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Mexico’s Mayan Riviera is a Sensuous SurpriseBy Murray Laurie
Put yourselves in a sensuous mood first. Sift what may be the world’s softest sand through your fingers as the sea breezes dry your skin after an early morning dip in the turquoise sea, close your eyes as you bite into a sweet mango, squeeze a slice of lime into the neck of a chilled bottle of excellent Mexican beer, glide through warm water over wondrous underwater worlds, relax your tired bones in a hammock surrounded by a green jungle alive with the sound of birds and flitting butterflies. A deliciously decadent getaway for the two of you should always to be this perfect, right?
Mezzanine, a new boutique hotel that opened recently on the shore near Tulum, is an alluring mix of EuroChic and CaribeStyle, with four finely decorated suites and an elegant restaurant and bar. We splashed happily in the blue-tiled pool inspired by the local cenotes with a waterfall at one end and lazed in their hammocks, mesmerized by the absorbing palate of colors provided by the sea lapping at the shore, grateful for Tulum’s low-key, Eco-friendly hotel zone, and the tranquil, unspoiled beaches.
We discovered the back door entrance to the Tulum archaeological site that involves a little walking but avoids the approach from the huge parking lot filled with tour buses. If you are staying at one of the nearby beach hotels, just stroll along the tranquil shore until you come to El Mirador and walk up to the paved road that parallels the shore to the entrance to the zona archaeolgico. If not, a taxi can drop you off where the road dead ends at the side entrance. Incidentally, the El Mirador is a great place to stop and have a cold beer after your archaeological explorations are over.
Tulum is 130 kilometers (86 miles) south of Cancun, easy to reach on Federal Highway 307, built in the 1970s. The town itself was fun to explore, with a local festival underway and a circus set up in one of the parks. The main street is a lively mix of small hotels, fresh fruit stands, internet cafes, shops and offices, pizzerias, and open air restaurants serving local specialties such as my favorite, Sopa de Limon (a chicken broth and lime-flavored delicacy). Take the paved road west from Tulum to the old colonial city of Valladolid and you will pass through Mayan villages and settlements where vividly painted modern houses mix with the traditional oval wood and palm-thatched homes that these sturdy and independent people have built for centuries. We found plenty of unique and tempting local crafts in the little shops along the way and enjoyed trying out our Spanish with the shopkeepers. The bold black and red jaguar head carved and painted by Ezekial, the father of the tiny woman who waited on us, is a treasured souvenir of our romantic Mayan adventure. Contact the owners of La Selva Mariposa, Luis and Mari Pintkowski, at moealou@yahoo.com and the Mezzanine Hotel at www.mezzanine.com.mx/ PHOTOS: (all taken by the author) |
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When you and your loved one head for the Caribbean coast of
the Yucatan, be prepared to drench your senses in tingling new experiences. I
found my favorite spot, so far, in and around the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum,
and even found the perfect “back door” approach to this spectacular seaside
archaeological site, which will be revealed to the patient reader in due time.
Once an inaccessible wilderness, the Mayan Riviera south of
Cancun is now revealing its hidden secrets. If you want company, drop into one
of the casual beach bars for a Friday night frolic that may last into the wee
hours. You’ll likely find yourself partying with folks from Italy, New Zealand,
Bulgaria, France, Texas, or the nearby town of Tulum. If you want to be alone,
there are miles of pristine beaches for strolling and sun bathing, reefs and
cenotes to explore with snorkeling or diving gear, out of the way villages only
slowly making their way into the new millennium, and an array of uncrowded and
inviting ancient Mayan sites to discover.
We spent several nights in the jungle a few miles inland
from Tulum at an elegant and secluded haven called La Selva Mariposa, a
bed-and-breakfast retreat that blends the architectural spirit of the Maya
Caribe with every modern convenience. The sound of flowing water spilling down
the face of the fountain inspired by Mayan ruins lulled us to sleep, and in the
morning we climbed to the mirador in the treetops to enjoy our breakfast under a
palapa roof, open to the sights and sounds of the jungle creatures like the
azure-feathered Motmot, my model for the bluebird of happiness. The couple from
Colorado who built this exquisite hideaway will pamper you, let you work out in
their private gym. or set you on your way to nearby ruins at Coba and Ek Balam,
or to the Grand Cenote, just down the road that leads back towards the beach.
Tulum, the only known ancient Mayan site located by the
sea, was once a busy trading port and ceremonial center built at the top of an
imposing cliff facing the Caribbean. We walked through the narrow Mayan arch
built into the high stone wall that protected the site on three sides into an
open plaza dotted with gray stone buildings inhabited today only by iguanas. The
mystery of this ancient civilization drew us along from place to place until we
stood in the shadow of the largest building, El Castillo, looking down at the
sea and the beach below . . . dotted with sunbathers and children splashing in
the brilliant blue-green water. A set of wooden steps leads down the rugged
cliff to the small beach that appeared only to be accessible from the
archaeological site itself (Reminder: wear a bathing suit next time!). The
sheer grandeur of Tulum, which means “wall,” seems better expressed by its
ancient Mayan name, Zama, which means “dawn.” Was it the daily, dramatic rising
of the sun from the eternal and dazzling sea that made this a sacred place to
those who built the once splendidly decorated buildings more than a thousand
years ago?