It’s been a very long time since I’ve written a BLOG and I must apologise as I have done some travelling but I’ve just been a little swamped. So catchup time is in order but only after my 30th on the 12 June WOOOHOOOO. Yes , I’m getting there, getting there quickly.

Before I do write a new post I would just like to share something with the rest of the world. South Africa today took their first stance against CRIME in the country. A group with a petition for the president organised The Million Man March Against Crime to stand up against a wave of crime that’s hit our country.

As most of you may have heard on the news, South Africans and foreigners, especially Africans were hit with a wave of Xenophobic attacks that really hurt a already crime stricken country.

Today was the day this was to change. For more information on this please visit the website at http://www.millionmanmarch.co.za/

After all the amazing talk and response I’ve had from the article on fresh water cave diving in Cancun I thought I’d write a nice little article on the reef dive in Cozumel in Cancun. For those of you who don’t know, Cozumel is a tourist haven little island off the coast of Mexico. Roughly a 45 minute ferry ride to the island, Cozumel is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, tourist shopping and diving mecca’s in the world today. If I had a choice now, I would’ve spent my entire holiday in Cozumel and taken a day trip to Cancun :), but the budget would not allow.

There were 2 reef dives that I did in Cozumel. The first dive a 45 minutes dive along the reef shelf. This reef is a steep shelf that drops off hundreds of metres below. It’s a dive filled with reef sharks, turtles and eels. The tricky part of this fresh water dive is the current. You get dropped off at one spot and get taken by the current about a mile down the reef wall before being picked up 45 minutes later by your skipper. Don’t bother turning around an swimming against this current, it’s a killer!! I tried catching up with a turtle, which aren’t the quickest of swimmers but that left me out of breathe and 10 minutes short on my dive hehe. I suppose that comes with experience.

Check out some of the awesome photo’s.

            

The second dive was a flat coral dive also off the coast of Cozumel. It’s a barren sandy beach with splashes of coral life spread out across the ocean floor. A quite very chilled dive, with some amazing Bass, eels and sea life! The coral is spectacular and the anenome are out of this world. Alot of sting rays and morays frequents these regions. The problem I face is that I don’t remember the name of the dive and the spots I dove in. So if these photo’s tickle your fancy you’re going to have to print them out or send your travel agent to this site and ask them if they recognise the pictures :-).

Anyways enough yabbering, check out my photo’s.

         

Cave Diving in Cancun

Other Cancun Articles

History of Simons Town

If you’ve ever wanted a quaint, quiet, historical little village, Simons Town in Cape Town, South Africa is an amazing little place that is summed up in those three words exactly. Situated in the quiet side of the Cape Peninsula, Simons Town is a must for ALL visitors going to the Cape. Having recently spent 4 days in Simons Town on a little romantic getaway with the girlfriend, I found myself in love with a side of the Cape that I never knew really existed.

The problem with visitors coming to Cape Town, South Africa, and I’m not talking about your international visitors, I’m talking about your local South African vaalie types, is that the places they visit are all the hip hop, clubbing, shopping and partying districts of the Cape, namely Clifton and Camps Bay etc….

You want good food, good accommodation and an experience that you’ll never forget (including some lovely gale force winds ;-)) do a trip to Simons Town. OH, DON’T FORGET THE PENGUINS!!!

Simon’s Town Bay owes its name to Governor Simon van der Stel, who landed in False Bay in 1687.  In 1741, after many shipwrecks in Table Bay (See Simons Town Diving Adventures), that the Dutch East India Company decreed that their vessels anchor in Simon’s Town Bay.

Simon’s Town, as we know it today, grew more rapidly with the establishment of the Royal Naval Base there soon after the second British occupation in 1806. As can be seen by the stunning Simons Town harbour and historical buildings.

Over the past two decades Simon’s Town has attracted many new residents with a subsequent building boom, which has fortunately not destroyed the historical and cultural appeal of the old town. The advent of democracy in 1994 and the recent expansion of the, fully integrated, South African Navy has given a further impetus to the growth of Simon’s Town, which now attracts thousands of visitors every year. While most come to see the penguins and the whales, many tarry to appreciate the unique historical ambience of Simon’s Town.

Eating Out in Simons Town

The Black Marlin -Nestled on one of the most scenic coastlines in the Cape , just outside of Simon’s Town, and en-route to Cape Point is the Black Marlin Restaurant.

Top 5 things to do in Simons Town

Boulders Beach - The home of the Simons Town penguins.

Places to stay in Simons Town

Romans Rock Guest House

Please stay tuned. This article will be updated over the next couple of days with new content.

Portilio Ski Resort, Chile.

Why you’ll want to go:South America’s oldest ski resort keeps it real with quaint accommodation and no overcrowding or outrageous prices.
Where to stay: Hotel Portillo is a classic mountain hotel - with outdoor heated pool, restaurant and piano bar. If you’re on a budget and don’t mind bunk beds (no getting frisky people), try Octagono Lodge.
What to do:SKI!!! Head for the slopes for some great skiing or snowboarding sessions. Novices can have lessons at Portillo Ski school. Don’t miss out on lunch at Tio Bob’s or partying with the locals at La Posada restaurant and the Portillo Bar.
How much you ask: A 7 night stay at the Hotel Portillocosts from $1300.00 per person (including 4 meals a day and ski lift access). A 7 night stay at Octagono Lodge goes for $800 per person (including 4 meals a day at Hotel Portillo and ski lift access).

 If this tickles your fancy check out the website on http://www.skiportillo.com/

WOOOOOAAAAA… yes people. Don’t get scared, don’t get frightened, but I’m back! The green machine is back to give you some travel tips and experiences to die for. Before I continue I just want to apologise for not having continued with my Cancun travel and Cape Town travelexperiences but this is a fun BLOG, so I figured why pressurise myself. The response however has been so overwhelming that I’ve decided to put more effort into my BLOGGING.

 So today I’m going to give you HOT HOT HOT TRAVEL TIPS.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

Earlier this year The New 7 Wonders Foundation invited people to vote online for their favourite modern day wonders. And the winners this year were…

The Great Wall, China. The largest man-made monument ever to have been built - and the only original wonder to make the new list. The Palace of Petra, Jordan. A 42 metre high Hellenistic temple facade on the edge of the Arabian desert. Christ Redeemer, Brazil.A 38 metre hug statue of Jesus that overlooks Rio de Jeniero. Machu Picchu, Peru.Known as a city in the clouds , this ancient Incan place of pilgrimage lies halfway up the Andes mountains. The Pyramid of Chichen Itza, Mexico. The last and greatest of the Mayan temples in Mexico. Roman Colosseum, Italy. This great amphitheatre was built to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Taj Mahal, India.Shah Jahan ordered this white marble jewel of India to be uilt in memory of his beloved wife.

Why am I telling you this you may ask, well it’s simple. If you have no idea where you’d like to travel too and you’re the type of traveller that loves historical sites and museums, here’s 7 sites for you to do!!! Plus I’ve been to 3 of them which means you’ll be able to read my next posts on these beautiful and magestical wonders of the world.

So long readers till next time.
Travel Diaries

This weekend my girlfriend and I decided to take 4 days off and take a trip to Cape Town - South Africa. My girlfriend never having been outside of Clifton or Camps Bay (in Cape Town for those of you who have never been) was so excited. I just couldn’t wait to finally spend some time in the proper side of Cape Town. Away from the glitz and glamour and showing off of the Kugel strip. Dont’ get me wrong, it’s a must see for first timers, but there are places in the Western Cape, that are too die for…

Having said that, I discovered the two best towns in Cape Town.
The one: Franshoek, The other: Simonstown

Stay tuned for more of Steve’s Travel Diaries and his adventures in the Mother City!

Eating Out in Cancun

Darn it’s been a while. Been wanting to write more for ages before I forget about my darn holiday, but time is of the essence people. So it’s now 1:30pm and I’m tired of working so I’m going to spend the next 30 minutes of my day putting together another article for my oh so wonderful BLOG.

Now before I get started with the dining experience in Cancun, I’m going to warn those of you with weak stomachs and those of you who eat mommy’s meals every night! It’s not for the faint hearted. I’m a pretty experimental eater when it comes to food and I love restaurants. I also like to think that my stomach can handle pretty much any meal you throw at me including a Indian Vindaloo Curry, but I’ll tell you, my stomach struggled with all the starch they eat in Mexico.

STEVE’S DINING TIP OF THE DAY: Takes some good laxitives with if you struggle with digestion! Between the beans, bread, avocado, nuts and oily meat, that digestive system takes a good beatin!!

Now that I got my little rant above over and done with let me tell you, there are some of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at in Cancun. There are over 1000 restaurants easily, 5 restaurants in the New Gran Caribe Real resort that I stayed in, although none worth spending too much money in…

A highly recommended restaurant (very pricey) but exquisite food is the Spice restaurant. Increadbile food with service that you wouldn’t anywhere in the world. A great selection of wines and a good place to get engaged :-). The family that took for dinner there lost a son to his future wife ;-). It was an incredible experience, plus I ended up getting a free meal at one of the most expensive restaurants of this planet.

Another restaurant that I ended up spending many hours at was Lorenzillo’s. If you’re a lobster fan, this place has the biggest selection of lobster in Mexico. An incredible dining experience where the restaurant over looks the bay. The lobster is out of this world, by far the best seafood in Mexico. For some great restaurant reviews check out http://www.cancun-restaurants.net/

Other Cancun Articles: Hotels in Cancun | Nightlife in Cancun | Cave Diving in Cancun

Other Cancun Articles: Hotels in Cancun | Cave Diving in Cancun

It’s been a while people and I do apologise. The response on my BLOG after just 5 posts makes me wonder why I never went with WordPress the first time I started BLOGGING. It just seems as though people who use wordpress are friendlier and share their thoughts more often, vs. the BLOGGER boys who seem to just use BLOGGER to gain backlinks and traffic for their real sites…. But enough about that lets move onto a topic that’s WELL WORTH WRITING ON A FRIDAY!

Partying In Cancun

Now believe me when I say that the parties in Cancun kick some serious butt! In fact the first party in Cancun with my two mates (whom if you read this post I’d really like you guys to contact me…) was awesome… See photo below!

 In a little corner in the hub of Cancun’s partying district is a secluded pub / restaurant / club called Senor Frogs. Now I’d never heard of this place before (even though it’s apparently one of the biggest chain of pubs) but let me  tell you, I’ll go back tomorrow. The waiters are incredibly friendly. The service is amazing and if you manage to drink enough and give enough to the waiters you’ll eventually start getting shooters poured down your throat at a rate of knots. Apart from the amazing tequila, cocktails out of this world, girls to die for, this place is a must see:

  

The food is apparently really really good but I believe after my 14th Tequila Margerita I forgot I’d even eating. If you’re looking for a fun fun time people, Senor Frogs Bar and Nightlife! With daily live music, DJs, contests and karaoke, this bar is always going until the early morning hours. And if that’s not enough, there’s even a water slide that leads from the venue out to the lagoon. So don’t forget your bathing suit.

To get to Senior Frog’s Cancun:
Senor Frog’s Cancunis located at Blvd, Kukulcan Km. 9.5, Frente a la playa Chac Mool, Zona Hotelera, C.P. 77500, Cancun, Quintana Roo.

Background on the caves in Cancun and Yucatan

South Africa has some amazing diving. With places like Sodwana being in the Top 5 dive spots in the world, I was really not sure what to expect of Cancun and the diving experience in Mexico. Plus, I’ve done some fresh water dives into caves and tunnels and I tell you, I really didn’t enjoy those. What did get my toes tingling was the history and aura surrounding these 5 000 000 year old caves. There was no way I was going to let this opportunity pass. 

Diving Tip
Before you go on this dive make sure you’ve done at least a refresher diving course or a dive within the last 6 months. You need to have done at least 10 - 15 dives as well before attempting a cave dive. It’s more than a beginners dive and if you’re claustrophobic, don’t even think about it! You’ll panic!The dive we took was the underwater system known as Chac Mol. Take a look at the map to the right of this paragraph. An amazing underwater system with some of the most intact and unspoilt stalactites and stalagmites I’ve seen. There is not an abundance of sea life, so if you’re looking purely for life, this dive won’t appeal to you. But if you’re into rock formations and unusual diving experience, it’s a must!!! I’ve attached some amazing photo’s from the cave dives!One of the most spectacular features is where the salt water meets the fresh water. It’s called a thermocline. An amazing phenomenon which I don’t think you’ll get to see anywhere else in the world. There is literally a line that separates the two waters. A blurry vision whilst swimming through the salt water opening up into a 20/20 vision with 30 meter visibility once you’re in the fresh water.

This region of Cancun is home to the worlds Number 1, 2 and 3 largest caves / cenotes and underwater caverns in the world. This system of caverns is made up of 3 major caves. The second-longest (Sistema Sac Actun) and third-longest underwater caves (Sistema Nohoch Nah Chich). Then the Sistema Sac Actun (White Cave System) which now holds the title of the world’s largest underwater cave.

Where to Book?

I manage to book this dive through the Gran Caribe Royal hotel that I was staying at and paid roughly $90 for 2 dives, including equipment, drinks, transport and lunch. This was apparently a total ripoff which of course you only find out at the end of your trip. If you walk down the main strip in Cancun you’ll come across loads of travel agencies. Walk into one of them and ask them from some quotes. You’ll get the same trip for roughly $65.

  

Other Cancun Articles: Hotels in Cancun | Nightlife in Cancun

Restaurants and Dining

The most amazing thing about the hotels in Cancun Mexico are the “All Inclusive Packages”. After many an article and hotel review I came across a little diamond, affordable diamond called Gran Caribe Real. The Gran Carib hotel is part of the Real Resorts group of hotels. The Real Group of hotels consists of 5 hotels through out Cancun and it’s surrounding peninsula. The Gran Caribe Real, The Royal Cancun, The Royal in Playa Del Carmen and the Real Playa Del Carmen.

The amenities and services offered were 5 start. Unfortunately I got caught by booking all my travel packages and tours through the hotel. DON’T GET CAUGHT. This will end costing you $120 for a travel tour to the Cozumel Island instead of $60 if booked via one of the local travel companies on the main road.

Overall the dining experience at the hotel is not amazing. It’s definitely worth your while to go for the all inclusive package as it can save you a whole lot of money should you feel like spending the day at the pool or at the hotel beach. With a selection of 4 restaurants though, it’s the one aspect of the hotel that could do with a little bit of a face life. The breakfasts are out of this world, with spreads to die for. A good selection of fruit, omelette’s and cereals. Lunches consist of your average American fat food selection, ranging from toasted sandwiches to hamburgers. The dinners are mainly buffets, with Maria’s being the TOP restaurant in the hotel offering an authentic Mexican dinner in a quaint and warm atmosphere. Not recommended if you’re single, you kinda get a couple of looks :).

Partying

During the day, this hotels pumps. There are two swimming pools which offer great entertainment in the form of DJ’s, games and GREAT GREAT COCKTAILS. The waiters and waitresses walk around all day serving you cocktails, another reason to go ALL INCLUSIVE. The beachfront has these amazing sleeper couches where massages are the order of the day. Unfortunately, the beaches were washed away by the storms of the Hurricanes and this is far from the greatest swimming beach in Cancun, but all in all nice to TAN!

The evenings consists of everyone drinking the night away in the central bar, with live music and dancing until 11:00pm where everyone goes back to their rooms to get ready for the nights partying at Coco Bongo or Senior Froggs.

Pricing

I’ve travelled an awful lot over the last 3 years and I must say that a 6 night 7 day all inclusive package at a 5 star hotel for $1000, is an incredible bargain. If you’re looking for some booking information and pricing on this hotel, visit the Gran Caribe Real Official Site. My recommendation is that you book directly through their official site and not via travel sites, the specials are a whole lot better.

Steve’s Overall Hotel Review

It’s a hotel suited mainly for family’s and romantic getaways, but as a single lone traveller, I loved every minute of it. The food was average, the cocktails and drinks were FREE so I can’t complain, but what really really impressed me, was the services and ability to communicate in all languages.

Overall I give the Gran Caribe Real a 8.5/10 rating.