Sunday, January 29, 2006

Andrea Knutsen, 25, of Arlington, is the latest contributor to our Your Vacation in Lights feature, in which we invite Travel section readers to share the dish about their recent trips. It's a big, confusing travel world out there, and you can help your fellow travelers navigate it. Your hot tip can be the next guy's day-maker; your rip-off restaurant, the next family's near-miss. To file your own trip report -- and win a Travel section tote bag and become eligible to win a digital camera -- see the fine print below.

THE TRIP: Romantic Adventure on a Budget

WHO WENT? My boyfriend and I (both in our mid-20s).

WHERE? Tulum, Mexico

WHEN? June 2005

WHY? Tahiti was too expensive.

HOW LONG? One week.

I GRITTED MY TEETH HARDEST WHEN . . . our car rental rates doubled after adding the mandatory insurance.

BEST/WORST THING(S) ABOUT MY HOTEL: The friendly atmosphere, intimate setting, homemade breakfasts and the perfect-if-tiny beach made the Cabanas La Conchita stand out as the coolest place we've ever stayed. The lack of air conditioning in the open-air palapa-roofed cabanas also made it one of the hottest. Literally.

FAVORITE MEAL: Dinner at Posada Margherita down the road. The food was incredible, the open patio seating overlooking the ocean was about as romantic as you can get, and the waiter treated us like old friends.

COOLEST ATTRACTION: A "Mayan Encounter" tour that took us through the Mayan ruins at Coba (awesome views), the Mayan village of Pac Chen (great food) and the surrounding jungle (outdoor adventures), and gave us an opportunity to make friends with some really cool people. Although the beach at our hotel -- where we spent a good half of our time -- pulls a close second.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I . . . rappelled down a tiny black hole in the ground into a very dark cave full of water 60 feet below.

CHEAPEST THRILL: A $3 "limo" ride (a rickety tricycle cart driven by an elderly gentleman) at Coba in a pouring rainstorm.

BIGGEST SPLURGE: The "all-inclusive" ticket at Xel-Ha, a natural water park. It was nearly double the regular ticket price, but included snorkel gear, a locker and all food and beverages. While the lunch buffet was unexceptional, the coconut ice cream was the best I've ever had, and hey -- free margaritas! The park itself is fun: a natural lagoon you can snorkel in, and a variety of related activities. Plus, there's live music everywhere. Unlike American parks where they feel the need to spend thousands of dollars on fancy sound systems, in Mexico it's cheaper to hire three guys with a xylophone.

THING I COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT: I went to Mexico and all I got was this lousy rash. Henna tattoos are supposed to fade, but I was left with a tattoo-shaped scar from the probably-not-so-sanitary application.

THING I WISH I'D BROUGHT WITH ME: Duct tape, to fix the bits that kept breaking on our rental car (headlight switch, driver's window knob, passenger's interior door handle . . .)

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: Loading up a shopping cart full of beer, only to be told you can't buy beer on election day.

BIGGEST CULTURE SHOCK: You can't buy beer on election day!

Want to see your own vacation in lights? We'll highlight one report, along with a photo from the trip, on the last Sunday of the month. To enter, use the categories above as a guide (use as many as you wish, or add your own; for a complete list, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/vacationinlights) and send your report to Your Vacation in Lights, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071; fax it to 202- 912-3609; or e-mailvacationinlights @washpost.com.

Entries chosen for publication become eligible to receive a Canon PowerShot A610 (or equivalent) digital camera at the end of the year. Entries will be chosen on the basis of humor, originality and usefulness; are subject to editing for space and clarity; and become property of The Post, which may edit, publish, distribute or republish them in any form. Employees of The Post and their immediate families are not eligible. No purchase necessary.