Xel-Ha Park, Riviera Maya

Drift on an inner tube through fresh spring waters and underground river currents, among exotic mangrove tunnels in a safe and relaxed way. These gently flowing currents will guide you to an open river that runs its course for approximately one kilometer.

Xel-Ha

All Inclusive Xel-Há offers Mexican and international buffets, as well as an exquisite selection of cocktails and domestic open bar at a variety of world class restaurants and bars. Snorkel equipment, lockers, towels, life-vests, inner tubes and bicycles are only some of the inclusions that will make your Xel-Há experience, even more extraordinary. Xel-Há Natural Wonder is a world of fun!

Xel-Ha

Xel-Há is only 90 min. away from Cancun and 30 min. away from Playa del Carmen. The Park is open 365 days a year.

Step into a natural paradise, a splendid sanctuary of marine life officially declared one of Mexico’s Natural Wonders. At this beautiful collection of inlets, lagoons, cenotes and caves with crystal clear waters, you can enjoy a truly fun, unique and unforgettable experience in contact with nature.

Xel-Ha

As you immerse in Xel-Há’s enigmatic turquoise waters you will discover the ancestral meaning of this precious natural site, baptized by the Mayas as the “place where the water is born”, also an important refuge for more than 400 land and water, flora and fauna species that are protected in this magnificent ecosystem. The Xel-Há experience takes you on an exciting snorkeling adventure swimming next to sergeant, snapper, parrot and angel fish, a family of rays and endless curious creatures that inhabit the inlet.

Xel-Ha

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Sacred Mayan Crossing – Journey to Cozumel

Accompanied by the deep sound of conch shells, rhythmic drumbeats and the chants of Mayan priests, and with the heady fragrance of copal incense in the air, more than 300 oarsmen boarded their wooden canoes in the caleta or creek at Xcaret at dawn on May 18 and set sail bound for the island of Cozumel. They are participating in the annual sacred journey called the Travesía Sagrada Maya or Sacred Mayan Crossing, which emulates the pilgrimages the Maya made thousands of years ago to worship at the shrine of Ixchel, the goddess of the moon, fertility and childbirth. A journey of enlightenment that holds particular significance in 2012 as one cycle in the ancient Mayan calendar draws to a close this December and another one begins, ushering in a new era.

Xcaret is the site of the Mayan port of Pole, an important trade enclave in ancient times and the departure point for the pilgrims who would journey there from all over the Yucatán to make the perilous crossing to Cozumel. On the island they would consult the oracle and request help from the goddess.

The goddess of fertility and childbirth, Ixchel was the wife of Itzamna, the venerable god of learning. Her name is derived from “Ix” or female and “Chel,” which means white-skinned in Maya and is thought to refer to the moon. Her lunar association gave her power over the waves and tides and as such she was the patron of the sea and of fishing. Her power could also be malignant and could result in floods and destruction. She had different manifestations, sometimes depicted as a young woman or as an old crone in the Dresden Codex, and is said to have taught women the art of weaving. The most important shrines in her honor were on the island of Cozumel and there was a smaller temple on Isla Mujeres.

Today’s Seafarers on a Quest
After months of hard training and getting up at dawn, the modern-day remeros or oarsmen participating in the Sacred Mayan Crossing are embarking on their own personal pilgrimage. They come from Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Yucatán and other parts of Mexico. Some are Mayan, others were drawn by challenge of the canoe voyage, others are seeking inner peace, but all share an unbreakable bond, a love of the sea and of this timeless land.

In fragile canoes made from hollowed out tree trunks, defying winds, waves and powerful ocean currents, they are following the ancient maritime route to the holy island known to the ancient Maya as Cuzamil or Cutzamil, the “land of the swallows.”

I kii´wik, Mayan Market
The celebrations began the evening of May 17 with the representation of a Kii’wik or ancient Mayan market against the candlelit backdrop of the temples in the archaeological site in Xcaret Park. Painstakingly reproduced to be as authentic as possible, it pays tribute to the importance of trade in Mayan culture and the role of Pole as a major port on the maritime route through the Caribbean. Merchants show their wares, including feathers, shells, jade, salt, honey, cotton, copal or pom and barter for them with cacao beans, a lucrative cash crop and the accepted currency throughout the Maya World during the Post-Classic period of Mayan history (1250 – 1519 A.D.).

Mayan Market – Xcaret Park

A purification ceremony for the oarsmen followed later in the evening and each one made an offering of copal to the goddess Ixchel and was blessed by the priests.

The ritual drew to a conclusion with Mayan dances symbolizing fire, rebirth, life and death, the young goddess Ixchel, the exploits of the Heavenly Twins who defied the Lords of Death, and the planting of a ceiba, the sacred Mayan world tree, which links the heavens, the earth and the Underworld.

Setting Sail at Sunrise, Cozumel Bound, May 18
As dawn broke on May 18, Mayan priests and rulers blessed the oarsmen and bid them farewell as they departed for Cozumel, their canoes laden with offerings for Ixchel.

The crossing can take between six and eight hours depending on sea and weather conditions and the oarsmen  arrived on Cozumel at 11:30 a.m., May 18, making landfall in the Caletita next to the lighthouse. The Halach Uinic or Mayan lord and his subjects welcomed them ashore and later they make their way to the ancient shrine of Ixchel.

Sacred Mayan Crossing

In the evening at 8 p.m. in Chankanaab Park, the ancient rites in honor of Ixchel are reenacted. Ah Puch, the God of Death makes an entrance in a sign that time has stood still and mankind has disappeared. The oarsmen and couples who wish for children then pray to the goddess for fertility, new life and the restoration of balance in the cosmos. Ixchel will speak to the supplicants through the oracle or priestess who is her voice, giving them a message of hope for the new baktun or cycle, the dawn of a new era of harmony and consciousness. The New Fire ceremony, a ritual for renewal is also performed.

The Return Journey, May 19
At dawn on May 19, the islanders gather to send the pilgrims on their way with their message of renewal and rebirth. The fleet sets sail towards the west, bound for Playa del Carmen, site of the ancient port of Xaman-Há. They are due to arrive at Playa Fundadores next to the Ferry dock between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and will be welcomed by the Mayan ruler, the head priest and women from the community, eager to hear the words of Ixchel and receive her blessing. There are celebrations with dances and music to mark the beginning of the new era.

Sacred Mayan Crossing

This is the sixth time the Sacred Mayan Journey has been organized by Xcaret with the cooperation of the authorities in Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. The anthropologists, archaeologists and historians working at the Riviera Maya’s famous park’s have done exhaustive research to make this journey into the past as authentic as possible.

Photos courtesy of Travesía Sagrada Maya

]]> http://www.royalresortsnews.com/news/travesia-sagrada-mayasacred-mayan-crossing-2012/feed/ 0 http://www.royalresortsnews.com/news/travesia-sagrada-mayasacred-mayan-crossing-2012/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/royalresortsnews/~3/Umj77pIFVs0/ http://www.royalresortsnews.com/notes-from-paradise/beach-thursday/week-18-2012/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 22:07:21 +0000 admin http://www.royalresortsnews.com/?p=10480 It’s Beach Thursday at Royal Resorts!

Many thanks to Royal Resorts members and guests Shannon B, Gerry H, Erika S, Kimberly B, Michael J and Linda for sharing their beautiful vacation memories.

Erika S, Kimberly B and Michael J shared the following beautiful pictures taken at The Royal Sands

Gerry H and Linda shared these beautiful shots taken at The Royal Haciendas

Shannon B shared the following great pictures taken at The Royal Caribbean

About “Beach Thursday”

Every Thursday, we invite our members and guests to share their best beach vacation pictures. We then select the best pictures and post them here, on our Facebook page, and our Twitter account. You can post your pictures at our Facebook page, Email us your pictures , tag us in your Facebook photo albums or, if you are currently on vacation with us, bring them to our offices at The Royal Sands. Just ask front desk for directions to the E-commerce Department and we’ll be happy to download your photos.

Español:

¿Qué es el “Jueves de Playa”?

Cada jueves, invitamos a nuestros socios y huéspedes a enviarnos sus fotos de vacaciones en la playa; seleccionamos las mejores y las publicamos aquí, en nuestra página de Facebook, y en nuestra cuenta de Twitter. Todos nuestros socios y huéspedes están invitados a participar. Pueden subir sus fotos en nuestra pagina de Facebook, enviárnoslas por email, o, si se encuentran actualmente disfrutando de sus vacaciones en la playa en los Royal Resorts, pueden traerlas directamente a nuestras oficinas ubicadas en el Royal Sands. Pregunten en recepción por direcciones para llegar al Deparatamento de E-Commerce, y con gusto los ayudamos a bajar sus fotos.

Do you know about Royal Resorts?

More than 85,000 families already vacation the Royal Resorts way, enjoying an award-winning brand of accommodation, activities and hospitality. If you don’t know Royal Resorts yet, why not take a moment of your time to see all that Royal Resorts has to offer you? Discover Royal Resorts and learn why we have a 97% member satisfaction rate.

Special Promotions

Take advantage of our special promotions and join the thousands of satisfied members and guests of The Royal Resorts!

The Royal Cancun

The Royal Haciendas, Riviera Maya

Check out last week’s Beach Thursday

Sea Turtle

Big and Beautiful

From mid-May to mid-September, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), gather in the northern waters of the Mexican Caribbean off the island of Holbox and in the ocean deeps to the east of Contoy and Isla Mujeres,  referred to by seafarers, divers and fishermen as “blue water.” What draws the world’s largest fish (they can be up to 12 meters or 40 feet long) here? The answer is food! They are filter feeders and cruise through the warm surface waters with their mouths open, rather like vacuum cleaners, sucking up the plankton that is plentiful in the summer. But marine biologists have also discovered that these gentle giants are partial to fish roe, in this case to the eggs of the bonito which spawns  during the warmest months of the year. The largest whale shark gathering anywhere in the world was registered here in 2009, a staggering 420 of these huge creatures in one place at one time! Scientists believe that as many as 1,400 of these gentle giants migrate through the area during the summer.

Known as the tiburón ballena in Spanish, local fishermen also refer to the whale shark to the pez domino or domino fish due to its dappled grey or dark blue skin. Biologists working in the Mexican Caribbean use the distinctive markings to compile catalogs of individual fish sightings. When divers encounter a whale shark they take a photo of a patch of skin behind the gills and above the left pectoral fin. The pattern of dots and stripes recorded does not change or fade with age and can be used to identify individual fish, almost like a fingerprint. The location of the fish is recorded with a GPS reading and the findings are used to monitor whale shark movements. Some whale sharks are even being marked with a satellite sensor to study migration patterns.

In recognition of the area’s importance for migrating whale sharks, in 2009, Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared the stretch of ocean off Holbox and Cabo Catoche a biosphere reserve.

Whale shark movements are still wrapped in mystery and scientists have much to learn about this enigmatic species. They are known to move from the Gulf of Mexico into the Mexican Caribbean and south to Belize and the Bay Islands in the Gulf of Honduras during the year, and some have even been tracked to Brazil. They also gather around Ningaloo Reef off the coast of Australia and there are other congregation zones in Fiji, the Seychelles and Baja California.

For nature lovers, divers and seafarers, a whale shark sighting is the highlight of a summer vacation in the Mexican Caribbean. You’ll learn a great deal about them from your knowledgeable eco guide and during the boat trip out to the whale shark area you may also spot dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays and a variety of seabirds.

Thomas More Travel offers whale shark trips and for more information and reservations check www.thomasmoretravel.com

Don’t forget your camera, take water and a hat and wear a t-shirt instead of applying sun lotion, even if it is labeled as biodegradable. You should always rinse lotion off before entering the water. If you are prone to seasickness, Dramamine or ginger tablets are recommended, as there may be a swell especially en route to the “blue water” east of Contoy.

When a whale shark is spotted, only two swimmers per boat enter the water with their guide. They must swim alongside the fish, never in front of it and should keep a distance of five meters. Swimmers should never attempt to touch whale sharks. Other regulations limit the number of boats in the whale shark area, they also must keep their distance and must not pursue or harass the fish.

If you are interested in learning more about whale sharks, the latest research findings and conservation initiatives underway around the world don’t miss the Isla Mujeres Whale Shark Festival, July 21 – 24.

The First Sea Turtle of the Season
May also marks the start of the green and loggerhead turtle nesting season in the Mexican Caribbean and the annual campaign to protect these ancient creatures as they lay their eggs. Royal Resorts has already welcomed its first turtle, a green turtle that laid 107 eggs on the beach at The Royal Mayan!

Royal Resorts Sea Turtle Protection Program

The Quintana Roo coast is one of the world’s most important nesting areas for the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and also welcomes the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the occasional leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the largest and rarest of the world’s eight turtle species.

Biologists, hotel personnel, members of the armed forces and volunteers participate in the statewide conservation campaign. They patrol beaches in Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve where turtles come ashore and are on the lookout as they emerge from the sea and struggle up the beach to dig their nests in the sand. Their presence helps deter poachers and keeps predators such as dogs, raccoons, seabirds and crabs away from the nests and eggs.

Royal Resorts is proud to participate in the campaign and has been protecting turtles since 1985. Formal record keeping began in 1998 and to date, Royal Resorts has protected 4,797 turtle nests and released 367,377 hatchlings. 2011 was a record-breaking year with a tally of 581 sea turtle nests and 61,499 babies and we hope that 2012 will be equally fruitful.

During the summer nights, security guards at The Royal Sands, The Royal Mayan, The Royal Caribbean and The Royal Islander stand guard over our turtle visitors. When they encounter a female turtle, they watch from a distance as she laboriously digs her nest and then move in to tag and measure her when she begins to lay her eggs. She may lay anything from 80 to 120 eggs and sometimes up to 200!

The clutch of eggs is collected and transferred to an enclosure further up the beach out of harm’s way. Guards must dig a nest that emulates the shape and depth of the original nest and label it with details of the species, the number of eggs, the date and time. They keep watch over the corral and patiently wait for the first baby of the season.

The eggs hatch 45 to 60 days later and resort guests help staff release the baby turtles at dusk. Watching these tiny creatures make that dash down the beach to the waves is always an emotional experience. Hopefully, in 12 to 15 years, some of them will return to the beaches of the Mexican Caribbean to lay their own eggs.

You can Help Protect the Sea Turtles

Royal Resorts Turtle Protection Program – Photo: Christopher O.

Turtles have been swimming the oceans for 100 million years, however centuries of overhunting for their eggs, meat, shell and oil, and modern-day threats such as pollution, climate change and habitat loss has brought them to the brink of extinction. They need our help and deserve our respect. If you are coming down during the summer, join us in protecting these beautiful creatures by following these guidelines.

If you see a turtle on the beach

* Alert the security staff.

* Be very quiet and keep still

* Watch from a distance (five meters) and do not attempt to touch the turtle or crowd her.

* Do not shine a torch in her direction or use your flash when taking pictures.

* If you bring your children to help release the hatchlings, make sure that they follow instructions

* No flash photography.

* No smoking


* Keep the beaches and oceans clean. Plastic bags, beer packaging and fishing lines floating in the water are lethal to turtles and other marine life.

If the turtle is frightened by loud noises, people and bright lights, she will leave the beach without nesting and lay her eggs in the water, thus losing the entire clutch (90 to 110 eggs).

Under Mexican law it is illegal to persecute and hunt sea turtles or steal their eggs. The consumption of eggs or meat and the purchase of products or creams made from tortoiseshell are also prohibited.

Don’t miss our Turtle News
As the nesting season progresses, Royal Resorts will be keeping you updated with turtle news, letting you know how our special maritime Moms are doing when they begin to arrive and when the first babies of the year hatch. Stay posted!

Were you featured in our Week 18, 2012 at The Royal Islander & The Royal Haciendasvideo? Let us know | Want to join in the fun? Check out Cancun & Riviera Maya travel deals | Want to know more about the Royal Resorts? Check out our section “Do you know about Royal Resorts?” | Get an email everytime we publish new videos, subscribe to The Royal Resorts News Blog email updates!

Many thanks to Royal Resorts members and guests Barbara, Del N, Kimberly B, Luciana M, Jean & Pete W and Lisa M for sharing their beautiful vacation memories.

Kimberly B, Barbara and Del N shared the following beautiful pictures taken at The Royal Sands

Welcome Home – The Royal Sands – Photo by Kimberly B

Amazing sunrises at The Royal Sands – Photo by Barbara

Beach crowd at The Royal Sands – Photo by Barbara

View from The Royal Sands – Photo by Del N

Mike L and Luciana M shared these beautiful shots taken at The Royal Haciendas

Infinity Pool at The Royal Haciendas – Photo by Mike L

Warm Family moments at The Royal Haciendas

Photo: Luciana Misura

The Royal Haciendas

Photo: Luciana Misura

Jean & Pete W, Mike L and Lisa M shared the following great pictures taken at The Royal Caribbean

The Royal Caribbean – Photo by Jean & Pete W

Refreshments after pool volleyball – The Royal Caribbean – Photo by Mike L

Sunset over the lagoon – The Royal Caribbean – Photo by Lisa M

Bonus Photo:

Shannon B shared this amazing aerial view of Cancun, taken from the plane window on her way back home.

Cancun, 2012

Great shot! we can’t help but notice the stark contrast between this modern view of Cancun and this other similar aerial view, taken 42 years ago (back in 1970!):

Cancun, Hotel Zone strip – 1970

Did you know? Our beloved Cancun is growing up, the city just turned 42 on April 20 this year.

The lively Hotel Zone strip was a narrow sand bar covered by coconut palm plantations, mangroves and low-growing coastal shrubs and dotted with several tiny Mayan temples. The only visitors it received apart from birds and nesting sea turtles, were the caretakers of a beach house belonging to an Isla Mujeres businessman and fishermen from the tiny village of Puerto Juarez. How it was selected as the site of Mexico’s first Caribbean resort is a long story…

About “Beach Thursday”

Every Thursday, we invite our members and guests to share their best beach vacation pictures. We then select the best pictures and post them here, on our Facebook page, and our Twitter account. You can post your pictures at our Facebook page, Email us your pictures , tag us in your Facebook photo albums or, if you are currently on vacation with us, bring them to our offices at The Royal Sands. Just ask front desk for directions to the E-commerce Department and we’ll be happy to download your photos.

Español:

¿Qué es el “Jueves de Playa”?

Cada jueves, invitamos a nuestros socios y huéspedes a enviarnos sus fotos de vacaciones en la playa; seleccionamos las mejores y las publicamos aquí, en nuestra página de Facebook, y en nuestra cuenta de Twitter. Todos nuestros socios y huéspedes están invitados a participar. Pueden subir sus fotos en nuestra pagina de Facebook, enviárnoslas por email, o, si se encuentran actualmente disfrutando de sus vacaciones en la playa en los Royal Resorts, pueden traerlas directamente a nuestras oficinas ubicadas en el Royal Sands. Pregunten en recepción por direcciones para llegar al Deparatamento de E-Commerce, y con gusto los ayudamos a bajar sus fotos.

Do you know about Royal Resorts?

More than 85,000 families already vacation the Royal Resorts way, enjoying an award-winning brand of accommodation, activities and hospitality. If you don’t know Royal Resorts yet, why not take a moment of your time to see all that Royal Resorts has to offer you? Discover Royal Resorts and learn why we have a 97% member satisfaction rate.

Special Promotions

Take advantage of our special promotions and join the thousands of satisfied members and guests of The Royal Resorts!

The Royal Cancun

The Royal Haciendas, Riviera Maya

Check out last week’s Beach Thursday