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Day Tripping Near CancunNature Preserves Offer Wonderful AdventuresBy Chris MillikanOnly thirty-six kilometers from Cancun, a sleepy fishing village remains authentic and simple. Puerto Morelos is one of the oldest communities on the Caribbean coast. A hundred years ago, this port shipped hardwoods and chicle (gum); today shops display colorful local handicrafts, carvings of all sizes and splendid silver jewelry, but Puerto Morelos is best known for succulent seafood.
Crystal blue water sparkled and shimmered in morning sunshine. After snapping postcard perfect scenes of little painted boats resting on sugar sands, I enjoyed the breezes while watching scantily clad children playing off the rustic wooden dock. Returning for a Yucatecan lunch at Ojo de Agua (named for the spring), snorkelers extolled the unusual water clarity. They enthusiastically reported on rainbows of fish darting among flourishing coral “gardens” and listed finds including elegant purple sea fans, anemones with undulating red tentacles, yellow-green brain corals, and scuttling crabs.
Plaques in Spanish identified unique exhibits. Bromeliads and wild orchids bloomed in deep yellows, vivid oranges and freckled whites; cacti specimens resembled familiar household plants. Traditional raised stone planters contained exotic medicinal plants. Maya have long depended on such herbs in daily life. Considering water scarcity, it was remarkable they thrived.
We passed El Altar, a post-classic ruin, one of many ancient structures along the coast. From high perches birdie choruses accompanied us. Eventually we spied a leggy wooden skeleton reaching skyward. Resting on stumps we craned our necks upward as my nimble hubby scrambled up a skinny ladder angled sharply toward a railed platform above. Others cautiously joined him above the leafy canopy. Appreciating the jungle panoramas, excited voices drifted earthward. Almost back at the gate we glimpsed spider monkey mamas and their babes swinging from flimsy branches. A handsome iguana guarded the pathway ahead, motionless in a beam of afternoon sun. Later at Club Med, we reflected on our day trip with Eco Colors. The Yucatan’s diversity was staggering. We’d had two memorable encounters with nature. Inspired to “walk on the wild side”, we planned another excursion! If you plan to go:Cancun Visitors Bureau Eco Colors Alltournative Expeditions Club Med Cancun |
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Upon
arrival, we gathered in a spacious thatched shelter to hear our guide
Kenneth Johnson-Diaz. “Offshore lies part of the Meso-American Reef which
extends to Honduras. Designated a National Reserve in 1997, we’re
successfully balancing eco-tourism with conservation. In the shallows,
snorkelers must never touch the corals.” Launching yellow kayaks from the
uncrowded white sand beach, some underwater adventurers paddled 400 yards to
the reef. Others searched for a spring near the reef. Fresh water from
mangroves mingles with saltwater, creating a unique ecosystem there.
Our
next stop was nearby. Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marin Botanical Gardens protects
150 acres of jungle and marshland, showcasing remarkable plants and flowers
of the Yucatan. We spent the afternoon along shaded nature trails leading
past jungle wonders like no other. Immediately we spotted a long snouted,
ring tailed coati mundi. I imagined that sticking to marked pathways helped
avoid resident snakes!! Nevertheless there was great excitement when we
spied a basilisk lizard posing just off trail.
Deeper
into the jungle we found a chiclero camp. Pointing to deep diagonal slashes
on a zapote tree, Kenneth told us about chicle. “The Maya had long chewed
the white sap, calling it “sicte” from two words: “sic” (moving) and “te”
(mouth). James Adams, realized its potential and in 1860 created chewing
gum. This region prospered until an artificial replacement was developed.”
Maya continue using chicle. Inside a nearby traditional Mayan house it was
light and airy. The tidy floor was compacted dirt. Hammocks slung across
the room allowed a resourceful use of space. Trying one out, we discovered
cool comfort. Cooking was done outdoors.