetumal. Had some advice from Throttlemeister that I would probably like Bacalar or Mahahual. Well, he was dead on with that advice. I’ve been looking for a down day, so I grabbed a spot in Bacalar, a block off the lagoon, and called it a day. I probably had the room settled at the Hotel SUR and was off the bike by noon. So yeah, that worked out good, and I had a feeling I would like Bacalar.

I couldn’t really check into the room until 3 o’clock. But they let me put my stuff by reception, which was perfect. They also gave me a spot to change, and then I headed out to see what Bacalar is all about. I kind of wanted to do a kayak tour, or even just rent a kayak, but it was still too windy and too rough—even on the lagoon—so that wasn’t an option. Didn’t feel like going for a boat tour, so I just went for a big ol’ walk.

Eco Park and Waterfront Time
Ended up at this eco-park where you can walk through the mangroves and greenery, then out onto the water on an elevated walkway. There are little spots where you can go down and swim in the water and stuff like that. Pretty cool. Beside it was a long pier with a palapa at the end—seemed like the perfect place to hang out, lay in the sun, just relax and enjoy the day. Did that, and that was pretty cool.
One thing worth mentioning is access to the lagoon is very difficult. You either get to it by being in an establishment on the lagoon like a restaurant or bar / beach club or pay for the eco park as I did, 20 pesos. There are a couple public access points, but they are quite a ways apart I believe.

By the time I was done on my walking tour the room was ready, so I went and got everything tucked away.

Town Vibes, Fort, and a Familiar Feel
After I got sorted, I went out to see what the town was about. You know what? Kind of back to more of what I’m used to. It’s definitely touristy here—there are people from all over, and it covers the whole gamut from older couples to backpackers to solo travelers. But it’s got a good vibe. It’s happy, of course they are, they’re on holidays..!!

There’s a big central park and a huge fort—Fort of San Felipe, built in 1729 or something like that—with a museum inside. The fort is restored very nicely. I did a little tour of that. The museum’s pretty cool too. Most of the signs in the museum had English translations, which was great—didn’t even need to use the translator app. There was a fee for admission and it was 110 pesos. Note: nothing much is free in Bacalar.

The park in centro was a little quiet that early in the day, but still colorful and alive. It was totally alive by 7:00pm and rockin. Along with all the tourist-snaggling bars, restaurants, there are still street vendors. And it’s that Mexican street vendor feel again, spilling onto the sidewalk. Not the big box stores like Chetumal. So yeah, I liked the vibe here. It was quite a bit better. I stopped in a few shops, checked things out and yes verified that things are neither free or inexpensive in Bacalar.
And in the centro area there was a church, big but fairly simple, but the yard it was in was really park-like, big trees and benches. Not the big grounds of the cathedrals but a really nice spacious yard. I have not seen that yet anywhere.

Ride Along the Water (Well close to the water)
And I didn’t stay off the bike completely—jumped back on and took a ride down what I guess you’d call the coast, or at least the boulevard along the bay. Rode the whole thing. It’s nice. Kind of a cottage country feeling, but not with cottages—more with bars, hostels, restaurants, beach clubs, and tour operators. It’s nice. Fresh, clean-looking. Tourism obviously helps here. It’s a vibing, bouncing town.

A Chill Night
Didn’t do anything over the top for food—just grabbed some street tacos, and that was about it. Great day to relax, catch up a bit. Not totally off the bike, but just kind of chillax. And I don’t know, it’s nice enough here that I might hang out another day. Might carry on to Mahahual or Tulum. Not sure yet, and don’t have to be either..!!

I think my experience with this is going to be kind of more or less like this all the way up the Caribbean coast. I’m not sure. But I kind of got my head around it a bit now.







more pics here..

From Lagoon Calm to Tulum Vibes

A Late Start, a Straight Road .. Very Straight
I had a bunch of stuff to get to this morning, so it was a fairly late start out of Bacalar. Decided I’d bump up north somewhere, and finally ended up making it to Tulum.
Not much to report on the road. Just a big old straight highway with some rough spots, potholes, and construction. A few small towns and the occasional topes, but otherwise… it’s just a road. Not scenic, not twisty, just a road. I plugged along pretty briskly and got into Tulum late afternoon.

The Hotel Shuffle
The first hotel I went to had their system down. After standing there for 20+ minutes while they tried to figure out what they wanted to do, my spidey senses went off and I passed. They didn’t seem to care either way.
Went a little further and found Hotel KAAB. It was great—900 pesos, main floor, parking tucked off the street (not hidden, but fine), decent pool, big room, all the amenities. AC included. I was in. Got unpacked, cleaned up, and headed out to see what Centro is all about here in Tulum, Quintana Roo.

Fish Tacos , Piercings and Man Buns
Once I got onto 307—the main drag through Centro—it was clear this place is buzzing. Very, very touristy, but full of energy. Streets packed, people everywhere. I didn’t get far before I stopped at a spot called Don Cafeto.
The plates I passed looked solid, so I ordered the fish tacos. Before they even landed, I had chips, salsa, green dip, and a bowl of vegetables. Then the tacos came—full plate, and absolutely fantastic. At least I thought so. They hit the spot.

While sitting at a sidewalk table, I really started to notice: the people-watching in Tulum is over the top. Tattoos, piercings, man buns, shaved heads (the girls), yoga gear, beachwear, long flowing dresses some of the girls even had long flowing dresses. You name it. I sat there thinking, “I don’t really fit in here.” No man bun (need hair for that), no tattoos, no piercings. I might need to find something to help me stand out—or maybe carry a cushion to sit on at a yoga bar. Not being judgemental just my observations. You do you..!!
It’s trendy. Lots of yoga. Fitness. Cafes and bars where you sit on the floor and sip tea or craft . Salsa, pole dancing, sound baths—probably all of it. Eclectic is the word. I mean the tourists, and there’s a lot of them. The locals seemed to be less "artistic" shall we say.

Centro Comes Alive
Once I finished my meal, I carried on and it just got busier. The shops felt more alive. Yes, wide sidewalks and streets like Chetumal, but not box stores. Still has that Mexican street vendor vibe. And every side street off 307 is full of funky little spots—bars, coffee houses, street art. I think that is for the tourist effect.

Eventually hit the plaza, the central park, and this thing was going off. One of the most happening plazas I’ve seen yet. Tourists, sure, but mostly locals. Girls soccer on a mini field, full on basketball game happening, a massive market with vendors selling everything but food (food vendors were on the surrounding streets). Big stage. Mexican dancers, with the crowd cheering, hooting and clapping. Saturday night in full swing.
Walked farther and the shops changed—smoke shops, mezcal, tequila. Tulum is alive. And that was just centro I didn’t even get into the rest of town yet. Wandered some of the side streets, passed some cool bars, funky murals. Didn’t see any historic buildings. No church spotted yet. I’m sure there’s a central market somewhere, but I didn’t find it.
Traffic’s mostly cars, scooters, and taxis. Not many tuk-tuks or three-wheelers like other towns. It moves fast and a little aggressive.

Room Recovery and Wrapping It Up
Got back to the hotel thinking I scored a great room deal… until I realized there was no AC. When I asked, they said the power was out. Funny, since I had lights and a fan and everything else. So, who knows.
Cranked the fan, sat down to write this—and the AC kicked back on. Back to a good deal.

So that’s it. Day 39. Not a ton of pictures, but some. Tomorrow I’ll check out more of Tulum. Maybe the beach. Might stay another day. We’ll see how it goes.

Maybe I’ll get a piercing or a tattoo.
or ... Not.!!
Because that will not be, AllPartOfTheAdventure







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Cenotes, Seaweed, and Sunday Night Vibes

Day 40. Really?
I know, Day 40. Wow. That sounds like a long time to be on the road—but it goes by fast. Even I’m kind of going, really? Has it been that long? If I was asked to remember everything all at once, I’d probably have to go back to my own ride reports. I’ve covered a lot of ground and a lot of experiences.

Casa Tortuga Cenote (Barefoot Edition)
Today was a hangout day in Tulum. Not like I wasn’t on the bike, I rode to the sites. First stop was Casa Tortuga, one of the local cenotes. Pretty commercial, but I’ve never been to one before, so it made for a good intro. They kind of handhold you through the whole thing with guides.
Four cenotes total—two caves, two open. They’ve got jumps from two meters up to five. Of course, I had to try the five-meter one. Great way to cool off on a hot day.

One hitch: I wore my motorcycle boots to the cenote but forgot anything to walk in. So I did the whole thing barefoot. Couple rocky parts had me tenderfooting it along, but I just roughed it out. Out of 24 or 30 people in the group, I was the only one without footwear. You walk on gravel and rock, but I made it.
No pictures. Phone and everything else went into a locker. Could’ve brought it, I guess—but I figured it’d either go missing or end up at the bottom of a cenote. You’re relying on people to move your stuff from one stop to the next. So yeah—just memories. If you’ve never seen one, Google cenotes. Some of you suggested it, and you were right. Especially if you dive or snorkel, they’d be amazing. This one was more touristy and simple, but in their raw form, they must be incredible.

Beach Access and the Sargassum Surprise
Jumped back on the bike, grabbed some flip-flops, and headed down to the beach. I was in for a shock. You can’t just go to the beach here. Unlike the Pacific side or Sea of Cortez or the West Indes / Caribbean for that matter, it’s all locked down behind establishments. Restaurants, beach clubs—if you want access, you’re going through one of them. That means finding parking, usually paid, then spending money at the place to earn your way through.

The road down the strip? Terrible. For all that commerce, it’s pretty rough. And it’s wall-to-wall people—staff and tourists alike. Scooters and motorcycles everywhere. Luckily, the manager at my hotel, Rene, gave me a tip on a local-friendly spot with good parking and people keeping an eye on the bike.

I parked, and went in and ordered a couple of club sodas, filled up my water bottle, said thank you, and made my way to the beach. And wow—the smell was bad when I was on the road but now it was in your face. Sargassum. Just piled up along the beach. Thick. You had to walk through it to everywhere just to get to the water. Some establishments had their sections roped off right out to the sargassum. Just narrow little paths through the mess.
The beach itself? Fair bit of garbage scattered around. For all the eco-friendly talk, it felt a bit neglected. I walked a long way down the shoreline and saw the same story. And for all the hype about “paradise,” it was hard not to think of the beaches I’ve seen on the leeward side in the Caribbean—clean, clear, and uncrowded. With that amazing coloured water.
But hey, people were loving it. Music thumping, people partying, beach chairs full. So who am I to judge? Just calling it like I see it.

Sunday Night in Centro
Back into town. Cleaned up. Headed out for food and ended up at the same restaurant as last night. This time, chicken fajitas. Really, really good—but I might’ve ruined myself with too many chips. Again.

The town was bouncing. Bars going hard even on a Sunday night. The plaza was full of vendors—not quite as packed with people as Saturday, but still buzzing. Tulum stays alive. It’s got a energy that is for sure.

Calling It a Night
Got back to the room and started putting things in order to pack up and head out in the morning. Not sure which direction I’m going, but I am going in the morning. That much is clear. It's not like I am hating this part of Mexico, but I have this kinda feeling it would be good to get back to "real" Mexico. Not sure if that is just me or the moment, something in the air, or.??
But it is .. AllPartOfThe Adventure







More pics click here

Cenotes, Ruins, and a Return to Real Mexico

Out of Tulum, Finally
I’m losing track of days here. Day 41. Wow. it goes by fast.
Left Tulum anf jumped on Highway 109, and immediately things felt better. It’s a proper Mexican back road—not a big divided highway, but a cozy two-lane with a little shoulder, sometimes no shoulder, and greenery pushing right up to the pavement. Some small towns, some topes, and just a better vibe. Felt good to be away from that heavy, touristy energy of Tulum. Nothing against Tulum, but it’s busy—borderline overwhelming. I don’t mind a big Mexican city, but Tulum’s a different kind of busy.

Chichen Itza: Worth Every Peso
Funny I say that, since I was heading straight to one of the most tourist-heavy spots in Mexico—Chichen Itza. But come on, it’s one of those must-see stops.
Pulled in around 12:30, and the temp was 32°C at least, so toasty. Got lucky with rockstar Parking, right by the front gate. Stripped down out of most my riding gear, threw on sandals, and not sure exactly what the look would be called, but hey I'm not on a runway model tour here. Entry and the guide set me back well over 671 pesos plus whatever the tour was, but worth every peso.

Our guide was a very Mexican-English-speaking fellow. Full of knowledge, super passionate, but he had this thing where he ended every single statement with, “yeah.” After a while, I couldn’t not hear it. It was like getting a tour from Rain Man. “The Mayans built this over another temple, yeah.” I was just waiting for “yeah, Judge Wapner, 20 minutes, yeah Wapner”. I know, I am terrible..!!
Anyway, the site is incredible. Compared to other ruins I’ve seen, you can really tell the difference in architectural advancement. Restoration work is top-notch. The ball court alone is worth seeing. I stuck around for another hour or so after the tour to explore the rest—building of a thousand columns, a steam room structure, the cenote you don’t get to see up close on the tour. There’s a lot there if you take your time. I spent a good few hours total and I’m glad I did.

Toward Mérida
Originally thought about stopping in Piste, the little town beside Chichen Itza, but I rolled through and didn’t feel it. Fueled up on the edge of town and figured I had enough time / daylight to carry on to Mérida.
Back on 180, and again, it was that nice, small Mexican highway for a bit. Then it turned into a bigger road, four lanes, divided, with some no lines six-lane stretches. Mérida is big. But it felt right. Like I’d landed back in real Mexico. Working my way into Centro, the narrow streets, the older buildings—it just felt fantastic.

Hotel Lord and the Heart of the City
Made my way to Hotel Lord—another one out of Sjoerd's book. They had a ground floor room, perfect for parking the bike right out front. 700 pesos. And it’s only half a block from the main plaza.
Centro in Mérida is buzzing. Yes, lots of tourists, but a different kind. Hard to explain, but not the same crowd as Tulum or Bacalar. Maybe not as many backpackers. International crowd for sure, but the energy’s different. A little more grounded.
The square is huge, surrounded by shops and restaurants. No vendors in the plaza itself, but the surrounding streets? Wall-to-wall storefronts and stalls. It still feels very Mexican.
The cathedral off the plaza is something else. Massive stone pillars, grand design—back to those Central Mexico vibes. Even the floor looked like it had grave markers inlaid into the stone. Not sure if they’re symbolic or real, but something to look up. There’s another cathedral not far from there, and the Spanish influence in the architecture is heavy. One building "Palace of Don Francisco de Montejo" was apparently built by a Spaniard’s son who helped conquer the Yucatán. This place oozes history.

Cochinita Pibil and a Night in the Plaza
Had a proper Yucatán meal at a local restaurant, Cochinita Pibil, suggested by the waitress. Will include a photo. Absolutely fantastic.
The plaza came alive even more after dark. An orchestra set up with traditional dancers performing to a massive crowd. It’s like they take tourism here seriously—like they’re proud of what they have and want to show it off right.

Wandered around a bit more and called it a night. Not sure if I’ll stay another day or keep moving. Either way, Mérida is a hard place to leave.
I'm just happy to be .. AllPartOfTheAdventure









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