Tulum, Mexico

Today we go to visit Tulum, a spectacular Mayan destination high on my list of to-do's for many years. But first, nicely rested, we head out on a run through a different part of Playa Del Carmen, past exclusive condominiums and some very posh 5 star hotels that confirm our suspicions that Virgin's rating system doesn't quite match our own!

There's some little Mayan ruins we pass on the way, but they're a mere hors d'oeuvre to what's to come. So once we've breakfasted and packed our bags for the bellboys to move them to our new suite, we head down to the lobby and meet Juan Carlos, ("like the Spanish king, si?!")  our driver for the day.

As he drives us the hour from Playa del Carmen to Tulum he tells us he moved here to Playa and the province of Quintana Roo from the colonial town of Merida in the nearby Yucatan province 25 years ago. At that time Playa del Carmen was just a sleepy fishing village which acted as an embarkation point for scuba divers to head to Cozumel and explore its stunning coral reefs, second in size to only the Great Barrier Reef, and made famous by Jacques Cousteau in the 60s.

Now Playa is one of the most fashionable and popular resorts in Mexico, a fact he's very happy about as there is full employment and it's an incredibly safe place to bring up his children. He doesn't bemoan its commercialisation at all, believing it's brought prosperity and happiness to its inhabitants.

Unfortunately happiness is not something we discover upon arriving at the Tulum ruins. We've both got slighty dodgy stomachs and not only is it ferociously hot but also pretty humid, so when we get to the entrance and find there's a 45 minute queue for tickets and very little shade, we're not exactly leaping for joy, questioning whether we should even attempt this today. The sun is blistering down even more fiercely and we're both feeling pretty faint by the time we actually get past the ticket barriers but once inside it's all worth it.

Despite looking at first glance a bit like an immaculately manicured golf course Tulum, or Zama as the Mayans actually called it, meaning Dawn, is spectacularly located on the cliff's edge overlooking the magical colours of the sea. Comprising a variety of buildings and park areas it was one of the very few Mayan cities still inhabited when the Spanish conquistadors landed in the early 16th Century, being abandoned about 75 years later and you can see why the Maya stuck it out so long here. The location is one of the most stunningly beautiful I've ever seen.

Of course, it's absolutely crammed full of tourists all avidly snapping away so there's no chance for serene reflection but to be honest, it's too darn hot to think so we trapise around, seeking shade whenever we can, and taking photos of the remarkable ruins before jumping on a little tram to take us back to Juan Carlos, having no energy for the 1km walk back to the car park.

He has the perfect suggestion though, driving us a few miles along the coast to Paraiso beach, which is very aptly named. It's gorgeous. So we spend an hour swimming and chilling there before returning to Playa del Carmen and our brand new lodgings in the Governor's Suite, which not only is bigger, but boasts two mini bars in case we wanna get "totally bombed", a living room, two TVs and a much better view.

By now Coman's upset tummy has passed but I think I've got a touch of sunstroke going on as I sleep the whole drive back, crash out for an hour on the beach and then go to bed for a siesta ahead of our romantic dinner on the beach this evening. When I wake I'm feeling totally wiped out and nauseous so Coman speaks to the Concierge, postponing our romantic date for a few days, and I barely even get out of bed.

Julia, from public relations, sends us up a cake and champagne as promised but they both go unconsumed as I sleep and Coman quietly unpacks around me. Checking I'm ok he heads off for a solo bite to eat about 9pm and I don't even realise he's gone. By the time I eventually rise the next morning I've slept for the best part of 16 hours.

Feeling much refreshed we opt to spend the day on the beach doing absolutely nothing. Our reserved area awaits us with ice buckets of mineral water and the most beautiful views of pelicans wheeling over the crystal sea. Plans for adventures can wait til manana. We ain't going nowhere...