If you like history, sports or a wide variety of ocean and land based activities you will have a great time in Akumal Mexico. There is a huge array of activities that will please everyone no matter how discerning the traveler.

Akumal is a divers paradise. With the world’s second largest reef just offshore and several sunken ships in the area, the choice of dives is unlimited There are numerous PADI Certified dive shops in the area with resort diving, certification courses, open sea dives, night dives, cenote dives or cave dives. Diving and snorkeling are both readily available for anyone who wishes to visit the area reefs. You will be able to rent all of the equipment you need and have an experienced diver take you out to explore the ocean.

There are plenty of fishing activities to keep you occupied for days at a time. You can charter a boat in Akumal Bay to take you deep sea fishing. The run to deep water is measured in yards instead of miles! Or make the short run south to Xcalak for world class bone fish and permit fly fishing. Local guides are available.

You might enjoy visiting the exibits at Centro Ecológico Akumal, a non-profit organization which provides academic studies, ocean research, marine studies, environmental education and cultural exchange. CEA has a wide range of programs aimed at studying and protecting the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System from the effects of unsustainable development. CEA is a good place to visit if you want to learn more about sea life and how it can be protected.

Xel-Ha, Mexico’s Natural Wonder and the largest Natural Aquarium in the world await your discovery. You can easily spend the day enjoying and exploring a wide variety of fish and animals in their natural habitat which has been protected for your enjoyment.

History buffs will particularly love the wonderful ancient Mayan Ruins in the Akumal, Mexico area. There are several of these sites in the area that are currently being uncovered by archeologists. A particularly popular site location is the Tulum ruins.

When you visit the Mayan Ruins you will see some of the expansive jungles around the Akumal area. A day trip through the jungle is a great experience and an adventure that you are sure to remember.

You can participate in kayaking and cave diving activities in Akumal. Cave diving is an exhilarating experience that you won’t soon forget and is especially enticing for the adventurous traveler.

No trip to the area would be complete without including many of the shopping opportunities in and around the Akumal area. Here you can find local crafts, necessities and even high end formal wear in the shopping area’s located in the town of Akumal. If you want to add a cultural touch to your home then you will particularly be fond of the vast selection of traditional Mayan crafts and linens.

After your shopping trip you are sure to enjoy the local cafes and fine dining restaurants in this charming village. With menu selections ranging from fresh seafood and fish to the more traditional Mayan dishes there is plenty for the traveler to choose from. You will relax, refresh and be revitalized in Akumal, Mexico!

Summer vacation is the prime time for families to vacation. My family waits all year for summer vacation. We all want create lasting memories for the whole family. Planning a summer vacation can be easy however if will take time to do some preparation. One starts thinking about summer vacation ideas. The best family vacations will be unique for each family. Before deciding on your family vacation destination, one must first look at your family members’ love and hate. For our family, a vacation on a beach is more our style.

With the arrival of summer, we look forward to spending time outside in the sun. When we hear the word summer, the first thing that comes to our mind is spending it on a beach. For us, vacation means sun, palm trees, sandy beaches with warm clear blue water combined with non-stop action or sightseeing .These make a Caribbean vacation in Tulum, perfect for us. Summer vacation in Tulum goes beyond the boring old typical trip. Tulum, Mexico is situated along the Mexican Riviera on the Yucatan Peninsula. Recognized for its picturesque beaches and historical Mayan ruins. It is a popular tourist destination that offers sundry options for travelers. From upscale, all-inclusive Tulum hotels to no-frills guest house. The beach is lined with boutique hotels, eco-resorts and cabanas. Tulum has something for every budget.

We were so lucky because when we visited Tulum, there are less people, more lodging options, and of course lower rates. These are some benefits of traveling to Tulu during low seasons. We had carefully planned the vacation. I did visit some travel forums on the internet and read reviews about the place. Tulum is basically divided into three parts: The small town of Tulum; Tulum Beach with its powder white sand and turquoise blue water, with its many hotels, cabanas and casitas; and of course the Mayan Ruins, the only archeological site on this stretch of Mexico’s Coastline. They are all in very close proximity to each other and have their own special charm. Whatever you prefer to do on your vacation you are going to fall in love with Tulum. Whether you take a dip in the turquoise Caribbean Sea, exploring the Mayan ruins, which is, by the way, worth seeing. You might also want to try some of adventurous or audacious water sports. I and my husband love scuba diving. But what I love most was the Mayan treatment in one of Tulum’s exceptional spas. Well for us this is a terrific place to unwind and enjoy the sun.

Mexico is where you would be able to find seemingly endless sunshine, fine sand and sparkling waters in its breathtaking beaches. If you are planning to go to Mexico to seek some beautiful world-class beaches, you are in luck because the country does provide a lot of options. The following are a few examples of Mexico’s stunning beaches:

 

1. Puerto Escondido. It has various stretches of splendid sandy beach, complete with a relaxed ambiance and reasonably priced accommodation. Zicatela is one of the beaches here. It is also dubbed as the Mexican Pipeline and is known as the surfing Mecca. There are other great beaches in Puerto Escondido such as the Playa Puerto Angelito found on the western section of the area. When translated in English, Puerto Escondido stands for “hidden port” and this charming community really lives up to its name.

 

2. Isla Mujeres. You should definitely drop by this magnificent island, situated offshore from the area of Cancun. The only beach on this beautiful isle is the Playa Norte. You would be able to take some diving lessons in the beach’s El Garrafon reef. You could also even snorkel or if that is not your thing, you could take part in a boat tour to the nearby Isla Contoy National Wildlife Reserve.

 

3. Playa los Muertos. This is Puerto Vallarta’s renowned public beach. You could start your day with a leisurely stroll near the shore and the have a beach volleyball game. After you have done some swimming, you could rent your own car to discover the rest of the vast Banderas Bay, which present around 26 miles of beaches. You could also have a look at the Grupo Mayan resorts in the area or you could stay at one of the Grupo Mayan hotels for a first rate service here.

 

4. Playa Icacos. This glorious beach is situated facing the La Palapa Hotel. The Playa Icacos is a popular beach, particularly for travelers and those who are in spring break. A favorite sport here that you could get into is parasailing and it is readily available at Icacos Beach.

 

5. Tulum Beach. Nestled beneath the Mayan ruins, the Tulum Beach is among the most striking beaches in the whole world. Tulum Village has an available car park, amazing restaurants, cozy motels and quaint souvenir shops, but its beautiful cove is not crowded and it is ideal for swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.

 

6. Playa del Carmen. It boasts of fine sand beaches, crystalline turquoise waters and several accommodations, restaurants, and bars. All of these make Playa del Carmen an attractive beach destination for tourists. It is also a good place to purchase quality, handmade native crafts.

 

 

The beaches in Mexico are truly perfect for sunbathing, swimming, diving, and surfing, among others. The best time for you to have a Mexican beach holiday is from November to May. If you are looking for the best Mexican accommodation, there are several Grupo Mayan hotels found in some key attractive spots in Mexico. There really exist plenty of great beaches in Mexico, but there are also some excellent Grupo Mayan resorts that you could check out. During peak season, the beaches could become overcrowded so do not be scared to look for a secluded and serene beach haven.

 

Tulum, Mexico is considered to be one of the most beautiful areas in the Riviera Maya. It is located 60km away from Playa del Carmen, and 131 km from Cancun Intl. Airport. Tulum is a natural haven which hosts a multifarious array of natural wonders and exotic locations, making it the ideal destination for family vacations, where beaches, nature and peace are in perfect harmony with the archaeology.

Tulum area has three main parts, which are all located a bit apart from each other:

1. Mayan Ruins - Tulum has the only major Mayan ruins to be found along Mexico’s Caribbean coastline on the “Riviera Maya”. It is considered to be the third most visited of all ruins. Without doubt, all history and culture lovers will take pleasure with all these archaeological sites in Tulum, especially with its ancient Mayan ruins on a hill along the coast, next to beautiful sandy beaches and the glimmering Caribbean waters. The largest of the structures in this archeological area is the El Castillo (The Castle).

2.Tulum beach – It is located 1 hour south of Playa del Carmen by car or bus on highway 307. It is absolutely beautiful. It is an unspoiled stretch of white sand, with water that is so clear and turquoise blue. The beach in Tulum is one of the longest and most beautiful on the Riviera Maya. You can enjoy a quiet morning stroll just at the break of dawn, or dance under the moonlight serenaded by the splashing waves.

3. Tulum Pueblo – It is also identified as Tulum hotel zone. The accommodation in this expanding town ranges from luxury hotels to rustic cabanas. This hotel zone has an area approximately 12 km where you will discover several small hotels, boutique hotels, chalets and villas. Hotels and cottages are ecological, producing their own power, either through solar or wind.

Tulum is also delimited by lush jungle full of crystal clear freshwater pools called cenotes that offer a refreshing reprise from the tropical environment. Just 15 minutes’ away from the town is the Sian Ka’an Biosphere, a paradise and sanctuary to an amazing variety of fauna and flora. This UNESCO Natural heritage site has diverse ecosystems harbor hundreds of species of plants and animals.

Tulum is not just a sunny getaway but it has expansive Mayan ruins, swimmable, fresh-water springs and eco-tourism here is boundless.

Tulum means wall in Mayan. It has easily-accessible, gorgeous beaches, so one can have a refreshing swim after exploring the site… Tulum Mexico is the combination of a beach coastline, archeological zone, and town. You could say that there are three distinct zones making up what people commonly refer to as Tulum. The “Tulum Archeological Zone” is the first distinct zone. The ruins are small and manageable. Downtown tulum with a great offer in reasonably priced hotels but with high quality standards and more services than the Tulum hotel zone hotels.

Tulum offers some of the best reef diving and snorkeling in the Mayan Riviera, together with exciting and cave diving. The world’s second longest coral reef protects the bay and offers endless opportunities for snorkeling, diving, swimming and exploring in our two sea kayaks. Certainly one will not be disappointed with their scuba diving experience in Tulum. Scuba diving is a great way to experience the underwater kingdom. It is believed that once you learn all about scuba diving, it will become a lifelong obsession.

The Mayan ruins of Tulum, only an hour from Playa del Carmen, undoubtedly has one of the most breathtaking settings of any city past or present. Tulum is one of the most visited of all Mayan ruins, and it’s also the only major Mayan ruin to be found along Mexico’s Caribbean coastline on the “Riviera Maya”. Today Tulum is one of the most visited of all. When visitors arrive at Tulum’s ancient pre-hispanic site they are able to see the buildings that in its time were the city’s main center ceremonial and political , monumentally encircled by the Mayan world’s best known wall. Around this wall, in an area that at the present time can’t be visited, there were a vast number of wooden and palm houses. El Castillo The Castle sits on a high point of the site, facing the ocean. His image appears all over the site, but his true name and meaning are not known. It’s quite tame in comparison to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, but it does have one overwhelming attraction: its location next to the sea. Templo del Dios Descendente - Temple of the Descending God depicts a diving figure, looks like a bee and is the same figure you can see depicted at other Mayan sites, including Cob. Tulum is without doubt the most exquisite ancient site in the Maya world and considered to be one of the most beautiful Mayan archaeological sites, Tulum is by no means the largest, but its location serves as a striking backdrop to its history. The only Mayan archaeological site to be in use at the time of the Spanish conquest, Tulum is the most important archeological site on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. It is one of the most visited of all Mayan ruins, and it’s also the only major Mayan ruin to be found along Mexico’s Caribbean coastline on the “Riviera Maya.”

If you want the comforts of home while enjoying your Tulum vacation, a beach house is perfect for you, your family or friends .There are beach houses that have ceiling fans throughout the house to keep things cool. Also they are equipped with energy It has one king size bed, a dresser, built in closets, and bedside tables and lamps, and a private bathroom to the rear of the bedroom. Some are tucked among the palms right on Tulum’s unspoiled beach just a mile north of the remarkable, heritage protected Sian Kaan biosphere. If you are looking to trade the go-go-go of city life for a quiet beach vacation, Tulum is the ideal place for you and your family to unwind and get back in touch with each other, and with nature. You have nonstop frivolous opportunities including the Mayan ruins, eco parks, wildlife, fresh water snorkeling, golf, horseback riding and a must visit to the lively town of Playa Del Carmen for people watching and shopping. . Within a few minutes drive is the Mexican village of Tulum and the small beach community of Akumal with all its restaurants, dive shops, information, shopping and markets.

Live Concert at Teatro Municipal de Santiago, March 26, 2007. She wrote this song in Tulum, a place in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, totally alone with no electricity at all by the sea.

Live in Boston, Sofianidis and Parxaridis!! Best weekend ive had in a long time!! Sofianidis on Tulum an Parxaridis sto tragoudi..Apazidis jamming on the ntaouli too!!

The Mayan Riviera, a stretch of coastline on the Yucatan Peninsula running from just outside Cancun in the North to the ancient Mayan site of Tulum in the South is rapidly growing in popularity. Why has this previously quiet area of the Yucatan Peninsula become a magnate for tourists?

Costs and Atmosphere on the Mayan Riviera

For visitors from North America, the Mayan Riviera is a more laid back alternative to Florida. It can also be cheaper to visit than either Florida or the Caribbean islands such as Barbados or Jamaica.

For visitors from continental Europe or the UK there is the added attraction of the current favorable exchange rate. This can make traveling to the Mayan Riviera a more cost-effective option than visiting Southern Europe over a two-week stay.

Mayan Riviera Ancient Sites

Few tropical destinations have the benefit of the fascinating ancient sites on the Mayan Riviera. At Tulum in the South the ruins are actually right on the coast, so you can admire them from your sun lounger! Other sites of note (all possible in a day) are Coba, Chichen Itza, and, Xel Ha.

Beaches, Diving, Snorkeling and Water Sports

Where does one even start to describe the beaches on the Mayan Riviera: Beautiful white sand beaches with warm ocean water. Warm breezes and your favorite cocktail served at your sun bed - now that’s what I call a holiday! The Mayan Riviera is blessed with the stunningly beautiful Caribbean Sea with all its opportunities for water sports and diving/snorkeling. The island of Cozumel is a real magnate for diving enthusiasts, offering deeper water closer to the shore than the mainland resorts.

Activities and Theme Parks

If golf is your thing, you are well catered for here, with courses in or near all of the major resorts. For the kids try Xel Ha or Xcaret - Eco-Theme parks that they will love. Shopping is fabulous with many bargains to be had including local crafts. Other possibilities include kayaking, sailing, and horse riding.

Conclusion

The range of possibilities on a holiday/vacation to the Mayan Riviera is simply amazing. The climate and Caribbean Sea are beautiful, the people friendly, and the cost reasonable - what are you waiting for?

APERÇU DE L’HOTEL ET DE LA PLAGE

KITEBOARDING

Tulum kiteboarding is getting enormous and kiteboard spots are opening all along the beach, area offers excellent wind conditions from October through May make’s Tulum a great kiteboarding location and the never ending pristine white sand beaches and the flat water makes kiteboarding in Tulum ideal for beginners to advanced kite boarders. The coast is, in fact, a kiteboarders paradise due to its crystal clear waters, wide beaches, and sunny days.

OPEN WATER DIVING

Tulum’s Caribbean waters are adorned with the Great Mayan Reef, the second largest coral reef in the world after Australia’s. Tulum is a little paradise, and his region conceals unique wonders made easily accessible. Its vast array of marine life makes it a outstanding scenario for open water diving, therefore making the area an ideal place to explore such a colorful submarine world.

CAVE AND CAVERN DIVING

Cenotes are fresh water pools connecting to submerged caverns and other cenotes. The standard formation is a round hole in the ground.They were sacred among the Mayan civilization, and today lay intact to be discovered through cave and cavern diving. Even though this is a sport that requires a much more specific training, it is absolutely worth exploring the rock bottom of these water wells surrounded by jungle. The rock formations -stalactites and stalagmites - that decor their walls craft caverns with long tunnels also explored through cavern diving. Tulum and its surroundings are the only place in the world featuring such natural riches.

FISHING

The Caribbean is one of Mexico’s main fishing destinations due to the huge amount of fish that swirl in its waters. Sail Fish, Blue Marlin, Dorado, and Barracuda are among the most popular species in the area. Fishing trips are available by the local Tulum hotels . Deep-sea fishing excursions can also be arranged by local hotels and tour operators. The best time for fishing around Tulum is from March to August.

Mayan Ruins

The Mayan civilization was one of the most important pre-Hispanic cultures of America, and the archeological sites located along the Riviera Maya and its surroundings were the base of its flourishment. One will be able to see the buildings that in its time were the city’s main center, monumentally surrounded by the Mayan world’s best known wall. Around this wall, in an area that at the present time can’t be visited, there were a immense number of wooden and palm houses. Nowadays virtually no evidence of these houses exists.

WILDLIFE

The area’s perimeter is surrounded by vast green tropical jungle, which makes it a coast filled with life and color. Pelicans, Albatross, and Fishing Eagles fly through its skies, Moreleti crocodiles swim in its lagoons, spider monkeys play on its trees, and an immense amount of multicolored fish swim in its ocean. Tulum is situated in the tropical forest and it is likely that you will see some animals in the surrounding area, such as raccoons, tejones, foxes, wild turkeys, and iguanas.