What’s on your list for places to visit on your next trip to the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan? Here are four places that you may want to pencil into your must-visit list for your next Royal Resorts vacation.
Isla Mujeres
Hop over to Cancun’s Caribbean sister island, it’s only a 20-minute boat ride away. Rent a golf cart and drive to Punta Sur, the island’s southern headland, for breathtaking views of turquoise waters and the Cancun skyline and a glimpse of the vestiges of an ancient Maya temple. Then spend the day at Garrafon Park or at Playa Norte and be sure to stay on for the sunset.
Rio Secreto
Discover the majesty of the Riviera Maya’s caves and cenotes on a visit to Rio Secreto just south of Playa del Carmen. Your guide will lead you through the galleries full of stalactites and stalagmites and still pools. Yet there is more to see, this hidden treasure is in a jungle reserve rich in wildlife, including coatimundi, deer, ocelot and the elusive jaguar, and nature walks and bike trails are also offered.
Solferino
This tiny village in northern Quintana Roo on the road to Holbox is the site of an award-winning craft gin distillery of the same name, which uses herbs and fruit harvested by the villagers in its creations.
Look at the colorful place name in the main square. One side depicts local history from the days of the ancient Maya and was painted by the resident artist and village school master, and the other was painted by his young pupils and is a celebration of the local flora and fauna in vibrant colors.
In a side street close by are two jungle giants: a wild tamarind tree or pich and one of the tallest ceibas or silk cotton trees in the state. The ceiba is the sacred tree of the Maya and is steeped in legend. The Xtabay, the mythical Mayan temptress of the jungle, part woman part snake, is said to emerge from the ceiba to bewitch men and lead them to their doom.
Solferino is becoming something of an ecotourism spot as the gateway to Yum Balam Reserve. Nature walks through the jungle, kayaking in El Corchal Lagoon and bird watching tours can be arranged.
Punta Sur, Cozumel
When visiting Cozumel, take a break from snorkeling and diving the breathtaking coral reefs by going on a trip around the island. Nature lovers and bird watchers will want to head to Punta Sur nature reserve on the southern tip of the island for a glimpse of water birds such as herons, roseate spoonbills, ibis and even flamingos that feed in the coastal lagoons and mangrove forest. There are Maya temples in the reserve too, testimony to the island’s importance in ancient times as the shrine of the Maya moon and fertility goddess Ixchel, and as a trade enclave.
Explore the Yucatan
Thomas More Travel can help you arrange trips to these spots and to all the natural and historical wonders in the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan. Visit the website or the travel desk in the lobby of your resort.