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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.
Holbox
Located on Quintana Roo’s north coast, the peaceful island of Holbox draws nature lovers, fishermen and travelers who just want to relax in a hammock and leave their cares behind. Swim in calm, warm water and walk along the shell-strewn beach gazing at the Gulf of Mexico, the spectacular sunsets and the stars. Rent a kayak or go on a boat trip around the Yalahau Lagoon – keep a lookout for dolphins, herons and flamingos. There are birding and fishing trips all year round, and the chance to see whale sharks, manta rays and sea turtles in the summer and early fall. The fresh seafood landed by local fishermen is a Mexican Caribbean dining highlight and you must try the lobster pizza, an island specialty!
Xoximilco
Get ready to sing along this September with a floating Mexican fiesta at Xoximilco. Set sail one evening on a colorful trajinera or Mexican-style gondola. Your voyage will take you along canals through the forest into a world of Mexican traditions, delicious food, music and dance.
Located between Cancun and Puerto Morelos, the waterways at Xoximilco take their inspiration from the famous canals and chinampas or floating gardens of Xochimilco on the outskirts of Mexico City.
Yalku
If you enjoy snorkeling, then you’ll find this turquoise-colored inlet north of Akumal a lovely spot. It is a haven for multicolored fish from nearby reefs that feed and breed among the mangrove roots and submerged rocks in the lagoon. You’ll be surrounded by curious sergeant majors as soon as you enter the water. Swim further and you’ll spot angelfish, pork fish, blue tangs, French grunts, puffer fish, parrot fish, and lone barracudas, among others. As you pass pork fish and parrot fish, you may even hear them as they nibble fragments of algae, coral and rock.
The water is always cool and clear in the inlet, bubbling up from cenotes and underground rivers. For the best fish and bird sightings, the recommendation is to arrive early before the heat of the day and the tour groups.
Follow the coast road north from Akumal, past Half Moon Bay and keep going until you see the sign for Caleta Yalku. There is a fee for admission. Life jackets are available and there are restrooms and a little open-air cafe.
Banco Chinchorro
Advanced divers who have explored the reefs of Cozumel and the Riviera Maya, and are eager for more scuba adventures, may want to head south to another underwater wonder, Banco Chinchorro. Boat trips are available from Mahahual and Xcalak to this coral atoll which is teeming with marine life.
The chain of reefs encircling the calm lagoon holds other secrets. Archaeologists have identified the wrecks of at least 69 boats that have foundered on the jagged corals down the ages during storms. They range from 16th-century Spanish galleons and 19th-century merchantmen to 20th-century cargo boats, and the rusting metal hulks have become a haven for fish, moray eels, octopus, lobster and conch.
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.