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TULUM

NOMALAND — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 07:46:35 +0000

what to do in tulum

Hi we are Sami & Valeria, an Italian couple who after traveling around the world, fell in love with Mexico! In our Blog you will discover all sides of this big country, from natural and cultural beauties to exploring the hidden and dark sides. Let’s discover together passion & beauty of this amazing folk which once it enters your heart will never leave it again! Also covering our hometown (Rome) and many other places where we have lived, we wish you a wonderful reading!

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What to Do in Tulum

Best things to do in Tulum – Tulum is a dreamy, laid back beach paradise with white sands and jungle adventures. With few days here you can explore and be overwhelmed with amazing things to choose from. Here you know exactly what to do – head to the sand and put on SCUBA gear, find a hammock, or search for a cold coconut.

In Tulum there’s a lot more to choose from, including Mayan ruins, cenotes (caves or sinkholes that are filled in with crystal clear water) galore, various lagoons to float in, yoga, and street tacos. That last point is very important.

The beach beside the ruins is beautiful! Very large and very palm trees will welcome you in a Caribbean charm like few in the world. There are small kiosks where you can stop for a drink after the long walk. The landscape is beautiful, you have the Mayan ruins on your left, the Caribbean Sea in front of you and the long beach full of palm trees on the right. A paradise.

What to do in Tulum - CENOTES

The Yucatan Peninsula is home to the unusual natural wonders known as Mexican cenotes. These freshwater sinkholes were created when limestone bedrock collapsed, exposing a network of subterranean rivers and caves.

Since these pools were significant to pre-Mayan society, the name “cenote,” which means “sacred well,” originates from the Mayan language. Due to their pristine waters, varied ecosystems, and archaeological treasures, including artifacts and human remains, they are now well-liked tourist sites.

These tranquil pools, which are surrounded by lush vegetation and exotic wildlife, allow visitors to swim, snorkel, and dive. For both nature enthusiasts and intrepid travelers, exploring the Mexican cenotes is a genuinely magical experience.

The most interesting and famous cenotes are : GRAN CENOTE, CHOO-HA, TAMCACH-HA, MULTUM-HA and SUYTUN.

What to Do in Tulum: MAYAN RUINS

Evidence of the Mayan civilization is all over this peninsula and down into Guatemala and Belize, though the Tulum location was of significant importance to the empire as a religious and ceremonial center.

The location is also stunning, set on a backdrop of the beach with dazzling blue water and white sand. While not as impressive as Tikal in Guatemala or Chichen Itza much further west, both of which are astounding due to their respective sizes, it’s certainly more convenient to check out the Tulum ruins.

What to Do in Tulum: EXPLORE THE JUNGLE

The beach in Tulum is absolutely gorgeous with its white sands and gorgeous blue, bath temperature water. But the jungle is quite magical as well. Before moving to a beach, you can stay in a little hut in the jungle and is so nice falling asleep to the sounds of all of the animals, and seeing the stars so dazzling and brilliant in the sky.

If you stay off of the road that goes towards Coba where many of the jungle hideaways are, you will already be on the stretch of road that leads to most of the cenotes.

EAT SOME LOCAL FOOD

There are two kinds of food on offer in Tulum: food meant for tourists with an English menu and high prices and the little, unassuming local eateries that are more authentic and tastier, tbh.

It’s so excited to eat street tacos when you come to Mexico that should be the first thing you have to do, straight from the airport, to pull over on the side of the road outside of the airport when you saw a taco stand. Street tacos are so cheap, delicious, and fresh.

If you’re hesitant about the whole affair, go to a stand that has lots of patrons. It wouldn’t be super popular if it made people sick!

What to Do in Tulum: COBA RUINS

This archeological site gives visitors an enthralling look into the complex past of the Mayan civilization. Visitors are taken back in time as they tour the ruins, which are likely to have been inhabited as early as the first century AD, as they leave the busy city.

The majesty of the old buildings that rise majestically amid the lush vegetation as soon as one steps foot on this historical site is striking. The complex is large, and as you make your way around the paths, you’ll come across impressive pyramids like the Nohoch Mul, which is the tallest on the Yucatan Peninsula.

You will be amazed as you move from one magnificent structure to the next by the elaborate carvings and architectural elements that have stood the test of time. A rare opportunity to climb the pyramids at Coba Ruins, which offers a breathtaking panorama of the jungle below, is also worth mentioning.

There are experienced guides available to help you solve the riddles of this ancient city, and the site is beautifully maintained. Explore the Coba Ruins to fully immerse yourself in the history and culture of the Mayan civilisation; this experience will have a lasting impact on your time in Tulum.

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CHICHEN ITZA

NOMALAND — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 09:47:30 +0000

what chichen itza looked like

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What Chichen Itza Looked Like

What Chichen Itza Looked Like – Chichén Itzá is the largest of the archaeological cities of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. It is one of Mexico’s most visited tourist destinations.

It was granted World Heritage Site status in 1988 by UNESCO World Heritage Site and was recently selected as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

What Chichen Itza Looked Like: HISTORY

Chichen Itza was a center of pilgrimage for the ancient Maya for over 1,000 years. The Sacred Cenote (a large natural well or limestone sink hole) was holy to the ancient Rain God “Chac”.

About 987 the ruler of the Toltec people of central Mexico came here, and with his Maya allies made Chichen Itza the most powerful city in the Yucatan. The ruler called himself “Kukulcan”, the name of the Mesoamerican Feathered Serpent deity (also known as “Quetzalcoatl”). Chichen Itza became a center for worship of that god as well. More buildings were built here in a mixture of Maya and Toltec styles.

About 1221 the Maya revolted against the rulers of Chichen Itza. The city was not abandoned, but as political power shifted elsewhere it declined and no major new buildings were constructed. The reasons for the final abandonment of the city are unknown. Contrary, spanish documents show that the city was already abandoned on their arrival.

The structures of Chichen Itza were overgrown with jungle and slowly decayed until major archaeological projects began in the 1920s. Since then, more of the ancient structures have been cleared and restored and more and more tourists come to visit.

What Chichen Itza Looked Like: GET IN

Chichen Itza is on the main highway between the capital city of Mérida and the resort city of Cancun. If you have time and are looking for a more adventurist route, the “libre’ road that runs parallel to the toll highway goes through and by many villages and gives a better feel for the area.

Taking the “libre” route, you will need to be more alert for pedestrians and animals on the road, as well as the numerous “speed bumps” you will encounter. If after dark, stick to the toll road. Come by automobile or take the very regular bus service. If coming by bus, note that if you buy a ticket for Chichen Itza, you will be dropped right next to the ruins. If you want to go to a hotel in the nearby town, buy your ticket for Piste.

From Cancun: ADO bus service from Cancun costs $202 MXN one way trip and takes 3 hours. You’ll have about 4 hours to spend in the area if using the faster bus. A cheaper bus is available for 122 pesos and with travel time of four hours per direction.

If you are visiting in transit between different accommodations there is free, well signed, baggage storage after the cashier on the right past the restrooms.

WHAT TO SEE

These are the vestiges of a fascinating civilization of times past. Well informed guides speaking all major languages are available for hire here, or download a guide book app for your smartphone or you explore on your own with a guide book and map.

The Pyramid of Kukulcan or El Castillo — the most famous landmark of Chichen Itza. This was a temple-pyramid dedicated to the Feathered Serpent God, Kukulcan. It is nicknamed “The Castle”. Sculptures of the Feathered Serpents run down the sides of the northern staircase, and are set off by shadows from the corner tiers on the Spring and Fall equinox. (As of January 2006, you can no longer climb El Castillo.)
Interior Temple The Maya would often build newer bigger temple-pyramids atop older ones. Archaeologists have constructed tunnels allowing a view of the earlier temple of Kukulcan inside the later one. Go in the door at the foot of the north stairway, and you can go up a steep interior stairway up to the room on the top where you can see King Kukulcan’s Jaguar Throne, carved of stone and painted red with jade spots. It is an impressive sight, but the climb up the narrow interior passageway may be too much for those with some claustrophobia. Note to those travelling to Chichen-Itza post March 2006: You are no longer able to climb the steps to the top of the most of the monuments. These areas have been roped off due to erosion and destruction of some of the sacred monuments.

ANCIENT HISTORY

Temple of the Warriors (As of January 2006, you can no longer climb the Temple of the Warriors)
The Great Market
Great Ballcourt – there are 7 courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame at Chichen Itza. This one is by far the largest and most impressive, not just at the site but in all of ancient Mesoamerica.
Temple of the Jaguars – Attached to the ballcourt complex, with stone jaguar, feathered serpent columns, and murals inside.
Sweatbaths – there are many Zumbul che structures found in both Chichen Itza and Old Chichen sites. These Maya sweatbaths played an important rule in ancient Maya spiritual traditions as places to purify the mind, body, and emotions, thus getting in touch with one´s pure spiritual energy.

Platform of the Skulls
El Caracol – circular temple on a rectangular platform, also sacred to Kukulcan, served as an astronomical observatory.
High Priest’s Grave – a smaller version of the “Castillo” served as a tomb for one of the city’s rulers.
The Nunnery Complex – Chichen Itza’s royal palace back before the arrival of the Toltecs
The Red House
House of Deer
Temple of the Wall Panels
Akab’ Dzib – palace with hieroglyphic inscriptions
Xtoloc Cenote
Old Chichen – another group of buildings and temples a few minutes walk from the center of the site. Old Chichen is clustered within the private property of Hacienda Chichen and not open to public visits. This Maya archaeological site is south of the commonly visited Maya ruins. It is part of the Maya Jungle Reserve and Nature Trails and open only to the Hacienda Chichen guests and visitors for birdwatching and horseback-riding tours. Currently a few Maya temples are under reconstruction by INAH, they include:
- Initial Series Group
- Temple of the Phalli
- Platform of the Great Turtle
- Temple of the Owls
- Temple of the Monkeys

What Chichen Itza Looked Like: NEARBY

The Caves of Balankanche, where a large selection of ancient pottery and idols may be seen still in the positions where they were left in Pre-Columbian times.
Cenote Ik Kil Beautful cenote open for the public for swmming. Ticket 70 pesos / person (December 2015).

What Chichen Itza Looked Like: AT NIGHT

Light & Sound Show – Since December 2014, a new light and sound show called “The Night of Kukulcan” has been set up. The light show is really spectacular and lasts about 30 minutes. The narration is only in Spanish. Admission is free, but you need to write down your name in a waiting list to get a seat (if you don’t, you have to enter after people with tickets and you have to stand, but it really doesn’t matter that much).

“Tales of the Maya Skies” – this is a dome planetarium show produced by the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland California. It is shown in English and Spanish (alternating) at the Mayaland Hotel.

The “Mayan Planatarium” is a new building completed just in time for the celebrations of 12/21/2012; the building is modeled on the Caracol (the observatory) as depicted in the show.

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ISLA COZUMEL

NOMALAND — Sat, 28 Jan 2023 09:23:19 +0000

where is cozumel

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Where is Cozumel?

Just in front of Playa del Carmen, this Mexican island measures only 30 miles long and 10 miles wide. It would provide plenty of time, to relax on its famous beaches, swim and snorkel in its crystal-clear waters. Enjoy fresh seafood in the seaside village of San Miguel, and explore this amazing Caribbean Island.

EXPLORING SAN MIGUEL

San Miguel, the island’s largest town, is home to most of the island’s 80,000 residents. It has an international airport and docks for cruise ships (you can count as many as five ships at dock each day). You can find also ferries that travel between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan coast in 35 minutes.

Its lively waterfront buzzes with cruise passengers, day-trippers from the mainland, and vacationers staying in hotels and resorts that spread north and south of San Miguel on the island’s west side.

In Sidewalk bars and restaurants, high-end shops, souvenir stalls, and other businesses line the waterfront, main plaza and pedestrian side streets. Just a few blocks inland is the sprawling residential area—with colorful one- and two-story homes and spreading bougainvillea.

These neighborhoods are alive with motorcycles carrying as many as two adults and two children, kites often dancing in the skies, and the constant chorus of barking dogs.

Sundays, when no cruise ships come to port, locals head to the beaches during the day and gather on the main plaza at night for stage performances of dance and theater.

Tables set up by various fundraising groups sell pizza, pasta and desserts to families pushing strollers, people walking dogs, children roller skating, and teenagers hunched over cell phones.

where is cozumel

SNORKELING, SCUBA DIVING AND SWIMMING

Companies catering to scuba divers of every level offer trips to more than 25 dive sites around the island. For snorkelers, sunbathers, and swimmers, there are lots of options on the island’s west side.

Waterfront resorts offer day passes to beach clubs like Playa Mia, which has a swimming pool, waterslides, a water park for the kiddos, ocean kayaks, paddleboats, Hobie Cat sailboats, beach volleyball, and more.

For less fancy (and cheaper) digs, SkyReef is an open-air bar and grill that offers free use of beach chairs, plus rental snorkel gear, tequila tastings, and massage. Because there are reefs close to shore, often you only need to jump into the water and start looking around.

Accessible only by tour boat are El Cielo, with its resident starfish, and Palancar, considered among the best snorkeling spots.

In contrast to the developed west side of Cozumel, the untamed “other side” offers miles and miles of pristine coastline. It ranges from white-powder beaches to rocky shoreline, easily accessed via a two-lane paved road that hugs the east coast.

Although the surf is rough and swimming is limited, local families descend on Sundays with their own food and umbrellas for a day in the sun, particularly at San Martin Beach where there are lifeguards.

At the southern tip of the island is Punta Sur Eco Beach Park, a protected peninsula with probably Cozumel’s prettiest beach. You can enjoy a restaurant, snack bar and rental snorkeling equipment. Also boat rides in a lagoon where you might see crocodiles.

where is cozumel

EXPLORE THE MAYA CULTURE

For a hands-on experience in ancient Maya culture and lifestyle, you have to visit Pueblo del Maiz, a reconstructed pre-Hispanic village nestled among woods in the middle of the island. After painting your face, guides led you to various “stations” in the village.

You can see chocolate being made and then tasted how good it is with only honey as a sweetener. Learn that honey produced by Mexican bees has been used to treat cataracts, skin scars, and high cholesterol. Make tortillas in the traditional way, grinding the corn and then cooking the dough over a fire.

You can watch cerimonial dances and chew chicle, a resin from sapodilla trees that is cooked six hours and is considered a natural way to clean teeth.

Visit the nearby San Gervasio Archaeological Site, the largest of several Maya ruins on the island, reached by walking through forests. Most of the stone structures date from 1,000 to 1500 A.D., including plazas, elite residences, tombs, the main plaza and altars.

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MAYAN HISTORY

NOMALAND — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 16:43:07 +0000

mayan history

Hi everybody we are Sami & Valeria, an Italian couple who after traveling around the world, fell in love with Mexico! In our Blog you will discover all sides of this big country, from natural and cultural beauties to exploring the hidden and dark sides. Let’s discover together passion & beauty of this amazing folk which once it enters your heart will never leave it again! Also covering our hometown (Rome) and many other places where we have lived, we wish you a wonderful reading!

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MAYAN HISTORY

The Maya Empire, centered in the tropical lowlands of what is now Guatemala, reached the peak of its power and influence around the sixth century A.D. The Maya excelled at agriculture, pottery, hieroglyph writing, calendar-making and mathematics, and left behind an astonishing amount of impressive architecture and symbolic artwork.

Most of the great stone cities of the Maya were abandoned by A.D. 900, however, and since the 19th century scholars have debated what might have caused this dramatic decline.

Mayan History: LOCATING THE MAYA

The Maya civilization was one of the most dominant indigenous societies of Mesoamerica (a term used to describe Mexico and Central America before the 16th century Spanish conquest). Unlike other scattered indigenous populations of Mesoamerica, the Maya were centered in one geographical block covering all of the Yucatan Peninsula and modern-day Guatemala; Belize and parts of the Mexican states of Tabasco and Chiapas; and the western part of Honduras and El Salvador.

This concentration showed that the Maya remained relatively secure from invasion by other Mesoamerican peoples. Within that expanse, the Maya lived in three separate sub-areas with distinct environmental and cultural differences: the northern Maya lowlands on the Yucatan Peninsula; the southern lowlands in the Peten district of northern Guatemala and adjacent portions of Mexico, Belize and western Honduras; and the southern Maya highlands, in the mountainous region of southern Guatemala.

Most famously, the Maya of the southern lowland region reached their peak during the Classic Period of Maya civilization (A.D. 250 to 900), and built the great stone cities and monuments that have fascinated explorers and scholars of the region.

EARLY MAYA - 1800 B.C. to A.D. 250

The earliest Maya settlements date to around 1800 B.C., or the beginning of what is called the Pre-classic or Formative Period. The earliest Maya were agricultural, growing crops such as corn (maize), beans, squash and cassava (manioc). During the Middle Pre-classic Period, which lasted until about 300 B.C., Maya farmers began to expand their presence both in the highland and lowland regions.

ADVANCED

The Middle Pre-classic Period also saw the rise of the first major Mesoamerican civilization, the Olmecs. Like other Mesamerican peoples, such as the Zapotec, Totonac, Teotihuacán and Aztec, the Maya derived a number of religious and cultural traits–as well as their number system and their famous calendar–from the Olmec. In addition to agriculture, the Pre-classic Maya also displayed more advanced cultural traits like pyramid-building, city construction and the inscribing of stone monuments.

The Late Pre-classic city of Mirador, in the northern Peten, was one of the greatest cities ever built in the pre-Columbian Americas. Its size dwarfed the Classic Maya capital of Tikal, and its existence proves that the Maya flourished centuries before the Classic Period.

Mayan History: CITIES OF STONE : THE CLASSIC MAYA - A.D. 250-900

The Classic Period, which began around A.D. 250, was the golden age of the Maya Empire. Classic Maya civilization grew to some 40 cities, including Tikal, Uaxactún, Copán, Bonampak, Dos Pilas, Calakmul, Palenque and Río Bec; each city held a population of between 5,000 and 50,000 people. At its peak, the Maya population may have reached 2,000,000.

Excavations of Maya sites have unearthed plazas, palaces, temples and pyramids, as well as courts for playing the ball games that were ritually and politically significant to Maya culture. Maya cities were surrounded and supported by a large population of farmers. Though the Maya practiced a primitive type of “slash-and-burn” agriculture, they also displayed evidence of more advanced farming methods, such as irrigation and terracing.

The Maya were deeply religious, and worshiped various gods related to nature, including the gods of the sun, the moon, rain and corn. At the top of Maya society were the kings, or “kuhul ajaw” (holy lords), who claimed to be related to gods and followed a hereditary succession. They were thought to serve as mediators between the gods and people on earth, and performed the elaborate religious ceremonies and rituals so important to the Maya culture.

The Classic Maya built many of their temples and palaces in a stepped pyramid shape, decorating them with elaborate reliefs and inscriptions. These structures have earned the Maya their reputation as the great artists of Mesoamerica. Guided by their religious ritual, the Maya also made significant advances in mathematics and astronomy, including the use of the zero and the development of a complex calendar system based on 365 days.

MYSTICAL

Though early researchers concluded that the Maya were a peaceful society of priests and scribes, later evidence–including a thorough examination of the artwork and inscriptions on their temple walls–showed the less peaceful side of Maya culture, including the war between rival Mayan city-states and the importance of torture and human sacrifice to their religious ritual.

Serious exploration of Classic Maya sites began in the 1830s. By the early to mid-20th century, a small portion of their system of hieroglyph writing had been deciphered, and more about their history and culture became known. Most of what historians know about the Maya comes from what remains of their architecture and art, including stone carvings and inscriptions on their buildings and monuments. The Maya also made paper from tree bark and wrote in books made from this paper, known as codices; four of these codices are known to have survived.

LIFE IN THE FOREST

One of the many intriguing things about the Maya was their ability to build a great civilization in a tropical rainforest climate. Traditionally, ancient peoples had flourished in drier climates, where the centralized management of water resources (through irrigation and other techniques) formed the basis of society (This was the case for the Teotihuacan of highland Mexico, contemporaries of the Classic Maya).

In the southern Maya lowlands, however, there were few navigable rivers for trade and transport, as well as no obvious need for an irrigation system. By the late 20th century, researchers had concluded that the climate of the lowlands was in fact quite environmentally diverse.

INTRICATE

Though foreign invaders were disappointed by the region’s relative lack of silver and gold, the Maya took advantage of the area’s many natural resources, including limestone (for construction), the volcanic rock obsidian (for tools and weapons) and salt. The environment also held other treasures for the Maya, including jade, quetzal feathers (used to decorate the elaborate costumes of Maya nobility) and marine shells, which were used as trumpets in ceremonies and warfare.

Mayan History: MYSTERIOUS DECLINE OF MAYA

From the late eighth through the end of the ninth century, something unknown happened to shake the Maya civilization to its foundations. One by one, the Classic cities in the southern lowlands were abandoned, and by A.D. 900, Maya civilization in that region had collapsed. The reason for this mysterious decline is unknown, though scholars have developed several competing theories.

Some believe that by the ninth century the Maya had exhausted the environment around them to the point that it could no longer sustain a very large population. About Mayan History, other Maya scholars argue that constant warfare among competing city-states led the complicated military, family (by marriage) and trade alliances between them to break down, along with the traditional system of dynastic power.

As the stature of the holy lords diminished, their complex traditions of rituals and ceremonies dissolved into chaos. Finally, some catastrophic environmental change–like an extremely long, intense period of drought–may have wiped out the Classic Maya civilization. Drought would have hit cities like Tikal–where rainwater was necessary for drinking as well as for crop irrigation–especially hard.

All three of these factors–overpopulation and overuse of the land, endemic warfare and drought–may have played a part in the downfall of the Maya in the southern lowlands. In the highlands of the Yucatan, a few Maya cities–such as Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Mayapán–continued to flourish in the Post-Classic Period (A.D. 900-1500). By the time the Spanish invaders arrived, however, most Maya were living in agricultural villages, their great cities buried under a layer of rainforest green.

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ISLA MUJERES

NOMALAND — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 07:18:28 +0000

isla mujeres mexico

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Isla Mujeres Mexico: Best Things to Do

Isla Mujeres is a small island located in the Caribbean Sea 13 km off the coast of the northeastern part of the Yucatán peninsula in the northeastern part of the State of Quintana Roo, right in front of Cancún.

It is part of the municipality of Isla Mujeres, which is much more extensive as it also includes over 1000 km² of territory on the continent. The island is about 7 km long and about 650 m wide. At the 2005 census it had a population of 13,315 people, 11,147 were the inhabitants of the town.

Isla Mujeres Mexico: PLAYA NORTE

A 10-minute walk from the Ferry Pier is the popular family beach of Playa Norte or North Beach. This is the main beach on Isla Mujeres and has been named one of the best beaches in the Caribbean!

The water here is calm, and shallow, making it a great spot for families or for just a chilled out day of floating around.

It is a tropical haven that provides a very unique beach experience. Playa Norte is a true picture-postcard location with its emerald green waves, fine white sands, and swaying palm trees. This spotless beach offers a secluded haven where guests may unwind and enjoy the sun in peace.

Swimming and snorkeling are made possible by the calm waves, which expose an undersea environment teeming with beautiful marine life. Additionally, Playa Norte has a bustling beachfront scene with inviting bars and eateries where guests can experience delectable regional food and sip cool cocktails while taking in breath-blowing Caribbean Sea vistas. Playa Norte is a must-see location for beach enthusiasts, regardless of whether you’re looking for action or pleasure.

PUNTA SUR

Punta Sur is located on the southern tip of Isla Mujeres. Here you can visit the Pre-Colombian Mayan Ruins of Ixchel, or simply admire the stunning views.

Garrafon Reef Park is also located here and is home to the Sculpture Garden. In 2001 the Sebastian Foundation and 23 famous artists from Mexico and around the world created sculptures to represent the Mayan civilisation.

There are different packages available for Garrafon Park . These packages also include activities such as zip-lining, snorkelling and kayaking.

Isla Mujeres Mexico: DAY TRIP TO ISLA CONTOY

Isla Contoy is located 30 km north of Isla Mujeres. This natural wildlife reserve and bird sanctuary is 9 km long and 20 metres wide and was declared a National Park in 1998.

Isla Contoy is one of the most important areas in Mexico for nesting sea birds and sea turtles. There is a maximum of 200 tourists allowed to visit on a daily basis. A day tour starts from $75 per person.

MUSA ( Underwater Museum of Art in Isla Mujeres )

One of the most popular activities in Isla Mujeres is to visit MUSA, (Museo Subacuático de Arte). You can tour the underwater museum by glass bottom boat to enjoy over 500 sculptures by the creator Jason deCaires Taylor.

For a better experience, and to get closer to the sculptures, head on a snorkelling tour or go scuba diving. MUSA was created to encourage visitors to visit an alternative area around Isla Mujeres taking the pressure off the nearby reef.

Underwater sculpture parks are created as tourist attractions, but they are also used as artificial reefs to help promote the growth of coral and the return of more marine life. A visit to underwater sculptures (by the same artist) is also one of the top things to do in Grenada, and the Bahamas.

The site in Isla Mujeres is divided into two galleries with 3 salons:

Salon Nizuc – at a depth of 4 metres and suitable for snorkelling, the Jungle Tour and the Glass Bottom Boat Tour;
Salon Punta Sam – suitable for snorkelling;
Salone Machones – at a depth of 8 metres and suitable for both snorkellers and scuba divers.

Isla Mujeres Mexico: GO FISHING

The turquoise blue waters off Isla Mujeres are perfect for deep-sea fishing, inshore fishing and spear fishing. The best months for sailfish and marlin are from mid-December through to July. If you enjoy tuna fishing the best months are between April and August.

Depending on what type of fishing you enjoy the most, there are many charter operators that will cater for your needs, ranging from charter boats to private yacht tours.

LA TORTUGA GRANJA – TURTLE FARM

Located on Sac Bajo is La Tortuga Granja, the hatching ground for the sea turtles on Isla Mujeres. From May to September these grand creatures lay their eggs in the soft sand where volunteers assist in gathering the eggs and placing them in pens to keep them safe from predators.

From August to October, you can witness the local children and tourists releasing the turtles into the ocean. As with the whale sharks, it is recommended that you don’t touch the sea turtles. Entrance fee is $3.00 per person.

Isla Mujeres Mexico: PUEBLO MAGICO (MAGIC TOWN)

In 2001 SECTUR (Mexican Board of Tourism) put together a Pueblo Magico program to recognise Mexican towns that have a special appeal or magic about them in 3 categories.

Natural Beauty

Historical

Cultural

Isla Mujeres now shares the title with over 80 other towns and cities throughout Mexico. Isla Mujeres has a special charm to it, making it a place you will want to return to again and again. It shares the limelight with the charming cobblestoned village of Tepoztlan and its magical pyramid, San Miguel de Allende, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Tulum and Taxco, to name a few.

GO SHOPPING

Shopping for authentic souvenirs and clothing is one of the top things to do in Mexico as a whole. There are the usual Mexican souvenir shops in Isla Mujeres but if you’re after Tequila or Mezcal, folk art, silver jewellery, hammocks and Mexican ceramics there are certain shops that you should check out. Some of the best shopping can be found along Avenida Rueda Medina, but don’t miss:

Galeria de Arte Mexicano – Av Guerrero 3 for silver jewellery
Galeria L’mento Arte – Av. Hidalgo, at Plaza Los Almendros for wooden boxes, ceramics and hand carved goods
Isla Mujeres Artist Fair – On the first Thursday of every month between November and April the fair takes place in the Zocalo between 4 pm and 9 pm. There are works of art, jewellery, clothing and book stalls with a selection of local food vendors offering Mexican cuisine.

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QUINTANA ROO

NOMALAND — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 10:36:30 +0000

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QUINTANA ROO

Quintana Roo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo (Spanish: Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 municipalities and its capital city is Chetumal.

Quintana Roo is located on the eastern part of the Yucatán Peninsula and is bordered by the states of Campeche to the west and Yucatán to the northwest, and by the Orange Walk and Corozal districts of Belize, along with an offshore borderline with Belize District to the south.

As Mexico’s easternmost state, Quintana Roo has a coastline to the east with the Caribbean Sea and to the north with the Gulf of Mexico. The state previously covered 44,705 square kilometers (17,261 sq mi) and shared a small border with Guatemala in the southwest of the state.

However in 2013, Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation resolved the boundary dispute between Quintana Roo, Campeche, and Yucatán stemming from the creation of the Calakmul municipality by Campeche in 1997, siding with Campeche and thereby benefiting Yucatán.

Quintana Roo is the home of the city of Cancún, the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, and the towns of Bacalar, Playa del Carmen and Akumal, as well as the ancient Maya ruins of Chacchoben, Cobá, Kohunlich, Muyil, Tulum, Xel-Há, and Xcaret. The Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve is also located in the state.

The statewide population is expanding at a rapid rate due to the construction of hotels and the demand for workers. Many migrants come from Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco, and Veracruz.

The state is frequently hit by severe hurricanes due to its exposed location, the most recent and severe being Hurricane Dean in 2007, which made landfall with sustained winds of 280 km/h (170 mph), with gusts up to 320 km/h (200 mph).

Quintana Roo: HISTORY

The area that makes up modern Quintana Roo was long part of Yucatán, sharing its history. With the Caste War of Yucatán, which started in the 1840s, all non-natives were driven from the region. The independent Maya nation of Chan Santa Cruz was based on what is now the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

For decades it maintained considerable independence, having separate trade and treaty relationships with British Honduras, now Belize. Quintana Roo was made a territory of Mexico by decree of President Porfirio Díaz on November 24, 1902. It was named after an early patriot of the Mexican Republic, Andrés Quintana Roo.

The Mexican army succeeded in defeating most of the Maya population of the region during the 1910s. In 1915 the area was again declared to be legally part of the state of Yucatán.Quintana Roo was granted statehood within the United Mexican States on October 8, 1974. It is the Mexican Republic’s youngest state.

CLIMATE

According to the Köppen climate classification, much of the state has a tropical wet and dry climate (Aw) while the island of Cozumel has a tropical monsoon climate (Am). The mean annual temperature is 26 °C (78.8 °F).

The hottest months are April and August where the average high is 33 °C (91.4 °F) while January is coldest month with an average low of 17 °C (62.6 °F). Extreme temperatures can range from low of 10 °C (50.0 °F) in the coldest months to 36 °C (96.8 °F) in the hottest months.

Quintana Roo averages 1,300 mm (51 in) of precipitation per year, which falls throughout the year, though June to October are the wetter months. Hurricanes can occasionally hit the coastal areas during the hurricane season, particularly from September to November.

Quintana Roo: ECOSYSTEMS AND ANIMALS

There are four generalized ecosystems in Quintana Roo—tropical forests, or jungle; savanna, mangrove forests, and coral reefs. One of the byproducts of traditional and large-scale agriculture is the creation of additional habitats, such as second growth forest sand fields/pastures.

Queen seashell are also noted for their inhabitation of coastal territory. The wide variety of biotic organisms such as these has decreased drastically in the last fifteen years.

Tourism has caused Quintana Roo to become famous around the world in the last thirty or so years for its beaches, coastline and cenote sinkholes. Biological experts consider the coastline of Quintana Roo one of the best manatee habitats worldwide. Queen seashell are also noted for their inhabitation of coastal territory. The wide variety of biotic organisms such as these has decreased drastically in the last fifteen years.

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PLAYA DEL CARMEN

NOMALAND — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 06:34:50 +0000

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What to do in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is mostly known for its beaches, parties and giant resorts. But there’s the whole other side of the city. It’s a great hub for independent travelers with many things to do in and around.

Many visitors ask about the weather in Playa del Carmen and expect it to be hot and sunny every day. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly true. While Playa del Carmen is generally warm, the weather changes quickly and rapidly.

There’s one rule if you’re coming to Playa del Carmen: don’t trust the forecast and dig deeper! Forecasts will only give you a day estimate. Always check the amount and percentage of rain and the hours of sunshine. You can even check more detailed forecasts which will give you the weather by the hour. It might be stormy in the morning and sunny during lunchtime. You never know.

Unless you’re visiting during the summer (June-September), bring a sweater. You’ll be sunbathing during the day, but it gets chilly during the night. Unless you’re from a very cold country, you will be cold.

Is Playa del Carmen Expensive?

How much money should you have for visiting Playa del Carmen or any nearby city? Playa del Carmen can be very expensive, or very cheap, depending on what you want to do. For instance, if you eat at tourists restaurants on 5th Av, go to nightclubs like Coco Bongo and buy massages then you might end up needing at least $300 a day.

If you eat where locals eat, your dinner should cost you no more than $5-7 and a cocktail for $3-8. If you’re planning some backpacking you can definitely survive on $50 a day. If you love a simple tourist live you can easy plan to pay no more than $20 a day.

What to do in Playa del Carmen: 5th AVENUE (QUINTA AVENIDA)

5th Avenue ( Quinta Avenida ) is the place to see and be seen in Playa. It has the feel of a touristy beach resort during the day with trinket shops and overpriced restaurants, which changes to a pretty thriving night scene as the day wears off.

It’s great for people watching and trust me, you can see some interesting characters walking around at night.

Walking you will arrive at Plaza Fundadores, a fascinating location tucked away in Playa del Carmen. This lively plaza is a striking illustration of the city’s diverse cultural traditions. The plaza’s architecture and design, which combine aspects from both Mayan and Spanish traditions, are absolutely stunning.

Visitors are welcomed by a calm ambiance as they leave the busy Quinta Avenida, allowing them to relax and take in the attractiveness of the nearby stores and restaurants. One can awe at the rich features of the sculptures and fountains that embellish the area while strolling through the plaza.

Plaza Fundadores also acts as a stage for entertaining street entertainment, which improves the whole atmosphere. It’s important to note that the plaza’s prime location provides breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea. For anyone looking for a real Mexican experience, Plaza Fundadores is a must-visit due to its bustling and energetic atmosphere.

Adventure Parks

There are many adventure parks spread across the entire Riviera Maya. With the most popular being Xcaret with shows and beaches, there is also an adventure park called Xplor, or a calm Xel-Ha where you can see some colorful fish.

These parks are a variety of exciting locations that serve a range of age groups and interests. There is something for everyone, from Xplor, where ziplines allow you to soar over the treetops, to Xel-Ha, a gorgeous eco-park that offers snorkeling in crystal-clear turquoise water and access to a sizable natural aquarium.

In contrast to Xenses, which takes you on a sensory trip through unusual sensations and optical illusions, Xcaret blends adventure, culture, and wildlife encounters. With their combination of heart-pounding activities, spectacular natural beauties, and an immersed cultural experience, these parks offer lifelong memories.

What to do in Playa del Carmen: ENJOY NIGHTLIFE

It is definitely a party place. There are plenty of bars and clubs to choose from. Most of the nightclubs are located on Calle 12, along with some bars on Calle 10. You can taste a lot of different kinds of cuisine : Mexican, Italian, American and Asiatic, and then go easy to cool Clubs, Discos and Beach Parties !

The nightlife in Playa del Carmen is a thrilling experience that hums with enthusiasm. This vivacious seaside town becomes a paradise for revelers and night owls as the sun sets over the breathtaking Riviera Maya. Numerous bars, clubs, and lounges fill the famed 5th Avenue, giving a wide variety of music and settings to satisfy every taste.

Playa del Carmen has it all, whether you prefer listening to live music at a quaint café, sipping cocktails at a rooftop bar with panoramic views, or dancing to throbbing beats at a chic nightclub. The local nightlife is well-known for its welcoming vibe, top-notch DJs, and spectacular events that go till the wee hours of the morning.

What to do in Playa del Carmen: SWIM IN CENOTES

There are many cenotes in the area for you to enjoy. Some are underground, others have some zip lines, some offer incredible diving and snorkeling adventures.

MAIN CENOTES

Cenote Azul

Cenote Zacil-Ha

Gran Cenote

Cenote Carwash

Cenote Dos Ojos

Cenote Cristalino

Cenote Jardin del Eden

Casa Cenote

Natural wonders like Mexican cenotes capture people’s attention. These fascinating sinkholes, created by the collapse of limestone bedrock, expose freshwater pools below the surface of the earth. Cenotes provide a special opportunity for swimming, snorkeling, and even cave diving because of their mystical beauty and diverse biodiversity.

It is an unforgettable experience to explore these prehistoric formations, which enables visitors to have a genuinely wonderful connection with nature. Mexican cenotes are a must-see sight, giving visitors a peek at the Yucatan Peninsula’s undiscovered beauties.

Is Playa del Carmen Safe?

It is a generally safe destination for solo visitors, though they should exercise caution as petty crime and scams have been known to occur in Mexico. Tips for solo travelers include sticking to main tourist centers, staying in hostels, and not walking alone at night.

The cartel is in here, although tourist-related cartel incidents are a rare occurrence. Tourists can stay away from cartel violence by not using recreational drugs, not being overly intoxicated, and by sticking to central tourist zones.

Playa is safe for American tourists granted they follow common travel tips and are aware of potential scams and dangers and is also safe for families as it’s easy to get around, has plenty of family-related activities, and is a relatively laid-back city.

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