Mayan Riviera Destination
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Not very long ago, the entire eastern flank of the Yucatán Peninsula was a virgin beach; its long stretches of white sand overlooked by nothing more ambitious than a coconut palm. But times have changed and progress has touched the Riviera Maya, as the 100-mile corridor from Cancún to Tulum is now called.
Fortunately, development has been of an enlightened sort, and if sections of that once unsullied coast have been altered by the addition of tourist services, its spectacular, inimitable beauty has suffered little.
Highway:
Highway 307 will take you to the Riviera Maya from Cancún. It has four lanes until a short distance beyond Akumal, where it becomes a wide,two-lane road.
Accommodations:
There’s something to satisfy every style or budget. If you’re looking for grand hotels with all the services (pool, restaurant, satellite TV, air conditioning and phone), you will find these in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras and Akumal. The less populated sports, like Playa del Secreto, Punta Bete, Xcalacoco, Paamul, Xpu-Há and Tulum, are better-known for their rustic and more informal atmosphere.
Archaeological Sites:
The Maya constructed important urban centers throughout this region. In addition to the most famous-Tulum, Cobá, Xcaret and Xel-Há-you can see others like Tankah, which is practically right on the highway, a little before getting to Tulum. In Playacar are the vestiges of Xaman-Há and the southern part of the state is worth a visit to sites such as Kohunlich, among other.
Cenotes:
Cenotes are naturally occurring wells and surface extensions of the subterranean rivers that course through the Yucatán Peninsula’s limestone layers and flow towards the sea, it is the Yucatán’s only source of fresh water. They were holy for ancient Maya who built important cities around them. They are very common throughout the Riviera Maya; swimming, diving or exploring them has become one of the most popular activities in the area.
Development is altering the eastern coast of Quintana Roo, that curvaceous shoreline of perfect white sand running south from Cancún to Tulum and beyond. Exciting things are happening; projects with real vision, so staggering in their magnitude that they sometimes keep us from noticing other, less publicized happenings.
Landowners Lorenzo Ancona Sosa says he was unaware of the caves’ existence until five years ago. Local villagers out hunting ran across them and took Ancona to see for himself. Recognizing the importance of the discovery, he called in a team of experts and serious exploration began. The caves are approximately 5,000,000 years old and were at one time underwater; fossilized shells embedded in the limestone are a visible proof.
It took Ancona and his team every one of those five years.
Caves Aktun Chen
Readying the caves for visitors, studying the formations, checking structural stability and determining the best route to follow.
There’s no set time for the tours, you only get there. There’s a small open-air restaurant for refreshments, an available ATV tour and restrooms are ecological.
Future plans include bike paths through a forest that is riddled with wildlife and of course, animal watching and birding will be encouraged. Labels for trees, ferns and other plants are on the agenda-a kind of free-form botanical garden.
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