YUCATÁN
Adventures Within Hands’ Reach
While the geography of the Yucatán is vast and flat, beneath the limestone plateau lies a stunning subterranean network of natural springs. Cenotes are natural sinkholes that have pierced the top of these aquifers, are often swimmable, dazzling with their beauty and intense clarity.
miss the Sacred Cenote at Chichén Itzá, once the water source around which the great city was built. Where else can you explore fascinating Mayan archeology, swim or dive in a stunning cenote or at a pristine beach, and live like a Gilded Age hacendado (hacienda resident) —all in one day? “Culturally and naturally speaking, the Yucatán is one of the most appealing regions of Mexico,” says Eduardo Calderon, owner of Hacienda San Antonio Millet, near Tixkokob, not far from Mérida, the state’s capital city.
When you dive into your first cenote, you’ll understand why the Maya believed water was sacred. These amazing emerald green pools are sinkholes formed when the limestone shelf cracks and collapses, and then fills with rainwater. Cenotes, many of which are swimmable, are part of the Yucatán’s unique subterranean river and cave system. Don’t
The secret is out among sophisticated travelers who love la vida dulce (the sweet life). The Yucatán is the place to experience genuine Mexico. Choose a magnificent haciendaturned-hotel as your base, explore the best of this serene yet stylish region—and hear the call of its enchanting culture, outdoor adventure, luscious cuisine, and grand hacendado lifestyle. Staying at one of the Yucatán’s many haciendas —most of them built between the 17th and 19th cen-
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turies, and each one a uniquely individual estate with its own ambiance, architecture, and character— is an experience in itself. “Visitors find all the charm and allure of Gilded Age times, expressed in many little details, and also all the comfort of modern life,” says Calderon. Yet there’s much more to discover in the Yucatán beyond the pampering hacendado lifestyle. Among the wealth of things to see and do are natural-world explorations such as a bird-watching boat tour in Celestún to glimpse the beautiful colonies of pink flamingos living and breeding there. Adventurers may have a thrill going through a subterranean realm of stalactite-filled caves and dramatic cenotes beckons for spelunking and swimming or diving. You should devote at least one day to uncover the wonders of the re-
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gion’s many Mayan archeological sites, and climb temples at Mayapán (the Walled City), admire the massive pyramids at Uxmal (Built Three Times), or see the mix of Franciscan and Mayan architecture at Dzibilchaltún (A Place Where There’s Writings on the Stones). Besides those three sites, several other national tourism magnets are within hands’ reach from Mérida, among them Valladolid (The Eastern Perl), Izamal (the City of Three Cultures), Chichen Itza (At the Mouth of the Well of the Itzaes) and Ek Balam (Black Jaguar), as well as the beaches of Telchac, Sisal and Progreso. Aeroméxico takes you to Mérida from Dallas visit aeromexicovacations.com or call 1.800.934.4488. To plan your unforgettable Yucatán escape, go to www.yucatan.travel
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