Along the Mayan Riviera you will find at least four Eco Theme Parks. In other countries, like the USA, parks like these are usually provided and maintained by the State. In Mexico, concessions are granted to commercial interests to develop, maintain and profit (commercial) from these enterprises. This does not make them any less attractive, and provides much needed employment. The parks are located in protected bays, usually with stone, rather than sand under the water, this is not uncomfortable and makes for very clear, blue water. These bays or inlets are somewhat shallow, but flushed on a regular basis by the tides, making for much cleaner water than you find around resorts or municipal areas. You can rent snorkel equipment, inner tubes, rafts and such. These parks are excellent places to take a break from a day of exploring or driving in this warmer climate. Fish are plentyful and can be seen all around you. Avoid being in the middle of a feeding frenzy when someone buys and throws fish food into the water. Using cheese whiz, works well, but brings in bigger fish, who may nip at the fingers, so count that idea out.
Xcaret, . Set in a beautiful bayside location, this eco-archaeological park focuses on Mayan culture, with a restored Mayan archaeological site, traditional dance shows and a recreation of a Mayan village. The park has a host of other attractions as well, including a jaguar exhibit, a deer refuge, a regional wildlife farm, butterfly breeding facilities, a coral aquarium, a marine turtle conservation program, a wide range of flora, and opportunities for swimming and snorkeling.
Xel-Ha is an ecological theme park or natural aquarium. Here you can swim with dolphins, see sea turtles, bicycle, snorkel, cliff-dive, and scuba. If you choose to scuba you will get to pet stingrays and see larger fish. This park is quite large, so bring good shoes to walk up river, you bag your dry belongings and they will be driven back to the main area. There is a buffet restaurant and free drinks as part of the park entry-fee, as well as snorkel equipment and rafts.
Xplor, . This nature park has a number of limestone caves, grottos and underground rivers for exploring on foot, on rafts, in amphibious vehicles, or by swimming. There are also some above-ground adventures to be had, including a 1.8-mile-long adventure whizzing you through the trees on 11 ziplines.
Aviario Xaman-Ha is a beautiful Aviary where you will find different species, not just birds, other animal species like the butterflies, iguanas, turtles and small mammals. The animals and plants that live here are in their natural habitat and they live in semi-captivity. There are endemic, threatened and endangered species.
Tres Rios Nature Park is an ecological park in the Riviera Maya located inside the Hacienda Tres Rios Resort where three rivers converge and flow into the Caribbean Sea. The eco-friendly environment stretches across 326 acres of lowland jungles and subtropical mangroves. The nature park is an untainted and protected nature reserve that offers tourist the opportunity to kayak, snorkel, swim, bicycle and dive, while interacting and connecting with nature in unique and uncultivated ways.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Mayan Riviera
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Mayan Riviera - updated Apr 2024
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Mayan Riviera Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
