There are multiple cenotes across the street from the Barcelo Maya Grand. Courtesy Unofficial Barcelo Maya
Cenotes Near Barcelo Maya Grand Resort
4
Category Archives: Points of Interest
Want to Swim With Whale Sharks?
Swimming with whale sharks, courtesy Viator.com
Ventura Fly and Ride Park at the Barcelo Maya Grand
FYI: This attraction is ONLY FOR GUESTS of the Barcelo Maya Grand Resort.
Is Xplor or Xplor Fuego More Your Style?
Xplor or Xplor Fuego? Too bad this is not the most difficult question to be answered in life. If you are going to the Riviera Maya and thinking of visiting the parks, it will be a question you will have to contemplate at some point.
New Waterpark Opening Soon in the Riviera Maya
Jungala Luxury Waterpark
New Xavage Park Opens
Grupo Xcaret officially opened its newest park, Xavage, April 15, 2019. It is located approximately 5-10 min. south of the Cancun airport and is intended for ages 5 and up. The park includes six major activities including kayaking (Crocodile), an intense ropes course (Howler Monkey), zipline (Hawk), fast jet boats with wild careening turns of up to 180 degrees (Dragonfly), white water rafting (Barracuda), and an SUV/large jeep traversing various obstacles (Puma).
How to Navigate Xcaret Park
Xcaret Park is one of the most popular destinations in the Riviera Maya with approximately one-third of all vacationers to this area spending at least one day, if not more, visiting its vast 200 acre grounds. Xcaret Park is located just south of Playa del Carmen (a 45-50 min. ride south of the Cancun airport) and has great road signage–you cannot miss the exit off the main road if you are renting a car. I visited the park when I was a guest at Hotel Xcaret Mexico with the resort’s “All Fun Inclusive” plan; in translation, this means that I didn’t have to pay anything extra to enter the park since my hotel stay already included the price of admission. There is even a separate entrance to the park for Hotel Xcaret guests.
Chichen Itza Entrance Fees Increase in 2019
Starting Jan. 1, 2019, the entrance fee to Chichen Itza will double going from USD $12 to $24. There is some speculation this huge increase will negatively impact tourism to this famous site, but only time will tell. Would you still go given the new fee?
Temporary Restriction to Akumal Bay Snorkeling
For the months of February and September 2018, snorkeling tours will not be allowed to enter Akumal Bay in a further attempt to try and allow the ecosystem to recover from overuse (an estimated 22-23 million visitors each year visit the Akumal area, while snorkeling with the turtles in Akumal Bay is supposedly ranked the 10th most visited destination in the world for international tourists). If you’re going to only swim and/or snorkel by yourselves without a tour guide, that is still permitted as long as the buoy restrictions are respected.
New Xel-Ha Park Waterslide to Open Summer 2017
Riviera Maya’s Xel-Há Park is set to debut the world’s fourth tallest waterslide this summer. Faro-Tobogán will be 141 feet tall, and riders will travel at 26 feet p/second; toboggan riders will end their ride in a cenote. In addition to the waterslide, the Faro-Tobogán water park will include tunnels and submerged sculptures, so the waterslide is part of a new attraction within the existing park.