Hello, and thank you for joining us.
I'm Denny Border, your host on our travels in the Mayan Riviera.
That's Cancun Island directly below us, a surprisingly narrow 14-mile-long strip of
land that at one time served as a launch for fishing boats.
You've probably heard the story of how a computer search was done by the Mexican government
to find the ideal vacation paradise, and with over 2 million visitors a year, it appears
that someone made the right choice.
As you can see from the aerial view and map, Cancun Airport is located just southwest of
Cancun Island.
We're flying over the jungle and down onto the runway.
Since we explore the Caribbean coast of Mexico, we'll keep you well-informed and with us every
step of the way.
We'll be referring to our map of the area and let you know exactly where we are and
how we got there.
We just got off the plane, and we're on our way downstairs to customs.
We'll be spending a week here at the Moon Palace Resort.
Moon Palace is not far from the Cancun Airport and is located just south of Cancun Island.
Hi there.
This is Wilma Border co-hosting with Jenny on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
We'll begin here at the Moon Palace, and we'll be taking a number of day trips to other exciting
destinations.
This is the new sunrise addition that added 2,000 rooms to our sister resort, the Moon
Palace.
Most of the larger resorts include on-site amenities such as spas, salons, and a fitness
center.
This well-stocked gift shop features magazines, newspapers, beauty products, and an assortment
of clothing, as well as artifacts from all over Mexico.
Here is a shot of the indoor pool at Moon Palace.
As well as beautiful beaches, Cancun is known for its elegant and elaborately designed swimming
pools.
There's usually a swim-up bar nearby, or one can enjoy a cool libation, as well as a view
out over the sea.
The concourse at Moon Palace is beautifully designed and meticulously maintained, and
virtually everywhere you look or point your camera, there is something of beauty.
We're staying at an all-inclusive resort, which means that all of our meals, snacks,
beverages, and many other activities are included in the price of our stay.
The fresh melons here are delicious, and they aren't bit green as they are in the States.
One of the advantages to staying at the mega resorts is their stringent security policy.
Other than employees or registered guests, no one else is admitted to the grounds.
The Moon Palace Resort seems to take great pride in their desalinization plant.
The smaller resorts, of course, do not have such an elaborate system.
However, bottled water is always provided at all mega resorts for their guests, and
when you're away on day trips, bottled water is inexpensive and can be found just about
anywhere in southeastern Mexico.
One of the on-site attractions at the Moon Palace is this fierce-looking lizard that
lives under the sidewalk.
He appears daily on the lawn, sunning himself each morning around 10 o'clock.
We discovered other guests like ourselves coming by hoping to get a picture.
With Cancun Island in the background, this tractor maintains the beachfront at the Moon
Palace and Sunrise Resorts.
It's quite windy today, and as you can see, the normally turquoise waters along the shore
are a bit riled.
Here's a view of the on-site dive shop where you can schedule activities that aren't provided
in the all-inclusive plan.
From here, you can rent a jet ski, arrange a parasail or dinner cruise, or take a guided
trip to Isla Mejara's.
Also available are scuba diving classes and trips for certified divers.
Here's a view of the non-motorized water sport equipment before it goes out to sea.
These activities are usually included in the all-inclusive package.
And here in action are some of our fellow beachgoers as they ply the waters of the Caribbean
in their rubber rafts, catamarans, windsurf boards, wave runners, and kayaks.
A good game of volleyball can be found just about anywhere on the beaches of Cancun and
along the Riviera Maya.
If you have children with you, there are plenty of activities to entertain every member of
the family, such as this miniature golf course.
For younger children, this playground offers fresh air, exercise, and plenty of the Caribbean's
warm sun.
The majority of mega resorts offer an activity and entertainment package that is geared to
family members of all ages.
For the tennis enthusiasts, there are daytime games as well as nighttime play on lighted
cords.
Our first excursion on our stay at Moon Palace is a trip to Cancun.
Traveling north on 307, we will arrive at the older section of Cancun, Cancun City.
Cancun City doesn't offer the fast-paced action of Cancun Island, but if you are traveling
about much, you will inevitably come here.
If you're interested in shopping or bargaining for authentic Mexican goods, you must visit
this Mercado.
These shops offer a wide variety of merchandise.
Mercado is located right on Tulum, just south of the bus station.
Cancun Island is connected to the mainland by a short bridge on both ends.
The inward side of the island faces Nechupte Lagoon, while the outside shore faces the
Caribbean Sea.
We're experiencing some fairly strong winds here in early December, which brings to mind
an important point about Cancun's beaches.
The water is much calmer on the upper end of the island, facing Bahia de Maharas, while
beaches along the long side of the island are subject to rougher water and choppy waves.
Sprinkled among the hundreds of restaurants and nightclubs in Cancun are huge malls offering
name-brand duty-free and competitively priced goods, such as Plaza Caracol, and a short
distance down the street, Plaza La Fiesta.
Just a bit further south, you'll find Flamingo Plaza.
As evidenced by this panning shot inside Flamingo Plaza, there is a huge selection of quality
goods offered in Cancun's mega malls.
Another mecca for shoppers is the highly-bonded Cancun Flea Market.
Here is a good place to pick up inexpensive souvenirs, artifacts, and small pieces of
Mexican art.
The streets of Cancun Island are bustling with traffic.
You might keep in mind that most of the action spots are on the north part of the island.
And one of the things Cancun is known for is its wild nightlife.
With hundreds of clubs and restaurants beckoning, disco is as popular as ever in Cancun.
If you're really ready to experience Cancun nightlife, you should get yourself on over
to Daddy-O's or the legendary La Boom.
Our next day trip is to the island of women, Isla Mujeres.
There are plenty of tours that will take you here, but if you'd like to go on your own,
simply take a cab to Puerto Juarez and catch the ferry.
The current rate is twenty-two pesos, just over two dollars, and the boats leave every
thirty minutes.
You needn't purchase a ticket in advance, just get on the boat and pay while en route
to the island.
When you get off the ferry, you'll be barraged with vendors wanting to sell you a snorkeling
or skin diving trip.
But seeing fishing and diving are the primary attractions, along with swimming and sunning
at the very popular North Beach.
We'll be spending the day at North Beach, so we'll take the first street we come to
upon leaving the boat, Avenida Rueda Medina, and follow it to the left.
We've turned the corner now, and we're heading across the north face of the island.
Most of the action is a little further down, so keep going past the water sports equipment
rental called Tarzans.
Playa Norte is a splendid beach, known for its tranquil turquoise blue waters.
We've enjoyed a wonderful week here at Moon Palace, as well as other attractions around
Cancun Island, but now it's time to travel about forty miles south on Highway 307 to
the slower paced lifestyle of Playa del Carmen.
We're here at the Abira Star, just south of Playa del Carmen.
We'll be taking several day trips from here.
We'll be going to Cojumel, we'll be going to Tulum, and also the Echo Park of Ischcarette,
as well as strolling down in the village on Fifth Avenue.
Here we are at the beach outside of the Abira Star, and there are all kinds of activities
going on today.
The weather is absolutely fabulous.
I think it's going to be probably about in the mid-80s.
I think it's going to be about in the mid-80s, and I think it's going to be about the mid-80s.
I think it's going to be about in the mid-80s, and I think it's going to be about the mid-80s.
A
short cab ride brings us from the hotel zone to the town of Playa del Carmen.
The bus station is located on Juarez and Fifth Avenue, Avenida Cinco in Spanish.
The bus to Cancun City costs about $2 and departs every 15 minutes from the west end
of the complex.
Go to the east end for all other destinations.
Here's a daytime look at the town of Playa del Carmen.
The action centers around Avenida Cinco, actually a portion of Fifth Avenue that has been closed
to vehicular traffic.
The streets are filled with interesting people, and there are plenty of things to do.
Avenida Cinco is lined with restaurants, bars, coffee houses, and small Mexican shops.
This wonderful bakery is on Juarez, just off of Fifth Avenue, where you can bargain for
Mexican pottery, silver jewelry, imported boutique clothing, imported and Mexican art,
mastery art, and more.
And here are some scenes of Playa del Carmen by night.
One of our favorite spots for nightlife in the village is Cairns Grill, located in the heart of
Fifth Avenue. Cairns offers great food, wonderful libations, and plenty of excitement, and features
the South American folk music of Espresión.
You'll need a knife, I will always love you, I will always love you.
Our first day trip out of Playa del Carmen is to the island of Cajumel. The easiest way to get there
is by taking the 45-minute ferry boat ride from Playa, which costs around six dollars. The ferry
stops at the only city on the island, San Miguel. We're using public transportation, so the locals
are on board with us too. The ferry is a modern, comfortable craft equipped with air conditioning
and color television.
We're over on the island of Cajumel. It's raining off and on today. It's a great place for shopping
and a lot of good restaurants. Of course, if you're interested in skin diving or snorkeling
or taking the glass bottom boat or any of those things, there's a lot of water sports here,
very famous reefs that are around the Cajumel area.
Our next day trip out of Playa del Carmen takes us to the snorkeling echo park of
Xelha, just a short distance north of Tulum.
Xelha is billed as a swimmer's paradise. In this completely calm cove, there is no threat of
undertow, and it's a good place to try snorkeling for the first time. But Xelha doesn't offer the
wide variety of activities that are available at Isca Red. There are a couple of on-site restaurants,
one which is a buffet and some gift shop areas. The rule is that you don't use sunscreen unless
you have the bioregradable type. Experienced snorkelers may be disappointed here. You might
do better and also avoid an admission charge at Acumal. The on-site beach areas with rocky
shoreline and crashing waves hails by world-class Caribbean standards and definitely is not
recommended.
Our next excursion out of Playa del Carmen is a day trip to the echo park at Isca Red.
Isca Red is only six or seven miles south of Playa on Highway 307. Believe it or not,
this completely unidentified structure is the entrance to the park. If you take a commercial
tour, you'll arrive on one of these buses that seem to be renaissance of the flower power of the 60s.
One of the first attractions welcoming you into park are these large and brightly colored
papagayos. These birds are prized for their beautiful plumage and their longevity.
Along with the parrots are these graceful flamingos who demonstrate some interesting
choreography. There aren't many fences or barricades in this park and one truly has
a sense of being one with nature. Here in this elaborate display at Isca Red are some wonderful
replications of Maya ruins that can be found throughout Mexico. We'll be going to the ruins
at Tulum on a day trip tomorrow, but many of the other sites can be easily reached from Cancun,
Playa del Carmen, or other points along the Tulum Corridor.
I found the underground river more beautiful than I ever imagined,
the pale blue water flowing gently over the limestone.
I've been to theme parks where they did a great job in replicating a specific type of environment,
but here, walking the sacred ground of the Maya, one has a sense that most of this is truly real.
This exhibit is the recreation of a village of the Maya. It includes foods and simple tools
that were used during the period, as well as housing and other equipment that was constructed
with the only materials available. The butterfly pavilion is one of the largest in the world.
The mariposas can be observed in the morning, so if you're interested in seeing them,
plan on making the mariposario one of your first stops. The exhibit is one of a kind
due to its self-sufficiency in butterfly reproduction. These powerful cats are
displayed on a naturally formed island that has been cut away by the erosion of the underground
river. If you'd like to snorkel or swim in the park, snorkeling equipment and locker rentals
are available. The park also provides shower and changing areas and, of course, ample restroom
facilities. This area of Iscaret faces the open Caribbean sea. A series of shallow pools are
available for swimming or wading if you'd like, but they also provide a place to view small marine
life that waves have carried over the retaining wall. Fish, small crabs, and other creatures
are visible in these areas.
Here is a panning shot of one of the two different areas at Iscaret where the dolphins are maintained.
The dolphins perform tricks at the park in the regularly scheduled programs,
but for an additional fee with prior reservations, it's also possible to swim with the dolphins.
If you're interested in swimming with the dolphins, be sure to register right away.
The dolphins also regale us with another one of their tricks, a very impressive tail walk.
And here are some panning shots of the concourse where vacationers are tubing,
relaxing, or just enjoying the warm sunshine.
Here is another great exhibit where you can get very close to these large and docile creatures.
Once nearing extinction, due to the predation of man,
much is being done to ensure the survival of sea turtles such as these.
Here are some aerial shots taken from the restaurant where we had lunch, La Caleta.
We dined while enjoying an exquisite view of the area.
There are six different restaurants on the grounds at Iscaret.
We haven't tried the other five, but we definitely give a thumbs up to La Caleta.
Here we are underground at Iscaret's coral reef aquarium.
It certainly gives one the feeling of being underwater and swimming
with fascinating marine life and reef diving in beautiful coral.
And here's a view of Iscaret's small but interesting Maya archaeological site located right on the ground.
Our next day trip is a pilgrimage to the ruins at Tulum.
Tulum is about an hour south of Playa del Carmen and the only Maya archaeological site located by the sea.
We've arrived here at Tulum. This is our guided Oscar.
We're going to go around the grounds here and see what we have.
The idea from his ankles to the left is close. That way we'll sense that why are we here? Because we are alive.
The Maya were an advanced civilization who tracked the movement of celestial bodies through their alignment with holes in the walls.
A technique similar to that used at Stonehenge.
There's also a beautiful beach here at Tulum. Even at a historical site, as well as anywhere else in Mexico, you are free to swim on the beach.
This tram will take you to and from a staging area where you will receive initial information on the ruins and have the option of hiring a guide if you would like one.
By the way, there is a fee charged for the use of video cameras.
This ancient ceremony dedicated to the sun god is one of the pre-Hispanic traditions that still survives today.
The guy on the top is the exciting one.
Yeah.
We hope you've enjoyed our Coastal Scenes video presentation on the island of Tulum.
We hope you've enjoyed our Coastal Scenes video presentation on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
The Riviera Maya is an exciting vacation paradise where there is so much to see and do.
A region replete with world-class resorts, a global attitude, and wonderful cuisine for Mexican, American, and European tastes.
Music and entertainment that blends an eclectic mix of rock and roll, South American folk music, reggae and jazz in every imaginable venue.
An area rich in the archaeological and historical legacy of the Maya, where advanced civilizations of their time walked these sacred grounds.
Not to mention world-class snorkeling and scuba diving sites and the year-round availability of every imaginable water sport.
And the timeless and awe-inspiring beauty of its eco-parks with duty-free shopping for quality European and Mexican goods.
But what really brings vacationers to Mexico are its incredible beaches, the blending of white sand, aquamarine water, and Mexico's golden sun.
Music
Music
Music
Music
Music
Music