We would like to drive from Cancun, Mexico, to the Mayan ruins of Tulum. Please provide directions and lodging possibilities.
Tulum, about 75 miles south of Cancun, is easily reached by Route 307 to El Crucero, where there is an access road to Tulum. The ruins, while not as majestic as Chichen Itza or Uxmal, are the only substantial Mayan ruins facing the sea. The setting is spectacular.
The compound includes 17 structures, the most impressive one being the Castillo, which served as both a temple and a fortress. There is also the Temple of the Frescoes, which contains 13th-century wall paintings. The largest building is the Temple of the Descending God, which has carved depictions of a winged deity plummeting to earth.
Tulum, which is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (entrance costs $5), is one of the most visited of Mexico's Mayan sites, though most visitors stay only a few hours. The major attractions here are the ruins and the beach; night life is minimal. For those wishing to spend a night or two, there are several lodgings in the area.
The Osho Tulum, at Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila, Kilometer 7, (52-987) 120 94, or in the United States, 707-778-1320, is a good hideaway for those seeking a New Age retreat, with yoga classes, a restaurant serving mainly vegetarian dishes, and 30 cabanas, 10 of which are quite rustic with a communal bathroom; the remaining 20 have private baths. Prices range from $50 to $100.
At the El Crucero junction, El Faisan y El Venado (no telephone) has 14 modest rooms with private baths and air conditioning. Rooms for one or two people cost $30.
Cabanas Ana y Jose, off Route 307, between the Tulum entrance and the village of Tulum, (52-98) 80 60 22, has 16 huts facing the beach. All rooms have comfortable hammocks, bathrooms with hot water and tile floors. It is one of the most popular lodgings in Tulum. Double rooms are $42.
We would like to attend the Sundance Film Festival in 1998. Could you give us information on lodgings and projected prices?
The dates for the 1998 Sundance Film Festival -- Jan. 15-25 -- have been set, but some details remain to be worked out, according to Lilliana Cabal, a member of the press office for the Sundance Institute, which organizes the annual festival in Park City, Utah.
Prices for the various types of festival passes -- which won't go on sale until early November -- have not been announced; individual tickets will probably not go on sale until early January.
At the 1997 festival, which featured 127 full-length films and 56 short films, tickets ranged in price from $7 to $10 for individual screenings. There were also several packages available, ranging from a $125 pass, which allowed entrance to 17 regular daytime screenings and three panel discussions, to a $2,000 package, which allowed an unlimited number of events during either the first or the second five-day period.
It is wise to buy packages well in advance. Last year 12,000 people from out of state attended the festival. For information, contact the Sundance Institute, P.O. Box 16450, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116, 801-328-3456.
Demand for lodging in Park City, about 20 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, is also competitive; reservations should be made in early fall or mid-fall. Among the hotels in Park City are the Radisson Resort Inn Park City, 800-333-3333 or 801-649-5000; the Yarrow, 800-327-2332; and Deer Valley Lodging, 800-453-3833 or 801-649-4040.
Pub Date: 5/04/97
