MAYAN RIVIERA ESCAPES HUSTLE, BUSTLE OF CANCUN.Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer RIVIERA Riviera (rĭvēâr`ə), narrow coastal strip between the Alps and the Mediterranean, extending, roughly, from La Spezia (Italy) to Hyères (France). Famous for its scenic beauty and for its mild winter climate, and dotted with fashionable resorts, hotels, and villas, the Riviera is a major international playground. MAYA, Mexico - The Riviera Maya's greatest strength is it has just about everything neighboring Cancun has - and less. While Cancun has evolved into a kind of Las Vegas of beach destinations - a mass of grand hotels, chain restaurants, traffic congestion and sweaty night clubs - the relatively remote Riviera Maya, which fronts the Caribbean Sea Caribbean Sea (kâr'ĭbē`ən, kərĭb`ēən), tropical sea, c.970,000 sq mi (2,512,950 sq km), arm of the Atlantic Ocean, Central America. It is bordered on the N and E by the West Indies archipelago, on the S by South America, and on the W by the Central American isthmus. along the east side of the Yucatan Peninsula, has plenty of luxury accommodations but places a greater emphasis on breathtaking natural beauty and ecological adventures. ``The Mayan Riviera is like Cancun was 25 years ago - pristine beaches, untouched nature and not as much construction,'' said Cristian Carlsson, general manager of the Xpu-Ha Palace, which is among the area's leading hotels. Located in the heart of the Sian Sian: see Xi'an, China. Ka'an Biosphere Reserve about an hour's drive from Cancun, the Riviera Maya includes a large portion of the Great Mayan Jungle, which holds millennia-old cenotes (sinkholes) and the ancient Mayan cities of Coba and Tulum. The area offers more than a dozen archaeological sites, reserves and ecological parks, plus a blossoming infrastructure of hotels, from five-star resorts to rustic beach bungalows. Mind you, Cancun remains the perfect spot if you're a spring-break reveler ready to party the nights away, or perhaps a gung-ho first-timer who's looking for something akin to Hawaii's Waikiki Beach or Jamaica's Montego Bay. But for travelers truly looking to get away from it all and perhaps indulge in some adventurous excursions, the Riviera Maya is a great alternative. ``The all-party impression of Cancun has driven a lot of people to seek refuge to the Riviera Maya,'' said Charles Ross, co-operator of cancunvista.com, a leading Internet booking site. ``Some people like the idea of unplugging from the real world for a vacation, and to some Cancun is still a little too much real world.'' You won't find properties like the Xpu-Ha Palace in Cancun. The sprawling, all-inclusive resort is set among acres of mangroves, and there's a snorkeling inlet, two ocean-view pools (without annoying party hosts with microphones), an aviary, botanical gardens and a massive, freshwater lagoon. The low-rise coastline of the Riviera Maya - buildings are limited to three stories - gives the area a much different look than Cancun. Soon after settling in, we booked a daylong tour with Alltournative Expeditions to Punta Soliman Soliman. For Ottoman sultans thus named, use Sulayman. and Nohoch Nah Chich. Punta Soliman is a remote ocean bay near Akumel, accessible by kayaks from the beach. With no one else in sight, we paddled out about a half- mile, docked in a shallow reef, then snorkeled among colorful fish and breathtaking coral formations. Nohoch Nah Chich, located in the tiny Mayan village of Rancho San Felipe, featured a clear underground inlet. Our group swam through a cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites stalagmite: see stalactite and stalagmite. as our guide illuminated the path with a high-powered underwater flashlight. He advised us to not say a word, to just take in the sights in silence, and the experience was blissful and spiritual. The water was so clear that swimming actually felt like flying. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the company of a local Mayan family. Without electricity, they cooked a hearty lunch over an open fire, serving chicken and rice with homemade tortillas and salsa. Afterward, we lounged on handmade hammocks before journeying back through the rocky jungle in an all-terrain vehicle. The next day, we visited Xcaret, a bountiful park billed as ``a tribute to life.'' In Xcaret, water is omnipresent: ocean, lagoons, inlets, underground rivers - all set among dense jungle foliage. Upon entering the snorkeling inlet, we were immediately greeted by a sea turtle sea turtle, name for several species of large marine turtles found in tropical and subtropical oceans. These turtles are modified for life in the ocean by having flipperlike forelimbs without toes and lightweight shells. Their heads are too large to be withdrawn into the shell. They spend most of their lives in the water, but come ashore to lay their eggs., as schools of fish glided about. A few miles down the road the next morning, we found Xel-Ha, a similar biological park but a bit less crowded and more organic. We took a leisurely inner-tube ride down a lazy river, then jumped into natural wells fed by subterranean rivers. Near the reef, large iguanas ate from our hands, and the snorkeling was the best yet, as massive amberjacks amberjack: see pompano., groupers grouper, common name for a large carnivorous member of the family Serranidae (sea bass family), abundant in tropical and subtropical seas and highly valued as food fish. There are several genera, notably Epinephelus and Mycteroperca, including some 100 species, most of which are characterized by bright markings that change in color and pattern to match the background. and stingrays circled just a few feet offshore near a floating bridge that led to Mayan caves. Later, at the coastal city of Tulum, we surveyed ancient Mayan ruins overlooking what had to be one of the world's most beautiful beaches. Over five days, we never once made a foray into Cancun. We were content to remain on the Riviera Maya - pleasantly exhausted from our daily sun-washed adventures. Thus, we got everything we wanted. And less. Gerry Gittelson, (661) 257-5218 gerry.gittelson(at)dailynews.com IF YOU GO Useful Web sites for planning a trip to Mexico's Riviera Maya: www.mayanriviera.com www.cancunandrivieramaya.com www.mayan-riviera.com www.thenettraveler.com/quintanaroo/fprivieramaya-in.htm www.cancunvista.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) Snorkelers in the Yucatan Peninsula's Xcaret can commune with aquatic life in lagoons, inlets and underground rivers. Gerry Gittelson/Staff Photographer (2 -- color) The turquoise waters of a snorkeling inlet are protected from the rough surf of the Caribbean Sea at the Xpu-Ha Palace resort on Mexico's Riviera Maya. Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
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