Yucatan Peninsula Vacations
Yucatan Peninsula
The Yucatan Peninsula is home to the largest indigenous Indian population in North America. It separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. The Mayans inhabit the region, with Mayan and Spanish as the spoken language. The area is crammed with cathedrals and Mayan ruins, but there are many modern sights and attractions as well that the tourists can enjoy.
The Yucatan Peninsula comprises of three states including Quintana Roo, Campeche, and Yucatan. Quintana Roo was the first part of Mexico that was discovered by the Spanish explorers in the early 16th century, when they went off course and met with a shipwreck. Of the 10 surviving shipmates, the Mayans only allowed two to them live on the peninsula. They were Geronimo de Aguilar and Gonzalo Guerrero. Aguilar became a slave to different Mayan chiefs, and Guerrero was known as the person responsible for the mixing of races in America when he married the daughter of a chief and had children with her.
The Yucatan is home to huge flocks of flamingos. It also shelters Mesoamerican Reef that ranks second in size and majesty to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The entire region offers the allure of clear blue water and beaches of white sand. The area is perfect for scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, or simply lounging on the beach, taking in the beauty of the marine life and the reef.
For those who are interested in the history and culture of the area, Mayan ruins and burial sites can be explored. The Great Mayan Pyramid is a must see for the ancient carvings. Mayan tombs with pre-Hispanic detailed carvings can be viewed in the Mayan cemetery. All the archaeological sites can be toured with available guides to better understand their significance. You can also visit the site of the first Catholic Mass on Mexican land that took place in 1517. That atrium became a part of Saint Francis, founded in 1946. Furthermore, the Yucatan Peninsula is home to one of the most popular tourist sites in the world, the Cancun city, located in the state of Quintana Roo.
Cancun
Cancun is Mexico's most popular tourist destination. It has over 25,000 hotel rooms to offer to the tourists of the place. In Cancun, 17 miles of Caribbean coastline covers the Hotel Zone. The zone provides many bus services that run from the hotels to almost all the destinations within Cancun for about six-and-a-half pesos. It will charge eleven pesos, if you reserve a fully air-conditioned bus.
You will find world-class golf courses in Cancun. A nearby fishing village of Puerto Morelos offers the most quirky entertainment, with amazing dining options and wildlife attractions. However, for most of the tourists, the white beaches of the Caribbean are the biggest draw. People can sunbathe, relax, and participate in the numerous water activities available at Cancun. There are about 25 centers in Cancun that are dedicated to teach water activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving with adequate safety measures.
It is advisable that you attend at least one lesson of instructions of Mexican laws. It has several prohibitions related to picking up rocks or seashells and while in the midst of wildlife.
