mexico Archives - Big John's Adventures in Travel

Dec 17th Riviera Mayan Adventure on the Reef Playacar

When Rebecca first mentioned going to the Mexican Riviera I was leery. Mexico? At the time, the only thing I knew about our southern neighbor was what the US Army taught me years before. That hard lesson was learned in 1998 while doing a short stint at Fort Bliss. For those of you unfamiliar with Fort Bliss, it’s a 1,700 square mile playground reserved exclusively for Uncle Sam. It’s the US Army’s second largest installation, home of the 1st Armored Division, and situated in the picturesque desert city of El Paso, TX Any soldier who’s ever spent more than a day at Ft. Bliss knows the kind of world that exists once you leave El Paso and cross into that southern border town. Juarez, Mexico – the home of crooked cops, drug cartels, and a perfect place to get raped, robbed, or murdered. It’s not exactly the type of place you would take the kids to get t-shirts, postcards, or ice cream. Anyhow, you can see why I was so apprehensive about taking a vacation there. As it turns out, all Mexican towns and cities do not rank the same. To make a comparison between Juarez and some of Mexico’s more popular tourist destinations is like trying to compare Detroit, Michigan with Cary, North Carolina. There just isn’t any comparison. So putting all reservations aside, Rebecca and I purchased a flight and headed out into Mexico’s lush Riviera Maya.

Following this truck, I knew I had to be heading in the right direction.

The Riviera Maya is truly a magnificent place. The entire area is a tropical paradise located on the Yucatan Peninsula. The region is famous for its Caribbean beaches, beautiful jungles, and warm tropical climate. There’s no shortage of sights to see, things to do, or places to explore here in this neck of the woods!

Tulum Ruins on the Riviera Maya

For all of you history loving folks, the Tulum Ruins is an ancient Mayan city that was built in the late 13^th century. It’s a well-preserved marvel of antiquity that sits right against a sandy white beach. If ancient ruins aren’t exactly your cup of tea, then perhaps the Great Mayan Reef is. The Great Mayan Reef is the largest coral reef system in the Western Hemisphere. Talk about your snorkeling! You can’t find any better snorkeling than in the Riviera Maya! And if you don’t have a date, no worries because you won’t be swimming alone. “Akumal”, meaning place of the turtles, is the name of the bay you’ll probably want to go snorkeling in. There are plenty of sea turtles around to give you a guided tour of the ocean floor. If that’s not enough to stir your adventurous spirit, than look no further than Mexico’s sacred Cenotes. What are Cenotes you ask? Why, they are only one of the largest cave systems in all of the world! How’s that for planning your next scuba diving or snorkeling adventure!

Exploring the Cenotes inside the Riviera Maya

Look at this specimen of a man!

I’ll go to the watery caves of Mexico with this girl any day!

With all the endless possibilities, the hardest part about the trip was planning where to stay. After much careful consideration, Rebecca and I decided upon the Reef Playacar Riviera Maya- All Inclusive Resort and what a wonderful decision we made! The entire resort is one big tropical garden!

A tropical garden in paradise at the Reef Playacar on the Riviera Maya.

My baby doll in her blue dress

The Riviera Maya is a beautiful place!

Would you look at that amazing beach!

She stole that flower but she sure looks beautiful with it!

Walking to and from our room, we felt as if we were deep inside the Mayan jungles.

Striking that sassy pose, Senorita!

Rebecca likes to show off those massive guns. She needs to quit juicin’!

You mean I can just swim up to that bar and get drinks for free?

The Reef Playacar boasts some pretty amazing amenities to include great restaurants, beautiful pools with a swim-up bar, water sports, and plenty of lively entertainment. The best part about an All-inclusive resort is when you leave the room you never take your pocketbook with you…well, not unless you are planning to do some shopping in the local area. In that case you can still leave your pocketbook in the room, pretend you forgot it, and have your significant other pay for everything.