Articles with the theme Vacation

Kanche AC |Sustainable travel with Yucatan Holidays

Taking a vacation is not just about getting away, but about doing something special when you get there. With more than 190 countries to visit and a plethora of activities, choosing the perfect place for you comes down to a combination of options: the perfect hotel, location, and the unique experiences that a vacation can offer.

With all the great travel places found in Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula is the perfect destination for a special getaway that’s right for you. Located about an hour away from Cancun and the Riviera Maya, Yucatan Holidays, in association with Kanché AC, offers the curious traveler an opportunity to experience the mystical Mayan culture in the present while at the same time helping to conserve the natural environment.

Founded in 2006, Kanché AC works toward the advancement of rural communities through sustainable development, alternative tourism, and education.  It is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that uses profits generated by alternative tourism to invest in socially oriented projects that help the local community.  Two major goals of the organization are to improve the conservation of the environment and to create an intercultural center to preserve the traditions and cultural attributes of the region.

The tours offered provide different options for all tastes—including swimming with whale sharks, getting to know the descendents of the Mayan culture, exploring the ecosystems and jungles, among others. The small size of the group tours is designed specifically to preserve the habitat and offer a personalized visit.

Kanché AC provides local communities with the tools to be self-sustained while, in the meantime, working to conserve the natural habitat and provide the sensible, responsible, and curious traveler with a unique vacation experience.

Make your next holiday a different experience planning your vacation with Yucatan Holidays and Kanché AC. For more information, send us an email to  info@yucatanholidays.com or call: 1.800.658.3141 (from US) & 0.800.520.0436 (from UK) and start exploring.

Elton John at Chichen Itza | Yucatan Holidays Packages

We will soon have the most important event of the year at Chichen Itza (sounds like “chicken pizza”).  Sir Elton John, the English singer-songwriter, composer, and pianist, will perform on stage in front of the spectacular Kukulkan Pyramid, Saturday, April 3rd, 2010.  The show promises to be an amazing experience at one of the most visited and renowned attractions in Mexico.

Last year, Sarah Brightman performed at Chichen Itza for only a few thousand lucky attendees.  Since Chichen Itza is not a large venue, tickets are in demand for the Elton John concert.  Regardless of ticket prices ($1,000 – $10,000 MXN Pesos), many of Elton John’s fans already have their tickets in hand. 

Yucatan Holidays now offers you a chance to attend this fabulous concert.  We’ve created three special vacation packages, so you too can enjoy the magic of Chichen Itza and the inspiration of Elton John’s songs. Follow the link below to book any of the packages designed for every budget (starting at only $135 USD per person)!  Travel to this Mayan paradise, and experience an unforgettable vacation, while enjoying the notes of one of the most important musicians of our time.

BOOK NOW WITH YUCATAN HOLIDAYS

Cancun Beach Recovery Project | Guests Reviews

The beach recovery project is almost finished in Cancun.  Ninety-three percent of the restoration has been achieved with an expected completion date by the end of this week.  Using almost five million cubic meters of sand, the last stage of the project is about to begin, including the location of the “closing structure” to prevent future sand erosion.

Last weekend, we visited the beach at the Royal Sunset Hotel where the beach recovery program began less than three months ago. Numerous guests where enjoying the wide beach with soft white sand, a sight that we had not seen since 2005 when Hurricane Wilma eroded the beaches of Cancun.  Here are some comments about the new beach from travelers.

Yucatan Holidays | The Mayan world in a different way

The aim of our company this year is to increase tourism visits to the Yucatan Peninsula, by offering different concepts of travel experiences. The travel circuits or vacation packages, allow visitors to discover the other side of the touristic venue through the traditions and mysticism of the Mayan Culture.  

Erika García, CEO of Yucatan Holidays recently commented during a press conference that our agency is working along with local communities, charities, and environmental organizations to ensure a wide variety of unique vacations and sustainable tourism experiences throughout the area. She recalled Yucatan Holidays initially originated because travelers were interested in authentic cultural experiences, rather than the popular visits of touristic hot spots like Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Yucatan Holidays is committed to the responsibility towards the touristic development of the Yucatan Peninsula. With the purpose of attracting visitors to the touristic venue; the agency sponsored during 2009 important international events like the World Travel Awards and the Celebrity Golf Invitational.

The travel circuits of Yucatan Holidays were originally developed for visitors seeking the comfort of luxurious accommodations, while discovering the secrets of the archaeological sites and the ancient Mayan settlements along the Yucatan Peninsula.

Explore marvelous places like Mexico City, Campeche, Yucatan, Quintana Roo, and now Cuba when you join the travel circuits of Yucatan Holidays. Enjoy the best cultural experience and venture yourself into an amazing discovery during your unique vacation with Yucatan Holidays.

Riviera Maya Jazz Fest 2009 | The last night

Photo: Noticaribe

The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival 2009 came to an end on Saturday.  After four days of great music, one of the most traditional and favored festivals ended on a high note with three renowned Jazz, R&B, and Bossa artists.  Pat Martino, Al Jarreau, and Herbie Hancock dazzled more than 12 thousand attendees under the starry skies of Playa del Carmen.

Visitors from all over Mexico and beyond patiently enjoyed the night sitting down (some clever ones brought their own chairs), while others just stood and danced to the rhythm of the music.  Pat Martino opened the show playing his guitar with unparalleled grace; nothing besides a few drum beats and piano notes accompanied him to start the jazz festival.  Later the Grammy award winner, Al Jarreau, appeared on stage  to perform with his spectacular voice — a great set for everyone.  Full of enthusiasm and energy, Jarreau delighted the crowd for one hour.

The world-renowned Herbie Hancock closed the festival.  For the first time in Mexico, the jazz master shared some of the best music from his more than 30-year musical career with an excited audience.  It was definitely a night to remember.

Ya’ax Che Spa | Well-Being the Mayan Way

The name Ya’ax Che means La Ceiba, the Mayan tree of life.  This tree can be found in the center of the world – its roots penetrate the infra-world, its trunk rests on the Earth, and its highest branches hold up the sky.  Its branches represent five points of reference: the East is the sun; the North is the feminine; the South is the masculine; the West is the negative; and the center represents the human being.

Ya’ax Che Spas are located inside each of our hotels, offering guests the opportunity to experience wellness and relaxation in a traditional atmosphere.  Designed to reestablish balance with nature of the mind, body, and spirit, our treatments combine ancestral Mayan wisdom with advanced body health techniques and state-of-the-art equipment.

The philosophy of YA’AX CHE SPA is based on the Mayan belief that as human beings, we are connected to everything that surrounds us: the universe, our fellow men, and nature.  Ya’ax Che Spa will help you rediscover this balance in the center of your universe.

Spa treatments are enriched by applying elements of nature with indigenous ingredients, such as lemon grass, lime, jasmine, aloe, cacao, sesame, ecological honey from the tropical jungle and flowers, to name a few, and the use of sacred sounds, herbal baths, quartz and other stones.  The ancient knowledge of these rituals is combined with modern principles in treatments to renew energy and balance the physical, mental, and spiritual self.

Plan your winter vacation with Yucatan Holidays, and indulge yourself in one-of-a-kind spa treatments in Cancun or the Riviera Maya.  The experience of luxury wellness is up to you.

Cancun and Riviera Maya Beach Recovery

It’s been almost three weeks since the recovery project started on the beaches of Cancun.  It hasn’t been an easy road.  Hurricane Ida hit a couple of weeks ago (luckily causing no damage), and a controversy with an ecological group in Cozumel delayed the starting date.

Today, the recovery project is going smoothly.  The dredge is still on the coast of Cancun, having successfully poured the much-needed sand, even with curious tourists observing and taking pictures of the progress.  Today, Friday the 20th, the recovery is about to reach Punta Cancun (near Forum Mall and The City nightclub), and then later start moving to the south of Royal Sunset Hotel, where everything started, all the way down to Punta Nizuc.

As for concerns from the ecological group, Cielo, Tierra y Mar, in Cozumel (opposed to dragging the sand from the coast of this island), yesterday a tribunal overruled the group and granted permission to move forward with the project, since the group didn’t finance cessation of the dredge.  Pipes and another dredge are expected to arrive on the coast of Playa Del Carmen over the weekend (specifically near the Sandos Playacar Hotel) to begin recovery across 4.2 kilometers on Monday as previously planned.

The recovery program three days ago close to Punta Cancun
Video: Entertainment Plus Cancun

Cancun Riviera Maya International Film Fest has begun!

Since Monday afternoon, the International Film Festival started with some movie screenings in different venues among Cancún and the Riviera Maya. Pedro Valiente, director of the event has done a great job in the organization of  the third edition of the film festival, which brings together the most promising directors and some of the best actors in the film industry. The main venue is the Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, where the distinguished guests have been accommodated.

Today, Wednesday 11th, the luxury resort will host the Opening Cocktail for the film festival. A list of Mexican and International celebrities is confirmed for such a special night. Danny Glover, the renowned actor from movies like: Lethal Weapon, Top Gun, Maverick, Saw and 2012 (soon to be premiered in the US) is the special guest of the festival; he’ll be presenting his latest film The Harimaya Bridge, from American director Aaron Woolfolk.

Other international directors, producers and actors along with Mexican celebrities  Ana Claudia Talancón, Mario Zaragoza, Pedro Damián, Salvador Aguirre,  Ana Roth and Mario Mandujano will be joining us tonight at the Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort.

During this week, special movie screenings with an ecological perspective will be offered for the guests of the resort : About the Water, The Planet, Flow, The Firm Land, Rez Bomb, The Human Experience, Cages y Burma VJ.

Do you want to join the celebrities? We have a special deal for the Film Fest!

The Cancun beach recovery project has begun: Details, pictures and videos.

On October 31st, the beach recovery program for Cancun and the Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel) finally started. Even with a rainy day, the “Kaishuu” dredge and tons of equipment in the coast were set to start  pouring sand along the Cancun beach for the initial stage of the project.

Despite concerns with ecological organizations, the authorities approved to take the sand from a sand bank known as “La Ollita” near Isla Mujeres, instead of from Cozumel. The authorities commented that approximately 1.5 millions cubic meters of sand will be dredged from this area. In a press conference, the Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, Félix González Canto said that he expects the project to be ready by the end of the year.  However, the place from which the sand will be extracted for the Riviera Maya beach has yet to be defined, because the full project requires at least 7 millions cubic meters of sand.

The project started in Punta Cancun behind the Royal Sunset Hotel last Saturday, and will run several kilometers along the coast. This is the second time a beach recovery program has occurred since  hurricane “Wilma” in 2005. But this time, it is expected to have a maintenance plan for at least 10 years. Hope they are right.

Great pictures.

Some great shots from the beach recovery program in Cancun.
Photos: Jim in Cancun & Abner Chim.

And a couple of videos.

Travel Photography: For your next Yucatan Holiday

Whether or not you have a professional camera, it’s important to take care of some details if you expect to return from your trip with a bunch of interesting or even fascinating pictures. Some basic but essential items are lens cleaner, batteries, and a tripod, but more importantly, we’ll give you some advice about how to take a great travel photo (probably not a National Geographic one, but a picture you’ll like to share)! Here are just a few ideas for taking pictures overseas.

What to photograph

This is entirely your decision. You are probably the type of person who enjoys taking pictures of people, trying to capture their culture and traditions. Remember, in this case, always be respectful when you ask your “models” to get ready. If you are planning to take a portrait without asking, try to be discrete, or they may be offended.

Around the Yucatan Peninsula and the Riviera Maya, there are hundreds of perfect landscapes to capture by photograph. Whether it is a shot of one of the amazing beaches along the Riviera Maya, a nature-surrounded cenote, or one of the breathtaking Mayan archaeological sites, the region is ideal for professional and amateur photographers.

If you are an animal lover, you should consider visiting one of the eco parks or nature reserves in the Yucatan Peninsula. Tres Ríos, Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Celestún or Ría Lagartos are definitely the best places to take some awesome animals pictures!

What to consider

Once you have decided what to photograph, you’ll have to consider some aspects to include in your picture to make it really special. Action for example is the key to a great photo. “Capturing action in your photographs adds atmosphere that an otherwise straight-on shot cannot,” says Lola Akinmade, travel photography expert. It’s common to see boring or lifeless pictures from trips. Try to experiment. Look for a nice landscape, and add a special touch of action. You won’t regret it.

Other “musts” in photography (not only while traveling) are composition and balance. Composition is the visual process of organizing the elements of a scene into a balanced and pleasing arrangement. And balance is considered a compositional rule for finding symmetry between the interesting points of a picture. Although composition is largely a matter of personal taste, applying the “rule of thirds” may be pretty helpful for your masterpiece. (Draw imaginary lines through your picture, separating it into 3 rows and 3 columns, and the important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.)

Take advantage of these other ways to take a great photo! Framing is using an object (branches, windows, tunnels, etc.) to act as a frame for your subject or your point of interest, so it directs the viewer’s attention directly to what you want to show. This is great way to get superb pictures. You can play with the color too: take black & white (AKA Monochrome) photos to give a “classic” touch or to evoke a feeling. Consider telling a story or using vivid colors too.

Some Additional tips:

• · Always bring enough (meaning extra) batteries and film!
• · If you’re using a reflex camera, bring all the cleaning and maintenance stuff; usually, digital cameras require less attention.
• · Try to learn some basic words in the language of the place you’re visiting. This can be very helpful.
• · If you are taking night shots, use a tripod.
• · For most pictures, the best is in the natural light of the morning and evening.
• · Consider using 2 or 3 memory cards, instead of one with high capacity; this is to prevent losing all your pictures if something happens with that big card.
• · Let yourself go and experiment with your camera. You’ll probably be surprised in a good way.

How about an amazing shot of an iguana posing over a pyramid in Tulum, or perhaps a group of Mayan women knitting huipiles? The options are endless in this paradise! Visit the Yucatan Holidays website, book your next unforgettable vacation, and remember to bring your camera to free the photographer inside of you.