Xcaret - Mexico’s Disneyland
By Irene Butler
 Blissfully
wrapped in turquoise surf, soft sand and alluring jungle, my “inner child” leapt
for joy as I scurried between the kaleidoscope of attractions and activities. Xcaret (ish-cah-reht)
Eco Park is carefully planned for sustainability of the local communities and
the environment. With samplings of all that is Mexico, there is something for
everyone, whether aged six or sixty-plus.
 A ride up to 80 metres
in a rotating tower awarded us a panoramic view of the 200-acre park and the
Caribbean with inviting shades of blue shimmering above the second largest coral
reef in the world.
We then made a bee-line for the talcum-powder beach. Bodies
languished on chaise lounges or swung in hammocks strung between palms. But this
was not for me - at least not yet. I was eager to pick out one of several novel
water activities.
Our attention was drawn to a cluster of white helmets
rising out of the sea. Seeing my puzzled expression, a young fellow standing
beside me said, “That’s Ocean Trekking, you should try it.” I was intrigued to
see that although helmeted, the participants wore bathing suits rather than
diving gear. Also surprising was the age variance - two children aged about 8
and 12, along with their mother, and an octogenarian grandfather. This was for
us!
 After
being instructed by our guide, Ana, on how to communicate underwater, we were
lowered into the sea to a depth of about 10 feet. As soon as I was assured of
normal breathing through the air hose attached to my head gear, and the
stability of my weighted boots, I became lost in the wonder of the ocean floor. Reefs of pink and pale orange
were illuminated by the sun’s rays filtering through the water; yellow and
silver shoal fish darted about, some so close they grazed my helmet. A giant
turtle cascaded by. Aquatic flora of emerald danced to the rhythm of the sea. We
emerged from this magical world -without even getting our hair wet.
I scoured our handy itinerary for what to do next. Floating
down one of the park’s underground rivers and swimming in a cenote (sinkhole)
won out. Our guide for this adventure, José, explained, “The Yucatan Peninsula
is covered with a porous limestone layer under a thin veneer of soil. Rainwater
seeping through this layer forms a massive underground river system. Where the
limestone collapses, making the river accessible from above, are known as
cenotes.”
 Donning life jackets, we bobbed along
on a gentle current sided by a tangle of jungle with swinging howler monkeys and
perched macaws. And then through limestone caverns with glimmering stalactites,
ending in a lagoon of mangroves inhabited by pink flamingoes.
 Thoroughly waterlogged, land exploration was in order. At
the Butterfly Pavilion we followed the metamorphosis from eggs to the egression
of the winged beauties from their chrysalis. Butterflies fluttered amid the
expanse of tropical plants, often posing on leaves for our cameras to capture
their intricacies of colour.
 On
to the hatcheries where we watched hordes of sea turtles separated in pools by
age – from tiny hatchlings, to eight-inch yearlings soon to be released into the
sea.
 The
nearby aquarium displayed the underwater kingdom of the reef, with informative
placards on the creatures that call it home.
Indigenous fauna were enclosed in the park’s spacious
surrounds. The panoply of native plants would excite the most avid botanist.
 A
field of Blue Agave, from which tequila is made, reminded me that a Margarita
would be nice (along with a relaxing lunch). Rick readily concurred.
After icy mango libations and piping hot enchiladas, we
waddled over to the replicated Mayan village in time to see warriors enact the
Dance of Fire. {put Village pic here} For the ancient Mayans this dance heralded
a new life cycle occurring every 52 years.
 Part of the village consisted of archeological ruins from
the post-classical period (1400-1517 AD) when Xcaret was a ceremonial city and
thriving port for trades with other Mayan cities in commodities such as gold and
jade.
The evening “Spectacular” began as we settled into the
6000-seat theatre. As the lights dimmed, the central stage became alive with
performers portraying the story of their history, from the rise of the great
Mayan civilization, to the Spanish Conquest, then the fusion of cultures.
 An ancient game of Pok-ta-pok was electrifying. Lean
warriors raced and leaped bouncing a 9-pound rubber ball with only their hips,
the objective being to send the ball sailing through the stone hoops along the
sides of the walls. Next, from the Aztec, a burning ball
was smacked with wooden sticks in a pre-historic version of hockey called
Uarhukua.
 I concluded the only thing little about this Eco Park was
the meaning of Xcaret in Mayan -“little inlet”. The park’s “wow” factor is of
mega-proportions. Wishing we had more time (although our tired feet did not
agree) we ambled from the grounds filled with mirthful memories.
Location and planning:
-Xcaret is located 35 miles south of Cancun & 6 miles south
of Playa del Carmen.
-Travel Agencies (in Cancun and Playa del Carmen) offer day
trips to Xcaret.
-Xcaret Bus Terminal Ph: 998-881-2401 (next to Fiesta
Americana Coral Beach Hotel on Isla Cancun) has daily buses.
-Xcaret Occidental Grande Hotel (769 rooms) is a 5 min walk
from the park.
www.occidentalhoteles.com
For Admission Prices and Schedules:
www.xcaret.com
Tourism Mexico
www.visitmexico.com
Photo Credits: Rick Butler & Xcaret Park
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