CANCUN -- Take away the crowds of day-tripping tourists and
their belching buses and the Yucatan's ancient cities become a
totally different experience. A silence descends on these ruins,
and one can wander at leisure, climb the ruins without being
jostled or just sit and watch as the buildings' stark shadows
inexorably cross the surrounding grass or jungle.
This near-solitude typically can be enjoyed during daylight's
first and last hours, before and after the Cancun-based
day-trippers are on site. These morning and late afternoon hours
also are the coolest -- cool being a relative term in the Yucatan
jungle -- times of the day.
Those who consider tour buses and crowds a less-than-ideal way
to travel might consider putting a group of small resorts operated
by Club Med adjacent to three pre-Columbian sites on their
itineraries.
These properties bear no resemblance to the stereotypical Club
Med of social directors, drink beads and family dining. Instead,
these "archaeological villas" operate as moderately upscale and
traditional inns, each with an attractive dining room, a pleasant
courtyard with a pool and a small library housing books about the
Mayan ruins.
These resorts are designed for adults who have at least a
passing interest in Mayan culture and want nearby accommodations
that are quiet, reasonably comfortable and moderately priced.
Club Med operates these Archaeological Villas adjacent to the
ruins of Chichen Itza, Coba and Uxmal, providing such decidedly
un-Mayan comforts as a freshwater pool, poolside drinks and a good
dinner on the patio or in the dining room.
Club Med's three archaeological villas have exactly the same
design features: two stories of 40 guest rooms built around a
shaded central courtyard and a pool. The differences lie in the
details: The property at Chichen Itza has a lushly landscaped
courtyard with towering trees, while the Coba property is on the
shore of a lake and offers a small, partly covered pier.
All properties have a tennis court and air conditioning and are
adjacent to the ruins. Only at Uxmal, however, is the resort easily
accessible to the ruins by foot.
The meals I experienced during a recent site-inspection trip
sponsored by Club Med all were fine, highlighted by regional
specialties prepared with quality ingredients.
English is not spoken as universally in these parts of the
Yucatan as it is in Cancun, and at least a rudimentary knowledge of
Spanish is helpful. Travelers looking to explore the Yucatan ruins
at their leisure would have to rent a car. And although the
distances to these sites can be long and roadside services spotty
or nonexistent, the roads generally are in good condition.
The villas' clientele tends to be Europeans or North Americans
traveling independently or in small groups, Club Med officials
said.
In addition to the three Club Med villas in the Yucatan, the
company operates three similar resorts: two close to Mexico City at
Teotihuacan and Chyolula and a third, the Posada San Francisco, in
the historical colonial town of Tlaxcala, about 80 miles from
Mexico City.
Rates at the villas vary depending on the time of year and the
meal plan. Generally the cost, excluding meals, is less than $50
per person, per night. For information, call (800) AGT-LINE; for
bookings, call (800) CLUB-MED.