VIDEO: Cenotes — Mexico's Subterranean Paradise

Giant sinkholes called cenotes offer unique places to swim in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. 

What would possess visitors to Mexico's Yucatan peninsula to descend into the depths of the earth? No, it's not some bizarre desire to become mole people. Climbing below the earth's surface is the only way to fully enjoy the cenotes, which are gigantic sinkholes that offer an otherworldly subterranean paradise for swimming and exploring. 





In this exclusive VIDEO, I'll take you on a tour of three gorgeous cenotes at Chunkanan, a site just outside of the city of Merida and not far from the famed Chichén Itzá site. Part of the fun of visiting these three sinkholes is getting there — aboard horse-drawn rail carts, originally designed to serve the hacienda that once existed here. 





The ancient Maya believed that cenotes were a gateway to another world. But as you'll see in this video, today they're a place to relax and enjoy — worlds away from the nearest hotel pool. 





(To see more about nearby Mérida, check out my photo feature, Paseo de Montejo: Architectural Treasures of Merida, Mexico. And subscribe to LatinFlyer so you won't miss any of the upcoming features!) 

The water at the Chunkanan cenotes is incredibly blue. 

Horse-drawn rail carts transport visitors to the cenotes at Chunkanan. 

Gearing Up for the 4th Annual Whale Shark Festival in Mexico

Whale sharks are the star guests at Isla Mujeres, Mexico, in July.

If you're looking for some excitement this summer, consider the 4th Annual Whale Shark Festival, which takes place July 15-17 in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. 





Last year several thousand people came to the island for this family-friendly event, which includes activities like swimming with whale sharks as well as attending traditional dance performances and local tours. 





As many as 1,400 whale sharks may make their way through the waters north of Isla Mujeres this summer, according to Dr. Robert Hueter, director of the Center for Shark Research at the Mote Marine Laboratory, who is a scheduled speaker at this year's event. 





Guests may swim with whale sharks and join an effort by Project Domino, a conservation program implemented by the Mexican government to protect these giant creatures, which are the largest fish in the ocean. 

MORE INFO: 2011 Whale Shark Festival, www.whalesharkfest.com or www.cevichetours.com. 

TO GET THERE: Fly to Cancun, then take a quick and scenic boat ride to Isla Mujeres. Check out discounted airfares and hotels:

The Whale Shark Festival is a family-friendly event.

HOTEL REVIEW: Azul Fives, Riviera Maya, Mexico

One of the most beautiful parts of the Azul Fives resort in the Riviera Maya is the winding swimming pool. 

THE ARRIVAL: Part of the all-inclusive Karisma hotels family, Azul Fives Hotel is an upscale, family-friendly resort with 360 units, set on a quiet beachfront stretch of the Rivera Maya. A ride of about 45 minutes from the Cancun airport brings you to the entrance and lobby, which are deceptively small; the property opens up as you walk (or take a golf cart) to your room after check-in. 

The Azul Fives resort is set on a lovely stretch of beach in Mexico's Riviera Maya.

THE STYLE: Grounds are beautifully manicured, and the three-story guest buildings are set along a winding, canal-like swimming pool, resulting in a high percentage of rooms with pool views. A clean, contemporary upscale style characterizes the guest rooms and public areas, and the king suite where I stayed was spacious and comfortable. Unlike some all-inclusive resorts that require guests to wear unstylish wristbands, Azul Fives provides guests with an ID card; a very nice touch that is indicative of the property’s more upscale approach. The staff is exceptionally friendly, and many employees take the time to introduce themselves by name and seem to have a good memory for recognizing faces. And while the hotel is geared largely toward families with small children, it maintains a peaceful, luxurious ambiance. 

My room at the Azul Fives hotel had a comfy king bed and a large bath area.

THE AMENITIES: Azul Fives offers both all-inclusive (all meals included) and European Plan  (no meals included) options, so you can pick which you prefer (if you’re going to be staying on-site most of the time, it’s most likely more economical to go the all-inclusive route). Regardless of which program you choose, you can enjoy what the hotel calls “Gourmet Inclusive” cuisine in four restaurants: I especially enjoyed the Thai-style chicken curry at Tsuki, an elegant, a-la-carte Asian restaurant, and the flakey and rich turkey pot pie at Flavours, the buffet restaurant, which has a different theme every night, each with a wide array of food. 

Of course the outdoor areas are a big draw at Azul Fives; in addition to the lazy river pool, there is a large pool sitting right next to the attractive, uncrowded beach, with plenty of lounge chairs and Bali-style day beds. 

Azul Fives is decidedly family-friendly, with a complete children’s program, children’s booster seats and high chairs readily available in every restaurant, and multiple shallow swimming pool areas that are ideal for kids. During my visit, even the nighttime events — which include live music and dance performances — attracted parents with young children. Suites, which can be reserved with one, two or three bedrooms, are especially practical for families, thanks to the living areas, multiple bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens. 

I found myself falling into a relaxed, enjoyable routine during my stay; I ate fruit for breakfast (although I could have indulged in the large buffet breakfast), then did a brief workout in the uncrowded gym (which sits next to the large spa that I unfortunately did not use), followed up by a swim in one of the pools and lunch — the daily outdoor barbecue was my favorite place for mid-day meals. Afternoons were spent strolling along the powdery beach, and after a consistently filling dinner, I headed to whatever the programmed evening entertainment was for the evening (one night it was a live reggae band on the beach, but my favorite was the traditional Mexican dance performance in the second-floor nightclub). 

Off-site activities can be arranged through Lomas Travel, which has an office in the lobby (the company also can provide airport transfers with their fleet of Lincoln Navigators), and the town of Playa del Carmen is about 15 minutes away by taxi. 

Suites with multiple bedrooms make especially good sense for families at Azul Fives.

BEST FOR: Families with children up to early teens, and perhaps couples, looking for an all-inclusive vacation with an upscale, contemporary feel. 

RATES: $594 and up per person, double, for a three-night all-inclusive stay, with discounted rates for children. 





http://www.karismahotels.com/resort/azul-fives-hotel-karisma

TRAVEL VIDEO: Mazatlan, Mexico — The Pulmonia Experience

The pulmonía is a unique, fun alternative to taxi cabs in Mazatlan, Mexico,

What better way to travel than aboard an overgrown golf cart? In Mazatlán — the Mexico vacation hotspot often called the "Pearl of the Pacific" because of its scenic Pacific coast location — it's the most enjoyable way to get around (and a lot more interesting than a regular taxi). The pulmonía — which means, literally, "pneumonia" — is a quirky form of transportation with an interesting moniker, and you won't find anything quite like it anywhere else. During my most recent visit to Mazatlán, I made this VIDEO introduction to the pulmonía experience. Hop on board (and hold on to your hat; it's a bit windy!). 

Stay tuned to LatinFlyerBlog.com for even more photos, videos and reviews from Mazatlán. 

The pulmonía cuts a hard-to-forget profile against Mazatlan's waterfront.

Watch the LatinFlyer video for the story behind how these quirky pulmonia vehicles got their name!

Latin America's Best Hotels of 2010, from Trans-Americas Journey

Parador San Juan de Dios is infused with antiques and art in Chiapas, Mexico.

In April 2006, photographer Eric Mohl and journalist Karen Catchpole packed up their truck and drove out of New York City on a five-year, 200,00-mile international journey that would take them to the far reaches of the Western Hemisphere. They share their travel experiences, reviews and tips on an excellent site, appropriately named Trans-Americas Journey. 

It's no surprise that this dynamic traveling duo has discovered a variety of interesting places. They spent nearly all 365 nights of 2010 in hotels, and have compiled a handy roundup of some of the best places where they have hung their hats — representing a variety of interesting categories that range from "best all-inclusive" to "best S&M hotel." Here is just a sample, from one category that caught my eye (you'll find more here). 





Best unexpected hotel art collection(s): There’s an arty little secret lurking in Chiapas, Mexico and it’s all thanks to one man. Mario Uvence is an art and antiques dealer and a figure in the Mexican and international art worlds. He is also the owner of  Parador San Juan de Dios hotel in San Cristobal de las Casas and Parador Santa Maria hotel, near Lagos de Montebello. Both hotels offer antique-stuffed rooms in meticulously restored buildings. But the real reason to visit is to gain access to the petite but powerful art collections at each property, both run by the Mario Uvence Cultural Foundation. The  gallery at San Juan de Dios is appropriately called Eklektic and it features 17th- to 21st-century religious sculptures, paintings and other works of art from Chiapas, the Philipines and Europe. We saw pieces here (like a tiny baby Jesus carved out of ivory) that we’ve never seen in any other museum in the world. At Santa Maria’s Museo de Arte Sacro, religious pieces are on show in thoroughly modern displays inside the old bones of a renovated church. The collections, and their surroundings, are equally spectacular.

A museum of sacred art graces the grounds at the Santa Maria Parador hotel in Chiapas.

Many thanks to Karen and Eric for letting me share some of their great work!