Mexico Vacations

Mexico Family Vacations

Arrive in Cancun and transfer to your luxurious resort on the Riviera Maya. Your day is at leisure until this evening's welcome cocktail reception and dinner.

DAY 2: Riviera Maya/Chichen Itza

Your first stop today is at the little-known Mayan archaeological site of Ek Balam, where you learn to differentiate a pile of rocks from the remnants of Mayan ceremonial sites.

Continue to Valladolid, the first Spanish capital of the Yucatan, for lunch and a stroll around the central square. The Yucatan Peninsula is a limestone shelf, and due to the lack of elevation and the porosity of the soil, there are no rivers. As water drains easily through the limestone, it forms a vast network of underground rivers and sink holes that feature crystal clear water, eyeless fish and intriguing stalagmites and stalactites. Enter the cenote (a natural sink hole often used by the Mayans as a well) in one of these underground caverns for a swimming adventure.

After dinner, attend the Sound and Light show, an experience reminiscent of Chichen Itza at its apex. Sleep in jungle bungalows that feature access to the famous archaeological site.

DAY 3: Chichen Itza/Merida

Centuries after the fall of the Mayans who built it, Chichen Itza still maintains its grandeur. It is dominated by El Castillo ("The Castle"), otherwise known as the Temple of Kukulkan, a steep pyramid nearly 80 feet high; its 365 steps are believed to intentionally mirror the number of days in the Mayan calendar. Visit this and other impressive structures before the crowds arrive, learning about its grand plazas, imposing ball courts and temples, as well as the Maya's engineering, agricultural and astronomical achievements.

After lunch and an optional dip in a cenote, continue to Izamal, the magical "Yellow City." Ride in a calesa (horsedrawn carriage) before travelling to the traditional Mayan village of Tixkokob to see how local families still practice the age-old tradition of hammock weaving.

DAY 4: Merida

After breakfast, head to the Celestun Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO as a key wetlands habitat. Ride a speedy launch through the canals to the vast colony of pink flamingo - generally between ten and fifteen thousand birds - that make their winter home here. Some observers think that the plumage of Celestun's flamingos is noticeably more pink than any other flamingo population.

Return to the town of Celestun for a seafood lunch at a restaurant near the Gulf of Mexico. Following lunch, take a brief historic tour of Merida, noting its colonial architecture and monuments. Finish the tour with a ride in a calesa. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. You may wish to play tennis, swim, mountain bike, ride horses or relax in the Hacienda's spa.

DAY 5: Merida

This morning, you are among the first to enter the famed Maya ball courts and temples of Uxmal. Although extremely well constructed and preserved, Uxmal has yet to be comprehensively studied, and much of our knowledge of it is speculative. Marvel at the achievements of the Maya, including the Pyramid of the Magician. Enjoy a lunch of pollo (chicken) or cochinita (pork) pibil, wherein the meat is wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked in an earthen oven. Preparing this traditional-style meal takes more than two hours; you are on hand to observe part of the process.

After lunch, meet a local family and learn about their daily life, in which age-old traditions are still maintained. Return to the Hacienda, divide into teams and set out on a scavenger hunt.

DAY 6: Merida/Riviera Maya

Board a private flight to Playa del Carmen and continue on to Sian Ka'an (meaning "where the sky is born" in Maya), a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing more than 20 Mayan archaeological sites. Set out with your local Mayan naturalist guide for a boat trip, floating through peaceful mangrove and wetland estuaries. After a beachside lunch, continue along the coast to your seaside hotel.

DAY 7: Riviera Maya

Transfer to the marina to board your own private boat to explore the exquisite reefs and crystalline water of the Mexican Caribbean. Lunch is on your own, but tonight you're in store for a farewell fiesta that includes a beach barbecue (weather permitting).

DAY 8: Riviera Maya/Cancun/USA or Canada

Board your homebound flight.

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

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