Casa Carolina is a NAUI Dream Resort and offers a wide range of scuba diving courses and reef trips for small groups. The owner, Bob Villier, has been diving since the 1960's and is a NAUI Instructor Trainer specializing in tailor made packages for small groups. For land-lubbers, the seldom visited ruins of southern Quintana Roo, including the spectacular ruins of Kolhunlich and Dzibanche, are close enough for day trips by car. Even closer is turquoise Laguna Bacalar with its town and historic fort overlooking the lake. Just a bit farther south on Laguna Bacalar is Cenote Azul, a great place for a refreshing swim and beverage at their restaurant.
The rooms Casa Carolina is a small alternate energy hotel using solar and generator power to produce electricity. The hotel has only four rooms, three with a queen size bed, and one with a double and one single bed. Each room has a private bathroom with a shower and hot water, kitchenette with a sink, bar sized refrigerator, stove, Melida coffee maker and basic dishes, utensils and cookware.
Shopping first For those arriving into Cancun International it is advised to go shopping first before driving the 4+ hours south to Xcalak. Costco, Sam's Club and Walmart are all located near each other in CD Cancun (not the hotel zone) for good prices, selection of foods and needed items. For refrigerator items either bring a cooler checked through as baggage or buy one in Cancun and load it up there. Besides food, you will also want to bring or purchase in Cancun: sunscreen, insect repellant, a hat and any special spices you like for cooking. Other shopping options include Sam's Club and Chedraui in Playa del Carmen, Super Chomak in Akumal and various stores in Tulum and Carrillo Puerto, but Cancun is far and away your best choice. There are a couple small corner stores in Xcalak but selection is very limited. Trucks selling fresh produce come to Xcalak on average twice a week.
The drive from Cancun Morning arrivals into Cancun should allow enough time to shop and make the drive south, arriving in Xcalak before dark. Please be advised, if you should need to do some night driving be extremely cautious on the road after dusk! The areas south of Tulum are still rural with the possibility of livestock meandering out onto the highway, and encountering vehicles with poor or nonexistent lights (especially below Carrillo Puerto). Watch out for topes (speed bumps), which can pop up out of nowhere. Play it safe and try to allow enough time to exit Cancun and arrive in Xcalak by dusk. Night driving is not recommended.
About Xcalak The coastline down here is fringed with coconut palms and mangrove estuaries providing some great opportunities for kayaking and bird watching. The northern reaches of Belize's barrier reef (second largest in the world) lies just offshore for pristine snorkeling and scuba diving. Exploring the shoreline by kayak, snorkeling the shallow coral gardens of the reef, fly fishing the saltwater flats, deep-sea fishing for the big fellas, and scuba diving the canyons and depths of the outer reef are a few of the typical day's adventures in Xcalak. There are a few restaurants in Xcalak including: Silvia's Loncheria, Toby's Brisas del Mar, The Leaky Palapa, Terra Maya and Xcalak Caribe, but open hours vary. Nearby Costa de Cocos Resort is a popular ocean front bar/restaurant for dinner or a drink by the water.
