Tag - Cancun

Whalesharks

Whalesharks inhabits the warm oceans and seas, near the tropics. They are believed as pelagic fish, but in certain seasons migrate long distances to coastal areas like Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, Utila in Honduras, Donsol and Batangas in the Philippines, the island of Holbox in the state of Quintana Roo, Yucatan peninsulas and Baja California, Mexico, the islands of Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania, Coiba and the Pearl Islands in Panamá. Is also possible to see them near the coast, entering lagoons or coral atolls, and near the mouths or rivers. Usually remain within ± 30 ° latitude, and at a depth of 700 meters. They may usually solitary act, but occasionally form groups to feed in areas with large concentrations of food. The males can be found in most different places, while females prefer to stay in more specific places.

This species, despite its huge size, is not danger for humans. It is a widely cited example to fame with sharks devouring people. Actually, they are quite affectionate, and often playful with divers. There are even reports, though unconfirmed, whale sharks that come to the surface face up to the diver you scratch his belly and removes parasites.

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This shark is often observed by divers and tourists in boats off the Yucatan Peninsula on the island of Holbox, in the Bay Islands of Honduras, in the Maldives, the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador; Philippines, Thailand, the Red Ningaloo Reef and Christmas Island in Western Australia, Tofo Beach in Mozambique and Sodwana Bay in South Africa Sea. Some of these places, such as in Western Australia, have become central points of the ecotourism industry.

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The highest concentration of whale sharks in the world is in the Philippines. Between January and May, they are grouped in the shallow shores of Donsol in Sorsogon province. Some very fortunate divers found whale sharks in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Seychelles. Between December and September, very often it is running into some unit in the Bay of La Paz, in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and from May to September on the northeast coast of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. Sometimes they are accompanied by small fish, like remora. Recently, they have been spotted in the vicinity of the Tenggol island, located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, where there are several coral reefs frequented by these sharks, as Redang Island, or Island Kapas.

Come and explore the amazing world of whale sharks in what we are sure will be the best experience of your life and you can book your tour with Discovery Mundo.

Xel-Ha Tour

Xel-Ha is an ecological park located in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is characterized by a large cove where the river water meets the Caribbean Sea, forming the ideal for coexistence of 70 marine species and freshwater space. It is for this reason that Xel-Ha is known as the world’s largest natural aquarium. Also, as the space of many specimens of flora and fauna of the region, he was awarded the title Xel-Ha Natural Wonder of Mexico in a recent call nationwide.

Xel-Ha is located in the heart of the Riviera Maya, 122 km south of Cancun, and 13 km north of the archaeological site of Tulum, from the Cancun-Tulum highway.

Xel-Ha Mayan consists of two words that together mean “water intrusion”, a clear reference to its geographical structure, or “place where water is born.”

A legend about the origin of Xel-Ha that the Mayan gods, having conjugate in one place the best of themselves, created three guardians: Huh, the iguana, guardian of the earth; Mo, the macaw is the guardian of heaven, and Kay-Op, the parrot fish, keeper of the waters. Then, the gods decided to deliver this natural paradise to mankind.

Today the main attraction of Xel-Ha is its large cove, which is characterized as simultaneously a water of sea to the mainland and the mouth of several freshwater canals. Therefore, it is home to 70 species of aquatic fauna such as blonde, the parrotfish, surgeon, mackerel, sergeant, Chacchi, snapper, bonefish, stingrays, sunfish, and the occasional barracuda.

Xel-Ha is one of the few places in the world where we see two phenomena simultaneously: the thermocline and the halocline. The dense and warm sea water, which cannot be immediately mixed with the sweet and lower density of freshwater canals water, produces a mirage-like visual effect. You can distinguish a layer of liquid on the surface like oil on water, but it is actually fresh water floating on the salt, which is denser.

In the cove you can practice water sports such as snorkeling, diving and snuba. It also has conditioned a special space for activities such as coexistence with dolphins and manatees, and Sea Trek or underwater walk.XelHa1

Around the cove there are endless formations of great beauty, like a cave whose walls are covered with fossils of extinct mollusks and other prehistoric specimens. They are also near the Paradise and Adventure cenotes, which are home to numerous species of fish and birds in danger of extinction.

Bay of Caprices also offers spots that show the charm of the Mexican Caribbean. There is also a mangrove area where you can swim.

Almost from its inception as an ecological park 15 years ago, Xel-Ha has worked to maintain a balance with the environment. Since systems for waste recycling programs to preserve endangered species such as the manatee, the queen conch and sea turtles.

The Xel-Ha has responded to the concern for national and regional water resources and has made a strategic alliance with the Water Network of the Mexican Academy of Sciences through the financing of a water monitoring project to determine the Hydrogeology State of Quintana Roo.

The first phase of the project was presented at the 2006 World Water Forum held in Mexico City, as an example of what can be achieved working together with academic institutions and private companies.

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Also, the park has served as a starting point for various social programs that integrate all the nearby communities, particularly Ciudad Chemuyil and Tulum. The philosophy of the park is to encourage the development of those communities from which they come as many of its employees.

If you are interested in visiting Xel-Há, Discovery Mundo takes you there in a tour that includes transportation from your hotel lobby, open bar and access to the many specialties restaurants available on place. You can book your tour online by clicking here and get an automatic confirmation in your email!

The best routes and recommendations to run in Cancun

Hello, what a shame news about what happened this Tuesday evening in the Hotel Zone of Cancun, I was very dissappointed. I share this to all athletes this article about all the routes in which you can practice this activity. We can not avoid the danger but we can prevent it and be careful. So my recommendations are: not training after 6pm at any of this routes, go accompanied, notify a family member or friend where you will be and preferaly go at times where there is movement (usually this is in the morning). In this article I share other routes where you can run in Cancun and recommendations. 

Cancun is one of the most famous places throughout Mexico for its marathons, races, triathlons, water sports and competitions organized in hotels for their great seafront location and being a tourist place to play sports worldwide. If you are planning to visit Cancun and you like running, BINGO! Cancun is the place for you.

Running has always been my passion. Wherever I go, I run. In my years living in Cancun, I found which are the best routes to run in Cancun:

Hotel zone ( Zona Hotelera )

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The hotel zone starts from km 0 to km 26, is a looong road in excellent condition with no holes or cars in the way. The best road for marathoners who want to train hard smoothly. You will have the chance to appreciate the beauty of Cancun hotels, restaurants, the lagoon, the beaches and the whole tourist area.

There is a clock in the Kilometer 0 of the hotel zone if you want to measure your workout time and the best, a gauge of kilometers will be at each KM on this avenue (Avenida Kukulkan). Hundreds of runners and cyclists are training where you can even join them if you can reach them! 😉 Not all of this road has sea view, if you really want to enjoy the beautiful beach while working out, you can start running in the KM 21 and appreciate some of the best sea views of Cancun, called ” Playa Delfines ” and at your right, golf courses with the best resorts in Cancun.

Malecón Tajamar

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Running on Malecon Tamajar is a place to run 5 km, take your dog for a walk, skate, or jog slowly with your group of friends. It’s not so much to train for marathons or races but good for a good 3/5k run, also to take your yoga mat and meditate in front of the Nichupte lagoon. Some people just come to watch the entire Cancun Hotels at the distance from here. Just be careful with the cocodriles.

Kabah Park ( Parque Kabah )

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Kabah Park is a place for runners who love to run in nature. It is a natural park that preserves its animal and plant species. Measures approximately 2.5 km inside the jungle, a curvy road to run or stroll. While you run, you can appreciate the big forest with trees around, coatis, monkeys and some animals that can not be seen much because they are tucked between nature. Within this park you can exercise in a small public gym located at the entrance of the park, some squats, pushups, sit-ups, etc. It also has inside with Mayan cultural aspects that represent the first people who lived in Cancun for those who love history and culture.

The beach

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The beach may be the best experience for running in Cancun, see the crystalline waters, listen to your music exercise, tanning and exercising is a perfect combination. Ideal for having a good run and jump into the sea after a heated! There are some beaches that do not have enough space to run, primarily Cancun that features their hotels to the seashore. Beaches to run I recommend: Playa Delfines (many players and athletes train here from 7 in the morning because there are almost no people and space is huge for exercise), Playa Marlin which is located behind Plaza Kukulcan and Playa Forum (if you want to run on this beach I recommend you go as early as possible because it is the most visited beach in Cancun) located opposite the nightlife area (Plaza Forum).

Don’t forget to share this article with other travelers comming to Cancun. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Me.

Gulfweed in Cancun

In the last weeks, one main topic has concerned everyone in the Mayan Riviera: the gulfweed in Cancun (also called sargassum).

The gulfweed in Cancun is a floating brown algae, regularly natural in the sea but this year the amount presented was surprising and became a problem, making almost  impossible to enter the sea in some areas. This problem, as part of a natural environmental process, affects not only Cancun but other Caribbean destinations like Florida, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and more.

Besides the excessive amount, this organic material when decomposed, results in a bad odor as it generates polluting products and there are some regulations when picking it up, to protect the turtle nesting.

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Being Cancun one of the the main touristic places in the world, cancellations for vacation started due to this situation, so a call from the government was made to all local people, to help in the campaigns to pick up the gulfweed in Cancun and more than 12 million pesos were designated for this cause.

Luckily, the actions seem to be having a favorable outcome as last weekend the tourists returned to the beaches that were empty for weeks and the tourist occupation went up to 91.8%, having an increase of 9.5% in national tourism in comparison to last year.

From July 17th to today, more than 29 thousand cubic meters of sargassum were picked.

Also the Convention and Visitors Bureau had a tour last week along the main visited beaches, accompanied by some important wholesale agencies, to confirm that the sea conditions were under control and in good condition for foreign visitors to arrive; they gave thumbs up to the great progress that the gulfweed situation is having.

Even though the gulfweed in Cancun is expected to keep on coming for the next month, the government and the Hotel Association in Cancun are already working on the statistics for next year, to prevent and avoid the same situation again. The measures taken are still active in an effort to eliminate the gulfweed in Cancun for good.

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Let’s not forget that NOT ALL BEACHES are being affected, some of them (Isla Mujeres for example) are completely clean. Also, there are many other activities available in Cancun like thematic parks, shows, restaurants to visit, etc

My First Scuba Diving Experience

It all began with my arrival to the beautiful beaches of Cancun, Mexico. Where the sea is crystal clear, White sand and far you can see the beautiful blue colors that stand out from the Caribbean. A few days after I got my first dive training with my family. We started to dive into a pool. Our instructor showed us some techniques like breathing with the regulator, what to do if your viewers are filled with water, how to talk with signals, etc.

Having already learned the correct technique of diving with all methods, rules and precautions, we took a boat that ride us straight to the ocean. In my mind went many things, my voice was shaking with fear and had never seen what was the seabed. I did not know what was down there. A blue abyss? Many fish and animals around me? Sharks? Will I Survive? …

When the boat stopped to start diving it was when I got really scared, we had to jump back and not leave the water until we finished the first session of diving! I took my tank on my back, the viewers on my head and my regulator ready on my hand. I sat on the edge of the boat and scared but bravely I jumped into the wáter.

Buceo Cancun

First, jump into the ocean OMG!

Blue and blue, when suddenly I turned down .. was spectacular, WOW! I could not believe it, everything was amazing, a huge pool with many colored rocks in the sea, sand like gigantic cotton and some fish swimming around.

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First impression upon the ocean

Along with the instructor and my family we began to descend compensating ears as we showed down to the sand, 10 meters deep, I felt I was in another world..

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At the bottom of the sea

When we touch the sand, I turned up and realized how amazing it was to be in that place at that momento, nothing else mattered. I was so lost that could have been hours swimming and sailing across the ocean. We found a huge number of exotic fish of various sizes and all colors! Corals, beta fish, clown, barracuda, jellyfish, starfish and huge reefs with different fish inside, just like in the movie Nemo. Also turtle slowly sailing towards the sea surface, they were beautiful!

After swimming for a while, we went to dive into another part of the vast ocean. They said that 60% of people who dive for the first time do not want to launch the sea in the second session because you get sick, but the worst thing you can do is stay on the boat! You definitely should go into the water, that dizzy feeling on the boat is automatically removed when you get to sea again, so if you’re about to experience your first diving don´t miss both sessions!

The next area where we dived was in the underwater museum MUSA, sculptures fixed to the seabed made of special materials used to promote coral life .. These figures scared me a bit at first, I had never been able to imagine something like that in my life .. We start circling those sculptures slowly and observe each.

Just before we got out was when we saw a stingray of 5 meters underground above the sand, suddenly began to swim, amazing!

I loved the experience and would do it as often as possible, started swimming as a beginner and gradually took more confidence to dive into the coral wall at Cozumel (I recommend it a lot).

Now undoubtedly, I will share with you my next diving experience at the beautiful sea of Galapagos, where the most exotic marine animals live and huge Galapagos tortoises!