Top 5 Adventures in the Riviera Maya and Cancun in 2010
December 29, 2010 by Kelly McLaughlin
Filed under News, Travel tips, mayan ruins, riviera maya, tours
Looking back over 2010, I realize that I am incredibly fortunate. “Work” for me includes visiting some phenomenal places, taking photos and writing about my adventures in the Riviera Maya and Cancun, it doesn’t get much better than that. As I walk down memory lane, I thought I might bring you along for the ride, a look back at my top 5 adventures of 2010.
Whale Shark Adventure
This was definitely number one in my books this year, my whale shark adventure was “off the hook” as the kids say (do they still say that?) On a perfect day in July, a friend and I headed out to the area between Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy to meet the biggest animals in the sea. Surrounded by about 200 of these incredible creatures, everywhere we turned we came face to face with gentle domino giants, it seemed too good to be true, a surreal moment in time. There are very few places in the world where the whale sharks congregate with regularity and in such large numbers, the annual appearance near Cancun and the Yucatan Peninsula make this a “must do” experience for anyone travelling to this region between May and September.
2. Visits to the Mayan Ruins
Coba Pyramid
2010 included a few historical adventures for me. It’s difficult to pick just one Mayan ruins site as a highlight, so I will “cheat” and put them all under one heading. Of course everyone knows Chichen Itza, one of the “new” seven wonders of the world, its importance in history and its incredible architecture make it a vital part of a visit to the Yucatan. I was thrilled to be able to bring my young son for the first time (he loved shocking the tour guide with a few phrases in Maya). I visited the Tulum ruins a couple of times this year too, the beautiful site set on a cliff on the Caribbean Sea always brings me peace. If I must pick a fave for 2010, I’ll have to go with Coba. It was my first time there and it really knocked my socks off! Climbing the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan and seeing the world spread out below was an unforgettable experience.
3. Scuba Diving with Dolphins in Cozumel
Diving with Dolphins in Cozumel
My first home in Mexico was Cozumel, I always love returning to this island paradise. This year I had the opportunity to visit the island, explore Chankanaab Park and don the tank and mask for a unique underwater experience. I’ve swum with dolphins many times, I always enjoy the experience but this was extra special. Playing with “Titan” the dolphin in his undersea home was an honour and a privilege, seeing him dance, gettting a kiss and hearing him sing put a smile on my face for days.
4. Eco-parks in Cancun & the Riviera Maya
Xcaret Lagoon
Ok, I am cheating again, going to put a few items under one heading (this whole top 5 thing is too hard!). There are several “eco-adventure” parks in the Riviera Maya, places to enjoy nature, discover history and culture and get an adrenaline fix all in one day. Xplor Park is one of the newest in the region and this year my co-workers and I had an absolute blast zooming down the zip lines, discovering the underground rivers and cruising through the jungles and caves in the amphibious vehicles. To fulfill my need for snorkeling (yes, it is a need), Xel Ha fit the bill, a luscious lagoon teeming with undersea life. I made the trip to Xcaret a few times this year, always fantastic, the highlight being the “Festival de Vida y Muerte” (”Festival of Life and Death”) celebrating the Day of the Dead.
5. Cenotes, cenotes, cenotes
Cenote Cristallino
The limestone “sinkholes” (isn’t “cenote” a much nicer word?) of the Riviera Maya call to me almost every weekend. When I ask my son what he would like to do, “Cenote!!!!” is generally his first answer (followed closely by “Beach!” or “Zip lines!”). Set in the jungle, cenotes can be dry but are usually filled with crystal clear waters, perfect for a refreshing swim on a hot day. Some are “open” cenotes while others are only found by entering a small hole in the earth, descending to the underground world and discovering stalactites and stalagmites that are millions of years old. I’ve lost track of how many cenotes we visited this year, we loved Gran Cenote, Cenote Cristallino, and Cenote Azul among others, I absolutely recommend a cenote experience to visitors.
There you have it, my top 5 (ahem) adventures in Cancun and the Riviera Maya in 2010. This was a difficult task for me, I have had so many awesome experiences this year that narrowing it down to five was a chore. If I had listed them all, it would have filled a book rather than a blog post. I am grateful for the opportunities and look forward to what 2011 will bring, can’t wait to share the adventures with you all!
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year, may 2011 be filled with new experiences, adventure and laughs! All the best from all of us at Dtraveller.com.
Comments