Cancun Wonders Blog Articles, Stories & Advice Travel & Tours

Archivo de enero de 2009

 

The Riviera Maya stretches 81 gorgeous coastal miles from Puerto Morelos, 11 miles south of Cancun International Airport, to Tulum, the dazzling Mayan archaeological site by the sea. The region has been named a “Top Destination in Mexico” for the past four consecutive years by Travel Weekly; one of the hottest beach destinations by Orbitz in 2008; and was featured as “The Next Riviera” in a Travel & Leisure story.

Its mix of ultimate resorts carved out of mangrove-lined lagoons, simple beach side bungalows and elegant boutique hotels, plus all-inclusive to top any in the Caribbean, caters to every type of traveler. Its remarkable gifts of nature draw beachcombers, divers, paddlers, trekkers and other ecotravelers to explore the region’s network of more than 100 cenotes fed by underground rivers, fishing villages, archaeological sites like Coba and Tulum, and Sian Ka’an, Mexico’s first Biosphere Reserve with 1.5 million pristine acres.  A rich calendar of cultural events uses the unique features of such a landscape.

Riviera Maya destinations include quiet seaside villages like Akumal and Puerto Aventura, and master-planned resorts like Mayakoba. Here five luxurious properties, designed around a series of waterways, include the 401-room Fairmont Mayakoba, which opened in 2006, and the 128-room Rosewood Mayakoba.

 Four Seasons Hotel
Mexico City ’s best hotel; refined, modern, and business oriented with 240 large rooms. This is where you used to find Luciano Pavarotti and even the Rolling Stones. See and be seen at breakfast in the elegant garden courtyard. Paseo de la Reforma 500, Col. Juárez.

 

W
The first of the brand in Latin America blends in regional touches, from hammocks in the bathrooms to temazcal (Aztec sweat lodge) with shaman in its wonderful spa that occupies the whole fourth floor. Amazing views from the tubs in the Fantastic Suites, while the Whiskey Bar is a hub of chic socializing; 237 rooms. Pets allowed. Campos Eliseos 252, Col. Polanco.

 

JW Marriott
Grand, imposing lobby and beautiful city views. Free Wi-Fi in 299 spacious rooms, 13 suites, and elegant public areas. A stroll from the Anthropology Museum, Chapultepec Park, and the lure of Polanco shopping. Andrés Bello 29.

Smaller than Cozumel, this “Isle of Women” is another diving and eco-tourism paradise, a true getaway island, where bicycles, boats and diving equipment are the gear of choice. Natural sanctuaries protect underwater life at Garrafon National Park, while the offshore island of Isla Contoy offers the chance to observe more than 90 bird species, including cranes, frigate birds and pelicans, as well as giant sea turtles. Dolphin Discovery provides a setting to swim and interact with the dolphins.

With 1,200 hotel rooms, a convention center and cultural center, Isla Mujeres draws a loyal coterie of return visitors, whether day-trippers or those attending small meetings in a setting with minimal distraction. On one end of the Isle of Women, on a cliff known as Punta Sur, there is a temple the Maya once used to worship Ixchel, the goddess of weaving, happiness, the moon, medicine and abundance. What an appropriate place to contemplate the wealth of true riches available here in the Mexican Caribbean, the kind that nurture the body and soul and create lasting memories long after a meeting has ended.