Yucatan
The ancient Mayan culture of
Yucatan, with its breathtaking pyramids and ruins of mysterious jungle
metropolises, its imposing colonial cities, the warm blue Mexican Caribbean with
its white sand beaches and friendly people all combine to make the Yucatan
Peninsula one of MEXICO DELUXE's most popular getaways. You can savor both
the culture and beaches of Yucatan by combining the "white city" of
Merida with
the Riviera Maya during your stay.
To help you plan your getaway,
please complete our Reservation Request Form or contact us at
info@mexicodeluxe.com. All MEXICO
DELUXE getaways are personally designed to meet your specifications. Below are
some of the cities and destinations you can you can explore in the Yucatan
Peninsula.
UXMAL (on the
Puuc Route)
The majestic Mayan city of
Uxmal (pronounced OOSH-mall), located in the heart of the Puuk (say POOK)
region, is an hour’s drive from Merida. Together with Sayil, Labna,
Xlapak and Kabah, it forms one of the most beautiful architectonic
complexes in Meso-America, and has earned UNESCO recognition as a masterpiece of
human creativity. Puuk architecture takes its name from the small, low
Puuk Hills; it is characterized by rounded columns on doorways, thin limestone
slabs covering rubble and stone-filled cores, lattice-like stone design,
richly-adorned cornices, and a proliferation of stone mosaic work, particularly
on the upper facades, emphasizing long-nosed Chac rain god masks. The
Chenes style of architecture, also seen at Uxmal, used lavish
ornamentation on buildings, with “monster mask” doorways and long-nosed
Chaacs (the god of rain) built one upon another. Its original name was
Oxmal, which in Maya means “thrice built,” a reference to the different
groups of occupiers who inhabited this great city at different times. The Xiu
was the governing family of Uxmal.
Founded in the 6th century AD,
Uxmal flourished from 700 AD to 1000 AD, when it was abandoned, leaving
ruins covering an area roughly one and a half miles by 600 yards, with a few
lesser constructions outside these measurements. Long after it was deserted,
people still dimly recalled Uxmal as a place of great pomp and splendor,
a walled city and capital of a powerful and interconnected regional state.
The Pyramid of the Magician, also
known as The House of the Soothsayer, or El Adivino (from a Mayan myth),
rises 125 feet above ground and, like so many Maya pyramids and temples, is the
result of five superimposed stages of building, crowned by a temple at the
summit, from where one can contemplate the full grandeur of Uxmal.
The Nunnery Quadrangle, named for
its resemblance to a convent, has four large edifices resting on an articifial
platform and surrounding a grand central plaza 215 feet long by 155 feet
wide, where a nightly sound & light show is presented in Spanish and English.
Although the buildings are not connected, the obvious entrance is through a huge
corbelled arch in the center of the South Building. The South and North
Buildings are each 170 feet long. The East Building is 156 feet long, and the
West Building, the youngest of the four, with its feathered serpent (Kulkulcan)-decorated
stone façade, is 177 feet long. This indicates a Toltec/Aztec intrusion
(referred to as “Mexican”) in the otherwise pure Maya Puuc style. The
Mexicans called the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl, the Maya called it
Kukulcan, but it’s the same.
The Governor’s Palace, built on a
huge stepped platform, was probably the residence of the most important members
of the ruling class. It gives the extraordinary visual effect of movement with
its rain-god masks jutting from the friezes, and the remarkable filigree formed
by over 20,000 mosaics on the façade.
The Temple of the Turtles sits on
the same enormous tiered platform as the Governor’s Palace. A row of carved
stone columns circle it and resting atop them is a narrow band of stone from
which carved stone turtles protrude at regular intervals. It is 33 feet wide and
96 feet long.
The Great Pyramid sits to the
southwest of the Governor’s Palace. Covered with debris and brush-choked for
centuries, the grandeur of this monumental work has emerged via the shovel and
trowel of the archeologist. Also known as the Dwarf’s House, it is closely tied
to the legend of the magician. Its 75-step steep stairway faces north and is
flanked with Chacs. Since the view from the summit overlooks most of
Uxmal, it’s a favorite spot for photographers. The large, impressive Chac
in the interior may have been a throne.
One can also visit the Ball Court
and the recently restored Dovecotes’ Quadrangle, with its four buildings facing
a small plaza (66 x 200 feet), the Platform of the Stelae, the Cemetary Group,
House of the Old Woman, Temple of the Phalli, and other ruins.
At the southern edge of Uxmal
sits a most interesting arch which faces south from the city. The Arch of
Uxmal marks the end of a sacred road or causeway (sacbe—pronounced
sahk-BAY, meaning “white road”) that leads 14 miles to the ancient city of
Kabah. The construction of a Maya road, or sacbe, was a fantastic
feat for a people living in their own stone age. Some Mayan roads were over 30
feet wide and often rose several feet off the ground; most were remarkably
straight and ran for miles through the jungle. The shoulders were of rough
stone, the bed constructed of large boulders topped with smaller stones. Lastly,
the entire road was surfaced, or plastered over, with limestone cement, making
them “white roads.”
To the northeast of the Platform
of the Stelae lies the North Group. Unexcavated as yet, it contains at least one
structure in the Chenes style of architecture. If you’re curious about
what ruins look like before archeological restoration takes place, visit the
North Group.
KABAH (on the
Puuc Route)
At the other end of the sacbe
leading out of glorious Uxmal, lies the ruins of Kabah, which
competes with the larger city in the majesty and beauty of its palace facades,
including the Codz Pop with its 250 masks of the god Chac. This is
one of the most splendid examples of Mayan architecture, enchanting the
thousands of tourists who visit it each year. The perfection of the stone
carving, the obvious harmony in the exuberance of geometric forms, the
sculptures mounted on the walls and the expressive power of its human,
zoomorphic and fantastic depictions, all make up an artistic universe created
about a thousand years ago. A slender stone arch, called the Arch of Kabah, is
the entrance to the sacbe leading to Uxmal some 14 miles away. It
is constructed in the beautiful style characteristic of the region and is a
distinguishing feature of this pre-Hispanic site.
SAYIL (on the
Puuc Route)
Built in one of the valleys of the Puuc, the city of Sayil covers an area of four and a half square
kilometers, and was once inhabited by over 10,000 people. Like Uxmal and
other great Mayan cities, it flourished between 800 and 1000 A.D. The city was
divided by a road and it’s most important edifice, both in size and
ornamentation, was The Great Palace, built on a hill. It has three levels, over
90 rooms and a façade embellished with stone mosaics and masks. It is believed
that this was the ancient residence of the city’s rulers.
LABNA (on the
Puuc Route)
A few minutes from Uxmal, this
site has been the focus of recent archeological investigation. In Maya, its name
means “old or abandoned house.” It has a palace of various levels and a stone
roadway (or sacbe), but its most outstanding feature is its famous arch,
a fine example of the aesthetic ideas of Maya art. This arch may have had a
commemorative function, or it may have been the end of an avenue connecting to
neighboring cities. Its façade is decorated with small columns, depictions of
palm houses and stylized serpents.
About half way between Merida
in the northwest and Cancun to the southeast of the Yucatan Peninsula,
from each a 90-minute drive, lies one of the world’s most famous archeological
sites—Chichen Itza. This Mayan “City of the Water Sorcerers” was for
centuries a place of pilgrimage, as well as the political and military center of
the Yucatan Peninsula. It is the city which most attracted 19th century
explorers, and where the most renowned archeologists have worked to preserve and
restore a very large complex of buildings which attracts more than a million
visitors a year, and is internationally recognized as a World Heritage Site.
Some say its name means “Mouth of the Itza Well,” from chi
(mouth), chen (well) and Itza, the name of the Mayan group that
settled there.
With its neighbor Uxmal it
shares architectonic elements and possibly religious beliefs, based around its
most important deities—Chaac, god of rain, and Quetzalcoatl or
Kukulcan, the plumed serpent who came to Yucatan from the Mexican highlands.
The city held sway over a wide area and for a long time controlled long-distance
trade routes, as evidenced by the numerous offerings of jade, gold, flint and
other materials from distant provinces of the Mayan world.
The Rome of the New World reached
its apogee between the 11th and 13th centuries, followed by a period of
decadence and dereliction beginning in the 15th century. However, like Rome,
Chichen Itza did not resign itself to oblivion. For many years after work
stopped on the last building, its well and sacred cenote (dzonot in Maya,
which are natural cavities formed when the limestone surface collapses and
leaves underground water exposed) continued to attract the faithful who came in
long processions to make offerings and sacrifices. The sacred cenote was
dedicated exclusively to the worship of Chaac, god of rain and waters.
Sacred cenotes were very important and involved various ceremonies and
rites. After it was depopulated, Chichen Itza continued to be a sacred
sanctuary which, together with Cozumel and Izamal, attracted the
pious devotion of the faithful.
The architectonic complex of
Chichen Itza is located on a site 15 km. square, divided into three
parts—all of them important. The Castle, or Pyramid of Kukulcan, which is
dedicated to the cult of Kukulcan, is a monumental pyramid of nine
stepped levels (symbolizing the planes of the underworld) and four faces
decorated with designs of snakes and jaguars. The four stairways have 91 steps
each. In this building, during the Spring and Fall equinoxes, the phenomenon of
light and shadow occurs, which draws thousands of visitors to view the “plumed
serpent” (Kukulcan) descending the staircase to Earth. There are also
nightly light & sound shows performed here.
The Temple of the Warriors, the
Observatory, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Nuns’ House, the
Akab Dzib and other buildings allow a visitor to realize the greatness of
this ancient Mayan metropolis. Many structures and temples are linked by
causeways called sacbe (sahk-BAY, meaning “white road”) for ease of
communication.
Some of Chichen Itza’s
earliest buildings are built in the Puuk (POOK) style of architecture,
which flourished in the northern Yucatan Peninsula, with decoration based on
stone mosaics on friezes, latticework panels, columnettes, and embedded columns
on the corners of buildings. Others are built in the Chenes style, with
decorated friezes and roof crests. Toltec influence began toward the end
of the Classic Maya period (250 A.D. to 900 A.D.), so that during the
post-Classic period (900 A.D. to the arrival of the Spaniards in the early
1500s) Toltec style decorative elements were added, such as eagles and
jaguars devouring human hearts, Chaac Mool figures, “atlante”
statues (telamons, wearing the pectorals, belts and wrist-bands that were
customary parts of their professional attire) and feathered serpents.
The imprint of three
cultures—Mayan, Spanish and Mestizo—lend elegance and grandeur to the City of
Izamal. Founded in the 4th century A.D. by Itzamna, leader and
patriarch of the Mayan people, it was for a long time a magnet for indigenous
pilgrims, and during the colonial period it was a Christian sanctuary of the
first rank. Today it is known as the City of the Hills because of the
archeological remains located in the town center, including the Pyramid of
Kinich-Kakmo—at 115 feet high the tallest pyramid in Yucatan. The pyramids
of Itzamatul, Kabul and Hucpintok, among others, are also still
standing.
The visitor will be awed by the
majesty of the Franciscan monastery, built on top of a Mayan structure, whose
porticoes cloister is the largest in North America. Its 75 arches form a long
corridor enclosing a space of more than 22,000 square feet! In 1993, Pope John
Paul II met here with representatives of the continent’s various ethnic
communities. It is a sanctuary where an image of the Immaculate Conception,
known as the Virgin of Izamal, queen and patroness of Yucatan, is still
venerated today.
There are other interesting
buildings here, as well as the beautiful old houses painted in white and ochre.
The city is so warm and peaceful that it can be seen on foot or in a horse-drawn
Victoria carriage that is typical of Izamal. To walk through this
colonial town is to be transported back to a time of legend, and to agree that
the City of Izamal is indeed a place of culture open to every visitor.
Sometimes known as “the Heroic
City” due to the many epic events that make up its history, Valladolid is
an elegant colonial town founded in 1544 on the ancient Mayan site of Zaci,
which was the ancient capital of the province of Cupules. Located in the
east of Yucatan State, it was the scene of many rebellions and struggles between
conquerors and conquered. It is now a blooming city only minutes away from the
archeological zone of Chichen Itza, and an hour and a half from the
beaches of Cancun.
Its attractions include the
Monastery of San Bernardino, a building of majestic dimensions and sober
Franciscan style. The high altarpiece is made of carved wood painted gold, with
statues and motifs that give it an unmistakable Baroque appearance. The statue
placed there of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico, is about
400 years old.
The Church of San Gervasio,
with its twin bell towers, contains the cannons used to retake the city in 1848
when it fell into the hands of rebel Indians who began the Caste War. Nearby is
the Zaci Cenote, a deep freshwater well which in the past provided water
to the populace and is now a natural swimming pool with a restaurant.
Valladolid has comfortable hotels and fine restaurants where one can enjoy
fine cuisine.
Located in the east of Yucatan,
only 90 minutes from either Cancun or Merida, the archeological
zone at Ek Balam, “the City of the Black Jaguar,” is the site of one of
the most impressive discoveries of Mayan culture in recent years. It is situated
within a wide area of pre-hispanic interest, including the ancient Mayan cities
of Coba, Chichen Itza and Kaluba.
In the spring of 2000, the sacred
city of Ek Balam became the focus of archeological attention, owing to
the discovery here of the tomb of a Mayan ruler, King Ukit Can Lek. Jars
and offerings were found inside the tomb, as well as objects of jade, obsidian,
flint and mother-of-pearl.
The site is also noteworthy in
that it possesses characteristics of indigenous culture mixed with other
cultures, making it different from any other meso-American metropolis. It is
surrounded by three walls which served to protect it against attacks from
neighboring tribes, and an area of nearly 20 acres containing ancient, splendid
temples and large monuments. These buildings have other structures built on top
of them, reflecting their urban evolution and showing differing architectural
styles according to the influence over the ages of different ruling groups.
Buildings are arranged on two
plazas, the northernmost being the more important since it includes the
so-called Acropolis, an exceptional building with a frieze of figures
carved in stone and finished in stucco. Sculptures of many individuals come
together here to form a guard of honor at the mausoleum of the noble ruler, King Ukit Can Lek. At 104 feet high and 520 feet long, the Acropolis is
one of the tallest buildings in the region and displays a beautifully balanced
series of stylized life-size figures framed by the stone face of a supernatural
being. The ensemble of sculpted elements, which also includes masks and rock
paintings, is evidence of the close relationship the Mayans saw between death
and the sea—in much the same way as the ancient Egyptians.
With the excavations and
restoration work currently being carried out by the Mexican government, Ek
Balam is now an important archeological marvel to be enjoyed as part of the
new tourist route starting at Valladolid and extending to the beaches of Rio Lagartos and San Felipe, two Gulf of Mexico ports which are
among the most important and extensive wildlife sanctuaries on the American
continent.
Travelers from all over the world
are joining the ranks of those who think of tourism as an interactive experience
involving living in harmony with the environment and enjoying its natural
resources in an ecological sense: bird-watching, enjoying the beauties of land
and sea, spotting insects, animals, trees and flowers, and learning what every
corner of the globe has to add to the sum of human knowledge. With its 378
kilometers of shoreline, Yucatan is an exceptional place to enjoy eco-tourism;
an immense biological richness is contained in these coastal zones, many of them
declared “Biosphere Reserves and Wetlands of International Importance” by both
UNESCO and the Mexican government. Scientists estimate that there are over 500
species of mammals and 336 types of birds here, including residents, migrants
and species in danger of extinction.
One of the most important of these
refuges is Celestun, located on the far west side of Yucatan (an hour
west of Merida) on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a very large protected refuge
for many different migrant species that come to its lagoons and inlets to breed,
and is most famous for its colonies of beautiful pink flamingos. From the
village of Celestun, the local fisherman offer boat rides to see the
flamingos and the great number of other flora and fauna that thrives here.
Colonies of pink flamingos spend the winter months feeding in the nutrient-rich
waters of the area’s estuary. Although the flamingos are the big draw, this
stretch of coast also has beautiful, soft, white beaches strewn with seashells
and lapped by clear blue water.
Cancun, the world-famous and favorite Caribbean playground of them all,
in the 1960s was still a small fishing village on a coral-based sand bar
when developers saw the appeal of its shimmering turquoise waters and
sparkling white sand. Until then, it had remained largely untouched since
the mysterious decline of the Mayan empire in the 13th century. Today what
was once an exclusive resort for Mayan rulers is an exotic, vibrant and
modern city called “The Gateway to Mundo Maya” (Mayan World), which hosts
3 million visitors a year. Even with its well-developed tourist
infrastructure, an indigenous presence is still felt among the imposing
modern hotels, just as the echo of the conch still vibrates among the
pyramids of age-old Mayan cities.
Visitors to Cancun are often astonished to discover an international
city created by man and yet so dominated by nature. Its L-shaped hotel
zone is an island unto itself, connected to the mainland at each end only
by narrow channels over which one passes on low bridges. These channels
connect the beautiful 18-square-mile Nichupte Lagoon with the sparkling
Caribbean. On the 13-mile-long narrow island, bounded by the Lagoon on one
side and the Caribbean on the other, sit some of the most prestigious
hotels in the world, all connected by the beautiful, manicured Boulevard
Kukulcan which is lined with many parks and gardens as well.
Cancun’s beaches have strikingly white, talcum-soft sand that is always
cool to the touch. Its average temperature is 80 degrees, varying only
about five degrees year-round, and it has an average of more than 200
sunny days a year--ideal for tennis, golf, sunning, swimming, snorkeling,
parasailing, diving, boating or exploring the depths of the sea in
submarines or glass-bottomed boats. There are restaurants for every taste,
offering some of the world’s finest food—both Continental and Mexican. A
range of bars and clubs come alive at nightfall and do not close until
dawn. Visitors can also sample Mexican culture through the folkloric
ballet or sail under the stars on a cruise boat. Cancun’s modern malls
offer wonderful shopping, while Mexican craftwork can be found in the
plazas and markets.
Cancun’s proximity to breathtaking Mayan ruins, exotic wildlife and
colonial gems has made it an ideal base from which to explore numerous
remnants of the extraordinary Maya civilization that flourished more than
a thousand years ago. Nearby are the ruins of Chichen Itza, Tulum and Coba.
Archeology buffs will want to visit the more distant sites of Uxmal, Labna,
Sayil and Kabah—all part of Western Yucatan’s Puuc Route, located outside
its capital city of Merida, one of several colonial towns, including
Valladolid and Izamal, which are totally worth seeing.
In Cancun, you can fulfill all your fantasies, from dancing under the
stars to walking its white sand beaches, discovering ancestral Mayan
pathways, or simply nourishing body and soul through daydreaming and
relaxation. Everything is here to support your every wish.
On this “shoreline of adventure,” a 100-mile coastal strip featuring a
chain of sun-washed beaches and extending south of Cancun along the coast
of the Mexican State of Quintana Roo all the way to the ruins of Tulum,
the pre-Hispanic past and the fun-loving present come together in an
incomparable jewel-like setting. Many of the resorts along this coast are
exclusive hideaways where visitors can commune with nature, reveling at
both the exuberant tropical foliage and the colorful coral reefs that
fringe this beautiful coastline. A new four-lane highway connects Cancun
to Tulum along this route.
Perfect for snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing or simply enjoying the
Caribbean scenery, the area is peppered with nature parks and hotel
hideaways, most of which are set on the beach about a half mile from the
road, and hidden behind dense tropical vegetation. Here, man has shaped
nature to create a paradise formerly reserved for Mayan dignitaries and
priests, allowing visitors to purify their souls in the crystalline seas.
Reefs, inlets, underground rivers and natural pools make the Riviera Maya
a compulsory stopover for divers from all over the world, who are
attracted by the magical underwater spaces supporting an infinite variety
of species that delight both diving and fishing enthusiasts.
The Maya port of Xaman Ha became Playa del Carmen under the Spanish,
and is the capital of the Riviera Maya; the area is also the site of the
villages built by the early settlers in this area, which are now the
peaceful fishing villages of their descendants. Footloose travelers are
equally at ease on the white sandy beaches and among the verdant tropical
vegetation of the reserves and parks that comprise the magic of this zone.
A tour of the area, washed by the turquoise sea, begins in Punta Brava,
continues on to Playa del Secreto, Playa Paraiso, Punta Maroma, Punta Bete,
Playa del Carmen, Paamul, Puerto Aventuras, Xpu-Ha, Kantenah, Akumal and
Xcacel, and ends at the spectacular Mayan ruins of Tulum. The coast is
astonishingly beautiful and offers a broad range of options from solitary
beaches to lively indigenous communities, while the theme parks of Tres
Rios, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Grutas de Aktun Chen, as well as the Sian Ka’an and
Punta Laguna nature reserves, are a must for fun-seekers and eco-tourists
alike--the perfect complement of forest and sea.
The cosmopolitan transformation of Playa del Carmen, only 45 minutes
south of Cancun’s airport, respected the region’s cultural heritage,
giving rise to a picturesque city. When the shadows of a Caribbean sunset
spread over the sea, locals and tourists alike go for a walk along Fifth
Avenue, transforming the street into a colorful spectacle where the spirit
of the Caribbean is tangible in the air. An ideal spot to begin
exploration of the entire region, Playa del Carmen has many dining
options; small, chic & rustic accommodations with palm-thatched roofs; and
numerous crafts stores featuring everything from myriad brands of tequila,
amber and silver jewelry, Mexican and Guatemalan handicrafts, to casual
resort clothes and even fine cigars! Almost everything in Playa del Carmen
is within walking distance, including its bird sanctuary. This is the
beach town and former fishing hamlet which got on the map merely as the
springboard for visitors taking the ferry to the island of Cozumel, which
lies directly off the coast. As more and more ferry-based travelers
lingered to enjoy its Caribbean beaches and rustic charms, the town came
into its own as a resort destination, but it still preserves a certain
small-town charm and bohemian following.
This stunningly beautiful hundred-mile stretch of tropical beaches,
coves and bays, called the Riviera Maya, is set amid one of the most
mysterious and sophisticated ancient civilizations in the Americas, and
offers something for just about everyone--an adventure you won’t want to
miss.
Just six miles offshore from Cancun, yet a world apart, Isla Mujeres
(Isle of Women) is a needle-shaped island only five miles long and a
quarter-mile wide at its widest point, offering relaxed village life. It
is Mexico’s easternmost bit of land—the sun shines here first, rising over
the Caribbean, then setting magnificently over the Yucatan mainland.
Called “The Pearl of the Caribbean,” it was a pirate hideout during the
17th and 18th centuries, and has retained the calm, unhurried air of a
Caribbean village frozen in time.
Unlike its young neighbor, Cancun, “Isla” as it’s often called, has
centuries of history and generations of native inhabitants. This island
still retains its manifold blend of traditions—Mayan, Yucatecan, Caribbean
and Spanish. A warm feeling of pueblo and community pride mingles with an
enduring air of serenity.
Isla’s history dates back to Mayan times. An ancient cliff-top
temple-observatory on the southern tip was reconstructed after being
blasted to bits by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. The island was “discovered”
by Spaniard Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba and his crew in 1517, after
becoming lost in a storm. They literally blew in from Cuba, 90 miles to
the east!
The most common claim for the island’s name says that there the
Spaniards found idols depicting the Mayan goddess of fertility. Another
theory holds that when the Spaniards arrived, all they saw were females
because the men and boys were all out at sea fishing; by the time the men
returned home with their catch, the name had already been logged in by the
now disappointed captain and crew.
Later the island became a popular spot for pirates and slave traders,
such as the legendary Fermin Mundaca, who arrived in the 1800s to find
paradise and his true love, a young islander called La Triguena, who
didn’t return his passion and ran off with another to Merida. Fermin
Mundaca pursued her there, where he died. His unoccupied tomb, in the
island’s interesting cemetery north of town, is decorated with a skull and
crossbones symbolizing his past, and an inscription that reads, “What you
are, I will be. As I am, you will be.”
Passenger ferries leave every half hour from Puerto Juarez, just north
of downtown Cancun, and make the trip in 15 minutes. You disembark right
in the tranquil town, located at the northern end of the island. Its
narrow streets are lined with small shops and Mexican-style diners. The
town square with its church, basketball court and gazebo bandstand is a
favorite gathering place for the friendly islanders. There are concerts or
dances, usually on Saturday nights, and always on festive holidays.
The island is narrow and flat at the north end, and in five minutes you
can stroll across town. In the “good old days” (meaning before Cancun was
built), there were no roads or vehicles on the island; now there are more
than a hundred taxis, and visitors can rent bicycles, mopeds or
four-passenger golf carts to explore the island; watch out for speed
bumps!
Adjacent to the town square, a brick-lined malecon, or boardwalk, faces
the Caribbean with its continuous and refreshing sea breeze. Beaches along
this eastern shore are great for sunning and shelling, but not for
swimming because of the strong currents.
The best beach, an expansive stretch of sand at the northernmost lee
side, is Playa Norte (also known as Playa Los Cocos—Coconuts Beach). The
water is shallow, and as calm and clear as a swimming pool; the soft,
porous limestone sand never gets hot, although it is blinding white;
sunglasses are advisable. Here jet-skis, windsurf boards, aqua-tricycles,
banana boats and other water toys are available from Tarzan’s Water Sports
on the beach—ask for Tarzan, of course! A few steps away, time is well
spent enjoying tropical drinks, fresh seafood and socializing at La Palapa,
a seaside restaurant-bar that’s also lively at night.
With its coral gardens, reefs and lagoon, Isla Mujeres is an attractive
base for snorkeling and diving—so much so that an island visit is included
in most seafaring tours out of Cancun. Most of these day trips also
include the newly-renovated El Garrafon National Park, a shallow coral
reef just off the island’s southwest shore that is good for swimming and
snorkeling. There are dozens of varieties of brightly-colored fish, and
cannons and anchors from sunken Spanish galleons have been placed on the
bottom to add to the underwater scenery.
About one kilometer off the southern tip of the island is Los Manchones,
a series of beautiful coral reefs only 30 to 50 feet deep, which, together
with El Farito, are one of the area’s main attractions for scuba divers.
Also fascinating for experienced scuba divers is the Cave of the Sleeping
Sharks, 60 feet down in the open Caribbean to the northeast of Isla
Mujeres. This bizarre phenomenon of immobile sharks, who must normally be
in constant motion in order to breathe, was discovered by a local diver
who happened upon the cave. The late, noted oceanographer-cinematographer
Ramon Bravo’s documentation of the cave and its inhabitants became the
cover story of National Geographic in April 1975.
South of Macax Lagoon, located in the center of the island and home to
the deluxe Puerto Isla Mujeres resort and marina, on the lee side beach,
is a marine biology station and turtle farm called Tortugranja. Giant sea
turtles have been nesting on this strip of beach for centuries, and are
now under strict protection—nests are monitored and hatchlings placed in
tanks for a few months to mature them before they’re turned loose in the
ocean. From here, about 40,000 baby turtles are set free annually, and
resident marine biologists offer interesting talks (in several languages)
on the endangered species.
On Isla, you can also swim with dolphins, or simply have an up-close
and personal encounter with them, at Dolphin Discovery, which operates
three such facilities in the Mexican Caribbean. Swimming with the gentle,
curious creatures or just joining in a petting session while immersed
waist deep in one of the pens is an unforgettable experience, as is any
visit to Isla Mujeres—the Isle of Women.
The Island of Cozumel lies 11 miles east of the northern coast of the
Yucatan Peninsula, with rapid ferry service out of adjacent Playa del
Carmen, capital of the Riviera Maya, which is 45 miles south of Cancun.
The trip over takes 40 minutes. Life on the this 30-mile long by 10-mile
wide Island is relaxed, somewhat akin to a ski resort, only the climate is
tropical and the sport is scuba diving. Once a Mayan religious center, it
is now a popular stopover for Caribbean cruise ships.
The Isla de las Golondrinas (Island of Swallows), now called Cozumel,
is also known as “The Guardian of the Caribbean.” It was originally called
Cuzamil (“the place of swallows” in the Maya language). Sparkling like an
emerald set in a turquoise sea, it rises up imposingly on the horizon and
is ringed by stunning coral reefs that make it one of the world’s most
famous dive sites. The abundance of reefs (one is the world’s second
largest), plus the transparency of the Caribbean, allows visibility of up
to 200 feet, and the water’s year-round warm temperature (77 to 82
degrees), make it a diver’s dream. During World War II, the U.S. built an
air base on Cozumel for planes hunting U-boats in the mid-Atlantic. Drawn
by the clear waters, frogmen came to train and returned home with stories
of magnificent underwater vistas. After a visit to the island in 1962,
oceanographer Jacques Cousteau proclaimed Cozumel one of the finest diving
sites in the world. And so Cozumel came before the eyes of the world!
Strength, energy and light radiate from what was once the home of the
Mayan goddess of fertility, Ixchel (who was worshipped here), as well as
the conquistadores who discovered it in 1518, and later the pirates who
sought to exploit the jungle. This is where Europeans first stepped foot
on Mexican soil, and a plaque on the beach marks the spot where Catholic
mass was first celebrated in Mexico. But the Spanish explorers didn’t
stay; fresh water was in short supply and the mainland natives were
hostile, so they pushed on to other places in their search for El Dorado,
the mythical city of gold. The island was largely forgotten, except by the
pirates!
Only the mainland side of the island is settled, with a small hotel
zone to the north and a larger one to the south. The only island village,
San Miguel, lies between the two. Its Avenida Rafael Melgar lies along the
waterfront and it and the streets radiating away from the central plaza
are lined with casual, colorful restaurants, bars and shops.
The Cozumel Island Museum is located on the waterfront near the pier,
its various salons relating the island’s history as well as its ecology,
with displays of mysterious Mayan artifacts, fascinating relics from the
early days of deep-sea diving, and beautiful underwater fossils. It has a
casual and popular terrace café with one of the best views around.
English-speaking guides are available.
The island’s most famous site, Chankanaab Park, lies about six miles
south of the village of San Miguel. Here, a lagoon teeming with tropical
fish resembles a gigantic natural aquarium with water so clear the fish
can be seen and admired from the water’s edge. Connected to the sea by
underground channels (that are off limits to the public), the lagoon has a
lovely reef just offshore, where scuba divers and snorkelers can view the
coral, sunken canon and anchors. The Park’s newest attraction is Dolphin
Discovery, an outdoor facility where visitors can swim with the curious
creatures. Another major attraction at Chankanaab are the botanical
gardens, home to over 200 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants
brought from all over the world, as well as some native iguanas. The
gardens include an outdoor, life-size display featuring a typical Mayan
home. It also has a fine beach for swimming and sunning. On-site dive
shops rent equipment, and offer guides and instruction. Thatched-roof
restaurants serve excellent food and drinks, including Mexican
specialties, in a casual setting with the beautiful marimba music of
Yucatan as a sound backdrop.
The southern tip of the island, Punta Celarain, is home to a
picturesque lighthouse offering a grand view of island and sea—that is, if
you can tackle the more than 100 steps to the top! There’s also a Mayan
temple in this area. Once past this point, you’ll be heading north again,
up the eastern shore towards El Mirador, a natural rock formation that’s a
wonderful lookout--which is what the name means in Spanish!
The island boasts 25 archeological sites, some still hidden from the
eyes of the world and therefore difficult to reach. The most interesting
and easily accessible, via the cross-island road, is San Gervasio, which
is also an excellent site for bird-watching. Another popular and
frequently visited archeological site is El Cedral; its history is
described in the Cozumel Island Museum.
Boat trips, some of which offer a picnic on one of the island’s remote
beaches, are a favorite pastime. The outing lasts a full day. The annual
springtime Billfish Tournament attracts sportsmen from all over, but just
about any month is good for going after white marlin, bluefin tuna or
sailfish. Mackeral and grouper can be caught in abundance. Mexico’s diving
capital is expanding to include golf, too, with the opening of an 18-hole
Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, clubhouse and botanical gardens at
the Cozumel Country Club. Another new attraction is the recently opened
beachside wildlife park, Punta Sur, which has a snorkeling center and
marine turtle observation center.
You can even horseback ride here!
Cozumel is a picturesque Caribbean island where you can still get lost
in the sands of time. It offers visitors warm hospitality, an abundance of
marine life, impressive reefs and the legacy of its early inhabitants. If
it’s your first trip, you must take a drive around the island that is
Mexico’s original Caribbean playground; the 35-mile excursion along the
road that hugs the coastline of this largely jungle-covered island can be
done on a moped, dune buggy, jeep or taxi. It’s your choice!
Picture an original American culture that flourished during a time when
Paris was just a small village, and lasted six times longer than the Great
Roman Empire. Arriving in southern Mexico and Northern Central America
over 3,000 years ago, the Maya created one of the most brilliant
civilizations the world has ever known. Their very name evokes images of a
glorious past. It is highlighted with the construction of great cities,
splendid art forms and advances in mathematics and astronomy. They charted
the tropical night sky and devised a series of complex calendrical systems
that are every bit as accurate as our own calendar system! With their
elaborate hieroglyphic writing system, the Mayas dated and recorded a
history carved in stone.
As the Mayas flourished, they inherited ideas from the earlier Olmecs
(Pacific Coast), borrowed others from contemporary Teotihuacan (Central
Mexico) and added many of their own ideas. Nearly everyone who has the
slightest knowledge of the ancient Maya is totally impressed with the
accomplishments of this great civilization.
Towering majestically over Caribbean waters from atop a rocky cliff,
the ancient Maya site of Tulum is the only walled grouping of an
archeological site situated directly on the sea. It’s the largest ancient
construction still standing along the coast of the Riviera Maya. In Mayan
times, it functioned as a small but very important port town, a center of
commerce and a place of pilgrimage. Its name means “wall” or
“fortification,” and by extension “fortress.” Its ancient name was
probably Zama, Maya for “City of Dawn.”
As an explorer at Tulum, you’ll delight in the splendor of the main
temple (El Castillo—the castle), perched high on a bluff overlooking the
turquoise Caribbean Sea. The entire setting is one of the most delightful
sights in the Maya world. Of the 60 structures contained within this
archeological site, El Castillo is the most obvious and dominant, with its
commanding and breathtaking view of the coastline. It also functioned as a
navigational aid, directing Maya canoes through the break in the offshore
reef to the beach.
The Tulum Castillo and other smaller temples and colonnaded palaces are
all enclosed within a protective wall. Sections of painted murals in the
interiors of some buildings, as well as the architecture, reflect the
“East Coast” Mayan style, complete with Mexican (Toltec/Aztec) influences.
Upon the cornices of some buildings, stucco sculptures of the Descending
God are carved, a common motif of Late Post Classic Yucatan that also
appears at the site of Coba, a 30-minute drive northwest of Tulum. This
deity may represent the Maya maize god, Venus, or, as most locals believe,
the god of the honeybee, although his true identity isn’t clear.
Although a stela (upright stone slab with carved images and
inscriptions on it) was discovered at Tulum and was dated to the year 564
A.D., most scholars feel that it was moved there from another
site—probably Tankah or Coba, and since the wall around Tulum dates to
1200-1450 A.D. and all the buildings are Post Classic in style, it most
likely isn’t as old as that stela would indicate and actually is a Post
Classic site.
Another notable feature at Tulum is the mural paintings, especially in
the Temple of the Frescoes (Structure 16). They have striking similarities
to the Mixtec codices from the Mexican highlands, although the themes are
clearly Mayan.
This most important Mayan archeological site on the coast is a must-see
due to the beauty of its location as well as its size and impressive
structures.
Coba is a large and sprawling site, located about 30 minutes northwest
of Tulum. Actually, it is composed of several separate-but-connected
sites, most of which are still “lost in the jungle.” During the Late
Classic Period (800 to 925 A.D.), Coba was the largest site on the
northeastern Yucatan Peninsula and had a dense population spread over an
area of nearly 30 square miles.
Today, the main area of this restored and partially-restored
archeological site is located between the two largest of five lakes in the
area—Lake Macanxoc and Lake Coba. The only sizeable lakes in all of
northern Yucatan, they are no doubt the reason why the Maya settled here
in the first place. Coba in Maya means “ruffled waters.”
One of the most outstanding features of Coba is the incredible number
of sacbeob (white roads) that connect different parts of it to each other,
and link it to outposts on the coast as well as other cities many miles
inland. More than 45 sacbeob have been discovered here, including one that
runs 62 miles to the west, connecting Coba to the city of Yaxuna. It has
been proposed that this causeway was the last-ditch effort by Coba to
strengthen its trade relationship to the interior, thereby competing with
its rival Chichen Itza during the early Post Classic Period.
Coba has several groups of interesting buildings, such as the Iglesia
Group (church), which includes the ball court, and the Pinturas Group with
its remnant paintings. But by far the most important group is the Nohoc
mul Group, with its massive temple-pyramid of the same name. The view from
the top of this pyramid is a bird’s eye view of a huge expanse of
surrounding jungle that is very moving to see. At 138 feet tall, it is the
highest ancient construction in all of Yucatan.
Forty-five stelae (upright stone slabs with carved inscriptions and
images on them) have been recovered from Coba, with dates that range from
613 A.D. to 780 A.D. One, which has one of the longest hieroglyphic stela
texts known, portrays a queen.
Even if you go only to see the Nohoc mul Temple-Pyramid alone, looming
high above the Yucatan jungle, a visit to Coba is well worth it.
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