BAY OF CAPRICES

The “Bay of Caprices” is a fantastic place, but to get there, it is necessary to ignore the temptation of leaving behind the always seductive main restaurants and bars area, then, cross the “Floating Bridge”, follow the “Path of Consciousness”, and right after a short lane, turn right. There, a quite hidden path by the inlet, will take you to this remarkable spot.

“The “bay of Caprices” is a cute little shelter for those who enjoy resting comfortably while staring at a wonderful view of the inlet, or swimming amongst curious nooks and crannies shaped by the rocky formations, where colorful fish amuse themselves.

This is an ideal point for couples that by sharing an incomparable niche of nature, find a renewed and deeper knowledge of each other, or for small families that enjoy sunbathing, water, and vegetation in a more intimate way.

PATH OF CONSIOUSNESS

The “Path of consciousness“ is located within Xel-Ha’s roads, and spurted up from the desire of transmitting to all visitors a collection of thoughts and reflections by different authors, inspired in Nature’s beauty and frailty.

The organic aesthetic of the sculptures by Martha and David Gerstein was conceived with full respect of textures, shapes and colors already present in Xel-Ha’s landscape. The inscriptions on each rock are numbered in the mayan system, and written in Spanish.

The purpose of this path is that by traveling it and reading the messages engraved along it, visitors take with them a reborn respect for nature, and consciousness for its conservation.

AIR PATH

A particularly special place that allows the visitor to gaze at the vegetation from a different perspective: the one belonging to those birds that spend most of their days on treetops. From four meters high the true dimension of the vegetation populating Xel-Ha’s jungle, can be noticed way better, and it is possible to appreciate, different life forms inhabiting the area.

Access to this place is available from the mangrove zone, where the underground rivers system emerges to the surface, or through the “path of Consciousness” at its last part.

It is.

Love is “in the air”; you just have to know where to look:

Swing by the Bay of Caprices. A little hideaway where the ocean, the breeze, the trees, and even the fish, seem to be strategically placed to garnish a stage that is undoubtedly able to renew any union.

Enjoy the journey through the river on a double inner tube; they are perfect to spend a nice while together, chatting, and benefiting from the sun and the scenery.

From the Lighthouse, the view is spectacular. Staring to, on one side the waves hitting the rocks furiously, and on the other, the peaceful inlet surrounded by a magical jungle, is not something you experience every day. Gazing at this “postcard” will be definitely something that will mark and reinforce your bonds forever.

Surrender to pleasure at the XPA. Book a Couple Massage, travel together on a rowboat towards a secluded platform in the inlet, and witness how the wind and the rippling of the waves make all the rest go away.

Finish your day by rocking on a Hammock. Delicious cocktails are poured a few steps away, and you might sip them at supreme leisure and relax together.

These are just a few suggestions… As we mentioned before, love “is in the air”, in Xel-Ha every nook and cranny has a special charm that will be deeply enjoyable to visit as a couple, and to honor the truth, in a place like Xel-Ha, romance may take you by surprise, everywhere…

During the award giving, the chairman of Sub Sea System, Inc., Jim Mayfield, stated reasons why Xel-Ha received this prestigious award.

During the award giving, the chairrman of Sub Sea Systems, Inc, Jim Mayfield, stated that Xel-Ha excelled on customer service quality, guest comments, safety, and overall commitment and innovation to provide the highest quality Sea Trek experience over 40 Sea Trek locations worldwide competed for this prestigious award.

“Sub Sea Systems is extremely impressed with the hard work that Xel-Ha has put into their Sea Trek program. One of the noted efforts by Xel-Ha includes hiring a world-renowned marine biologist and stingray behaviorist to train Xel-Ha’s staff on the proper handling and treatment of wild stingrays that frequent the Sea Trek site each and every day” Jim Mayfield highlighted.

The “Best Sea Trek Operation” Award was received for Elizabeth Lugo, Executive Director of Xel-Ha and Rosanna Roth, Watersport Manager, who thanked the honor and highlighted the commitment to maintain operation in a continuous improvement.

The Sea Trek is an underwater experience which consists in a walk on the seabed with a helmet which provides people the necessary oxygen with out a tank. It is about to close dive experience to people who do not know how to swim or are not a qualified diver. Activity allows interaction with stingrays which inhabits on Xel-Ha inlet where they liberally reproduce as well as another species like horse mackerels.

Xel-Ha is the first Sea Trek program in the world that presents its safety briefing and pre-walk orientation via a bi-lingual video presentation. The video presentation includes informative facts about stingrays and an explanation of the naturally occurring effects of fresh and saltwater layers that are visually prevalent within Xel-Ha’s natural bay.

Xel-Ha also receives some of the highest customer feedback responses. Participants say that the Sea Trek experience at Xel-Ha is “highly recommended”, “amazing”, “great experience for non-divers” and “the staff is very professional.” Travel websites, such as Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic, indicate high marks for Sea Trek at Xel-Ha and consider it a “must do” activity. Xel-Ha features 3 Sea Trek systems (27 helmets total), as well as the world’s only Dolphin Trek program (another 9 helmets).

What is meliponiculture?

The mayan bees (or stingless bees), live in the planet’s tropical regions, In Mexico they can be located mostly in the southeast area, in the Yucatan Peninsula. Their scientific name is Melipona becheii benetth , and they belong to the family APIDAE.

In the Mayan language, they receive different designations, depending on the region: Xunaan Cab, X´colel Cab, Pool Cab and Hobon Cab.

What did it mean to pre-Hispanic cultures?

For the ancient mayans, stingless bees had a very important role, given that native apiculture is based on a rite honoring the 4 cardinal points and the god Hobnil, god of the hive and patron of beekeepers. This tradition comes from the pre-Hispanic times, when the ancient mayans raised large beehives for pure honey extraction.

Wax and honey were the most important exportation articles, which by their high quality and abundance, earned a well-deserved fame out of Yucatan.

The stingless bee honey harvesting ceremony, consists of redeeming and entrusting the Xunaan Cab to A ha Muzen Cab (lord that keeps the honey), and to Aj Tsiikil Hobon (lord who cares for the hive), as well as to the lord of the rain, and the true god, so they look after them, no evil can approach them while harvesting, and abundant honey is collected.

In the Yucatan Peninsula, there are 9 different native species, out of a total of 13 species known. Most meliponinis are centered in the American tropic or neotropics.

Once these ceremonies have initiated, every certain time, or when the honey is harvested, a mayan priest will perform them, otherwise, honey deities’ punishments might be received, for instance diseases, bad winds, a cease in honey production and the bees’ abandonment of the hive.

What is a meliponary?

Near the plant nursery at Xel-Ha, is the meliponary, conformed by a shack, called Na´ajil Cab or Yoo´Toch Cab. Inside it, hollow trunks called hobons are settled; each hobon acts as beehive for the bees.

The sides of the hobons are sealed with wood covers called U´mak, and finally, covered with reddish mud, or kancab. The hobon shows an entrance orifice, through which only one insect can cross, and where a sentinel bee called Balamil Cab is located.

What is the ceremony like?

The altar: It must be directed towards the east. 13 candles made out of Xunaan cab wax, 13 bowls, and 3 crosses dressed with “huipiles” (traditional mayan dresses) are part of the ceremony.

Food and preparation: The offerings are Saka o Sisool, a kind of sacred drink made of parboiled corn sweetened with Xunaan Cab honey, and served on bowls; stewed chicken; two piles of 13 “tortillas” each, are offered at the altar, and the Aj kíin, (ranking mayan priest) proceeds to the blessing.

Harvesting: The honey harvesting, starts with the unclogging of the hobons, then, the “honey containers” are punctured with the chan-bak and broken, cleaned with chaka tree (Bursera simaruba) leaves, which works as an insect repellent, and finally the sides of the hobon are covered again with the reddish mud or Kancab.

Prayer: It is done by redeeming and entrusting the Xunaan Cab to the deities A ha Muzen Cab, X mulzen Cab, Aj Tsiikil Hobon and Hobnil, as well as to the lord of the rain, and the true god, so they look after them and abundant honey is collected.

Maya Pax, “god’s music”: It is always constituted by the same sounds, considered to be sacred. Each tune has a very specific moment during the festivities, and they are essential to the mayan ceremonial, the maya pax melodies contain rhythms of traditional music such as “jarabes”, “fandangos” and “sones”.

In addition to the permanent care provided to Xel-Ha’s meliponary, this space is an educative center for more than 8 thousand children from Quintana Roo, who on a yearly basis, visit it freely. An average of 120 schools of the region are received each year, as part of the educational program thrown altogether with the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), these visitors get familiar with the

meliponary, its inhabitants, and the mayan tradition. Twice a year, in June and December, ceremonies are held at Xel-Ha, on full moon nights.

What are the honey medicinal traits?

Products obtained from bees domestication, are honey and wax.

Honey has healing properties and is used to treat eye conditions (outgrowth, conjunctivitis, cataracts), ear conditions (ear infections), respiratory system conditions (pharyngitis, laryngitis), intestinal conditions, skin problems (hepatic and solar stains, and skin ulcers)

Wax is used for the fabrication of ceremonial candles, and honey is also used for the ceremonies, to sweeten the drinks. Meliponiculture is a tradition that has been fading in an alarming way, therefore nowadays the stingless bee is an endangered species.

Socially Responsible Practice Acknowledgment

The work done by Xel-Ha in the meliponary was reason for an acknowledgment granted by the Mexican Center for Philanthropy in 2007.

All the activities related to the meliponary are supervised and supported by the Popular Cultures Direction, of the National Advice for the Culture and the Arts.

MANGROVE

Its wood is used by local people to elaborate of posts or coal manufacture. Bark and leaves are tannin; it is used to leather tanned.

They are considered biological filters or the ocean’s kidneys. Mangrove’s branches send oxygen to roots which works like filters against pollutants and are a refuge to a lot of little organism like fish, crustaceans, mollusks and birds. Mangrove is the only one plant which can to live inside saltwater. Its leaves and wood are fairly resist to plagues and leaves fallen on water are useful to fertilize coasts. Tides and ocean currents carry nutrients from mangrove to reefs and marine grass. It is an integral part of the ocean ecosystem. When human being destroy mangrove, also destroy reefs and this is an environmental tragedy.

CHIT PALM

Leaves are used to build roofs of houses, its trunk to trap for lobsters. Its medical use is aphrodisiac, balsamic, diuretic, tonic and is useful to tuberculosis treatment.

It is until 10 meters high and it is resist to floods and salinity. It is distributed along the Yucatan Peninsula, but it is endangered because of overexploitation. Its scientific name is: Thrinax radiata

GUANO

It is distributed from Veracruz to Quintana Roo. It is a palm of 20 meters high, straight trunk and smooth bark. Leaves are hand-held fan shape of 20 meters diameter. Flowers have white petals and as fruits it has globe nuts. This palm blooms from June to October.

Leaves are used to build roofs to rural houses because it is a leave fairly resist to rottenness and trunks are used to build houses and bridges. It has an aphrodisiac, aperitif, painkiller, digestive and tonic use by local people.

ZAPOTE

It is distributed along tropic thunders of Yucatan Peninsula, Chiapas, Quintana Roo and Veracruz as well as Guatemala and Belize. It is a 40 meters high tree, too ranched and leafy. Bark is dark and exudes a milky substance. Its wood is beautiful, strong and reddish. Flower can be found in bunch at the top, they are dun. Fruits are globe, pulp and sweet berries.

Zapote was used from prehispanics eras. Its fruit was praise by colonizers because of its superior taste compare with European known fruits. Its wood of excellent quality and beauty color is used to glue, varnish and insulator manufacture.

With its 85 hectares of jungle and water, Xel-Ha is a Natural Wonder with a huge variety of options for fun and family entertainment, and the guarantee of living matchless experiences.

In Xel-Ha, several activities may be combined, suitable both for children and for adults: snorkelling through the river in crystal-clear waters all the way to the main inlet, admiring colorful fish; to move around on peaceful waters on an inner tube; enjoying the beautiful scenery; swooping into fresh wells; walking on a floating bridge; entering a mayan cave; crossing the lagoon on board of a kayak; riding a bicycle to discover the Chacah Garden, where famous people have planted a tree, and raised a though for the care of the planet. Xel-Ha’s “All Inclusive” concept also allows enjoying a varied and tasty buffet with world-class quality foods: fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry and seafood, prepared in diverse ways that satisfy even the most demanding consumer. Unlimited meals and beverages, desserts, open bar on all national drinks.

The “All Inclusive” experience also consists of the use of showers, toilets, inner tubes, life jackets, lounge chairs, hammocks, train to the river, kayaks, special bag to transport belongings, full snorkel gear and fins, towels, locker, tips and taxes.

As if that was not enough, there are also additional activities: snuba, a very peculiar way of plunging into the water to admire the marine beauty, with the aid of oxygen lines, which allows focusing on the underwater life’s magic. There is also Sea Trek, a gripping walkabout on the bottom of the sea where stingrays and amberjacks can be observed, right where the river meets the ocean.

Swimming with dolphins is as well a wonderful experience with one of the smartest creatures of the animal kingdom. Available choices go from the open air interaction in natural lagoons, to submarine walks with these cute mammals.

Xel-Ha’s experience would not be complete without the neat service of over 500 collaborators who daily do their best to make a never forgetting memory out of this visit.

A BIG-EYED GUY

The “horse eyes amberjack” also called “big-eyed” is a very large fish that can reach a length of 2 meters and a weight of 75 kg. Even though it is a pelagic species – rathers spawn offshore- in Xel-Ha, it can be looked at near the floating bridge. It is amazing how dozens of amberjacks come by in search of smaller fish, whom they predate. It is a sliver-colored fish with the ability of enduring salinity changes, so common in the inlet, where fresh water mixes with seawater.

CARNIVORES AND “CROWDED”

The “grey porgy” is one of the most abundant species of the “Lutjanidae” family. It is often seen around the rocks and sandy bottoms by the coast. Its color goes from silverish, to golden, and it is distinguished by its vertical stripes. They move in crowds. As young fish, they are omnivorous (feed on meat and vegetables) but once they reach adulthood they become just carnivores.

BLUE ROUND SURGEONFISH

The “Youthful Blue Tang Surgeonfish” is recurrently seen in the inlet. It can be seen in crannies near the ocean, where it is sunnier. It has a continuous dorsal fin with nine bones, and an emerged caudal fin (tail); its body is quite compressed, with an almost round outline. Its color is quite distinctive, but they get yellow during their adult phase.

A COMUFAGING SERGEANT

Another common species is the “Sergeant Major” characterized by the five black vertical stripes on the sides, contrasting with its yellow color. During mating season, adult males turn dark blue, which makes it very difficult to appreciate the black stripes. It also has the ability of camouflaging to match the surrounding environment.

A GUARDIAN OF THE WATER

An emblematic species of Xel-Ha, which in addition is one of its leading characters because it represents the guardian of the water, is the “parrotfish”. A solitary fish, although occasionally it swims in small groups, stands out for the wide range of colors on its body. Shades going from an intense orange to a turquoise blue and aquamarine green. It feeds on algae and attached seaweed, biting the substratum with its “beak”, which means, its mouth that resembles this part of the birds. The “parrotfish” is an awesome recycling machine that turns coral and rocks into fine sand by scratching the algae on them. It is able to produce up to 40 tons of sand per year.