Beaches of Playa Del Carmen, San Marcos Festival, and The Town of Tequila Mexico!

Jul 2, 2018 • By Leonidas K. • 8 min read

Mexico Travel

The Last 3 Adventures Of Our Journey Through Mexico

After exploring Merida, Chichen Itza, Izamal, and 2 cenotes, it was time to reach the end of the Mexican Peninsula.

The last 2 locations I wanted to visit were Playa Del Carmen, which I heard some interesting things about, and Cancun, which is famous for party-tourism.

A bus from the white city of Merida to Playa Del Carmen takes only 4 hours, which felt like a breeze compared to the 10-14 hour bus rides I had done previously.

After being disappointed with Cancun, my adventures would take me to origins of one of the world’s most favourite excuses to get drunk: tequila in the town of Tequila, Mexico.

And finally, a quick stop over into one of Mexico’s most popular festivals, that attracts over 7 million Mexicans and cowboys and cowgirls every year; the San Marcos Festival.

Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed by Playa Del Carmen at all.

Keeping in mind that my previous adventures in Mexico were focused on historical towns and cities like Guanajuato, getting stuck driving up volcanoes and learning about the French invasions of Mexico, and more or less lots of history and intrigue.

Playa Del Carmen is what I would label as a tourist trap town.

Its evolution is strictly based on laying on the beach, staying in a hotel, eating at overpriced restaurants, renting overpriced scooters and cars, and paying for overpriced tour packages.

Many people DO come to Playa Del Carmen, to disconnect from their jobs, and the cold weather of the season, but that wasn’t my personal interest, so I stayed here for a brief 2-3 days, before taking a bus up to Cancun.

The southern-most general entrance into the beach area of Playa Del Carmen

Walking along the beaches of Playa Del Carmen. Not the most impressive sand to look, especially during peak season.

This ferry will take you to the adventure-tourism island of Cozumel.

The actual colour of the water at Playa Del Carmen

Mayan actors putting on a show in Playa Del Carmen

Sea Turtles in Playa Del Carmen. Maybe they still exist, or maybe the pollution had killed them off

The beach in Playa Del Carmen. There is a lot of dried up seaweed

From the rooftop of a club in Playa Del Carmen

Looking towards the southern beach from the rooftop of Playa Del Carmen

Fancy-looking hotels wall off the beaches in Playa Del Carmen

There are many small boats, that either catch fish for the restaurants, or provide private tours in Playa Del Carmen

The only volleyball court available in Playa Del Carmen

The beaches in Playa Del Carmen are very narrow

A massive hotel beside the beach in Playa Del Carmen. I could not enter due to security

A massive hotel sits along the beach of Playa Del Carmen

A fancy hotel with a bridge, and open-concept, makes this a pretty cool looking hotel in Playa Del Carmen

Tourist police station in Playa Del Carmen. Keeping the neighborhood safe

Walking down the main streets of Playa Del Carmen

Professional photos on display in Playa Del Carmen

A really cool professional photo of the Mexican indigenous peoples (presumably)

Fancy models on display on the main streets of Playa Del Carmen

A mayan-inspired Cigar shop in Playa Del Carmen

Mayan-inspired statues in the main streets of Playa Del Carmen

A mayan performs a seashell call in Playa Del Carmen

A storm front coming into Playa Del Carmen

A bright red central American flower in Playa Del Carmen

Day of the dead statues in a tequila shop in Playa Del Carmen

A storm front comes this way over the streets of Playa Del Carmen

At night time, this area is filled with party-goers, and hungry restauranteurs in Playa Del Carmen

The Flying men of Mexico getting ready to perform their flying trick

Colourful souvenirs for sale in Playa Del Carmen

Colourful souvenirs for sale in Playa Del Carmen. Christianity is melded with indigenous cultures

So What About Cancun?

Cancun is a simple 1 hour bus ride north of Playa Del Carmen. Honestly, this was the least impressive city to visit.

Economically, it’s an amazing development; the government found a nice area, and risked a large investment into the beach areas, which has evolved into one of the most visited places on the planet for beach and hotel relaxation.

But aside from that, when you take a bus along the coast of Cancun, all you can see are enormous hotels that completely block your view.

This is strictly a hotel city, nothing more.

Furthermore, the city has grown so rapidly in popularity, that their main arteries between the airports are completely loaded with traffic, to the point of me missing my flight to Guadalajara… it’s that bad.

Missed Flight

So because I missed my flight due to a terribly backed-up road system in Cancun, I had to make a different journey to Guadalajara:

Mexico Cross country planes, buses, cars

Booking another flight was going to be $300 USD, instead of the $100 that I had paid initially (luckily, I was refunded the ticket).

To quickly change the plans, I booked a flight from Cancun to Leon, Mexico (3 hours in the airport, 2.5 hour flight).

Then took a bus from the Leon Airport, to the Leon bus station (1 hour). Then another bus from the Leon Bus station, to the Guadalajara bus station (3 hours). Upon arriving, I went to book a car, and drove to Tequila (1.5 hours).

To get a fresh, deep dive into Guadalajara, Mexico, go here.

Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico

Tequila, Mexico is, of course, tourist-central.

But there is a lot of history to be learned, about how this little town introduced one of the most influential and popular drinks on the planet.

Renting a car, and doing the tour myself was the option I decided on, it was only a 1.5 hour drive away from Guadalajara (probably faster).

Tequila is a small town, with the entire surrounding areas consisting of farms that grow ‘agave’; the plant that is distilled into the tequila drink.

By international agreement, tequila can only be produced and imported from Mexico (as recognized by the USA, Canada, and a few others).

The central square in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico

Sampling tequila, and learning about the differences between them

The 5 different tequilas sampled. Each produced, and aged in different ways.

The history of the oldest tequila distillery in the world

With Don Vicente Albino Rojas, for whom the ‘Crow Tavern’ was called.

A look inside the ‘Taberna De Cuervo’ (San Cuervo distillery). The oldest tequila distillery still in operation

Commemorating drinking on top of barrels in the town of tequila

Leonidas Posing in front of a historical mural representing parts of Tequilas history

A contemporary mural commemorating dance, and femininity and festivities in the town of Tequila

Contemporary mural representing the females of Mexico

A statue representing the men who worked tirelessly to produce tequila for the masses in the town of Tequila, Mexico

Parroquia Santiago Apostol in Tequila, Mexico

The Santiago Angel outside the Parroquia Santiago Apostol in Tequila Mexico

A military guard makes sure there are no issues today in Tequila, Mexico

A (muscovy?) duck of interesting designs and colours on a tequila farm in Mexico

Cactus-styled bottles of tequila for sale (~ USD) — Cactus-styled bottles of tequila for sale (~$35 USD)

La Catrina, a mexican pop culture figure. Bottles of tequila

Deciding on the next move inside a tequila farm in Mexico

An underground tequila bar on a tequila farm in Tequila, Mexico.

A metal horse sits inside an underground tequila bar on a tequila farm in Tequila, Mexico.

A muscovy duck sits around waiting for something interesting to happen on a tequila farm

Guadalajara to Aguascalientes

Upon completing the brief 3 hours adventure into Tequila, I sped back to Guadalajara, Mexico to get some well-needed sleep. The following day, I had to quickly decide whether I would drive to Aguascalientes, or simply take the bus. Driving would require paying for additional days for the car ($30/day), gas (about $50-80 for the entire trip), and toll-fees (possibly another $20) – and then I would need to drive the car BACK to Guadalajara to avoid paying a fee. The other option was to simply take the bus (~$20 USD). The decision was taking the bus, and taking a well-needed rest on the bus.

Feria San Marco in Aguascalientes, Mexico

I visited Aguascalientes previously (along with San Luis Potosi, and San Miguel De Allende).

The city of Aguascalientes was very generic when contrasted with other Mexican cities, and 1 day was all you really needed there.

But then I learned about the Feria Nacional De San Marcos (Saint Marco Festival), so it was a good excuse to visit again.

As a quick summary, the festival has been held for the last 190 years (since 1828), is held for about 3-4 weeks, and attracts almost 7 million visitors per year.

Colonial-mexican dances and attire during the San Marco Festival in Aguascalientes

Apparently, this is a Mexican version of the bobble-head (the heads don’t actually move though)

A statue of someone important (of course) in Aguascalientes

A Mexican guitar performer prepares for a long day of serenading visitors in Aguascalientes

Preparing for a long day of playing music in Aguascalientes

Despite an entire festival and event happening around us, we are still entrenched into the emotions of our own lives, as projected through our phones

Sitting around, waiting to perform in the San Marcos Festival

A guitar player brushes past to his next performance during the San Marcos Festival

Spicy clamato michelada. My most favourite drink in Mexico

Performers in San Marco Festival getting ready to make some money

Groups of musicians walk around, and annoy the hell out of you, while you drink at an outdoor bar

Dancing to ‘Banda’ music on the streets of Aguascalientes

A girl posing as La Catrina, a famous caricature in Mexican pop culture

Meat on a stick for sale in Aguascalientes

Walking through the colourful streets of the carnival in Aguascalientes

A family posing for a stereotypical Mexican-looking photo in Aguascalientes

Various souvenirs from American pop culture for sale in Aguascalientes

Entering the massive dome that covers a large portion of the festival (in case it rains)

Aguascalientes To Guadalajara To Puerto Vallarta

Upon completing the San Marcos Festival adventure, it was finally time to return back to my friends place in the historical beach-city of Puerto Vallarta, and get back to work (and editing the extensive number of photos from Mexico).

Unlike the first time that I flew to Aguascalientes for only $80 USD, I couldn’t get an inexpensive flight the second time, or within the time-frame that I wanted (back to Puerto Vallarta).

So the bus system was the best alternative.

In total, it took 3 hours by bus from Aguascalientes to Guadalajara, then a 3 hour stop in the Guadalajara bus station, and then another 6 hours to Puerto Vallarta, and finally a 1 hour taxi to my buddies place.

All in all, it was a great conclusion to the traveling done in Mexico.

I visited 40 Mexican cities/towns in total over the course of 4 months.

Mexico is amazing, and I am definitely coming back!