Ah, Xcaret (“esh care Rhett)!! What an amazing place. If there is one thing that Mexico excels at, it is in their ecological parks, and Xcaret is one of the crown jewels. We had no real idea of what to expect because this was our first foray into one of the parks (in 2009 on a Playa del Carmen resort vacation). Just walking the park to get from one activity to another requires a certain level of fitness because it is huge. And, it has a plethora of “things to do.”
Of course, we boated out to the reef to snorkel. And, it was amazing!! For another snorkeling experience, we went down into a maze of caves, where you can pick one of three underground rivers (cenotes) to snorkel in. Or, if you like living on the edge (like we do), you can hand your fate to the muses and use the spinner found at the spot where the cave branches in three directions.
They have an Ulama “ballpark” inside Xcaret where the ancient game was played (and, still is in a few places in Mexico). They hold demo games several evenings each week. It, too, is amazing and offers a glimpse into the ancient Mayan culture.
In addition to beaches, dolphins, sheltered coves, beach palapas, underground rivers, multiple restaurants, lockers, and equipment rental, they put on a glamorous floor show at night which is a fantasy of lights and music that is billed as a musical history of Mexico.
If you’re going to be in the area, then get a two-day pass because there is plenty more than one day’s worth of sights, sounds and activities!
The Peripatetic Retiree 