Many of Mexico’s cities still retain wonderful architecture along their cobbled streets from the country’s colonial history. The following are just some of these cities worth visiting on your bargain holidays to this amazing country.

Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco – 350 miles from Mexico City

Guadalajara Cathedral

Known as ‘The Pearl of the West’, this is Mexico’s second largest city and is the birthplace of tequila and mariachi music. Explore the many historical sites and museums the city offers and combine your visit with some relaxation on the beautiful beach at Puerto Vallarta, just a 3 hour drive away. Interesting places to visit in Guadalajara include the UNESCO World Heritage Site Cabanas Cultural Institute, the Government Palace where a law abolishing slavery was passed in 1810, the Museum of Huichol Indian Handicrafts, the Institute of Jalisco Handicrafts and the Museum of Journalism and Graphic Arts. Read more »

Mexico City has a long and interesting history. The city is divided into 16 boroughs (delegaciones) which in turn are split into neighbourhoods (colonias). Mexico City has many old towns like San Angel, Tlalpan and Coyoacan where visitors can experience the Mexican traditions which are preserved in these towns.

Mexico City is steeped in history with plenty of interesting places to see and things to do.

Alameda Central

Alameda Central
Originally an Aztec market place and an execution site during the Spanish Inquisition, this is now a park and the oldest attraction in the city. The park is home to the Palace of Fine Arts (Palacio de Bellas Artes) which houses a theatre, concert hall and museum. Read more »

The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, south of Cancun, was established in 1986 and is one of Mexico’s largest parks. Covering over one million acres of coastal jungle, the reserve became

Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme in 1986 and in 1987 became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Complete with wetlands, flooded savannas, dunes, mangroves and lagoons the reserve is ideal for not only nature lovers but also sports enthusiasts. The reserve also includes part of the the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the world’s second largest coastal barrier reef. Home to a huge range of animals and plants, it is also home to over 350 species of bird and is the nesting ground for two species of endangered sea turtle and for many different species of wading birds. Species of birds found here include white-fronted parrots,roseate spoonbills, belted kingfisher,egrets, blue and boat-billed herons, frigate birds and jabiru stork, along with more than 300 species of butterfly. Animals found here include puma, jaguar, ocelot, margay, jaguarondi, Caribbean manatee, spider and howler monkeys, Central American tapir, white-tailed deer, collared

Sian Ka'an ruin

 anteater, crocodiles and four species of turtle. The reserve has more than 20 known archeological sites where relics, human remains and ceramic pieces that are more than 2,000 years old have been found.

The reserve covers about a third of the Caribbean coast of Mexico and is home to more than 2,000 inhabitants, a mix of wealthy landowners and poor campesinos. Fishing and tourist boat trips to the reefs and lagoon system are the main industries of these inhabitants.

Sian Ka'an Reserve

Here at Sian Ka’an (Mayan for ‘where the sky is born’) you can observe the reserve from an observation tower, kayak in the wetlands, explore the jungle on foot and go snorkelling in the crystal clear waters of the Beh Ha cenote (a sinkhole with caves).

Many environmental groups are involved with research and the protection of the reserve including the World Wildlife Fund, the Ecotourism Society, the Smithsonian School and many more.

A visit to the Sian Ka’an Reserve provides a great experience on your last minute holidays to Mexico.

There are many holiday deals to Mexico on offer throughout the internet that can include a visit to this intriguing diverse reserve.

Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is the largest tropical forest reserve in Mexico, covering 1.8 million acres of forest. You will find the ancient Maya city of Calakmul spread over 10 square miles deep in the tropical forest of the Tierras Bajas of Southern Mexico near the Guatemalan border in Campeche. The well preserved structures here give an insight of life in an ancient Maya

Calakmul pyramid

city. Calakmul was once one of the mightiest cities of the Maya civilization and is believed to have been home to more than 50,000 people who lived around the central religious centre.
Awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2002, Calakmul is not only a site of great archaeological significance but is also home to more than 230 species of birds, some resident and some migratory, Baird’s tapir, white-lipped peccaries, spider monkeys, crocodiles, jaguars, ocelots and pumas which are all protected by the reserve.

Calakmul in Maya means ‘the city of two adjacent pyramids’. The views from the top of these huge pyramids are spectacular, providing fantastic photography opportunties across into Guatemala and the surrounding forest. Four tombs were discovered inside the largest pyramid at Calakmul which stands at over 180ft tall.

Calakmul stelae

So far only a small part of Calakmul has been explored and restored as the site has more than 6500 buildings and more than 120 stelae (tall sculptured stone shafts). However archaeologists have already discovered and restored a ball court and a large pyramid with a burial crypt which contained thousands of pieces of jade and tombs containing jade burial masks, many of which are now on display in Campeche’s Archaeological Museum.

For an experience of a lifetime visit the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and explore this intriguing ancient Maya city when on your direct holidays to Mexico.

You won’t be disappointed on your package holidays to Mexico as there is so much to see, do and discover in this fascinating country that is steeped in culture and history.

Xcaret Park is a privately owned ecological theme park, resort and ecotourism development in the Riviera Maya. It is located about 47 miles south of Cancun and 4 miles south of Playa del Carmen.

Xcaret Park

The park is built in the same area as the Xcaret archaeological site.

The Park has many nature and cultural attractions, a Temascal (sweat lodge), a spa, restaurants, souvenir shops and an all-inclusive resort hotel within walking distance of the park.

Nature Attractions

A 1,590 ft subterranean river where you can swim and snorkel. Don a life jacket and float along  this underground river where you will pass by fascinating caves and rock formations.
A snorkelling lagoon.
Beach activities, including swimming with dolphins, snorkelling, sea trek diving (underwater walk) and snuba diving (a combination of diving and snorkelling).

Xcaret Park Aquarium

The park has a coral reef aquarium turtle nesting site and an area for manatees (sea cows).
The park also has a butterfly pavilion, bird pavilion, bat cave, an island of jaguars and pumas, deer shelter and an orchids and bromeliad greenhouse.

Cultural Attractions

These include a replica of a Mayan village where real artisans work, a museum, a church, equestrian shows, an open theatre where pre-Hispanic

Papantla flying men

dances are performed, Papantla flying men and the Gran Tlachco Theatre where Mesoamerican ball games are played and Mexican folklore dances are performed.

Bargain holidays to the local Occidental Grand Xcaret Hotel are always available throughout the internet.

Mexico is a wonderful diverse country so why not book one of the many holiday packages on offer and explore this fascinating country.

If you would like more information and articles on Mexico please visit my Mexico Blog.

Chichén-Itzá

The famous Mayan pyramids of Chichén-Itzá are over 1500 years old and are located only 75 miles from Mérida on the Yucatán peninsula. The name Chichén-Itzá is a Mayan word meaning CHI (mouth) CHEN (well) and ITZA (of the Itza tribe).

The site is divided into three sections. The Northern group of structures are distinctly Toltec in style. The central group is from the early period. The southern group is known as “The Old Chichén.”

The main attraction here is the central pyramid, El Castillo, which is one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. El Castillo is a huge Mesoamerican step-pyramid that dominates the Chichen Itza site. Built by the Maya sometime between the 1000 and 1200 AD, El Castillo served as a temple to the god Kukulkan and is believed to have served as a calendar. The structure has four stairways, each with 91 steps. When counting the top platform as another step, in total El Castillo has 365 steps, one step for each day of the year. The structure is 98ft high, this includes the temple at the top which is 20ft high. The square base measures 181ft across. Huge sculptures of plumed serpent’s heads sit at the base of the pyramid on the northern staircase. At sunset during the spring and autumn equinoxes triangle shadows are formed by the platforms making it appear as if a plumed serpent is descending the pyramid.

El Castillo

Inside El Castillo there is a narrowly enclosed staircase that leads to a chac mool (an altar where offerings to the gods were placed).

Here at Chichen Itza there is a large ball court where Mayan men played a game called pok ta pok. Anthropologists believe that the object of the game was to hurl a ball through a ring that was mounted on a wall, 7 metres above the ground. Each team had six field players who would attempt to pass the ball (using any body part except their hands) to their captain who would attempt the shot using a sort of racket. The captain of the team that made the first successful shot was then decapitated as a sacrifice to the gods! This was seen as an honour and guaranteed entrance into heaven.

El Castillo ball court

The ball court is very mystical – with the repetion of the number 7 which was sacred to the Mayans. There were seven players (six field players and the captain) on a team, the rings were seven metres high and if you clap your hands or shout in the court the sound will echo exactly seven times.

There are carvings on the stone walls that depict the ball players and after the captain was beheaded, it is said that seven serpents grew out of his neck.
There is a Mayan prophecy that on 22nd December 2012 the great warrior serpent Kukulkán will rise from the ground beneath the playing field and end the world for good.