MAYAN RIVIERA ESCAPES HUSTLE, BUSTLE OF CANCUN
By Gerry Gittelson
Memo: Great Escapes

NOTE: Gerry Gittelson is a Los Angeles-based travel journalist whose
articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Daily News, the Detroit
Free-Press, the Orlando Sentinel, the Chicago Tribune, the Milwaukee
Journal and many other publications.

RIVIERA MAYA, Mexico - The Riviera Maya's greatest strength is it has
just about everything neighboring Cancun has - and less.

While Cancun has evolved into a kind of Las Vegas of beach
destinations - a mass of grand hotels, chain restaurants, traffic
congestion and sweaty night clubs - the relatively remote Riviera
Maya, which fronts the Caribbean Sea along the east side of the
Yucatan Peninsula, has plenty of luxury accommodations but places a
greater emphasis on breathtaking natural beauty and ecological
adventures. 
``The Mayan Riviera is like Cancun was 25 years ago - pristine
beaches, untouched nature and not as much construction,'' said
Cristian Carlsson, general manager of the Xpu-Ha Palace, which is
among the area's leading hotels.

Located in the heart of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve about an
hour's drive from Cancun, the Riviera Maya includes a large portion
of the Great Mayan Jungle, which holds millennia-old cenotes
(sinkholes) and the ancient Mayan cities of Coba and Tulum. The area
offers more than a dozen archaeological sites, reserves and
ecological parks, plus a blossoming infrastructure of hotels, from
five-star resorts to rustic beach bungalows.

Mind you, Cancun remains the perfect spot if you're a spring-break
reveler ready to party the nights away, or perhaps a gung-ho
first-timer who's looking for something akin to Hawaii's Waikiki
Beach or Jamaica's Montego Bay.

But for travelers truly looking to get away from it all and perhaps
indulge in some adventurous excursions, the Riviera Maya is a great
alternative.

``The all-party impression of Cancun has driven a lot of people to
seek refuge to the Riviera Maya,'' said Charles Ross, co-operator of
www.cancunvista.com , a leading Internet booking site. ``Some people like
the idea of unplugging from the real world for a vacation, and to
some Cancun is still a little too much real world.''

You won't find properties like the Xpu-Ha Palace in Cancun. The
sprawling, all-inclusive resort is set among acres of mangroves, and
there's a snorkeling inlet, two ocean-view pools (without annoying
party hosts with microphones), an aviary, botanical gardens and a
massive, freshwater lagoon.

The low-rise coastline of the Riviera Maya - buildings are limited to
three stories - gives the area a much different look than Cancun.

Soon after settling in, we booked a daylong tour with Alltournative
Expeditions to Punta Soliman and Nohoch Nah Chich.

Punta Soliman is a remote ocean bay near Akumel, accessible by kayaks
from the beach. With no one else in sight, we paddled out about a
half- mile, docked in a shallow reef, then snorkeled among colorful
fish and breathtaking coral formations.

Nohoch Nah Chich, located in the tiny Mayan village of Rancho San
Felipe, featured a clear underground inlet. Our group swam through a
cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites as our guide illuminated
the path with a high-powered underwater flashlight.

He advised us to not say a word, to just take in the sights in
silence, and the experience was blissful and spiritual. The water was
so clear that swimming actually felt like flying.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the company of a local Mayan
family. Without electricity, they cooked a hearty lunch over an open
fire, serving chicken and rice with homemade tortillas and salsa.

Afterward, we lounged on handmade hammocks before journeying back
through the rocky jungle in an all-terrain vehicle.

The next day, we visited Xcaret, a bountiful park billed as ``a
tribute to life.'' In Xcaret, water is omnipresent: ocean, lagoons,
inlets, underground rivers - all set among dense jungle foliage. Upon
entering the snorkeling inlet, we were immediately greeted by a sea
turtle, as schools of fish glided about.

A few miles down the road the next morning, we found Xel-Ha, a
similar biological park but a bit less crowded and more organic. We
took a leisurely inner-tube ride down a lazy river, then jumped into
natural wells fed by subterranean rivers.

Near the reef, large iguanas ate from our hands, and the snorkeling
was the best yet, as massive amberjacks, groupers and stingrays
circled just a few feet offshore near a floating bridge that led to
Mayan caves.

Later, at the coastal city of Tulum, we surveyed ancient Mayan ruins
overlooking what had to be one of the world's most beautiful beaches.

Over five days, we never once made a foray into Cancun. We were
content to remain on the Riviera Maya - pleasantly exhausted from our
daily sun-washed adventures.

Thus, we got everything we wanted. And less.


IF YOU GO
Useful Web sites for planning a trip to Mexico's Riviera Maya:
www.cancunvista.com
www.cancun-aquasports.com
www.cancunhotel2000.com
www.cancun-fishing.net

ALL-INCLUSIVES SIMPLIFY THE REVELRY IN CANCUN
By Gerry Gittelson

CANCUN, Mexico - It was the last night of her weeklong summer
vacation at Club Med, and Pat Dunlap of Del Mar felt her
all-inclusive package had delivered more than just food, drinks and
activities.

She'd also harvested what she hoped would be lifelong friendships,
and that was the best benefit of all. 
``I'm having a party at home in two weeks for all the people I've met
- from San Luis Obispo, Orange County, Temple City, Redondo,'' said
Dunlap as she sat by the expansive pool. ``There should be about 20
people, and I hope they all make it.''

Besides the friendships, what brings Dunlap - and more than 3 million
other American tourists per year - back to Cancun is simple: Arguably
no tropical destination offers more value, especially for those on
all- inclusive plans.

In 1986, there were only 14 hotels in Cancun. Now there are about
200, with more on the drawing boards. Planes arrive every 10 minutes.

During a week in Cancun, as we toured various all-inclusive hotels
and embarked on exotic excursions, we came to understand why this
resort area nestled on the southeast tip of Mexico has become such a
popular Caribbean destination.

Cancun has given Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San
Lucas a run for their money because it costs about the same (and, in
some cases, less) but delivers plenty of excitement.

Our group of three used a travel agent and paid $517 per person for
air fare (with one stop in Mexico City) and $315 per person for six
nights' all- inclusive lodging at the three-star Aquamarina Beach
Hotel in the heart of Cancun's hotel zone.

The beachfront Aquamarina is among Cancun's more economical
all-inclusives, but all 200 rooms have ocean views - a major plus.
The rooms aren't fancy, but they were found to be clean, large and
comfortable.

A resident peacock greeted us every morning, and the buffet-style
food - especially the breakfasts, which included made-to-order
omelets - was exceptional.

The hotel is situated on the bay side of the coast, so the water was
calm. We changed into our swimsuits immediately after arriving and
hit the white-sand beach. My wife found a huge starfish moments after
entering the ocean.

According to general manager Ileana Paez Gonzalez, about 50 percent
to 60 percent of Aquamarina guests are European; perhaps this
explained the preponderance of topless sunbathers.

Gonzalez knows the resort can't offer as many facilities or extras as
the more popular but pricier all-inclusives, but it makes up for its
sparseness by emphasizing personal service and competitive meals.

``The international guests really like the fact that we have healthy
food,'' she said. ``We have some guests who have been coming for 14
years in a row.''

A Cancun authority on discounted hotel rates and tours is Allen
Magers, a friendly, transplanted Californian who operates
www.cancunvista.com , a commercial booking site. He says he's traveled to
nearly every exotic beach location in the world, and this is his
favorite.

``It's beautiful, plus it's very Americanized, especially the hotel
zone,'' Magers said. ``And you can make it very affordable.

``The all-inclusives are great if you have kids because you don't
have to dish out money every time you want a drink or a Coke. Plus,
you get all the non-motorized water activities, so the setup is a
great deal. And adults, they come looking for romance, so it's nice
not to be bothered paying for every little thing.''

Although Cancun can accommodate travelers who want to do nothing more
than lounge around the resorts, a number of excursions await the
adventurous.

One day, we headed to Xcaret, a breathtaking natural park about 40
minutes away that featured a magnificent beach, a snorkeling inlet,
an underground river plus restaurants and animal attractions.

The next day, we took a short ferry ride to Garrafon Park on Isla
Mujeres. The park was beautiful and the snorkeling great. Our
15-year-old daughter had a blast jumping off a 20-foot plank into the
clear ocean water.

We also wandered among some of the other all-inclusives in the area.

Club Med was the region's first all-inclusive - and it perhaps is
still the best. It has a considerable advantage over the others
because it has a snorkeling reef on the property - sparing guests the
cost of an excursion that often runs around $50. The resort also has
its own lagoon and offers free water skiing.

Meals at Club Med are events. Chefs are flown in from Europe, and
separate buffet tables are devoted to breads and desserts.

The rooms are purposely simple and functional, a subtle hint that
Club Med vacations aren't to be spent in the rooms.

``We're not a five-star resort in the way that Sandals is, but that's
not what we're about - we're also half the price,'' said general
manager Gus Neale. ``We're for people who are looking to just come
here and have a ball.''

Another popular all-inclusive is Cancun Palace, a grand, five-star
property featuring a gigantic pool area, several classy restaurants
and a sprawling beach.

The Cancun Palace is one of six Palace resorts in Cancun or the
nearby Maya Riviera, all within an hour of each other. The hotel has
a party atmosphere, with loud music, pool games and waitresses
constantly delivering drinks.

We found the Sun Palace to be a bit smaller and not as loud. But the
vibe among guests was the same: They loved the unbeatable combination
of Caribbean sun, inviting pool, blue ocean - and lots of fruity
mixed cocktails.

Two advantages the Palace resorts have over other all-inclusives is
they allow guests to visit, eat and drink at the other Palace
properties during their stay. Also, guests staying for five days or
more are granted two complimentary excursions.

Although Cancun is renowned for the fun it provides in the sun, the
region borders on notorious for the wildness it delivers after dark.

The clubs tend to be more rambunctious than what you'll find
stateside (at least beyond New Orleans). Expect to encounter
thousands of sweaty youngsters dancing, drinking and partying the
night away. (The legal drinking age is 18, but Magers joked that if
you're tall enough to see over the bar, you'll get served.)

At the popular Coco Bongo club, kids were dancing and cavorting as
classic rock blared, confetti rained, strobe lights flashed and
servers squirted tequila into thirsty mouths.

We heard that Daddy-o's, La Boom, Senor Frogs and other clubs
throbbed in similar fashion, but for us one was enough.

It's not the scene for a married couple in their late 30s, we're
afraid, but it was at least worth the experience of peeking in for a
few minutes.

IF YOU GO
Cancun tourism:
www.cancunvista.com
www.cancun-aquasports.com
www.cancunhotel2000.com
www.cancun-fishing.net