Getting to Xcalak

Most of our clients arrive on an air conditioned private shuttle with professional driver as part of your inclusive fishing package.  Renting a car and driving is an option for those who wish to get out and about and enjoy a little more of what Xcalak has to offer.

Airlines

Go to priceline.com and do a search for Cancun.

Go to southwest.com to search Southwest Airlines available flights.  Southwest does not list their flights on any discount airline websites

Go directly to the website of the company you wish to fly with (Unites, Frontiers, American, Southwest, etc…) and book with them.  Many times this will show you different booking options including:

Flying on 1 day different saving you money.
Booking directly with the airline often gives you some room for negotiation if issues arise.  Cancellation/Change fees when booking through priceline (Or other agencies) are usually higher or non negotiable.
Possibly booking a slightly higher fare which may covers baggage fees

Things to keep in mind when you are booking a flight to Mexico

Luggage Fees for your airline.

Some airlines allow a weight limit of 50# to your checked bags, some only allow 40#.
Some higher rate tickets give you two or one free checked bags with your flight which can add up to $100 + for your flight total.  For this reason I suggest that the best airline to fly is Southwest.  They offer 2 free 50# checked bags, a carry on and a personal item.

Rental Cars

Go to priceline.com and put in a search for the dates of your car rental
See what costs are related to the size of vehicle you would like/need
Do not book on priceline, but instead go directly to the website of the Car Rental Company that had the best car and price combination you found
Book your car rental directly on the car rental website (Hertz, Avis, Budget, etc….)

Be sure to consider a few different options when booking your car rental

Many different Credit Card companies offer car discounts. Check with all of your CC companies to see if you get a discount at any specific car rental companies.
AMEX has a Car Rental Insurance policy available for foreign car rentals that covers the additional liability portion of Mexican car rentals. This saves you up to $12 per day which adds up fast.  Call AMEX (Or check with your CC companies) to see if you qualify for such coverage.

Driving Directions to Xcalak

Getting to Xcalak is pretty easy, just takes a little while. The drive to Xcalak is truly part of the experience. You will drive through very rural and jungle parts of Mexico, you never know what you might see. It’s a journey well worth the making. Without stopping you can make it under 4 hours but you want to plan on 5+.

WARNING – Watch out for the “topes” (toe-pays)! They look like the symbol for two mounds on the ground, but what they are telling you is that a series of speed bumps or possibly a small speed bump hill, meaning to slow down cars is ahead. Many times you will be travelling at 50-75 miles an hour; you don’t want to hit these at that speed. Keep an eye on the car in front of you to brake and watch for the signs on the side of the road warning you about 50 yards before they are in front of the tope.

From the airport, you go South. For a long time. Follow signs that say to Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Chetumal. One you past Playa Del Carmen, its only signs for Tulum and Chetumal. Once past Tulum, its signs for Chetumal, Felipe Carillo Puerto and Belize. If you reach Chetumal or Belize, you’ve gone too far! The landmark town you are going to is the town of Limones which is around 1 hour South of Felipe Carillo Puerto. The one big turn you make, a Left, is shortly after Limones.

Overpasses / By-Ways

Heading south from the airport and right before the entrance to most towns (Especially Playa Del Carmen) you will want to take advantage of the city overpasses. To do this, be sure you are in one of the middle lanes as you approach a small town or city.  You will see the road going up and over the town and you want to be on it. These overpasses will leave you mucho tiemps (Much time). Be SURE not to miss the one entering Playa del Carmen, unless you plan on stopping there.  Saves 30+minutes each direction.

Heading South from Cancun (Towards Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Chetumal) it will take you around 1 ½ hours to get to Tulum which is for most purposes the last town. You will go through Playa Del Carmen about ½ the way to Tulum.

Once you go through Tulum you’ll be going through mostly jungle with a very improved road that goes through some small towns (Watch for topes at the entrance AND exit to all towns).  The next “major” town you will hit will be Felipe Carillo Puerto.  Get gas at the FIRST gas station you hit coming in to town on the right.  The gas station in town gets pretty crowded.  Getting through Felipe Carillo Puerto is pretty easy.  You will go through only 1 roundabout where you will simply continue going straight.

Roughly 75 KM from Felipe Carillo Puerto is the town of Limones.  This is the landmark that your turn to the left(Towards the ocean) is coming up.  The turn is about 3-5 KM from the south side of town.  The sign should say Xcalak or Mahahual.  Once you have made this left turn you are now headed towards Mahahual.  Home stretch, drive fast.

WARNING – This is an area where you will likely/possibly encounter Federales.  They are very friendly but yes, they carry M-16’s.  From the turn to Limones all the way to Xcalak they could be at any point waving for you to stop.  Simply pull over, tell them you are a “pescador tourista” and they’ll let you on your way.  Every now and then you have to get out of the car and they do a small search.  But they are always nice, simply doing their job.

About 3 KM from Mahahual is the turn to Xcalak.  It’s a turn to the right/South.  If it’s dark now you might be able to miss it.  The easiest way to know where you are is that, if you hit the gas station you have gone about 100 yards to far.  You should fill up your car here, last chance for gas, no gas in Xcalak.  Go back to the turn and head south towards Xcalak.

This road now will be a little more primitive and tight.  Don’t go too fast, you never know if a snake, hawk or jaguar is going to walk out in the road.  You’ll follow this road for 60KM and come to a T in the road, go left at the T.

You’ll go about 2 Km and start entering town.  You made it!

Food, Beer and Wine

If you wish to do a little grocery shopping on yor way to Xcalak, the absolute best and most convenient shopping market is the large Chedraui in Tulum.  When you get in to Tulum, you will come to a traffic light (Immediately on your right will be a grocery store named San Francisco) and see signs that say “Punta Allen/Boca Paila”.  It is a left, and you will follow those signs for a few hundred yards.  The Chedraui is on your left, can’t miss it.

Special Attractions – Driving