|
Cozumel
Mexico
has many natural wonders to enjoy while on your vacation. Between Passion
Island, all of the beach clubs on the leeward side of the island as well as the
raw natural beauty of the windward island beaches, tours,
and
excursions to the mainland; one might ask, “where do I start?!”.
There is no way that anyone can do and see everything that is
Cozumel Mexico
during a week or two vacation. But you can see the highlights! After that you
can work your way through the maze of exciting and worthwhile activities!
Having lived here for many years I’ve seen just about every inch of shoreline
over the years. Just when I thought that I’d seen everything, we were invited to
come to Chankanaab
National Park and view the
new Sea Lion Program and Dolphin discovery.
To my surprise, what I found was a renewed appreciation for
this diverse and adventurous day on our island paradise! You can see more
pictures on the slide show that will be at the bottom of the page.
Upon entering I was immediately struck by the water fall.
Underneath the water fall is where the bathrooms are located . It is a good idea to
stop there first, because
after you enter you won’t want to do anything except explore the
many facets of Chankanaab National Park.
After the entrance the first thing that you will
notice is the Dolphin Discovery souvenir shop. It is also the entrance to
encounters of the closest kind!
You can not only interact with these magnificent
creatures, but if you know where to go you can get some added features that will
save you time, money, and add to your experience. Now you can also interact with Manatees, Sea Lions, and
enjoy
their beautiful fresh water pool.
Advanced reservations are recommended because
the dolphin programs are limited and frequently sold out. You can have your logistics handled 100%
in English by using
Cozumel Concierge. The cost is the same
(and in most cases less). But the logistical support you have until
you've completed your experience is priceless.
After we had our tour of Dolphin Discoverys' facilities we
decided to check out the rest of Chankanaab.
The beach was pristine,
the restaurants and concessions to rent snorkeling gear blended perfectly into
this beautiful and diverse eco-system. Everything was so well integrated into
the park that it was almost like being in the movie Robinson Crusoe.
The pictures on this web site were taken mid February 2010 and it was a picture
perfect day. People were snorkeling, laying on the beach in the sun or under one
of the many umbrella “palapa’s”. If they weren't relaxing they
were eating in one of the restaurants. The food
was actually really good and the menus vary from one restaurant to the next.
There is an incredibly clear lagoon that is fed by underwater
caves coming in from the ocean so there are beautifully colored parrotfish and
other tropical fish that can be easily viewed from several platforms that
surround the lagoon. LARGE orange, emerald green, and your garden variety Iguana
can be seen roaming the grounds around the lagoon and make for some very
spectacular photos.
Behind the lagoon going east you will find a beautiful
botanical garden with lily ponds and an incredibly diverse variety of tropical
flora and fauna. Walking down these tranquil and well maintained gardens are
truly a Zen experience.
If you want to see what it was like during the early days of
the Maya; this is the best place on Cozumel to
see what life was like 2000 years ago. The Mayan village located in the park is a stunningly accurate replica
of what traditional Mayan villages are like, even today! You will see how gardens were constructed
above ground to protect its contents from jungle
creatures
who would normally feed on them. There you can also see primitive and
beautiful wood and palapa structures with Mayan descendants showing you how
clothing was made and how the ancient Maya lived. You can even sample some very
tasty tacos that are prepared the same way and with the same crude tools used so
many years ago. Much of this is shown in a video at the bottom of this page.
The Mayan village is a must see while visiting Chankanaab Park.
Another very interesting feature are the monuments and
statues
that dot the winding path to the
Mayan
Village. It is not obvious
where it is so make sure to ask while in the park. You really don’t want to miss
this part of the experience.
Another new attraction is at 12:00 noon daily. A group of
authentically dressed Mayan dancers (also shown in the video below) tour the park and entertain with their
ritualistic dances. It’s a lot of fun to watch and contributes to this most
dynamic way to spend
your day on
Cozumel; no matter if you are on a cruise ship or vacationing for
longer periods.
I hope that you will enjoy the video which was recently
added.
We also hope that this will help you to decide on
which of the many activities that you can enjoy while on your vacation to
Cozumel Mexico!
Warm Regards,
Bob Rodriguez
Cozumelmexico.net; Your Complete Vacation Guide
|