Articles with the theme Cancun
Must-Know Spanish phrases (for your next Mexico trip)
Traveling to Mexico soon? There are some things we recommend you carry with you for an unforgettable vacation: your camera, city maps, and this list of must-know Spanish phrases.
1. “Disculpe. ¿còmo llego a ___?”
“Excuse me, how do I get to___?”
Cancun is easy to navigate, but in case you get lost and need directions, grab your city map and a pen and let the natives point you in the right direction.
2. “¿Cuánto cuesta esto?”
“How much does this cost?”
Vacations are about splurging, but everyone travels with a budget so before you say yes, use this phrase. Remember most prices will come in Mexican pesos!
3. “¿Qué hora es?”
“¿What time is it?”
Even if you’re on vacation and have decided to forget about time and dates, you don’t want to miss a bus, tour, or a plane!
4. “No hablo español.”
“I don’t speak Spanish.”
Chances are the person you are speaking with speaks English. Give our Spanish guide a try, but for more complicated things, use this helpful phrase.
5. “¿Dònde queda el baño?”
“Where is the bathroom?”
No matter where you are, this will always be a handy phrase to have around.
6. “¿Qué es esto?”
“What is this?”
In your travels, you will run into many new experiences and things. This phrase will never leave you wondering what that unique Mexican souvenir is or what is in your food.
7. “¿Puede tomarme una foto?”
“Can you take my photo?”
Be ready to pose for those perfect vacation photos you will upload to Facebook. You want to be in some of them, right?
8. “Buenos dìas.” “Good morning.”
/ “Buenas noches.” “Good evening.”
It is a major tradition in Mexico to say good morning, afternoon (and all its variations) to friends, strangers, and even foes.
9. “Muchas gracias.”
“Thank you very much.”
It never hurts to say a heartfelt “thank you” when someone has served you, given you directions, or any amiability.
10. “Disculpe, no lo sabia.”
“Excuse me, I didn’t know.”
It is possible you can make mistakes or break some cultural norm. No problem, just apologize. A variation to this is also “lo siento.” This literally means “I feel it,” but it’s taken as a “sorry.”
11. “¿Cómo se dice…?”
“How do you say…?”
This phrase comes in handy when you’re a fluent speaker or just a curious traveler who wants to learn the language during his travels.
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About the Author
Pamela Acosta is a Mexican travel photographer and writer for Yucatan Holidays. She is seeking to travel throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, Riviera Maya & Cancun in an attempt to capture beauty and wonder in words & pixels. Follow Pamela on Twitter.
The History Behind Paradise: How Cancun was Born
It’s hard to imagine, but there are still many people who haven’t experienced what a fantastic resort town Cancun is. Part of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Cancun is rich in cultural influence and ripe with tropical nature.
Cancun before Cancun
Before Cancun became a tourist town and before the Spanish occupation, the Yucatan Peninsula was inhabited and dominated by Mayan civilizations until most of the local sites were abandoned by the15th century. For centuries, this region was mostly wetlands, mangroves, jungles, and virgin beaches. The Maya originally called the area “Kan Kun” meaning den of snakes, golden serpent, and abundant low-lying areas, which later evolved into “Can Cun” by the Spanish.
Cancun − Tourist Resort Town
It wasn’t until 1968 when the Mexican government recognized the potential of this strip of land or peninsula − known as Cancun island − between Nichupte Lagoon and the Caribbean Sea to grow into a popular tourist destination. Development began immediately, establishing a connection between Cancun island and the Cancun mainland. 
The Cancun resort project began on April 20, 1970, with the construction of many hotels and tourist establishments that would extend across 150 kilometers (93 miles) along the turquoise-blue Caribbean Sea, through Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and beyond. The wider region included lush tropical rainforests, cenotes, underground cave systems, white sand beaches, and archaeological sites of ancient Mayan ruins.
Cancun Centro (Downtown Cancun) 
Cancun was designed in two sections: Cancun city or El Centro (downtown) to the west and the hotel zone or tourist area to the east. Cancun Centro is the part of the city where most residents live and consists of the normal institutions of daily life, such as banks, schools, churches, hospitals, markets, restaurants, foreign consulates, and homes.
Cancun Island (the Hotel Zone) 
The tourist area or hotel zone is east of Cancun Centro on a peninsula that runs between the Caribbean Sea and Nichupte Lagoon. This area consists of tours, attractions, and water activities, handicraft shops, classy shopping malls, gourmet restaurants, trendy cafes, fun bars, and popular nightclubs, such as Coco Bongo, among others.
Cancun was first introduced in 1974, the same year that Quintana Roo became an official Mexican state, and welcomed travelers from all over the world. Known as the Mexico Caribbean, Cancun has become one of the most popular tourist destinations with thousands of visitors arriving from the USA, UK, Europe, Canada, and of course, Mexico.
Hidden Treasures of the Yucatan Peninsula
The Yucatan Peninsula is filled with extraordinary natural wonders, such as Mayan ruins hidden in tropical jungles, white sand beaches, clear blue seas, enchanting cenotes, underground river and cave systems, and endangered plant and animal species. Beyond the resort towns where the Maya Indians once flourished, a tropical world of hidden natural attractions and cultural sites is waiting to be explored. While many are difficult to find, these three hidden treasures of the Yucatan Peninsula are more accessible and worth a visit.
Isla Blanca Beach, Cancun
A delightful escape from the tourist zone, Isla Blanca‘s section of white sand beach and turquoise blue Caribbean Sea is a hidden getaway on the outskirts of Cancun city. If a natural beach without tourist shops and commercial eateries sounds appealing, then Isla Blanca is the perfect getaway. A narrow peninsula with long, white beaches bordering the big blue ocean extends between the Caribbean Sea on one side and Chakmochuk Lagoon on the other.
Although frequented on Sundays, this beach is quite remote and can only be reached by car or taxi. Since no stores or services are available except for a snack shack, bringing a picnic basket with food and drinks is recommended. Located 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) north of Cancun Centro and south of Holbox Island, Isla Blanca beach has ideal wind conditions for kiteboarding and is a favorite place to go boat fishing or fly fishing for Barracuda, Tarpon, Bonefish, Snook, and Permit.
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Tulum
The Riviera Maya has many nature parks, eco parks, and nature reserves, such as Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987 after being established in 1986, it is the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean and the largest protected coastal area in Mexico at 1.3 million acres (or 652,000 hectares). This remote jungle area consists primarily of tropical rainforests, wetlands, the Caribbean Sea, and coral reefs, which make it ideal for fly fishing, snorkeling, and nature tours.
Sian Ka’an is overflowing with biodiversity, including 1,200 plant species, 230 tree species, 345 bird species, 318 butterfly species; and puma, jaguar, manatee, crocodiles, tapir, spider and howler monkeys; hawksbill, loggerhead, and green sea turtles; and even 23 Mayan archaeological sites. Located 230 kilometers (143 miles) south of Cancun in the Mayan Zone (Zona Maya) of Tulum, Sian Ka’an is a 2-3 hour drive from Cancun along coastal Highway 307 through the Costa Maya and the jungle.
Cenote Yokdzonot, Yucatan
Thousands of cenotes (natural sinkholes or cavernous wells) exist in the Yucatan Peninsula, containing fascinating stalactites, stalagmites, and crystalline or clear blue water. Once part of underground rivers and caves whose roofs collapsed, cenotes evolved after thousands of years of geological changes in the earth and are one of four different types: (1) completely below ground, (2) partially below ground, (3) at ground level, or (4) open but below ground level. Ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and diving, most cenotes reach depths of 5 to 15 meters (16-20 feet).
Yokdzonot Mayan village contains a cenote said to reach depths of 35 meters (115 feet) at its edges, possibly connecting to an underground network of caves and rivers, and is estimated to reach depths of 45 meters (148 feet) at its center. As a sustainable tourism project, Yokdzonot cenote and ecological park were opened by local Mayan women in 2007. Located 300 meters off of old Highway 181, Yokdzonot is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Merida, 220 kilometers (137 miles) west of Cancun, and 18 kilometers (11 miles) west of Chichen Itza Mayan ruins.
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About the Author
Christina Famiglietti is a professional writer and editor and with experience in various industries. Her most recent passion is the Mexican Caribbean, where she lives and is inspired to write about her beloved Mexico — its nature, culture, travel, and tourism.
Food Creations of the Yucatan: Top 3 Mexican Recipes
The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is Mayan country and that means all kinds of fascinating surprises, from ancient Mayan pyramids and tropical jungles to sacred cenotes and succulent food. Consisting of three Mexican states − Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo (home to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and the Riviera Maya) − the peninsula has a colorful history with an impressive cultural mix making it an extraordinary place to visit.
Mayan Roots
For about 2,000 years, the Maya dominated an expansive region, including the Yucatan Peninsula, with their influential empire until the Spanish invasion of 1519. After Mexican independence from Spain in 1821, the Mayan territories were divided between various countries. Mexico retained the Republic of Yucatan, which comprised the Mexican states of Yucatan (achieving statehood in 1824), Campeche (in 1863), and Quintana Roo (in 1974).
As a primarily agricultural society supplemented by hunting and fishing, the Maya cultivated such foods as corn, beans, avocados, chile peppers, squash, guava, papaya, tomatoes, other fruits and seeds. They also discovered cacao and created a drink called "xocolatl" (chocolate). Their significant contributions clearly extend beyond mathematics, astronomy, architecture, language, and art to include the culinary arts.
Multicultural Influences
The multicultural presence of today’s Yucatan Peninsula has considerably influenced Mayan food, which was initially simple, peasant cooking with a diet consisting of mostly corn, eggs, fish, shellfish, and black beans. Evolving from foods and spices introduced to the Maya through trade and migration, Yucatecan cuisine is an exotic blend of Spanish, French, Lebanese, Cuban, Caribbean, and of course, Mexican and Mayan flavors.
Many traditional Mexican foods originated from the Maya, such as tamales and tortillas, but the following Yucatecan recipes have that extra special touch. Instead of just cooking, consider the Mayan way: Their sacred book, Popol Vuh, says that man was created from white and yellow corn cobs, which is why they believe ‘creating’ with food honors the gods.
Top 3 Mexican Recipes
#1. Tikin Xic (pronounced "teekin sheek") − Grilled Fish
Ingredients:
White fish fillets (6)
Achiote* paste, 18 ounces
Epazote** herb stems (6) or 1 teaspoon dried, chopped epazote
Sour orange juice, 1 cup
Whole white onions (2), sliced
Whole green peppers (2), sliced
Tomatoes (3), sliced
Banana leaves (6)
Instructions:
Marinate fish in achiote and orange juice with tomato, onion, and green pepper slices for 1-3 hours. Then lay each fillet on a banana leaf, baste with olive oil, season with epazote, and cover with tomato, onions, and peppers. Wrap each fillet in a banana leaf and grill on both sides for 5 minutes, or bake wrapped in foil at 350° Fahrenheit (177° Celsius) for 40 minutes. Serve with rice and purple onion slices marinated in olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and thyme.
* Achiote paste: a marinade of slightly bitter, earthy flavored red annatto seeds, spices, and tomato.
** Epazote (Skunkweed): a pungent, slightly bitter herb with a hint of lemon flavor.
Both can be obtained at Mexican grocery stores.
#2. Sikil Pa’ak − Toasted Pumpkin Seed Dip
Ingredients:
Roasted tomatoes (3)
Roasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), 1 cup
Roasted large white onion, 1/2 sliced
Roasted, seeded habanero chile (1), may substitute jalapeno or Serrano chiles for less heat
Fresh cilantro leaves, 1 handful
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Roast the tomatoes, onion, and chile on the grill or griddle. Roast the pumpkin seeds in a heavy skillet, stirring often to prevent burning, and remove when brown. Place the pumpkin seeds in a blender or food processor, and grind until fine. Add the roasted tomatoes, onion, chile, and cilantro, and blend into a smooth, thick paste. Salt to taste. Serve with corn chips and fried or toasted tortillas, or use as a sauce on chicken and tacos.
#3. Mayan Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
Milk, 4 cups
Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup
Flour, 1 teaspoon
Brown sugar, 1/4 cup
Crushed cloves (3)
Nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon
Cinnamon stick (1), broken in small pieces
Dried, crushed chile peppers, 1/4 teaspoon
Powdered confectioner’s sugar, 2 teaspoons
Vanilla extract, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons
Corn starch (optional)
Instructions:
In a double boiler, heat milk on medium-to-low heat. Sift the cocoa powder and flour together, and add only enough milk to make a paste. Add the brown sugar, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and dried chile to the paste. Mix paste with the hot milk, stirring frequently to prevent burning. For a thicker consistency, gradually add corn starch. Once smoothly blended, remove the floating spices with a slotted spoon. Then add vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir and sip.
After creating these delicious recipes, tell us how you liked them.
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About the Author
Christina Famiglietti is a professional writer and editor and with experience in various industries. Her most recent passion is the Mexican Caribbean, where she lives and is inspired to write about her beloved Mexico — its nature, culture, travel, and tourism.
Cancun Hosts the United Nations Climate Change Convention – COP16
Mexico is the ideal location for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun, since it is a country most likely to be negatively impacted by man-made climate change − global warming − according to a 2009 report by the World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery. Not only this, but the country also implemented measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions voluntarily.
Mexico Environmental Programs
As a developing country, Mexico stands out for its implementation of domestic environmental controls at an early stage. Mexican authorities had begun establishing programs to generate a greener economy and reduce carbon emissions in the environment from the time experts first discovered the negative impacts of man-made climate change.
Mexico is a proud example that any country can be environmentally responsible to the extent of its abilities. The government’s successful program for businesses to voluntarily measure and report GHG emissions reflects the country’s serious approach to environmental improvement. In fact, the number of businesses supplementing their international protocols with this program has doubled between 2006 and 2009.
Mexico’s environmental commitment has extended beyond the domestic to the international community by its participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1993, signing the Kyoto Protocol* in 1998 and endorsing it in 2000.
Climate Change Conference
Hosting the 2010 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Cancun from November 29th through December 10th, Mexico demonstrates its active participation on environmental issues. This significant event includes the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) and the 6th Conference of the Parties with a meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP6).*
Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, stresses the importance of “identifying what elements they will be able to agree on in Cancun.” According to Figueres, two primary elements require an agreement:
(1) Providing financial and emergency support to developing countries undergoing environmental disasters resulting from climate change.
(2) Encouraging industrialized nations to share clean energy technology with developing countries while protecting the tropical rainforests that absorb carbon emissions.
Convention Benefits
A few environmental benefits accompany the sponsorship of the climate change conference. Cancun will receive 10,000 trees and bushes to be planted along Luis Donaldo Colosio Boulevard, the main roadway from Cancun to the Riviera Maya, which will assist in carbon absorption, sequestration, and beautification.
A residual waste management program will also be established in Cancun to assist with the processing and elimination of every different kind of waste. Special trash bins will be placed throughout Cancun and in official convention areas for discarding and recycling.
Concerned that the additional energy output from holding this conference might contribute to further environmental damage due to increased GHG emissions, the Mexican government has suggested conference participants:
· Use renewable energy sources
· Neutralize greenhouse gas emissions through soil conservation programs
· Participate in reforestation programs across the world and in Mexico
· Support sustainable forest management throughout the world and in Mexico
Sustainable Tourism
The All Inclusive Riviera Maya resort featured in our tours and vacation packages, is founded on the principles of sustainable tourism, which preserves the environment and provides luxury, all inclusive accommodations. One of Mexico’s few truly sustainable resorts, its performance extends beyond environmental protocols due to its eco friendly design and construction supported by its operations.
* On December 11, 1997, in Kyoto, Japan, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, establishing customized, legally binding requirements for 37 industrialized countries and the European community to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions between 2008 and 2012.
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About the Author
Christina Famiglietti is a professional writer and editor with experience in various industries. Her most recent passion is the Mexican Caribbean, where she lives and is inspired to write about her beloved Mexico — its nature, culture, travel, and tourism.
Cancun – The Pleasure’s All Mayan
by Sharon Drechsler
CEO and president of Cancun-based tour and excursion-providers, Yucatán Holidays, Erika Garcia is pretty excited: “We just learned that Orbitz has listed Cancun as the number one, top global destination!” she exclaims.
“Earlier in May, Cancun had already been listed in the Orbitz Index as second of ‘Top 10 Summer Travel Destinations for 2010,” adds Jesus Almaguer, director of the city’s visitors bureau. This comes as no surprise to Cancun’s Secretariat of Tourism Dario Flota. “We survey the 6 million visitors per year here all the time who say they’ve had unforgettable vacations,” he says. “Visitors from all over the world return to Cancun year after year. And they tell us they feel 100 percent confident about security throughout their stay.”
I know Flota feels the need to mention security due to recent negative press concerning border unrest. But with the tender care afforded us by a special security unit assigned solely to assist tourists, I felt more comfortable than at home! Plus, where else in the world can you find such perfect ingredients for an ideal holiday? Unspoiled, white-sand beaches; warm, Caribbean climate; exceptional hospitality…. Check. But wait. There’s more! “Sure, most of Yucatán Holidays’ guests are coming for a beach vacation,” says Garcia. “But with our vacations, they have so many additional options! You should see a kid snorkeling over the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the longest reef on the continent. Or talk to a couple after they’ve gotten out into the community, learned about the history of the Mayan people and viewed how we live today.”
“I can’t tell you how many people have told me this trip has changed their lives! One couple called me the other day and said, ‘Erika, we can’t go home yet!’” laughs Garcia. “I told them to relax; we can help them.” “Yucatán Holidays makes it easy to add on days to their stay. We do what it takes to protect our resort clients’ interests. With us, their special guests never need to go online, call another resort provider or a travel agent.” The Yucatán Peninsula has supported a sophisticated level of civilization since as early as 1,000 B.C. “We’ve found that visitors want to explore the local history, culture and heritage,” she adds. “Yucatán Holidays is the first local tour provider to incorporate our rich heritage into a sustainable tourism portfolio.”
One of their steps in meeting this commitment is to partner with an alternative tourism agency called Kanché. “Visitors interested in science and nature can take a Kanché tour through protected jungles and mangrove forests and learn about the fascinating history and culture of the region,” adds Garcia. “We are a major supporter of this non-profit, non-governmental group.”
But this is just one layer of the Yucatán Holidays onion I peeled back on a recent trip there. Fresh off the plane, my first stop is to Ocean Spa Hotel in the heart of Cancun.
Day 1: Sensations massage, sensational meal
After checking in, I am treated to an 80-minute-long Sensations massage that turns me into pliable puddles of joy. Lia at Ocean Spa Hotel’s Ya’ax Ché spa uses four different techniques including acupressure, reflexology, lymphatic drainage and body stretching – decidedly therapeutic – to send me to a different plane. Soon I’m humming a restful “Om.”
The next morning I visit the buffet table of the all-inclusive Ocean Spa Hotel’s indoor/outdoor restaurant, where I make the day’s toughest decision: Should I go native with Mexican-styled refried beans, huevos rancheros and tortillas or stick to a made-to-order omelet? Instead, I opt to sample one of the Ocean Spa’s juice therapy concoctions. Wellness is a common theme at Ocean Spa, from activities promoting exercise to restorative spa treatments and healthy food choices. The menu promises that my choice, the ‘Purify,’ an elixir of pineapple, lime, pear, kiwi and even a touch of cactus and parsley leaves, will rid me of unwanted toxins. It sounds perfect.
Thus detoxed, I believe I’m ready for the resort’s morning Latin dance class. Along with several other women and one brave fellow, we all cha-cha, hip-swivel and shimmy through an hour of salsa, bachata, merengue and mambo. (Relax. It isn’t as hard as it sounds.)
Later in the evening, my Yucatán Holidays pals and I attend an impressive evening show at the Hacienda Andalucía. An old-time hacienda that’s been converted into an equestrian venue is a weekly draw for locals and tourists alike. While we enjoy a truly sumptuous buffet, we are entertained by Mexican folk singers and dancers. After we’re suitably fortified, we watch the show as horseback riders demonstrate their skills, balancing precariously on their galloping steeds while performing intricately choreographed feats.
Hacienda Tres Ríos, Riviera Maya, Mexico 
“What is your favorite resort in Mexico?” the couple from Pennsylvania asks when they hear how much I travel. There is no hesitation on my part, “This one!” By my second day, I am checked into the five-star Hacienda Tres Ríos, an all-inclusive, luxury hotel located on the edge of 326 acres of jungle and mangrove forest and bordering a strand of beach on the Gulf of Mexico in the Riviera Maya.
I dare any top-rated hotel, anywhere, to beat Tres Ríos for luxury. It would be tough. Plush bedding, tastefully decorated suites, fine amenities, extraordinary service and haute cuisine – Tres Ríos is ready for royalty, Mayan or simply mine. Not to mention, the property was the first-ever purpose-built green resort in all of Mexico and is held to be the model of sustainability, earning top awards from Green Globe, the World Travel Awards and others. (Based in Los Angeles, Green Globe sponsors independently-audited certification that supports Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, an agreed upon international standard for the sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses.)
Maybe Hacienda Tres Ríos means endless luxury in Mayan?
On a tour of the hotel’s kitchen, award-winning Chef Oscar Orbe shows us how he keeps his seven operations (plus room service) running at top efficiency. We tour through a sparklingly clean, climate-controlled, glass paneled facility as Orbe points out the prodigious division of pastry, salads, sides, meat, poultry and fish. Preparation of each of these is compartmentalized in rooms that surround and pump completed masterpieces into a final plating area that fairly hums with activity. (And, speaking of humming, Norah Jones’ gentle tones are piping throughout the hundreds of square feet of kitchen. Happy people/happy food.)
As in all things ‘Tres Ríos,’ careful planning has contributed to a health-oriented kitchen that’s won notice from the likes of Travel Weekly and Travel Age West. The resulting menus and buffets present diners with an endless variety of healthy choices. Guests are encouraged to experiment with their food selections, much like early hunters and gatherers – ‘molecular gourmet’ cuisine, if you will. Endless luxury is taking time to relish each bite. My friend and I are seated in the kitchen, Italian style, for our reserved private service at the Chef’s Table. While the eating establishments throughout Hacienda Tres Ríos are part of an all-inclusive system, you can reserve a special VIP seating here through the concierge.
Mentally, we gird our loins as three elegantly-dressed starters to a nine-course spread begin to appear in rapid-fire succession. First is a crispy shrimp cake, followed by tender filets of venison and tuna sashimi. Main courses follow: lobster, lamb and beef tenderloin carbonara. Like we could handle it by this time, the piece de resistance is a molten chocolate, phyllo dough basket filled with mamey (similar to passion fruit) sorbet and topped with caramel and chocolate-covered raspberries.
A Mayan view of nature
The next day finds me on the eco-friendly Jaguar Tour exploring the philosophy of Tres Ríos Nature Park – an immense nature preserve supporting 90 species of animals and 120 plant species. The resort has made ecological history by successfully reforesting mangroves, palms and other flora. We get a close-up look at how it’s done at the property’s own nursery where they plant palm trees, mangroves, herbs for the kitchen and other plants and flowers to repopulate the grounds. During planting season, a personal concierge can schedule an opportunity for you to learn how to replant one of these incredible trees and earn a certificate for your contribution.
There are 10 cenotes, or sinkholes, and three rivers. (Oh, as in tres ríos, do you think?) After being assured this one is crocodile-free, we take a plunge in its brackish water and later kayak down one of the rivers. Next, Yucatán Holidays has me signed up for the Sub See Explorer & Snorkel adventure at Aquaworld. Located on the main drag in Cancun, the venue offers everything from scuba diving, snorkeling and fishing, to swimming in Isla Mujeres. I am dutifully garbed in a bathing suit with a light pair of shorts and t-shirt, plus plenty of sun block. First from a glass-bottomed boat and later while snorkeling, we feel truly privileged to spend a day exploring the massive Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. We pass coral garden after garden and see schools of angelfish, damsels, parrotfish, rabbitfish, wrasse and the occasional sea turtle. After swimming, sun and surf, the next day’s itinerary is distinctly inland…I mean, truly “in” land. Four years ago, a landowner was chasing an armadillo, which led him to unearth a rocky entrance to an underground cavern. His discovery, Río Secreto, turned out to be the longest partially flooded cave in the Yucatan Peninsula. While most caves in the region are completely submerged and only accessible by scuba diving, this one is only partially filled by water.
Garbed in ‘shorty’ wetsuits, helmets and reef shoes, we follow as our guide Pablo explains how ancient Mayan priests and leaders would take hallucinogens, enter the darkest parts of the cavern and meditate in the watery dark. As we haltingly tread its Stygian depths, it’s like a mausoleum of those ancients. You can visualize a warrior donning the skin of a jaguar to become invisible, over here. Over there, a priest with a headdress of Quetzal feathers is placing offerings before a shrine.
The spiritual side of Mexico
Our trip west from the state of Quintana Roo to Yucatán’s capital city, Mérida, over featureless jungle-filled flatlands, induces us to snooze in the back seat. We apparently pass through a time warp and awaken several hundred years in the past to find ourselves in the region’s colonial period; only three hours later and we’re in the early 1900s! As we drive down the main boulevard, Avenida Montejo, we ogle dozens of elaborate turn-of-the-century mansions. We visit the city hall – Mérida Palacio Municipal – to view impressive murals relating the Mayan struggle for freedom.
Finally, it’s time for dinner at La Chaya Maya, just before being famished turns into really being famished. Fortunately, we arrive on the early side – 8 o’clock. Very soon waiters are scrambling to bring us lime soup, roast chicken-topped tostados called panuchos and the Mayan version of a corndog, joroches. By the time we finish, the line is almost out the door.
We’re pretty proud of ourselves for having beaten the crowd and head back to our abode for the night – a contemporary, boutique hotel housed in a beautifully renovated hacienda, the Hacienda Sacnicte just outside Mérida. Hipsters of the ilk of Sting, The Police and others have rented this exclusive hideaway. Owned by an Italian architect and his wife, the two have remodeled the 17th century stone manse into an unforgettably serene vacation home to which Yucatan Holidays has access.
Here, they have restored the massive, centuries-old stone remnants of the home and outbuildings of landed Spanish gentry, reverently intermixing antiquities with the contemporary. We ogled all six of the boutique hotel’s suites with their 20-plus-foot-high ceilings, admiring the eclectic décor and noting the designer’s acute attention to detail. Bathrooms are enormous caverns with stonecrafted spigots and huge, sunken stone tubs under open sky. Bedrooms are quiet temples of muted colors with beds swathed in fine linen and walls adorned with unique contemporary art.
A continuous theme of spirituality threads throughout my visit to this part of Paradise and is tied into a bow (or maybe a love knot) in Izamal. Pope John Paul II paid a visit here in 1993 to beg forgiveness for the Church’s wrong doings throughout Latin America. In his honor, Izamal’s buildings are painted Vatican-yellow. Bicycle driven pedicabs and horse-drawn buggies trace streets encircling the Convent de San Antonio de Padua, the first church to have been completed in Mexico in 1549.
Yucatán Holidays’ slogan, “The Power of Paradise,” is appropriate in a multitude of ways, not the least of which is signified by hundreds of ancient Mayan ruins dating from the years 300 to 900 AD. We decide to save the most famous, Chichen Itza, for another day. Instead, we visit Tulum, a collection of lofty stone remains cresting a craggy, 39-foot-high cliff that has shot up out of the Caribbean Sea. Looking down at turquoise and azure waters from this promontory puts me in a worshipful mood.
I’m reminded of all the ways my Yucatán Holidays adventure has touched me. Yes, they’ve all been powerful…uplifting spiritually, engaging experientially. But visitors may need to hurry! According to experts, the Mayan calendar ends in 2012. I pay a parting visit to the ever-gracious Erika Garcia who embraces me and tells me, “Mi casa es su casa. Bring your husband next time and stay longer!”
Original Article: Perspective Magazine
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About the Author
Sharon Drechsler (DrechslerCommunications.com), lives aboard a Catalina 470 sailboat, S/V Last Resort, which is currently moored in Los Angeles, California. In addition to operating a public relations firm, Drechsler has recently co-launched SocialMediaServicing.com, content-providers for clients engaged in online networking.
The Whale Shark Adventure | Cancun – Isla Mujeres
If you visit Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Holbox or Isla Mujeres take one day off the beach and wake up early to enjoy one of the most exciting adventures. Join our expert tour guides for the unique experience of swimming with WHALE SHARKS; season is coming to an end next month!
Do you have an underwater camera? Don’t forget to bring it or get one for less than $20 USD! If you want to see all the photos, click in our Whale Shark Adventure Photo Album.
Have you ever image to swim with the biggest fish on earth? Will you do it? Share your thoughts in the comments below! We want to know!
Summer Photo Contest | The Winners
It’s been a long road since the beginning of the contest (well not too long, but at least a couple of weeks). We gladly received numerous photographs from people around the world. Some sunsets, families, friends, animals, archaeological sites, beaches, cenotes and more!
Thank you very much for joining us! It’s been a lot of fun and some hard times picking the 10 finalists. As you must already know, we only received 1 photo of a creative friend (Thank you Matthew Wolff!); but many others from great amateur and expert photographers that have had the chance of visiting Mexico before.
The 3 winners did an amazing job! A lot of friends and family members LIKEd their photos and that’s why they will now have the hard time deciding who is coming to paradise with them (did you think is was going to be easy?).
A photo is worth a thousand words so, here are the winners of our contest and the lucky guys that will receive a 5-day stay in Cancun!
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I LOVE MEXICO
Cynthia Modesto (188 LIKES)
Sylvia Campa (153 LIKES)
Nikki Snyder (128 LIKES)
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I WANT TO LOVE MEXICO
Matthew Wolff 
Congratulations again and keep an eye on our Facebook page and our Twitter account because we’ll have more contests soon!
Summer Photo Contest | The jury and some news
Our photo contest is coming to an end. In a few minutes the finalists for the “I Love Mexico” category and the single winner of the “I Want to Love Mexico” category will be published. As we received numerous photos for the first category, we decided that 5 photos were not enough, so we will be publishing the best 10 photos. And that’s not all; we are giving the prize (5-night stay in Cancun) for the 3 most LIKED photos! Get ready to LIKE your favorite one, and tell your friends to join and LIKE too!
Now, if you are wondering, who those Yucatan Holidays jury members are, let me introduce them:
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Kristin McCollum is a (sexy) travel writer and photographer that has spent the past year traveling and working throughout Europe and Mexico. Now settled on the Yucatan Peninsula, she finds inspiration in every person she meets and in the natural beauty which surrounds her. Follow Kristin on 
I’m Jorge the community manager and destination marketing strategist of Yucatan Holidays. Always on If you have a complaint because your photo wasn’t picked, please, feel free to tweet Pamela and/or Kristin. Good Luck!
Cancun Underwater Museum with AquaWorld
Last weekend the guys from AquaWorld invited the writer Sharon Drechsler and Yucatan Holidays to experience a subsea adventure. The first stop was a Submarine and later on, an snorkeling tour to the Mesoamerican Reef (the second largest in the world, just behind the one in Australia) to visit one of the Cancun Underwater Museum’s sculpture: La Jardinera de la Esperanza (The Gardener of Hope). This is what happened:
A great tour and a great experience! If you want some information on this tour (or many others), drop me a line to info@yucatanholidays.com.
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