Can you imagine spending all day in a Natural Wonder? Enjoying breathtaking views, watching the vibrant colors of the sea, exploring paths in a bike and eating until you get enough. Visiting Xel-Há is so much more than just swimming in a river, here are 19 activities that you can enjoy if you don’t want to get wet.
1.- Travel back in time with the Tulum Model
As soon as you arrive to Xel-Há you will see a huge and impressive model of 590 by 236 inches exposed at the main entrance. It’s an interpretation of the life and customs of Tulum in the Mayan times: 4,000 miniature pieces built and hand-painted. Don’t forget to look really closely to admire the incredible details.
2.- All you can eat
Xel-Há is an all you can eat and drink Park, our suggestion is to arrive really early to enjoy the breakfast buffet, where you will find fresh juice, a variety of fruits, pancakes, Mexican antojitos and delicious fresh-made coffee. At lunch hour you can choose between our four different restaurants: the International buffet at Chula Vista, steaks, and meat at Jardin Corona or Mexican cuisine at La Cocina del Pueblo.
3.- Visit the Meliponary
Xel-Há is the home of the Melipona bee, a stingless bee which honey was considered sacred by the Mayan. In the Meliponary you will get to see the jobones logs, where this species lives. Twice a year, Xel-Há harvests this traditional honey in a ceremony performed by an astrologer and a Mayan priest.
4.- Seeing a Wall with history
As you can tell by now, this place is full of history and the perfect example is the Mayan Wall which represents the first traces of human presence in Xel-Há. It was build in the 12th century to protect the Mayan harbor, until the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century.
5.- Explore the Land of Huh in a bike
There are many ways to explore the jungle trails of this place, one of the best is definitely by bike. This journey lasts around 10 minutes, and you will get to see a lot of iguanas on the way, but don’t worry about them, they move really quickly. And if you are lucky you might even run into a coati family walking by too!
6.- Visit the Chacah’s Garden
Xel-Há is full of secrets, and one of them is the Chacah’s Garden, a place that was built to commemorate the celebrities who visit the Park, inviting them to plant a Chacah tree and leave a brief thought for posterity on a rock with their tree. Here you will read the thoughts that celebrities like José José and César Millán planted.
7.- Discover a new way of exploring the jungle
Zip-Bike is an extraordinary activity for nature lovers, where you will fly through the jungle of Xel-Há from 22 feet high, passing by cenotes and bat caves. If you’re lucky, you’ll see birds, coatis, and black-bellied whistling ducks swimming in their natural habitat.
8.- Visit the Subaquatic Museum
A unique place where you can observe the diversity of fish and nature living in Xel-Há without swimming. You can find the Underwater Observatory near the Bridge Bar.
9.- Drink unlimited drinks
How about a Piña Colada or a cold beer to cool off? Enjoy the best tropical drinks while you are laying down in a hammock, and the best of all is that all the drinks are already included in your admission. Our suggestion is you try the drink of the house: a Xel-Há.
10.- Discover a one of a kind Nursery
Here you can watch a variety of native plants and endangered species. All the plants that are in Xel-Ha’s nursery have a historical value dating back to ancient Mayan culture and are extremely important to the communities in the Yucatan Peninsula.
11.- Fly a kite at the beach
Flying a kite at Xel-Há is an amazing experience not just for children, but for grown-ups too. The wind is perfect and the sea sight is amazing for taking pictures.
12.- Crossing the Floating Bridge
At first sight, it may seem like a harmless bridge, but this curious path that separates the sea from the Inlet is a challenge for your balance. You will feel like you’re about to fall in the water every step of the way, but don’t worry! It is really safe and fun to walk here.
13.- Walk between Jungle Trails
Pay attention to the flora and fauna that gives life to this place while you walk along the paths of this natural reserve. Don’t forget to look for the Weather Forecasting stone to see how is the weather going.
14.- Discover the secrets of an ancient Grotto
It may look like a regular path at first sight, but it is actually an ancient grotto with fossils of extinct mollusks on its walls, which confirms the theory that this region of Quintana Roo was covered by the ocean thousands of years ago.
15.- Be amused by the Cenotes
One of the most mythical corners of the Park are definitely the cenotes, freshwater formations in the heart of the jungle. Just go across the Floating Bridge to find the Paradise Cenote, and the Adventure Cenote, both are protected areas and it’s forbidden to swim in it.
16.- Relax in the middle of the jungle
What happens when you add a spa to a place that is already relaxing? This extraordinary activity is perfect for those who love massages and natural treatments. There are different types of massagers so make sure to find out what you specifically want massaged. In Xel-Há’s Spa, you will find inner peace while you are surrounded by nature.
17.- Sit down and observe nature
It might sound like a simple activity, but we guarantee that this is one of the simple pleasures you can enjoy in this place. There are a lot of hidden places where you can just sit down in a chair and enjoy an incredible view.
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18.- Lying down in a hammock
This activity doesn’t require any effort, just lay down and relax. Taking a nap under palm trees after eating at the buffet will make you redefine the meaning of the quote “this is life”
19.- Go shopping in the souvenir stores
Trust us, at the end of your visit you will want to share a little piece of paradise with everyone, that is why you can’t leave without shopping and choose between tons of souvenirs in our stores. From stuffed animals, t-shirts, mugs to magnets.
Don’t worry if you are not feeling in the mood to swim, these activities will make you live an incredible day at Xel-Há!