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Quels vêtements emporter pour périple du Mexique au Guatemala?
🙂
Salut,
D'avril à juin, je ferais un périple du Mexique au Panama. Quelle tenue vestimentaire me conseillerez vous? Fait-il vraiment chaud? Que faut-il emporter pour un voyage agréable à cette période de l'année?
Merci pour votre aide
Aurélie
Cancun pour le spring break
Je souhaite partir a cancun pour le spring break debut mars(hotel oasis), si il y a des personnes qui on deja fait ce voyage merci de laisser des comentaires et pleins de conseils
merci d'avance😄😄😉😉😄😄
merci d'avance😄😄😉😉😄😄
Prix du sombrero mexicain
Bonsoir à tous,
Nous allons au Mexique au mois d'avril prochain et les enfants voudraient économiser pour s'acheter un sombrero. Est-ce que quelqu'un connait le prix en pesos ou autres monnaies (je ferai la convertion). Mon agent de voyage m'a parlé de + de 50, 00$ canadien.
Merci.
Nous allons au Mexique au mois d'avril prochain et les enfants voudraient économiser pour s'acheter un sombrero. Est-ce que quelqu'un connait le prix en pesos ou autres monnaies (je ferai la convertion). Mon agent de voyage m'a parlé de + de 50, 00$ canadien.
Merci.
Hôtel Riu Téquila à Playa del Carmen
Bonjour,
Nous partons pour Playa del Carmen du 11 au 26 février. Nous aimerions avoir des nouvelles de l'hôtel Riu Téquila depuis que Wilma est passée. D'après ce que je lis, il me semblerait que tout est réparé. Y a-til quelqu'un qui soit allé récemment et qui pourrait me rassurer. Après avoir lu un des messages d'une personne qui était là lors de l'ouragan, ça m'inquiète un peu.
Nous y étions l'an dernier et nous avons beaucoup aimé.
En vous remerciant à l'avance.
Nous partons pour Playa del Carmen du 11 au 26 février. Nous aimerions avoir des nouvelles de l'hôtel Riu Téquila depuis que Wilma est passée. D'après ce que je lis, il me semblerait que tout est réparé. Y a-til quelqu'un qui soit allé récemment et qui pourrait me rassurer. Après avoir lu un des messages d'une personne qui était là lors de l'ouragan, ça m'inquiète un peu.
Nous y étions l'an dernier et nous avons beaucoup aimé.
En vous remerciant à l'avance.
Où traverser les frontières Mexique / Etats-Unis?
Salut à tous,
Je pars avec une amie en amerique centrale tout l'hiver et par raison d'économie et aussi pour voir le mexique on voulait partir de montreal et se rendre en autobus. On projetait Montreal-San Diego. Toutefois est-ce le meilleur endroit pour traverser la frontiere, sinon quel serait-il sachant qu'on est deux filles seules et qu'on tient pas a trainer dans les coins louches ? merci pour vos conseils.
Je pars avec une amie en amerique centrale tout l'hiver et par raison d'économie et aussi pour voir le mexique on voulait partir de montreal et se rendre en autobus. On projetait Montreal-San Diego. Toutefois est-ce le meilleur endroit pour traverser la frontiere, sinon quel serait-il sachant qu'on est deux filles seules et qu'on tient pas a trainer dans les coins louches ? merci pour vos conseils.
Bon prix pour Mexique
Bonjour, j'aimerais savoir dans quel coin du mexique cela coûte le moins cher? J'hésite entre un tous inclus exemple à Acalpulco ou-bien de prendre un billet d'avion et trouver où loger rendu au merxique.
Merci
Merci
Tijuana au Mexique: une arnaque des flics
bonjour
l'autre jour, j'ai voullu aller faire un tour au mexique à Tijuana, en ayant loué une voiture aux USA chez hertz à l'aeroport. Attention c'est la chose à ne pas faire, les sorties du territoire americain sont totalement interdite et les flics mexicains en moto sont rodés. ils vous laissent passer la frontière, puis après deux kilomètres ils vous stoppent et vous disent que vous avez volé la voiture, Donc confiscation et poste de police, alors là avec ma présence d'esprit, je sors ma pince à billet. ils disent bon suivez nous, on va dans une ruelle sombre, et tandis que l'un enlève l'auto collant hertz, , l'autre vous pompe 600$ USD en cash, puis il vous laisse repartir direction les USA. ca restera un souvenir impérissable.
l'autre jour, j'ai voullu aller faire un tour au mexique à Tijuana, en ayant loué une voiture aux USA chez hertz à l'aeroport. Attention c'est la chose à ne pas faire, les sorties du territoire americain sont totalement interdite et les flics mexicains en moto sont rodés. ils vous laissent passer la frontière, puis après deux kilomètres ils vous stoppent et vous disent que vous avez volé la voiture, Donc confiscation et poste de police, alors là avec ma présence d'esprit, je sors ma pince à billet. ils disent bon suivez nous, on va dans une ruelle sombre, et tandis que l'un enlève l'auto collant hertz, , l'autre vous pompe 600$ USD en cash, puis il vous laisse repartir direction les USA. ca restera un souvenir impérissable.
Retour du Mexique après Wilma
Nous étions au Mexique pendant Wilma. Quelle expérience !!! Bien sur, ce n’est qu’une expérience de « touristes » bien protégés par un bel hôtel et par un personnel aux petits soins. Rien a voir avec ce qu’ont du endurer les mexicains, qui eux ont tout perdu.
Nous étions dans une suite en bord de mer et nous avons été évacués dans les appartements occupés par le personnel habituellement. Ou était passé le personnel, je n’ai jamais su.🏴☠️
Bref, nous nous sommes retrouvés à 21 personnes dans 35m2 avec toilettes (en état de marche) et douche, ce qui était un grand luxe par apport a certaines personnes beaucoup moins bien lotis que nous. Le jeudi on nous a montrés comment nous barricader en mettant une table et un buffet devant la porte et en nous donnant les consignes de sécurités adéquates. Lorsque nous avons reouverts la porte le dimanche, toute la forêt avait été hachée. On avait l’impression qu’une personne avait passé à la moulinette chaque arbre et chaque buisson. Et le bruit, ce bruit terrible avait cessé. Quel bruit !!! Sans arrêt, un grondement sûrement amplifie par les murs. La pluie qui tombait sans discontinuer a l’horizontal et qui inondait l’abri ; nous avons passé notre temps a écopé !!!🙁
Ce que je retiens de cet événement, c’est que l’on est vraiment tout petit devant la nature et bien arrogant. Mais le souvenir qu’il me reste c’est surtout d’avoir eu beaucoup de mal à gérer l’agressivité de certaines personnes. Au début, je dois reconnaître que je n’ai pas su me protéger de ces personnes. Ils ne comprenaient pas que je reste calme, que je trouvais le moyen de rire car de me retrouver a dormir a deux dans un petit lit superpose alors que nous avions pris une suite avec jacuzzi était assez drôle en fait.
Le pire fut quand nous nous sommes retrouvés coincés à l’aéroport. Le groupe Marsans par lequel nous étions partis, ne gérait absolument rien et il n’avait rien trouver de mieux que de nous deposer à l'aeroport et nous laisser attendre un avion pendant près de 30h. Imaginez des milliers de personnes entassées dans un petit aéroport, habitué à ne recevoir que 2 ou 3 avions par jour. La débâcle totale, c’était le personnel des avions qui faisait l’enregistrement des passagers ; les passagers qui chargeaient les bagages, les passagers qui faisaient les check-in pour aller dans les avions et les passagers qui chargeaient les bagages en soute si nous voulions partir ainsi que les bagages de l’avion qui nous précédait !!! Question sécurité on repassera !!!😕
Mais la aussi, le plus dur fut a gérer l’agressivité des gens et je dois reconnaître des français en particulier.😕
Je suis très fière d’être française, j’ai même tendance a être chauvine mais là je dois dire que j’ai eu honte de ce que j’ai pu voir ou entendre ; je sais que je vais me mettre a dos certaines personnes du forum qui vont se dire « pauvre petite, elle n’a pas eu sa suite et son jacuzzi » mais non ce n’est pas cela. J’écris simplement ce que j’ai ressentis : de la honte. Car comment expliquer les mots entendus ; j’ai ete traitée de « traite » car nous avions des amis américains !!! Qu’il n’était pas normal que je m’entende avec tous ces étrangers car eux ils avaient des avions avec leurs dollars!!! ils n'ont pas pense qu'ils etaient moins loin du Mexique que la France.Les français voulaient une cellule psychologique à l'arrivée, un avion sanitaire etc... ils se prennaient pour des otages!!!!
Mais fort heureusement, j’ai rencontre aussi des tas de gens formidables et sympathiques. Je pense a ce couple de Montréal, ceux de Birmingham en Alabama mais aussi a ces jeunes gens de Paris et de Toulon : Frederic (imitateur incomparable de l’éléphant) Steve, Eric, Yann, Julien, Sylvie etc...j'en oublie excusez-moi qui ont été traités de « petits connards, sans obligation et sans famille » car ils essayaient de ramener le calme !!!! Comment ai-je été perçu pendant ce cyclone, je n’en sais rien ; peut-être très mal aussi.
En conclusion, au prochain ouragan, je m’achète un MP3 pour m’isoler complètement !!!! Mais pour être sérieuse je dirais que ce cyclone m’a appris à mieux me connaître moi-même, m’a fait rencontrer des gens formidables même si ce fut très, très long et que j'ai eu un sentiment de complet abandon de la part du TO et du consulat qui est passé plus vite que Wilma dans l'aéroport.
Bus avec toilettes au Mexique?
Bonjour à tous, je quitte le canada dans quelques jours pour l'amérique central (ont débarque à Acapulco) nous avons prévu tout de suite le lendemain se taper 8-10 hre de bus pour quitter au plus vite cette ville pour se rendre à Puerto escondido. Ma questions est la suivante est ce qu'il py a quelqu'un qui peut me dire si les bus ont des toilettes !!! Sa m'inquiète un peu car nous comptons faire un long trajet.
S.v.p. Rassurez moi
C'est certain que nous aimerions payer le moins cher possible ....
merci d'avance
S.v.p. Rassurez moi
C'est certain que nous aimerions payer le moins cher possible ....
merci d'avance
Compagnies de bus pour faire Palenque (Mexique) - Guatemala
Bonjour,
je suis à la reherche d'un ticket de bus pour faire Palenque-Guatemala.
Par quelle compagnie d'autocar dois-je passer? Combien ça coûte? Puis-je acheter ce ticket par internet?
Merci pour vos réponses!
Coût de la vie au Mexique?
Bonjour,
Quelqu'un pourrait me dire quel est le coût de la vie au mexique (ex : un soda, une chambre d'hôtel pour 2, un resto sans prétention...) ?
Le prix d'un billet d'avion ?
Est-ce beaucoup plus cher que l'asie (thaîlande, vietnam...) ? Tout ceci afin que je puisse prévoir un budget.
Merci d'avance pour vos réponses.
Christelle
Quelqu'un pourrait me dire quel est le coût de la vie au mexique (ex : un soda, une chambre d'hôtel pour 2, un resto sans prétention...) ?
Le prix d'un billet d'avion ?
Est-ce beaucoup plus cher que l'asie (thaîlande, vietnam...) ? Tout ceci afin que je puisse prévoir un budget.
Merci d'avance pour vos réponses.
Christelle
Venta Club Playa Maroma
J'envisage de partir en octobre ou novembre au Venta club playa maroma sur la Riviera Maya.
Je souhaiterais savoir si cette saison est chaude, s'il y a encore beaucoup de pluie. Si quelqu'un a également des infos sur l'Hotel. Je sais qu'il est fréquenté en majorité par des Italiens. Est-ce que c'est plutot familial ou non. Est-ce qu'il y a une discotheque dans l'hotel... enfin le plus d'infos possible.
Merci d'avance
ete au mexique quel temp
bonjour àtous
j'ai quelques questions pour le mexique ou j'ai passer d'ailleur 3 semaines en novembre 2001 depuis on est passer à l'euro et il parait qu'on gagnerais 30 pour cent de pouvoir d'achat sur place est-ce vraiment le qua resto hotel ect..
apres j'aimerais partir 3 semaine entre aout et septembre à mexico taxo acapulco oaxaca puerto escondido et retour par puebla pouvez vous me dire quel temp je vais trouver en cette periode sur cette region je vous remercie d'avance salut😎
j'ai quelques questions pour le mexique ou j'ai passer d'ailleur 3 semaines en novembre 2001 depuis on est passer à l'euro et il parait qu'on gagnerais 30 pour cent de pouvoir d'achat sur place est-ce vraiment le qua resto hotel ect..
apres j'aimerais partir 3 semaine entre aout et septembre à mexico taxo acapulco oaxaca puerto escondido et retour par puebla pouvez vous me dire quel temp je vais trouver en cette periode sur cette region je vous remercie d'avance salut😎
Novembre à Playa Del Carmen
bonjour a tous et a toutes !)
on aimerais partir les deux dernieres semaines fin novembre 2005 a playa del carmen j'aimerais savoir si c la bonne periode pour y aller (d'apres les site que j'ai consulter oui mais je prefere l'avis de connaisseurs)
et qu'elle sont les hotels que vous me conseillerez
nous cherchons de super belles plage et la possibilité de faire quelques visites, on a pas trop envie d'aller vers cancun trop touristique et surtout une mer trop agité a mon gout
merci d'avance
a +
bye
on aimerais partir les deux dernieres semaines fin novembre 2005 a playa del carmen j'aimerais savoir si c la bonne periode pour y aller (d'apres les site que j'ai consulter oui mais je prefere l'avis de connaisseurs)
et qu'elle sont les hotels que vous me conseillerez
nous cherchons de super belles plage et la possibilité de faire quelques visites, on a pas trop envie d'aller vers cancun trop touristique et surtout une mer trop agité a mon gout
merci d'avance
a +
bye
Puerto Escondido au Mexique
Salut à tous, je voudrais savoir si l'un de vous a des infos sur Puerto Escondido. J'ai 28 ans et je voyage seule. Je voudrais me mettre au surf, à la plongée sous-marine, passer du temps au soleil et faire des randonnées en Montagne. Serais-je à la bonne place? J'ai 5 mois pour voyager. Sinon, avez-vous une idée ou je pourrais me diriger. Je suis perdue. Merci d'avance
Où le soleil se couche-t-il à Riviera Maya?
Bonjour,
Petite question.
Je me suis fait dire qu'à riviera maya le soleil ne se couche pas dans la mer mais dans les terres.
Est-ce exact???
Merci
Petite question.
Je me suis fait dire qu'à riviera maya le soleil ne se couche pas dans la mer mais dans les terres.
Est-ce exact???
Merci
Royal Decameron Nuevo Vallarta
Bonjour à tous,
C'est fait .... J'ai réservé hier pour le Royal Decameron, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexique du 17 Février 2005 au 4 Mars 2005..... Ce sera mon 3e voyage au Mexique... L'an passé nous sommes allés à Cuba (Playa Pesquero). Avez-vous des conseils à me donner pour profiter pleinement de ce voyage.... Est-ce facile de se rendre à Bucerias, en autobus local...et pour se rendre à Puerto Vallarta doit-on changer d'autobus.... Merci de me répondre
C'est fait .... J'ai réservé hier pour le Royal Decameron, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexique du 17 Février 2005 au 4 Mars 2005..... Ce sera mon 3e voyage au Mexique... L'an passé nous sommes allés à Cuba (Playa Pesquero). Avez-vous des conseils à me donner pour profiter pleinement de ce voyage.... Est-ce facile de se rendre à Bucerias, en autobus local...et pour se rendre à Puerto Vallarta doit-on changer d'autobus.... Merci de me répondre
Hôtel cabanes à Tulum au Mexique
Bonjour,
qui peut m'aider à retrouver le nom d'un petit hotel cabañas qui se trouve sur le plage de Tulum ?
C'est un des premier quand on arrive sur la plage, il est peint avec plein de couleur, hamac sur les terrasses, super joli.
Merci
qui peut m'aider à retrouver le nom d'un petit hotel cabañas qui se trouve sur le plage de Tulum ?
C'est un des premier quand on arrive sur la plage, il est peint avec plein de couleur, hamac sur les terrasses, super joli.
Merci
Mexico Trip Itinerary: Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, Pacific Coast
Hi there,
We’re planning a 15-day family trip in February 2026 (with 3 teens). We’ll be visiting friends who live in Puebla. Initially, I was thinking of the Yucatán, but after reading up on it, I don’t think it’s the right fit for us (too crowded, too touristy). So, we’re leaning toward something like this: - Mexico City: 2 days (Teotihuacán + city) - Puebla: 3 days - Tehuacán: 2 days (to break up the trip—is this a good choice? Is there enough to do for 2 days?) - Oaxaca: 3 days (Hierve el Agua, Monte Albán, city/tours) - Pacific Coast: 4 days (snorkeling, excursions)
Does this seem balanced? We’d like to end on the coast for some relaxation, ocean time, and fun for the kids. I’ve seen lots of excursions offered along the coast but can’t decide where to stay. Puerto Escondido? Huatulco? The beaches seem better for snorkeling in Huatulco, but I’ve read mixed things, and it’s farther away. What do you think?
For transportation, is this doable by bus? I’m struggling to find a decent bus between Tehuacán and Oaxaca (overnight schedules), and I’m not sure how to get around the coast. Also, how do we handle luggage between cities? We usually rent a car.
Finally, I’d love feedback on the Pacific Coast excursions—I get the feeling some are worth it and others aren’t. Is bioluminescence really magical? Are dolphin-watching tours ethical and not too "factory-like"? (We skipped them in Quebec and just watched whales from shore.) Can you see sea turtles up close?
Thanks for your help!
We’re planning a 15-day family trip in February 2026 (with 3 teens). We’ll be visiting friends who live in Puebla. Initially, I was thinking of the Yucatán, but after reading up on it, I don’t think it’s the right fit for us (too crowded, too touristy). So, we’re leaning toward something like this: - Mexico City: 2 days (Teotihuacán + city) - Puebla: 3 days - Tehuacán: 2 days (to break up the trip—is this a good choice? Is there enough to do for 2 days?) - Oaxaca: 3 days (Hierve el Agua, Monte Albán, city/tours) - Pacific Coast: 4 days (snorkeling, excursions)
Does this seem balanced? We’d like to end on the coast for some relaxation, ocean time, and fun for the kids. I’ve seen lots of excursions offered along the coast but can’t decide where to stay. Puerto Escondido? Huatulco? The beaches seem better for snorkeling in Huatulco, but I’ve read mixed things, and it’s farther away. What do you think?
For transportation, is this doable by bus? I’m struggling to find a decent bus between Tehuacán and Oaxaca (overnight schedules), and I’m not sure how to get around the coast. Also, how do we handle luggage between cities? We usually rent a car.
Finally, I’d love feedback on the Pacific Coast excursions—I get the feeling some are worth it and others aren’t. Is bioluminescence really magical? Are dolphin-watching tours ethical and not too "factory-like"? (We skipped them in Quebec and just watched whales from shore.) Can you see sea turtles up close?
Thanks for your help!
Mexico: The Magic of the Yucatán
Hello everyone,
What a pleasure to be back on VF after a few difficult years 😎 So, before diving into the topic, welcome back to VF and above all... keep going!
Well, I’m finally picking up my old habit of posting a new travel journal.
Before heading to Mexico in the summer of 2023 with my family (my partner and our two boys, aged 18 and 16), I had somehow convinced myself—though I can’t even remember why—that the Yucatán was too touristy, too cliché, too expensive, and overrated!
The country didn’t particularly appeal to me, but faced with my wife’s insistence—she’d been there years ago, before we met, and had promised to show our sons this incredible place—my arguments didn’t hold much weight.
And thank goodness, because I have to admit she was absolutely right to take us there! In the end, we encountered far fewer tourists than we’d feared (except at a few sites), and the prices, which we’d been told were geared toward American neighbors (US), turned out to be quite affordable. In short, it was pure joy on both counts. All that was left was for the trip itself to be beautiful and memorable—and it was...
1st stop: Isla Holbox and the whale sharks
Holbox (pronounced “Hol-bosh”) is a stunning island where you can relax in an enchanting setting.

Our main goal in coming to Holbox was to swim with whale sharks. So, the first thing we told our hotel, Los Arcos Holbox, upon arrival was to arrange an excursion with one of the island’s many tour operators: Glendy Tours Holbox. We set off the next morning, bright and early.
The itinerary for this outing is the same for all tour operators (and there are about thirty of them!): roughly two hours by speedboat, then snorkeling with the whale sharks, followed by another boat ride to Cabo Catoche for lunch, then more boating to a fish-filled snorkeling spot before heading back. In total, the excursion can take eight hours—or even longer.

Besides my two sons and me, there were only two other clients on board—a French couple. Our boat was one of the very first to leave, but after ten minutes, the pilot got a radio call. We turned back without any explanation, returning to the departure dock.
There, a young woman who clearly fancied herself a diva was waiting for us. She was Mexican and boarded the boat, snubbing all five of us while flirting with the pilot and guide, who were suddenly all eyes for her. We couldn’t understand how this diva had convinced our tour operator to turn the boat around just to pick her up when she hadn’t even booked and we were already far out. We left 20 minutes late.
The two-hour journey passed surprisingly quickly, and for good reason: we spotted dolphins six times! They were leaping out of the water as they moved. Pure joy. We stopped whenever they were near the boat.

The photo isn’t great—the ultra-wide-angle lens on my GoPro makes the dolphins look smaller—but at least I got a souvenir.
A few flying fish (exocets) also glided a meter or two above the water as we sped along. The false start was forgotten, and the day was off to a fantastic start in this stunning marine environment...
When we reached the area where the whale sharks were supposed to be, the guide explained that we’d now have to scan the sea until we spotted one. It could take five minutes or forty-five, he said, and if we were unlucky, we might not see any at all!
An hour and a half later—still nothing! The captain then headed toward a distant area where about twenty other boats were already gathered.
Sure enough, there was a juvenile whale shark (still a good eight meters long) there, and all the boats were lining up to approach it slowly, one by one, so as not to scare the animal. Each boat got about thirty seconds within a few meters of it, engine idling, before making way for the next. We were allowed to approach three times, but we weren’t permitted to dive in. That’s normal—such a crowd of divers around a single animal would stress it out, and here, whale sharks are protected by regulations: swimming with them is strictly controlled. There was even a coast guard boat with us at all times, monitoring everyone’s behavior.
We were torn between the luck of seeing such a magnificent animal, even from the surface, and the discomfort we felt about the absurd situation. All those boats lined up just to catch a fleeting glimpse of the shark for a few seconds—let’s be honest, it was ridiculous. In short, the whole thing was unpleasant, and probably even more so for the shark than for us, though it did keep gulping down kilos of plankton as if nothing were happening...
When it was our turn to approach, I dipped my GoPro into the water at arm’s length and framed the shot blindly, hoping for a decent image of the shark.

On the third and final approach, the sixth passenger on board—the one we’d had to turn back for ten minutes after departure—quietly spoke to the guide and captain after putting on her flippers (even though, I’ll remind you, no one was allowed to dive). She wanted them to ask the coast guard for permission to dive with the shark—just her! She whispered so we couldn’t hear what she was offering in exchange.
The two lackeys complied and shouted the request to the officials in front of all the other boats, with no shame whatsoever. With so many witnesses, the coast guard had no choice but to refuse. The diva wouldn’t let it go and asked them to insist, which they did, but the refusal was firm and final.
On the nearest boats, everyone had heard and was stunned. They openly mocked this bimbo who clearly had no shame. Hidden behind her star sunglasses, she responded with a dismissive smile. Pathetic.
The encounter with the shark ended, and we set off for Cabo Catoche, a site on Holbox Island where we were to have lunch.

We were a little disappointed not to have had the chance to see the usual school of whale sharks (they’re often dozens swimming together!), but that’s nature’s way, and we knew it.
And then, an unlikely stroke of luck: a boat ahead of us was putting divers in the water with a pair of adult whale sharks. We joined them, and while we were putting on our masks and snorkels, the guide briefed us. He said my sons and I would go first, followed by the French couple and the diva.
But Miss World, clearly unhappy with this order, quietly complained to the guide, who eventually switched the order. It didn’t bother us since we’d only get a minute in the water anyway—what’s a minute more or less?
So the three of them got in the water, and a moment later, they were done. My two sons and I, sitting on the edge of the boat with masks on and snorkels in our mouths, were ready to finally take the plunge. But instead of continuing to follow the shark, the captain was suddenly all eyes for Miss Silicone! He even let go of the wheel for a moment to help her back on board.
One of the two sharks had already left minutes earlier, and the second was swimming farther away. Other boats were arriving, and the captain went to join the queue 100 meters from the shark. Soon, even more boats showed up. There were way too many people, the shark left, and diving was no longer possible.
I was, of course, a little disappointed not to have fulfilled my long-time dream of swimming with a whale shark, even briefly. But I was mostly disgusted for my two boys, who had been so excited about it. I told the guide exactly what I thought and asked for compensation—not for missing out on swimming with the shark (you can never guarantee seeing one, nature isn’t at our beck and call), but for clearly skipping our turn to dive. He promised a refund.
At the end of the day, back on land, he dropped us all off, and as he was about to leave, I reminded him about the refund. He agreed again, calmly got back on board, and sped off as if nothing had happened—just him and the captain, two total cowards. I couldn’t believe it.
Of course, back at our hotel (which had booked this tour operator—Glendy Tours), I explained the situation and asked for my refund again. The receptionist called the manager, who arrived with the guide. Our runaway wasn’t so cocky anymore. Inside, I was fuming, but I kept my cool during the discussion that followed.
Right off the bat, I made a point of looking the so-called guide in the eyes while telling him he’d run off like a coward. I did my best to stay calm, speaking clearly, staring him down the whole time, and repeating several times that he was a coward, in front of the manager, who didn’t say a word. The guide had clearly been told by his boss to keep quiet because he didn’t utter a word during the entire twenty-minute conversation.
Anyway, I’ll spare you the details, but in the end, the manager only offered us another excursion the next day as compensation for the “inconvenience.” It was just snorkeling with fish, not another whale shark trip. He admitted their fault, but since we had to leave early the next morning and had other bookings for the rest of the trip, we couldn’t accept. And he refused to refund us.
On Tripadvisor, Glendy Tours has a mediocre rating (3 out of 5), but more importantly, it ranks 29th out of 36 nautical tour operators rated by customers. I was pretty upset with the hotel for booking such an amateur for us.

If you want to swim with whale sharks in Holbox, you might end up with Glendy Tours. And it might go well—I certainly hope so. But given the price of such an excursion (3,000 pesos per person, about 160 €!), I’d still suggest quickly checking online before you go to see which providers have the best ratings. You’ll have a much better chance of things going smoothly with the top-rated ones than with those as poorly ranked as Glendy Tours.
On the other hand, if you’re a beautiful young woman, you can choose them without worry—you’ll get better treatment than the rest of us...
To wrap up this excursion, I have to mention the “respect for nature” angle that all these tour operators highlight. They tell us they respect the whale sharks: only two or three people can dive at a time, and only for a few minutes, so as not to disturb these gentle giants...
We believed them before we left, but that’s not what we saw. When the sharks are hard to find except for one, everyone rushes it, and only the constant presence of the coast guard prevents the tour operators from putting their clients in the water.
Because for the second shark we saw, when the divers from our boat got out of the water and we left to join the queue while it was our turn to dive, other boats quickly arrived and started swarming the poor shark, which eventually left.
In other words, it’s clear these companies only respect the sharks when they’re being watched.
Boat reversing a meter away from a pelican
And for the snorkeling near Cabo Catoche, they attract fish daily by feeding them—a practice that’s normally discouraged. Afterward, these fish can’t feed naturally anymore and become dependent on Glendy Tours and its competitors.
A quick note on the rest of the excursion: Cabo Catoche (the site where we had lunch, on Holbox Island) is the northernmost point of the entire Yucatán. The place is paradise.

On the way back, we spent half an hour snorkeling at a site that turned out to be fish-filled only because the tour operators had the bad habit of feeding the fish. But this practice, which isn’t respectful of nature, is normally discouraged.

Plus, life jackets—like in many places in the Yucatán—are mandatory!!

As divers, we didn’t find the site very interesting, but objectively, it should delight those who aren’t used to putting their heads underwater in beautiful dive spots.
We hated feeling trapped in those life jackets, stuck at the surface, and for me, the highlight was swimming next to a pelican that wasn’t too shy—it was paddling right beside me in green water.
Anyway, it seems we can’t post more than 10 photos at once on VF, so I’ll come back with the rest of the journal in another message. Because after these early trip mishaps, the rest of the journey turned out to be magnificent...
What a pleasure to be back on VF after a few difficult years 😎 So, before diving into the topic, welcome back to VF and above all... keep going!
Well, I’m finally picking up my old habit of posting a new travel journal.
Before heading to Mexico in the summer of 2023 with my family (my partner and our two boys, aged 18 and 16), I had somehow convinced myself—though I can’t even remember why—that the Yucatán was too touristy, too cliché, too expensive, and overrated!
The country didn’t particularly appeal to me, but faced with my wife’s insistence—she’d been there years ago, before we met, and had promised to show our sons this incredible place—my arguments didn’t hold much weight.
And thank goodness, because I have to admit she was absolutely right to take us there! In the end, we encountered far fewer tourists than we’d feared (except at a few sites), and the prices, which we’d been told were geared toward American neighbors (US), turned out to be quite affordable. In short, it was pure joy on both counts. All that was left was for the trip itself to be beautiful and memorable—and it was...
1st stop: Isla Holbox and the whale sharks
Holbox (pronounced “Hol-bosh”) is a stunning island where you can relax in an enchanting setting.

Our main goal in coming to Holbox was to swim with whale sharks. So, the first thing we told our hotel, Los Arcos Holbox, upon arrival was to arrange an excursion with one of the island’s many tour operators: Glendy Tours Holbox. We set off the next morning, bright and early.
The itinerary for this outing is the same for all tour operators (and there are about thirty of them!): roughly two hours by speedboat, then snorkeling with the whale sharks, followed by another boat ride to Cabo Catoche for lunch, then more boating to a fish-filled snorkeling spot before heading back. In total, the excursion can take eight hours—or even longer.

Besides my two sons and me, there were only two other clients on board—a French couple. Our boat was one of the very first to leave, but after ten minutes, the pilot got a radio call. We turned back without any explanation, returning to the departure dock.
There, a young woman who clearly fancied herself a diva was waiting for us. She was Mexican and boarded the boat, snubbing all five of us while flirting with the pilot and guide, who were suddenly all eyes for her. We couldn’t understand how this diva had convinced our tour operator to turn the boat around just to pick her up when she hadn’t even booked and we were already far out. We left 20 minutes late.
The two-hour journey passed surprisingly quickly, and for good reason: we spotted dolphins six times! They were leaping out of the water as they moved. Pure joy. We stopped whenever they were near the boat.

The photo isn’t great—the ultra-wide-angle lens on my GoPro makes the dolphins look smaller—but at least I got a souvenir.
A few flying fish (exocets) also glided a meter or two above the water as we sped along. The false start was forgotten, and the day was off to a fantastic start in this stunning marine environment...
When we reached the area where the whale sharks were supposed to be, the guide explained that we’d now have to scan the sea until we spotted one. It could take five minutes or forty-five, he said, and if we were unlucky, we might not see any at all!
An hour and a half later—still nothing! The captain then headed toward a distant area where about twenty other boats were already gathered.
Sure enough, there was a juvenile whale shark (still a good eight meters long) there, and all the boats were lining up to approach it slowly, one by one, so as not to scare the animal. Each boat got about thirty seconds within a few meters of it, engine idling, before making way for the next. We were allowed to approach three times, but we weren’t permitted to dive in. That’s normal—such a crowd of divers around a single animal would stress it out, and here, whale sharks are protected by regulations: swimming with them is strictly controlled. There was even a coast guard boat with us at all times, monitoring everyone’s behavior.
We were torn between the luck of seeing such a magnificent animal, even from the surface, and the discomfort we felt about the absurd situation. All those boats lined up just to catch a fleeting glimpse of the shark for a few seconds—let’s be honest, it was ridiculous. In short, the whole thing was unpleasant, and probably even more so for the shark than for us, though it did keep gulping down kilos of plankton as if nothing were happening...
When it was our turn to approach, I dipped my GoPro into the water at arm’s length and framed the shot blindly, hoping for a decent image of the shark.

On the third and final approach, the sixth passenger on board—the one we’d had to turn back for ten minutes after departure—quietly spoke to the guide and captain after putting on her flippers (even though, I’ll remind you, no one was allowed to dive). She wanted them to ask the coast guard for permission to dive with the shark—just her! She whispered so we couldn’t hear what she was offering in exchange.
The two lackeys complied and shouted the request to the officials in front of all the other boats, with no shame whatsoever. With so many witnesses, the coast guard had no choice but to refuse. The diva wouldn’t let it go and asked them to insist, which they did, but the refusal was firm and final.
On the nearest boats, everyone had heard and was stunned. They openly mocked this bimbo who clearly had no shame. Hidden behind her star sunglasses, she responded with a dismissive smile. Pathetic.
The encounter with the shark ended, and we set off for Cabo Catoche, a site on Holbox Island where we were to have lunch.

We were a little disappointed not to have had the chance to see the usual school of whale sharks (they’re often dozens swimming together!), but that’s nature’s way, and we knew it.
And then, an unlikely stroke of luck: a boat ahead of us was putting divers in the water with a pair of adult whale sharks. We joined them, and while we were putting on our masks and snorkels, the guide briefed us. He said my sons and I would go first, followed by the French couple and the diva.
But Miss World, clearly unhappy with this order, quietly complained to the guide, who eventually switched the order. It didn’t bother us since we’d only get a minute in the water anyway—what’s a minute more or less?
So the three of them got in the water, and a moment later, they were done. My two sons and I, sitting on the edge of the boat with masks on and snorkels in our mouths, were ready to finally take the plunge. But instead of continuing to follow the shark, the captain was suddenly all eyes for Miss Silicone! He even let go of the wheel for a moment to help her back on board.
One of the two sharks had already left minutes earlier, and the second was swimming farther away. Other boats were arriving, and the captain went to join the queue 100 meters from the shark. Soon, even more boats showed up. There were way too many people, the shark left, and diving was no longer possible.
I was, of course, a little disappointed not to have fulfilled my long-time dream of swimming with a whale shark, even briefly. But I was mostly disgusted for my two boys, who had been so excited about it. I told the guide exactly what I thought and asked for compensation—not for missing out on swimming with the shark (you can never guarantee seeing one, nature isn’t at our beck and call), but for clearly skipping our turn to dive. He promised a refund.
At the end of the day, back on land, he dropped us all off, and as he was about to leave, I reminded him about the refund. He agreed again, calmly got back on board, and sped off as if nothing had happened—just him and the captain, two total cowards. I couldn’t believe it.
Of course, back at our hotel (which had booked this tour operator—Glendy Tours), I explained the situation and asked for my refund again. The receptionist called the manager, who arrived with the guide. Our runaway wasn’t so cocky anymore. Inside, I was fuming, but I kept my cool during the discussion that followed.
Right off the bat, I made a point of looking the so-called guide in the eyes while telling him he’d run off like a coward. I did my best to stay calm, speaking clearly, staring him down the whole time, and repeating several times that he was a coward, in front of the manager, who didn’t say a word. The guide had clearly been told by his boss to keep quiet because he didn’t utter a word during the entire twenty-minute conversation.
Anyway, I’ll spare you the details, but in the end, the manager only offered us another excursion the next day as compensation for the “inconvenience.” It was just snorkeling with fish, not another whale shark trip. He admitted their fault, but since we had to leave early the next morning and had other bookings for the rest of the trip, we couldn’t accept. And he refused to refund us.
On Tripadvisor, Glendy Tours has a mediocre rating (3 out of 5), but more importantly, it ranks 29th out of 36 nautical tour operators rated by customers. I was pretty upset with the hotel for booking such an amateur for us.

If you want to swim with whale sharks in Holbox, you might end up with Glendy Tours. And it might go well—I certainly hope so. But given the price of such an excursion (3,000 pesos per person, about 160 €!), I’d still suggest quickly checking online before you go to see which providers have the best ratings. You’ll have a much better chance of things going smoothly with the top-rated ones than with those as poorly ranked as Glendy Tours.
On the other hand, if you’re a beautiful young woman, you can choose them without worry—you’ll get better treatment than the rest of us...
To wrap up this excursion, I have to mention the “respect for nature” angle that all these tour operators highlight. They tell us they respect the whale sharks: only two or three people can dive at a time, and only for a few minutes, so as not to disturb these gentle giants...
We believed them before we left, but that’s not what we saw. When the sharks are hard to find except for one, everyone rushes it, and only the constant presence of the coast guard prevents the tour operators from putting their clients in the water.
Because for the second shark we saw, when the divers from our boat got out of the water and we left to join the queue while it was our turn to dive, other boats quickly arrived and started swarming the poor shark, which eventually left.
In other words, it’s clear these companies only respect the sharks when they’re being watched.
Boat reversing a meter away from a pelicanAnd for the snorkeling near Cabo Catoche, they attract fish daily by feeding them—a practice that’s normally discouraged. Afterward, these fish can’t feed naturally anymore and become dependent on Glendy Tours and its competitors.
A quick note on the rest of the excursion: Cabo Catoche (the site where we had lunch, on Holbox Island) is the northernmost point of the entire Yucatán. The place is paradise.

On the way back, we spent half an hour snorkeling at a site that turned out to be fish-filled only because the tour operators had the bad habit of feeding the fish. But this practice, which isn’t respectful of nature, is normally discouraged.

Plus, life jackets—like in many places in the Yucatán—are mandatory!!

As divers, we didn’t find the site very interesting, but objectively, it should delight those who aren’t used to putting their heads underwater in beautiful dive spots.
We hated feeling trapped in those life jackets, stuck at the surface, and for me, the highlight was swimming next to a pelican that wasn’t too shy—it was paddling right beside me in green water.
Anyway, it seems we can’t post more than 10 photos at once on VF, so I’ll come back with the rest of the journal in another message. Because after these early trip mishaps, the rest of the journey turned out to be magnificent...










