Dtraveller- Not Just a Virtual Office

Being an online travel agency we rarely get to meet our customers face to face.  Sure, we can talk with them on the phone or chat with them online, and we make connections with repeat customers via email, but we don’t often get to see their smiling faces.  Imagine our delight when a customer from Venezuela found us through our Facebook page and made their way to our offices in downtown Cancun!   A pleasure to meet them, we sure hope they enjoyed their tours (lucky folks took part in the Pirate Assault, Caribbean Carnaval and the Royal Garrafon tours, they sure know how to pack fun into their holiday!)

World Travel Awards 2009 | Proudly sponsored by Yucatan Holidays

Even the turtles love Cancun

By Johanna Kruse

One night, I was strolling around Cancun with my friends and after having dinner we decided to walk along the beach. It was a cool night and we went directly to Marlin Beach.

As soon as we get there we walked towards the sea, but a girl came to tell us that it was not allowed to get any closer to the sea as there were turtles laying their eggs. It was something we didn’t expected, but we went to a place from which we could see the turtles better.

It was an incredible spectacle to see the effort of the huge turtles getting from the sea to the shore, 4 meters from the water, and later trying for hours to dig a deep hole to leave their eggs protected from cold and water.

We stayed for about 4 hours, watching the astonishing and beautiful animals. That night 4 turtles got to the shore to leave their eggs. That was something I will never forget.

dTraveller The Tour Experts recommend

Xcaret Plus: Xcaret protects the two species of turtles that nest in Quintana Roo`s beaches.

What is REALLY Happening in Mexico?

Thursday, March 26, 2009

What is REALLY Happening in Mexico? The Mexico Tourism Board and itravel2000 have partnered to launch a consumer-to-consumer web blog to address confusion over recent media reports of one of Canadian’s most favorite tourist spots. Τhe Mexico Tourism Board and itravel2000 announced an innovative program to address the confusion created by recent media reports about Mexico.

People looking for trouble will find it, in Mexico as well as in any other country. Our advice for all visitors to Mexico is to use their commun sense, take into account the general recommendations of security and overall avoid to get in conflict with the law. Then Mexico is a safe destination to travel.

Read the original article

What is REALLY Happening in Mexico?

Río Secreto, a journey to the center of the Mayan Earth. PART 2

By Melissa Bañuelos

We descended a few meters up to a chamber that seem to be the door of the center of the earth. We carefully sited on some rocks, as if they were made of crystal to avoid any damage to that place so perfectly designed while million years went by.  From time to time we felt some bats flapping over our heads and we smelled the mixture of dampness and purity, as we listed to the fine process of caves formation.

It was astonishing when we entered to the first of many galleries hidden by the underground. The floor has the color of marble and pearls due to the amount of calcium; it is covered with water so pristine that you couldnt tell where the dry area really began. Paths are not dangerous or deep, you  become part of this crystal world, you get used to your own delicate swim and steps.

The floor and the endless roof of each chamber are filled with speleothems that are still alive and that slowly keep shaping through time. Minerals leakage through rain that runs in the subsoil and the huge roots of trees that penetrate the gaps of the cave fed by the underground water, make of this place, the reflection of the upper world. Seems like some formations were sprinkled by star dust and that the sinkholes’ water was really sacred. Rio Secreto explorer was accurate on his description about that place: “it is a shortcut to the moon, pure jewelry of silver and gold”.

There were all kinds of rocky formations of all sizes, colors and possible textures; suddenly we could visualize also chandeliers, curtains, steps, everything as if it was a perfect palace designed for the Mayan spirits. We were in a place above Earth, or inside of it.  For moments we heard the planet breathing, the sound of the natural leaks, deep echoes that filled our mind with peace.  We saw a ray of light, no very far from the last gallery; we knew we were returning to the surface.

At the end of this magical journey, when the sunlight started to warm us again, with all the oxygen in our lungs we started to identify the scent of every living being, we breath at the same compass of our beloved Earth and of all the life in it. Because of all the white and glossy shades, we could perceive the intensity of the thousand greens that surrounded us.

Our Rio Secreto tours.

Río Secreto, a journey to the center of the Mayan Earth. PART 1

By Melissa Bañuelos

Close to Playa del Carmen and Cancun, is located one of the most amazing works of art of nature. Río Secreto (“Secret River” as in Spanish), is an underground cave that seems to have been built by the Mayan gods and that my team and I had the chance to explore a couple of weeks ago.

The day was perfect to begin a new adventure that until then, we didn’t imagine to be the path up to an underground palace of blue rivers, silver formations and a perfect silence. We depart from Cancun and in less than an hour we were at one of the accesses to the Mayan jungle, home of endemic species and where all trees are brothers.

We jumped in an Unimog, better known as all-terrain vehicle. It had to be a special car, as the path didn’t have trails of human work, no paving, no cobble, no asphalt, no nothing. In that same moment we knew that we would forget about our hectic lives to immerse ourselves in nature.

After a 20-minute ride through the jungle, we arrived to a leved area. We were welcomed by a guide and he gave us the necessary equipment to guarantee our safety and comfort. You don’t need much to get to Rio Secreto: helmet with head torch, neoprene suit and water socks. We walked while we curiously watched the strange vegetation and all kinds of insects. Very soon we realize that the jungle was greeting us as if we were part of its endless ecosystem.

We saw a small bottomless hole on the floor. Our guide told us the story of the casual discovery of this speleological treasure “Don Cleo, owner of this parcel, was tiding up his land when he saw an iguana and tried to catch it for that day dinner. He dug trying to find the reptile when he heard some rocks falling into the void. Something was strange in that place”, said with excitement our guide as if he was already part of that cave.

Our Rio Secreto Tour

The experience of women swimming with dolphins!

By Blanca González

The first time that I had the GREAT opportunity to swim and interact with Dolphins, was WONDERFUL. I heard people saying that it was an unforgettable experience and that they didn’t believe that I had never lived it –as I live in a place cherished by all tourists: the paradise of Cancun, where some dolphinariums are located.

Last May I had the chance to swim with 2 dolphins in Isla Mujeres. Besides a great ferry trip sealed by Cancun and Isla Mujeres beautiful views and an awesome Sunset on my way back; I had the chance to swim with Jupiter and Nala and a very peculiar group of 8 women and 1 teenager. Yep! Imagine a group of 9 women and a boy!

Indeed, I confirm that it’s wonderful to receive kisses and hugs from dolphins, but I also realize how sensitive and corny women can be –I’m included- because from the moment we saw the dolphins on TV to the moment we were in the water, they never stop to say things like “Awwww, HOW CUTE, look! A dolphin!

Many of my group shed tears when they saw the dolphins jump. Imagine that experience with a group of 9 EXTREMELY sensitive women. I remember that when a dolphin kissed one of the women, she started to cry and the other laughed at –or with- her.

I don’t know if we were just too sensitive but it was definitely and indescribable experience… Ah, I think that the trainer was also crying from time to time. I think that the only one that didn’t enjoy the experience was that poor pal; he didn’t understand why we were crying. Or…do you even understand?

Our Swim with dolphins tours in Isla Mujeres

For all dolphins’ fans!

By Martha Riveroll

Ever since I was a young child, my favorite animal has always been the dolphins. As I grew older and had the chance to adventure and travel, I certainly had in mind to swim with these adorable, intelligent and friendly mammals.

Indeed my dream came true, because I took my holidays to the Caribbean and had to visit beautiful and sunny Cancun. The dolphinarium that I chose was Dolphin Discovery, and the program was called Royal Swim. Wow, one of the best experiences of my life. We were just ten people in the water with our instructor. The names of our dolphins were Ixchel and Alexia

Once in the water, we had the opportunity to kiss the dolphins, hug them and of course they kissed us, first on our cheek, and then on our lips, just to have them so close and to see their eternal smile was amazing. The first part of the program was on a platform and then we swam into the water, and that was when the fun started. They gave us the incredible foot push; this was exhilarating because they pushed me from the bottom of my feet from one side of the water to the other. Here I had the feeling that I was standing out of the water, and going at full speed, my friends and the rest of the participants were all laughing, because I had a funny laugh. Immediately after we had the dorsal tow, which I had to hold their fins and again at full speed they took me from one side to the other. Thirty minutes went by so fast that it seemed like it took only five.

This is something that I will repeat, and my love for them grew even more after I had this once in a life time experience.