The whale shark is not really a shark nor is it a whale. It's actually the world's largest fish. With a mouth that can be up to four feet wide, the whale shark is a filter feeder, swimming slowly near the surface consuming enormous amounts of plankton, small fish, crustaceans and squid through its gills as it swims. Best of all, they are completely harmless to people.
The islands north of Cancun are the home of the largest concentration of these incredible creatures, though the whale shark season is only in the summer, from June to September.
If you plan to visit the Riviera Maya during these months, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an unforgettable experience. Taking an organized tour is highly recommended. All tours are fairly similar and usually include snorkel gear, life vests, a continental breakfast, snacks and drinks (alcoholic ones only on the return after your swim!), a ceviche and/or sandwich lunch and a stop to explore the reefs and the north beach of Isla Mujeres on your return. The boats carry up to 8-10 people and each snorkeler gets to go out with the whale sharks for about 5-10 minutes at a time, with a guide, until everyone gets a turn and usually each person gets about 2-3 turns. All tours depart daily from 7:30am-12pm from Punta Sam, Puerto Juarez in Cancun.
Round trip transportation from Playa is sometimes an additional charge but generally prices for the tours average around $110 US per person total, regardless of age. It's well worth every penny!
En el Estado de Yucatán a 150 kilómetros de Cancún se encuentra un pueblo mágico llamado Valladolid.
Atractivo por su hermoso estilo colonial, por sus coloridas calles y su rica gastronomía, Valladolid es sin duda una escala forzosa dentro de un recorrido en la Península de Yucatán, su increíble ubicación permite trasladarse fácilmente a Chichén Itzá, Cobá, Tulúm y Río Lagartos, debido a que se encuentra ubicada al centro de estos lugares.
Si visitas Valladolid tienes que dar un paseo nocturno por el parque, ya que la iluminación que adorna este lugar por las noches es muy bonita, y el parque se torna tranquilo para caminar. Con un poco de suerte podrás encontrar a uno de los grupos de jóvenes que a veces se reúnen ahí y acompañados de guitarras y panderos se ponen a tocar música regional.
Dentro del pueblo, a unos 5 minutos del centro también se encuentra un hermoso cenote llamado Zací, que en maya significa gavilán blanco.
Si tú ya visitaste Valladolid, cuéntanos tu experiencia. ¿Cómo te la pasaste?
Por Frank Casaretto (Alemania) Estudiante de español. Nivel A1
Es miércoles 12 de agosto de 2010. Vamos en coche por la avenida Juárez. Antes de 10 minutos logramos nuestra meta: el cenote Chaak-Tun.
Chaak-Tun es un cenote que está en Playa del Carmen, cerca de la población de Chaak-Tun. Es un nombre del idioma maya que significa lluvia de piedras.
Compramos los boletos y entramos al cenote. Traemos linternas porque nos dijeron que las cavernas ahí son muy oscuras.
Entramos al agua. ¡Ah, qué fría está! Eso es porque el agua tal vez venga de una fuente de debajo de la tierra. Aquí hay estalactitas y estalagmitas, que son producidas por el agua de las lluvias que se filtra entre las rocas.
Empezamos a nadar en el agua y después de unos minutos vimos murciélagos.
¡Es una aventura riquísima! ¿Cuál ha sido tu más grande aventura en la Riviera Maya?
Increasing numbers of visitors are coming to the Riviera Maya, attracted by its outstanding natural beauty and wildlife—the very things that are now under serious threat of being lost forever. But you can help!
When you visit the area remember a few things:
Avoid leaving bottles, cans and cigarette butts on the beach.
Sediment smothers coral, so please avoid stirring up the bottom of the sea and do not touch coral in any way.
Do not harass sea creatures by chasing, touching or provoking them. Let them approach you.
Do not remove anything, dead or alive, from the sea.
Use a t-shirt rather than sunblock when in the water. If you must use sunscreen, try using one that is biodegradable.
Stay informed and support local environmental protection efforts and responsible businesses. To find out how, visit mexiconservacion.org.
La Zebra beach cabañas and restaurant on the beach in Tulum is an amazing paradise and sight for the eyes to see. With 15 jungle-chic cabañas right on the beach, the whitest sand you've ever seen, swaying palm trees, cushy lounge chairs and beachside hammocks to relax to sound of the Caribbean waves, La Zebra is one of the original Tulum hotels that made the Riviera Maya famous. If you want to escape and relax in a place that's still largely untouched, intimate and romantic, then La Zebra is the perfect place for you.
La Zebra also has a beachfront restaurant and an outdoor beach bar, perfect for a day or weekend away from Playa del Carmen and only a 40-minute drive (a 1-hour bus ride) away.
For salsa lovers (or beginners…), don't miss La Zebra's Salsa Sunday, which starts with a free salsa lesson (6-7pm) on the deck of the outdoor bar and then dance the night away as the sun goes down on Sunday!
If you’re cruising too quickly on 5th Avenue you'll probably miss it, but no one should be moving that quickly. You're supposed to be on holiday!
Down at the south end of the famous 5th Avenue, between 6th and 8th Street there's a little alleyway marked at the entrance with the hotel name El Jardin de Marieta. But it's not just a hotel inside. As you walk inside, under the archway and onto the cobblestone path you'll encounter this cute alleyway that every visitor MUST stroll down! It's surrounded by beautiful gardens, big trees and numerous exotic plants. It's such a nice little spot, to take a break away from the busy 5th Ave.
Inside you'll also find an amazing Italian restaurant called Casa Mediterranean and at the end of the alleyway, you'll see a sitting area with a giant aquarium and to the left of that, a gorgeous spa named Sabai, which is Thai for "relax". If you don't want to sit or get a massage, then check out the shops inside selling unique clothing, handmade jewelry and handicrafts as well as paintings and other works-of-art exhibited around the garden for sale.
The Rockarte Festival is coming to Playa del Carmen again! Come see one of the best culturally-fused events on the Riviera Maya on Friday and Saturday, July 30th and 31st starting at 5:00pm on the beach at Zenzi and Wicky's beach blubs, 10th Street and the beach. The event is free to the public.
Rockarte is a cultural event of diverse artistic disciplines, including music, dance, art and photography, fire performers, comedic mime expressionist and more, all in an effort to raise awareness, promote and support cultural activities in Mexico.
The Rockarte festival provides a stage for local artists to showcase their talents. The festival provides an opportunity to share many forms of artistic expression and generate a new, cultural fusion-of-the-arts in society. This year the line-up will consist of many local Playa del Carmen singers, bands and artists as well as a few travelling here from Mexico City and Guadalajara to participate.
The show is every year in Playa but founding member, Luis Santana (also lead singer of one of the bands on the line-up from Guadalajara, Red Lake Circus says "the aim is to take Rockarte on the road and tour more parts of Mexico in the coming years in support of local talent in other parts of the country."
The inaugural show that took place February 28, 2009 at the hip Zenzi beach club was a huge success attended by over 1,500 people. Zenzi will host this year's festival, along with their neighbor, Wicky's, as the show expands to two days and attendance expected to increase.
For more information, such as the line-up and the gallery of photos from last year, visit the Rockarte website.
Be sure not to miss this one if you're in the Playa area this weekend!
Though Corona is brewed in Mexico, it tends to be a more common option in the U.S. In fact, not all bars here on the Riviera Maya carry it. So if you're normally a Corona drinker, it may be time to expand your horizons!
Here's our guide to the beers most commonly found in Playa del Carmen:
Bohemia. Comes in a dark bottle with gold foil on the neck (or silver foil if it's the darker version called 'Obscura'). Bohemia is a bit more expensive than other beers, but it has a robust taste and is a bit of a status symbol.
Dos Equis. Advertised on billboards throughout the region, Dos Equis (XX) comes in lager (green bottle) and amber (tinted brown bottle). The lager is more common and goes better with lime, but if you like the darker, more full-bodied beer, Amber is becoming increasingly more popular.
Indio. This amber beer, only found in Mexico and on the Riviera Maya can be a hard one to find, has a mellow but not timid body and a very smooth finish. If you can find it try it!
Leon Negra. A bit of a microbrew, this dark and flavorful beer is locally brewed in Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan. Sometimes hard to find but a definite favorite if you enjoy dark beer.
Modelo. Sold by the single can in convenience stores, like most beers, this light-bodied beer is favored by many locals and goes nicely in a cooler at the beach.
Montejo. Made at the same Merida brewery as Leon Negra, this beer is a regional brand of Southeast Mexico and is a pilsner-type beer. Although from this region, it's still sometimes hard to find.
Negra Modelo. A dark beer from the "Modelo" family of beer, is sometimes sold at a slightly higher price than other beers. It's normally served in a glass and Negra Modelo lovers often say, "it goes great with steak".
Sol. Commonly found at beach bars, nightclubs and convenient stores. Sol is what most Corona drinkers opt for when their Corona isn't available. Also frequently served with a lime like Corona.
Superior. Served in a dark tinted bottle, which helps keep it from getting "skunked" on a sunny day, this full-bodied beer is sold at a discount in most grocery stores and is widely available at local bars.
Tecate. One of the most popular beers in Mexico and commonly served in cans, Tecate is best enjoyed with plenty of salt and lime. A popular choice at sports bars.
Victoria. Mexico's oldest beer, this lager has a nice carbonation, a touch of bitterness and a golden brown color that's much deeper than the other south-of-the-border beers you may be used to.
La pesca deportiva es una de las actividades más comunes en la Riviera Maya, aquí hay diferentes temporadas para salir a pescar a mar abierto diferentes tipos de peces, las temporadas están divididas según el pez que se busca, por ejemplo: la temporada de pez vela es entre los meses de marzo y junio o para el marlín azul, la temporada es de marzo a octubre. Hay peces como el wahoo, atún o algunos peces de arrecife como el huachinango, jurel, mero, mojarra, etc que su temporada es todo el año.
También hay tours de pesca que son organizados en Puerto Aventuras por gente especializada en esta práctica y que cuentan con barcos totalmente equipados para este fin. En Punta Allen, también se organizan torneos de pesca de mosca muy cerca de la laguna de Muyil.
Sin duda alguna aquí es un buen lugar para practicar este deporte que requiere de paciencia, fuerza y tal vez algo de maña.
¿Alguna vez has pescado? Cuéntanos tu experiencia y dinos que pescaste.
Touch paradise in the world's most beautiful freshwater lagoon, Laguna de Bacalar [>> previous post | Wikipedia entry | Google Maps]. Get lost in the reflection of the sky, leaving you in a magical world where the senses wake up to see, listen, smell, feel and taste, conquering your soul. From sunrise to sunset and into the night where stargazing is a must, you will truly feel in harmony with nature.
This freshwater lagoon, with a bottom of gleaming white sand, is Mexico’s second largest lake and is known to reflect "seven shades of blue". Behold this magnificent sight as blue, green and turquoise tones flow into the Caribbean. Photographs do not do justice to this natural beauty and it must be seen with your own eyes — it's absolutely astonishing.
La Laguna de Bacalar is a nice weekend getaway as it's about three hours south of Playa and two hours from the archeological site of Tulum on the Riviera Mayan. It's best to rent a car (approximately 60 USD a day) and get there on your own time. If not, another option is taking a bus to Chetumal and then take a colectivo (a minivan that serves as a taxi for up to 12 people) to Bacalar, which is around 30 minutes north of Chetumal.
What's the best way to experience Bacalar? Spend one or two nights in the casitas right on the lake. Casita Carolina is a delightful place about 1.5 blocks south of the fortress, Fuerte San Felipe Bacalar, with casitas priced between 450-600 pesos per night. It has a large lawn leading down to the lake, five fan rooms and a deluxe palapa that sleeps up to four. Also recommended is taking advantage of the Casita's kayaks to explore the lake. You'll never want to leave this place. It's the ultimate getaway for families, friends and individual travelers seeking adventure, tranquility, comfort and hospitality in a truly natural setting.
For a more resort-like atmosphere, try Hotel Laguna, which also offers traditional Mexican hospitality, great service and decent rates as well.
En el Estado de Yucatán a 150 kilómetros de Cancún se encuentra un pueblo mágico llamado Valladolid.
