Family kiting trip to the Cancun area

utahboy · Since 10 Jul 2005 16 Posts Salt Lake City

Two kiting families are trying to figure out an April trip to the Cancun area. Tulum? Cozumel? We prefer not having to drive to the kiting spot, but will if that is what it takes. Any suggestions on location, family friendly kite beaches, accomodations, are appreciated.

Nak · Sun Sep 12, 10 9:40 am

What's your price range? Do you want ultimate flat water or swell? Luxury or simple lodgings?What does the family want to do while you're riding? Lots of options...

pdxmonkeyboy · Sun Sep 12, 10 11:38 am

I'm not captain Mexico or anything but tolum looks pretty damn cool. It looks somewhat advanced kiting wise but when it's not windy their are tons of Aztec ruins and other cool culture stuff that transcends just sitting on the beach getting drunk.

carlitos · Since 02 Feb 2006 81 Posts NE pdx

tolum is awesome. very cool, uncrowded beach. no vendors or annoying frat boys puking in the bushes or slutty girls flashing titties (not that im against that kind of behavior)... but for families, tolum is pretty chill compared to the other options around all-inclusive strip. the lodging is simple and tropical. we stayed in some rustic-eco beach cabanas that had no electriciy or floor. sand only and lit by torches and candles with a king bed under a mosquito net and a semi-outdoor shower (cold only).

we had pretty good wind every day last december. at least 5 straight days. wind was slightly onshore with decent shoulder high waves pumping from shore to about 100 meters out. some good rip, so not a great place to let your 4 year old experience the ocean for the first time (unless you have him in your control). there were lots of more calm areas and places you can snorkel or swim with kids all within a short walk or even shorter drive along the beach.

this place makes CANCUN feel like a "real" place that i will for sure go back to. sorry i cant remember the place we stayed at, but we literally drove down the beach road and picked the place that looked most interesting, knocked on the office door and were in our beachfront cabana within 10 minutes at a fraction of the cost of one of the HUGE hotels. kiting within 30 minutes right off my patio. pretty dope.

brass · Since 15 Jul 2006 152 Posts Stoked

My (now) wife and I hit up Tulum the first 10 days or so of May this past year. carlitos summed up the vibe there pretty well. Way less touristy than Cancun or Cozumel (where I would personally never go). So much less in fact that you really can't mention them in the same sentence.

We stayed at the Hotel Uolis Nah which is not on the beach but substantially cheaper than anything on the beach. We had a kitchen so we made breakfast and lunch ourselves and with the $ we saved on lodging we went out to eat for dinner each night sometimes splurging, sometimes going the cheap route which is easy to do in town. Uolis Nah has an affiliation with 1) the kite school/kite beach extremecontrol.net and 2) the beach resort just south of there. We would post up at one of their palapas then walk up the beach a bit and pump up and launch leaving our stuff at the palapa without issue. I would say you want a car for a plan such as this but they are pretty cheap from the airport.

I wouldn't say it was the greatest kiting spot I have been but it was good enough. The wind was on shore almost every day and it was windy only half the time. We flew 7-13m kites but Marco said it was rarely that windy when we were on the 7s. The waves are a bit unorganized due to the rip currents and where they were better set up the reef was pretty shallow. The inside a bit choppy but hey it's still fun.

Definitely check out tulum.info for tips on food, lodging, cenotes (highly recommended), ruins and other activities.

Feel free to pm me if you need more.

kitemare · Since 23 Mar 2010 265 Posts Seattle, wa Obsessed

check out Extreme Control

http://www.extremecontrol.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32&Itemid=146&lang=en

Met the dude, seems pretty cool. You can rent gear from his shop, 4 hours for $100. (thats kite/bar/harness/board) which would be pretty sweet or you can just rent a board for $35 for 4 hours.

DownStream · Since 18 Apr 2007 381 Posts Obsessed

SPI! its a lot safer and we got pretty authentic tacos at the gas stations!

aolive · Since 18 Jan 2009 34 Posts

Bring your big kites. 10-14m and you can't find a more beautiful spot. We went and kited with morph kiteboarding in Xpu-ha. It is inbetween Cancun and Tulum.

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

went to tulum a couple of years ago kitted right in front of the hotel was able to get out on a big kite about every other day. Don't agree with the no titties had topless sun bathers all the time along with euro thong guys and a few skinydippers early in the am. The cave snorkling trip(cenotes) is one of the coolest things you will ever do.

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

JMatic · Since 12 Aug 2008 252 Posts Boise, In Dat Ho Obsessed

hit up Isla Blanca north of Cancun if ya get a chance. It's a 45 min drive, but some of the smoothest flatwater in a sheltered lagoon you'll ever kite.

Very cool spot but not much in terms of loding except for the ikarus spot which has tiny bungalow/motel style rooms on the water's edge.

Cozumel was kick a$$ no matter what anyone says, hit up mescalitos on the 'other side' and work your way down the coast back to San Juan. Shallow crystal clear water with small waves to play on....watch for rips though.

The Isla de Passion on the northern part of the island had potential but no wind when we were there....another big lagoon with knee-deep water as far as you could see.

Tulum had promise but again no wind so a tour of the ruins with cerveza in hand was the ticket.....go with an open mind and agenda geared towards enjoying yourself whether kiting or not and you won't be disappointed.

utahboy · Since 10 Jul 2005 16 Posts Salt Lake City

thanks everyone for the advice. some clarifications: we are two kiting families: 4 adults and 3 teenagers that all kite. Cheap is good for accomodations. The post from Carlitos about sand floor and cold showers is right up our alley. As long as there is wind, cold beer and warm tortillas, we are happy. I feel better about going to the south of Cancun since it sounds like it is not too touristy, with lots of other activities should the wind not blow.

Nak · Mon Sep 13, 10 4:38 pm **Re: Worth the drive....**

Nak · Mon Sep 13, 10 5:14 pm

I forgot, don't forget to make your car rental reservations on the internet BEFORE you go. You'll get a MUCH better deal than walking up to the counter.

JMatic · Since 12 Aug 2008 252 Posts Boise, In Dat Ho Obsessed

[quote="Nak"] Not so! If you got the bucks, this place is about 10 minutes from the Isla Blanca Kite beaches, and a much nicer beach than Hacienda Punta Sam had! http://www.excellence-resorts.com/all-inclusive-resorts/playa-mujeres-mexico/playa-overview.htm That's my dream vacation! You're family will never even notice you're gone when you go kite. Wink

I stand corrected, didn't see this place on our trip but then again any resort that features Dos Equis 'most interesting man in the world' as the feature model is usually above my price range. Looks sick though.

And yes the Punta Sam appeared to be no longer operating when we stopped by in June--just an old man in a chair staring at us uncomfortably as we walked by Rolling Eyes