Aqua Journey of the Riviera Maya
One of the incredible things about living in this area is the diversity of people, cultures, and environment. I was recently involved with a week-long shoot for a documentary about a woman I am teaching to overcome her fear of the water and learn to swim. In doing so, we spent several weeks scouting locations, some old familiar ones and some new ones I’d never visited before. I thought it would be a good idea to share with our readers some of the incredible places to visit along the Rivera Maya for those who love the water.
To start the Aqua Journey – it is important to mention the number of great pools that are open to the public for day passes. Many of the hotels and All-Inclusive Resorts along the Riviera Maya offer Day Passes, which include beach access and use of their pools. The Grand Hyatt, Playa Del Carmen, which we called home-base for a week is one of those. Locals, this is a great offer: though their beach is not the best, they have a number of great pools, 3 fabulous restaurants, including a sushi bar with an incredible view, and an amazing spa – which is on my list of things to do.
On a smaller, more laid-back scale is Hotel Akumal Caribe. Their day pass includes use of the pool, a gorgeous beach with palapas and comfortable loungers, and outdoor showers for rinsing off. Hotel Akumal Caribe also offers such a great locals’ rate that you may want to go ahead and book a beach front room or bungalow for the night – that way you can include either the wine, tequila or mescal tasting to your stay. We used the HAC pool for some of our swim lesson shots. The view from the pool is one of the most gorgeous I have seen, look through the palms at the white sand and the multi-hued blues of Akumal Bay.
In Puerto Aventuras the PA Beach Club Hotel offers day passes with access to their pool, Jacuzzi bar and beach.
If you are looking for a day of water, as I wrote about recently, Xcaret is a must do. It has an aquarium, aviary, butterfly pavilion, Maya village, children’s water park, zoo, numerous water activities, under-ground river, beach, inlets and tons of restaurants, to mention just some of the features. Its sister park, Xel-Ha is another great water option, with natural lazy river, rope bridges, cliff jumping and snorkeling. Xel-Ha also offers an all-inclusive food and drink option.
Want something more secluded and natural? Spend a day at Sian Ka’an Biosphere. You can go for a 2 hour float down the canal or make an entire day of it and boat all the way to the ocean, coming back at dusk as the thousands of water birds are returning to their nesting hammocks for the night.
If warm tropical ocean is not your thing, or you feel you need a break from it, there are literally hundreds of cenotes in all shapes and sizes along the Riviera Maya coast and inland as far as Merida. Some are small sink holes, other open up and flow into the ocean. And there are caves and undergrounds rivers that connect many of the cenotes. This is an entirely new and very unique water world almost exclusive to the Yucatan. Some cenotes are more like public parks, with guides to take you into the world of stalactites and stalagmites. Others are operated as businesses. You pay an entry fee and then wander along the jungle paths to the crystal clear, fresh water. Be aware most cenotes are an average of 73 degrees year-round, making them a very refreshing cool-off spots during our warm, tropical afternoons.
Last but not least, one of, if not the biggest attraction to the Yucatan Peninsula, whether for living or vacationing, are our amazing array of beaches. The entire peninsula is surrounded by the most incredible beaches, not to mention 3 very different small islands. To the north and west is the shallower, calmer, emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Bird watchers often flock here to see the flamingos, along with hundreds of other birds that live or migrate here. Though I am partial to the Caribbean Sea, I have enjoyed my visits to Celestun, Chelem, Progresso, Telchac and other Gulf locations. My favorite place on the north coast is the small island of Holbox. You can get there by ferry or hire a private boat. Once on island, the main modes of transportation are walking, boating and golf cart. The beaches are shallow and gradual, perfect for kids. The water is saltier here, great for floating, and you can still find a private piece of paradise. Certain times of the year you can also experience the bioluminescence, which is what calls the whale sharks here to feed. Looking for a tropical sunset, this is also your spot! Holbox may be small with potholed, sandy roads but don’t let it fool you, there are some incredible restaurants and hotels there.
Isla Mujeres was one of my favorite spots when I first visited in 1999! North beach is an incredible beach with gorgeous palm trees, swing bars and sunsets. I am glad I experienced it when I did. It is still well worth the visit but it is much more congested and “discovered” by boaters and day trippers alike. You can get there by tour boat, private boat or ferry.
All beaches in the Yucatan, like almost all places in the world, are public, but the difficulty is finding the public access points, which is why many people choose the resort day-pass option. Our favorite beaches are the ones we access via our small boat. These are coves which are protected and pristine and often have small coral heads we can snorkel on. If you are vacationing and don’t have access to a small boat you may want to spring for a private boat tour or hop on a snorkeling tour boat.
As you can see, our little corner has water everywhere, including the seas around us and the rivers below us. Come and enjoy for yourself the endless possibilities of swimming, snorkeling, scuba, cave diving, water parks, kayaking, windsurfing, paddle boarding, sailing, fishing, parasailing or simply sitting on the edge of Mexico listening to the lapping sound of the waves.