The Mexican Caribbean, Travel by Boat

The Mexican Caribbean includes six main destinations: Cancún, the Mayan Riviera, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Chetumal, and the Grand Costa Maya. World famous for its beautiful turquoise waters and fine sand beaches, the Mexican Caribbean offers travelers arriving by sea, modern berthing facilities, as well as a host of inland attractions. These attractions include from stunning golf courses designed by the most renowned figures in the sport, to world-class resorts visited by tourists from around the world and enigmatic archaeological sites. Below, we describe several of these attractions. Let us start with the Marinas, which are of particular importance for the sailing enthusiast.

At Isla Mujeres, we find Puerto Isla Mujeres, a medium-sized marina, which offers 64 slips for boats that are up to 89 feet long and 9 more slips for yachts that are up to 180 feet long. Its location in the southern part of the island, at the Macax lagoon is considered a very important option if you want to protect your boat in case of storms or hurricanes. Facilities at Puerto Isla Mujeres provide you with the necessary services during your stay while your boat is berthed, such as supply of fuel, electricity, telephone lines, as well as the "Villa Vera", a small luxury hotel. Shipyard services are also available, including a 150-ton crane for the maintenance of your yacht, whether it may need to be painted, washed or needs any mechanical work.

Located in front of Isla Mujeres, newly opened La Amada Marina started its operations in 2009 and established itself as one of the most luxurious and private communities of its kind. It offers a personalized and hassle-free stay, whether you decide to spend the night aboard your boat or at the awesome Hotel La Amada. La Amada Marina offers 176 slips and can accommodate up to 120 feet long yachts. It has a refueling station, wireless internet services, access control and perimeter security, electric power in various capacities and maintenance and cleaning services for your boat.

The Yucaltepén Port is located at the Progreso Yucatán area. Its location makes this port, for vessels in transit from the United States to the Caribbean, the ideal place to refuel your boat, rest for a while, and replenish supplies. The Club de Yates Yucaltepén offers 120 slips for boats that are 18 to 65 feet long. Services include 110/220 volts electrical power, filtered diesel, gasoline, minimart, ramp, security 24/7 and potable water.

The large number of golf courses in the Mexican Caribbean are very appealing attractions; many of them are designer golf courses that have a special beauty because they combine the emotions of practicing the sport with beautiful natural landscapes.

Designed by the famous golfer, Jack Nicklaus, the “Moon Palace” Golf Course is a delight for golf lovers. Located in one of the largest resorts in Mexico, which has more than 2,000 rooms, it offers the visitor a newly renovated clubhouse. The 7,200 yards course is located predominantly in flat land and it is surrounded by the jungle that characterizes this region of Mexico. The holes are carefully planned, taking into account the level of difficulty and the beauty of the landscapes. If you are a golf enthusiast, be sure to visit Moon Palace during your stay.

Located in Playa del Carmen, the "Playacar Golf Club" which was designed by architect Richard Von Hagge, is recognized as one of the best in the world. The course, par 72, has an area of 6.5 km, and combines jungle vegetation with all the amenities of a Resort Class golf course.

Another option to practice golf is the "Camaleón Mayakoba", a golf course designed by Greg Norman located at the luxurious resort "The Fairmont Mayakoba". It has 18 holes that are distributed among dunes, mangroves, and jungle areas. Another attraction of the course is a luxurious Clubhouse, which accommodates a store that sells a wide variety of the most cutting-edge sportswear, golf equipment, etc.

Located in the beautiful city of Mérida, Yucatán, in the facilities of the Yucatán Country Residential & Golf, we can find the "The Jaguar" Golf Course, a masterpiece designed by Jack Nicklaus. This golf course incorporates in its design, as its main attraction, archeological ruins, and the famous sacred “cenotes” (water sinkholes). The 18-hole course has a total distance of 7,282 yards, distributed among 11 lakes.

Archaeological Areas

As we mentioned at the beginning of this review, the archaeological sites are an important attraction of the region. One of the most interesting locations is Tulum, which is protected by a wall 3-meters wide along 784 meters; this wall is part of the protection which is completed by the sea in the remaining zone of the perimeter. Located almost in front of the island of Cozumel, the area is representative of the architectural wealth of the Mayan culture, and it offers visitors the opportunity to delve into the lush vegetation of the region. Two of its best-known buildings are "El Castillo", which in its upper part has two columns that display snake figures and colorful decoration on top of the gateway; at El Castillo there is single niche in honor to the descending god. Another building is called "El Templo de los Frescos". It receives this name since inside of it it’s possible to admire remains of mural paintings representing segments of Maya codes. Another attraction of the site is the beautiful beach where tourists may rest, practice water sports and go snorkeling.

As we have seen through this review, the Mexican Caribbean is a treasure chest, full of interesting places to visit, fun activities to fulfill all tastes and the best facilities for berthing and protecting your boat. We invite you to visit this magnificent corner of Mexico… we guarantee that you will have a very pleasant stay!



Article produced by the Editorial Team of "Explorando Mexico".
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