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Beachside to Swiss Family Robinson Hostels

We woke up early to make our way to the water taxi office and then to the pier. Said our goodbyes to Blackie and made our way to wait for the boat.




The boat ride was relatively uneventful. Cleared customs in San Pedro, arrived in Chetumal and waited for our bus to take us to Tulum.

The Mexican buses were awesome in comparison to the little passenger vans we'd gotten used to in Guatemala, although extremely cold. Big cushy seats and movies (although in Spanish) to watch, it was living the lap of luxury after windy roads and broken down vans.

We arrived in Tulum late afternoon. Grabbed a taxi to take us to our hostel, Posada Las Mopaches, which was just outside of the town and right across the street from the Tulum archaeological site. When we came in we were greeted by the woman who ran the hostel - and not just a hello but full hugs and kisses.

Our bags were taken to be sprayed with pesticides before we went to our rooms while she gave us a run down on how things ran at the hostel. We were handed bike locks, reflective vests and keys and explained what to do with each. We were then given bicycle's to use to get in and out of town.


The hostel grounds were amazing. The rooms were all in Swiss Family Robinson style buildings, with tall thatched roof ceilings and screened in walls. Lots and lots of greenery and a few different common areas to enjoy.


The best part, however, had to be the multitude of animals that roamed about. 4 little Mopaches, from which the hotel takes it's name (Coati Mundi), 2 cats (one of which was an extremely affectionate siamese) and 3 very old dogs who did little more than lay about in the shade.

As should be obvious from all my other posts, I am no stranger when it comes to animals and take every opportunity to pick them up, hug, squeeze and what not.



We got ourselves settled in the hostel room, had (warm!) showers and headed out on our bicycles into town to explore, get some food and perhaps do some last minute shopping.

Dinner was enchiladas and mojitos. Meg opted for the chicken enchiladas covered in "red" sauce while I opted for the same but with "green" sauce. I'm still not certain what "green" really consisted of.

We wandered around, checking out various souvenirs and I opted to buy a hammock for myself, despite talking myself out of one every other day on the trip, entirely because it was my favourite colour.

As it got dark we realized we should probably get started on the bike ride home. Our bike lights provided little help in guiding us home and I was thankful for the bright and reflective vest that at least made us visible to the cars behind us.

Back at the hostel we got cozy in our room, took advantage of the free wifi and prepared our bags. We were leaving the hostel, checking out the ruins at Tulum and then catching the bus back to Cancun for the night before flying home. 

Travel with the A-Train

Those Mopache are simply adorable.....Are they pets? They appear to be domesticated and just sooooo cute....

They are like raccoons...sorry about the spelling...not really domestic...

These are young Coatimundi. Wild animals live in the wild quite happily without the interference of humans. Domestic animals have been changed over a period of time to become useful to humans as resources. Some wild animals are tamed to a certain extent and kept as pets, which has done untold damage to their populations in the wild leading to serious endangerment for some species and near extinction for others, but that does not mean they are domesticated. Coatimundis are highly social animals. They are extremely intelligent and live in large groups. When they become sexually mature they can become extremely aggressive and are often abandoned by owners who cannot cope with a mature wild animal in a domestic situation. Coatimundis are often exploited by people who use them as a means to attract attention for panhandling or to sell their wares. The animals in this situation are often very seriously neglected, often abused terribly so that they will remain compliant and then either killed or abandoned when no longer useful. According to some specialist exotic animal groups "Unfortunately, the coatis' gregarious behavior makes them appealing to many interested in owning them as "pets". But, like so many animals, coatis are not domesticated and are not easily trained, so do not make ideal housemates." Info on Coatimundi

and "In contrast to dogs and cats, coatis have not been bred to blindly accept authority. They are naturally selfish and will more often than not ignore their owner's authority or commands. Coatimundi training is a difficult task. The small mammals will try to constantly improve their hierarchical status in the household, which implies aggressive confrontations. This can pose serious problems for a family with small children. Strangers will not be accepted easily, and neighbours are likely to face similar problems."

Carnivora - Coatimundi

The Humane Society of the United States says "Keeping wild and exotic animals as pets threatens public health and safety as well as animal welfare. Wild animals can attack, they can spread disease, and the average pet owner cannot provide the care they need in captivity. Help us keep wild animals in the wild!

From anacondas to bears to chimpanzees, it's simple as ABC: These are dangerous wild animals. It may come as a surprise that in some states they are legal as pets.

Even captive-bred wild animals have wild instincts, and smaller animals can attack, too. There's also the risk of diseases such as Herpes B virus and Salmonella.

Often bought as cuddly babies, when exotic pets become too much to handle they may be kept in small cages or even let loose-putting other wildlife at risk.

Help stop the trade in dangerous wild animals as pets. And if you want a pet, please visit a local shelter to find a domesticated pet suited to be a lifelong member of your family. "

Please help us to keep our wildlife in the wild. Please do not support the pet trade, do not have your photograph taken with exotic wild animals that are being kept as pets and if you care about wildlife support the important work of wildlife conservation organisations.

Collyk....Got it....Not pets....they are still soooo cute. PS: I appreciate your passion on the subject.

Hi Judyann,

I take every opportunity to try to educate visitors and residents about the importance of protecting our wild life. Thanks for giving me an opportunity! Happy New Year! (and yes, they are bloody adorable)