Xel-Ha is known as a unique eco-park located south of Playa del Carmen, about 15 minutes from our villa in Akumal. It lies on the eastern coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula, the archaeological site of the Mayans in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

Multiple leisure, ecological and natural attractions offer activities for the entire family to enjoy themselves. The unique open-sea aquarium allows visitors to view ocean life in their natural habitats unaltered and not disturbed.

Swimming with trained dolphins is also a popular activity for tourists, which is not found easily in surrounding areas. Animal and nature lovers enjoy spending time in the water with these gentle creatures, and have a wonderful story to bring home to their family and friends!

Snorkeling is also ideal in the local lagoon. The coral is dead there, but regular feeding keeps the many types of colorful fish returning for more. Some snorkelers will have another party feed the fish while they view the swimming visitors from below.

There is a river which starts in a natural spring, and inner tubes are available to float to the end. This provides a relaxing complement to an afternoon nap in a hammock on one of the local beaches as well.

More adventurous spirits enjoy climbing and diving from the local cliffs in Xel-Ha, exploring the Mayan cave, and touring the local Xel-Ha ruins. These ruins are largely untouched and totally original, with a unique look into past centuries and architectural contributions.

Hammock Island, Xpa, Bay of Caprices and The Beach are popular hotspots for those who wish to lounge and experience the leisurely activities at Xel-Ha. Chacah Garden, the Mayan Wall, the Apiary and Plant Nursery provide unique ecological attractions for plant life lovers. Natural wonders are also seen at the Inlet, El Dorado Cavern, Ixchel’s Gulf, the Mayan Cave, Chaac Mangal, and many Cenotes.

When visiting Akumal, Xen-Ha is an easy day trip that will please the entire family and offer plenty of varying activities. Reasonably priced and unique to the area, activities center around relaxation, fun and exploring historical and natural wonders.

Water sport lovers will enjoy the inner tube ride, cliff diving and snorkeling in the lagoon. Nature lovers enjoy swimming with the dolphins and exploring the multiple forms of plant and animal life in the area, and those curious of the historical roots of the Peninsula have plenty of opportunity to explore Mayan ruins and advanced architectural influences for that era.

Our kids and grandchildren always plan spending the whole day at Xel-Ha every time they visit Akumal. There is so much to do they never get tired of returning year after year. They enjoy riding a bicycle through a path in the jungle, jumping off cliffs into the limpid blue sea, swimming with the dolphins, and walking through stingrays on the bottom of the sea.

This year for the first time they signed up for the Sea Trek. They wore a technologically advanced helmet that looks like deep-sea diving equipment. Sea trek required no previous training, diving or otherwise. Experts will be close at hand at all times during the walk, aiding them in every way and satisfying every curiosity concerning the aquatic walk of a lifetime. They all said it was a walk they would never forget!

We highly recommend you visit Xel-Ha on your next trip to the Yucatan.

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The more you know about Akumal, Mexico, the more excited you will be when you visit this paradise. Therefore, in the months or weeks leading up to your trip you should spend a litle time doing research so that you can learn more about Akumal.

To discover more about Akumal, Mexico, you can easily turn to the Internet. The Internet has a wealth of information, providing historical and straight information as well as tips and reviews from other vacationers who have been to the area. The site, AkumalVacation.com, has many interesting stories about the Akumal Mexico area. This type of information can provide everything you need to know about many parts of your vacation, including the good places to eat, stay, shop, and explore. We will tell you what we have enjoyed and what to watch out for, while the other sites will tell you all about other areas that you plan to visit.

In addition to this type of information, you can also learn more through Akumal hotel, resort, and tourism websites. Each site will provide you with pictures of their accommodations, a list of local attractions and activities, and typically, a short history of the area. They may also give information about things that they provide, which will not only help you learn more about Akumal, but also help you organize your daily agenda while on vacation.

Although their objective is to talk you to visit Akumal, the information that they provide about their property and the area needs to be correct or they will start to lose business. So, you can usually believe the information from a website, especially the information that they portray about local actitivies and the history of Akumal.

Alternatively you can learn more about Akumal is through a travel agent. It is the responsibility of a travel agent to know a wealth of information about their main destinations or at least be able to give you the information. Even if you do not expect to use a travel agent, you can still get some information through them.

A trip to Akumal and the Mayan Riviera area of Mexico would not be complete without a visit to one of the many Mayan ruins in the area. This area is in the heart of this ancient civilization that still influences the art, food and culture of the Yucatan today. Akumal and its surrounding area were major trade routes for the Mayans and historians are continuing to uncoverstill uncovering many ruins of this once mighty civilization.

One of the nicest ruins to visit not only near Akumal but in all of the country is Tulum. There are also the Coba and Xel-Ha which are all conveniently located not far from Akumal and other areas in the Mayan Riveria region. They are an easy drive by automobile or if you prefer, you can arrange to take a tour bus.

A trip to Akumal, Mexico can be a learning and bonding experience for the whole family. Discover the history and the culture of the land. Learn about the sea and what activities you can enjoy in the water. Plan your trip based on the subject that interests you most. The more you learn about Akumal, the more interesting it will be once you finally arrive.

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Yucatan Peninsula has become the newest and the most famous tourist destination in Mexico. Not only does its popularity stem from its excellent tropical location and the fact that it has many new and exciting options to offer the tourist but also due to the vast amount of activities that are provided to the visitors to this area. Every tourist or visitor which arrives in the Peninsula regardless of their lifestyle surely discovers that he or she is looking for an interesting and different vacation then what they normally engage in. Here in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico they can readily find this escape.

There are a lot of Maya archaeological sites throughout the Yucatan. The best known are Chichen Itza, Tulum and Uxmal. Indigenous Maya and Mestizos of partial Maya descent still make up a sizable portion of the peninsula’s population and Mayan language is still widely spoken although it is slowly dying out.

The Yucatán Peninsula once was a cattle ranching, logging, chicle and henequen production area. But recently it has turned its economy towards tourism, especially in the state of Quintana Roo. Cancún, Once a small fishing village, has grown into a thriving city. The Riviera Maya, which stretches along the east coast of the peninsula between Cancún and Tulum, currently has more than 50,000 beds including world class resorts and charming beach side villas and has become a major tourist destination. The best-known locations are the former fishing village of Akumal, Playa del Carmen, the ecological parks Xcaret and Xel-Há and the Mayan ruins of Tulum.

As an example if you happen to be one of the many eco-tourists which arrive daily you will find that the snorkeling or scuba diving in one of the countries many coral reefs can be a very exciting pastime. For the amateur or professional archeologist or even the curious visitor who likes to traces the various roots of the past with such artifacts as antiques or visits to historical ruins then you would certainly enjoy the Coba Great Pyramid or the Chichen Itza’s El Castillo.

The Mexican traditional market is full of antique items which you can purchase as souvenirs for friends, family or simply to place in your office as conversation pieces. Yucatan is also famous as a destination where those tense feelings just disappear and you can unwind and relax. The calm beaches coupled with many of the comfortable places for the visitor to stay in make this paradise a great means of relaxation. Children on the other hand will surely enjoy the themed ecological parks in the area such as Xel Ha or Xcaret. They will willingly get in touch with Mother Nature as they take some of the exciting tours offered within the parks.

Finally, for the mom and dad shopping and dining represent one of the essential elements for a great vacation in this area of Mexico. Hospitable Mexican people are all smiles as they show you their best buys or offer you some of their specialty cuisines. There are many activities that you can get involved with such as playing golf, swimming or even a romantic candle light dinner with the ocean as your backdrop.

Here in one package you have wonderful people, great weather, excellent cuisine and romantic surroundings. These are only a few of the important and reassuring reasons to choose the Yucatan when planning your next vacation.

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