Merida/Progreso info needed

[Toots]

Anyone have info about what to do in Merida and port of Progreso? How is the beach in January - warm enough to swim? Day trips within a couple of hours of Merida?

 

This isn't really a cruise question, but I find CC's very knowledgable about all kinds of travel. Thanks for any info!

 

Brigitte

[Ka Honu]

Best chance you'll ever have to see Chichen Itza - don't miss it!

[breenw]

We visited Progresso with Carnival last year. The dock is very, very long but there are buses that will take you into the main "town" area. This is a very economically depressed area. The buses drop you off in a "flea market" area near the main town area. I found the prices to be exceptionally great with the locals who display their wares. But, if you want to shop there, you need to have cash - they don't take credit cards or travelers checks.

 

Also, there is free, public beach area very near where the buses drop you off (about 3 blocks). There was a red tide when we were there so no one could swim (bummer!), but we walked down to the beach area anyway. It looked really nice.

 

The worst part of Progresso was that we kept seeing these huge, and I mean HUGE, cockroaches in the water puddles along the street curbs. That was really grossing some of the people in our party out!

 

Also, be careful walking through any of the "market" areas. The stench was really bad. They have very little refrigeration there and they will slaughter chickens, etc. for sale, and they are laying out on open wood counters. It's amazing that those people have built up an immunity to eating food like that.

 

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised with the area there. Although we did not do a planned "excursion" in this port, we did enjoy shopping and felt the people were very friendly. Did not feel afraid to walk around the town area at all.

 

There is also a great Harley Davidson store and restaurant near the beach.

[doree]

We were there 2 yrs ago in Jan. They do bus you from the ships to the town, which is very poor -- I do believe that it is one of the longest piers in the world -- that is what we were told. Got some GREAT silver jewelry at the "flea market" there!!! There were people at the beach....we headed back to the ship... but did a little tour on our own....not a fav place for us.

[megsterl]

i dont think i would ever go back to progresso. too depressing and gross. if a ship i was on stopped there i would stay on board

[Sunsearchers1]

If you have the nerve.... try this: We came off the boat wondering how to spend the day, and waiting on the pier was a woman renting Jeeps. A quick walk around the vehicle and some haggling over the price, and our family of four were off. It was definatley cheaper than the bus tour for our family. We only had the map supplied from the boat to get to Chitzen Itza,as we weren't really planning this, but managed fine. The road signs were clearly marked, but were all in Spanish. We put the top down, cruised the toll highway, and drove for something like two hours each way.The daytrip was the highlight of our cruise, but it's risky, because there's not much time to waste , especially if you get lost.

[PACURN]

Get a taxi and you can go to the town of Merida. It's a wonderful town. Very clean and lovely people. We went and spent the moring there and went on to the Dzibalchaltun ruins in the afternoon. After the ruins we had lunch at the beach in Progresso. The Taxi driver stayed with us all day. In twon we went to the plaza, down the main street where lovely mansions are, and a momument at the end of that street. I would have like to spend more time there. We had a group of 8, four young children 4,5,7, and 10, and four adults. Never did we fear for the kids. Our driver was kind and courteous, and although he didn't speak English we managed fine.. We got our driver at the peir where the ship docked.