Exploring the World of the Coastal Mayans

A Trip into Mexico's Indigenous Past 

By Habeeb Salloum

For this day during our time in Cancún, Mexico=s number one playground city, we decided to tear ourselves away from the joys of strolling the beach or lulling in ocean waters and do something different. Our intention was to explore the world of the costal Mayans. Now we were on our way to visit the historic seacoast Mayan ruins of Tulum, some 130km away, then spend the remainder of the day in Xel-Há, a once Mayan harbour, now recreated into a 21st century resort, followed by a short stopover to explore the caves in Aktun Chen Park.

Southward, the four-lane highway cut through the level Yucatán jungle, but as we neared our destination, side roads and roadside buildings became quite numerous until, a short distance from Tulum, we turned off the main road toward the nearby sea. After walking from the bus for about 10 minutes, we stood by the walls of this Mayan town, poised on a 15 m (49 ft) high limestone cliff, overlooking the Caribbean and surrounded by thick jungle.

Known once as Zamá (morning), for the Mayans it became the >City of Dawn=.  Built in honour of the sun, it edges the second longest coral reef in the Americas which, a short distance from shore,  falls down dramatically to 469 m (1,400 ft). Many consider it the most fascinating of the ancient Mayan cities found in the Yucatán Peninsula.

Tulum, which means wall, was a later name given to the site because it was the only Mayan city protected by a wall -  4.6 m (15 ft) high and 7 m (20 ft) wide, much of which still stands. Entered through five narrow gates, it was built as a defense against the fierce Caribe Indians.  Of all the Mayan urban centres, it was the only sizable town built on the coast; and the only one inhabited when the Conquistadors arrived in 1518 A.D.

We walked in through a narrow gateway in the still standing walls and were soon surrounded by thousands of tourists. Tulum is the most visited of the Mayan cities and visitors  were everywhere. They appeared like ants moving between the some 60 uncovered structures.

El Castillo, the highest part of the ruins, which was the Mayan Temple dedicated to Kukulcan, the serpent god, dominated the ruins.  Perched on the highest point of the cliff, it commands a broad view of the sea and the surrounding jungle and may have served also as a beacon for mariners.

We spent a few hours examining all the uncovered ruins but felt relaxed due to the soothing fresh breezes flowing in from the Caribbean. When we reached the Temple of the Frescoes we tarried awhile to examine the partly restored murals depicting Mayan gods and symbols of nature=s fertility such as corn, fish and rain. 

Our last stop was the Temple the Descending God.  Over its narrow doorway is carved a tiny figure which appears to be tumbling down from heaven. The descending or diving figure, whose significance is not known, has made the temple a place of reverence for believers in unidentified flying objects and the whole of the ruins of Tulum have become a shrine for those who maintain that earth was once visited by tiny aliens from another world.

From the >City of the Dawn= we drove back for about 15 minutes to Xel-Há - the port of call for the ancient Mayans.  It flourished between 900 and 1500 A.D. and is believed to have been where Mayan royalty came to explore undersea life. Today, the locale has been re-created into an 84 ha (207 ac) park which is considered one of the top ecological areas in the region. For visitors who love nature and the outdoors, it is one of the most popular of the coastal resorts south of Cancún.

Here, travellers can explore a series of never-ending wonders such as an extraordinary natural aquarium, cenotes (natural wells), a cool river flowing through a mangrove forest, intriguing coves, hidden inlets, an exuberant tropical jungle, a labyrinth of underground waterways, and lagoons of clear emerald waters, ideal for snorkeling - from which Xel-Há gets its nickname >Snorkel Heaven=.

The creators of the resort of Xel-Há (meaning the place where the water is born) have created innovative sites and ways in which to ensnare visitors. In this natural world, visitors can swim or snorkel amid multicolored fish, then stroll or take a mini-train to explore the rich flora and fauna of the park, or swim with and pet the dolphins. There is a mythical Mayan story which relates that the gods came down to earth to create Xel-Há and gave it the best that nature could offer. After viewing their handiwork, they danced and sang, full of joy before returning again to their heavenly abode.

Beyond fun and relaxation, the park also has programs that encourage national culture and protect the environment. Annually more than 20,000 turtles are released into the ocean from a turtle camp, an ancient Mayan bee celebration to bless the honey harvest is held annually twice, and great efforts are made to protect the 99 marine, 100 bird and 230 plant species. An environmentally sound project, Xel-Há, where history and nature blend to create a modern paradise, is an ideal place in which travellers can spend a day. 

A few minutes from Xel-Há and we were in the 162 ha (400 ac) Aktun Chen Park (in Mayan: the cave with the cenote inside). Some 5 million years ago, the inter-action of water and calcium carbonate created a series of caves with fantastic formations of stalactite and stalagmites which today, along with abundance of wildlife, form the basis of Aktun Chen Park.  The main three caves, 656 m (600 yds), like all the others, were once under the sea and their limestone walls are embedded with clearly visible fossilized fish and shells. For cave lovers, they are a wold of natural splendour.

After a day full of activities, I felt satisfaction on our way back to Cancún as darkness began to enshroud us. From splendid Mayan ruins, to  a neatly managed nature paradise to a world of caves and cenotes, it was an exciting day of relishing the land of the coastal Mayans in a modern setting.