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Croco Cun (Puerto Morelos) – If you want to see crocodiles,
this is the place. This "crocodile farm" and zoo has many different species
of crocodiles, snakes, spider monkeys, and parrots. |
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Tres Rios Ecopark (north of Playa de Carmen) –
Float down a clear sparkling river that orginates in a cenote, all the way
to the beach. Canoes and kayaks are available, or bike on paths through
the subtropical jungle. For an additional fee (kids under 5 are free), snorkel
or take a 90 min. boat tour to the coral reef. Horseback riding on the beach
or jungle trails. |
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Xcaret (south of Playa de Carmen) – Spend the
day at Xcaret, an "eco-archeological" park, developed around the
Maya ruins of the port city of Pole, enhanced with native flora and fauna. |
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 Bring
your bathing suit so you can snorkel in the "underground" rivers (life jackets provided, you can rent snorkels) or swim with dolphins (sign up early). |
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There
is a magnificent butterfly exhibit, situated in a canyon, covered
with a net. Butterflies are hatched here, and you can climb around the canyon
amidst the huge, beautiful butterflies. |
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In
addition to the ruins of the old Mayan port city, the museum has
19 scale models of Mayan ruins and a Mexican town. |
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Kids
will like the reconstructed ball court, where Mayan ball games are
staged in authentic costumes. |
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Take
an hour horseback riding tour through the nearby jungle and along
beach. |
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Don't
miss the nighttime entertainment in the evening (early enough for
little kids), such as Mexican folk dancing and tour of the Mayan village. |
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Akumal – Akumal Bay is like a big bathtub with
little waves. The water is very, very warm and shallow, way out into the
bay. "Little kids can easily play forever on the beach," says
a friend. At the tidepools, you'll find crabs and sea anemones. In the bay,
snorkeling is excellent – lots of colorful tropical fishes, a sandy
bottom and bits of coral. |
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For bigger kids, there's the "Bubblemakers Club."
The Akumal
Dive Shop teaches beginning scuba lessons to kids 8-12. If adults want
to plan a day of diving, day care is available at the Akumal complex. |
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For a more "rustic" lagoon, pack a picnic and spend the day
at Yalku Lagoon, next to Akumal. |
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Aktun Chen Cave (near Akumal) – Take
a tour of Aktun Chen, a cave with a sparkling clear cenote, fed by an underground
river. It's an easy walking tour (okay for little kids) on boardwalks and
there's plenty of stalactites and stalagmites. Outside the cave there is
a little zoo, with monkeys, snakes and other local fauna. |
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Xel-Ha Lagoon National Park – The
Xel-Ha lagoon is a wonderful place to snorkel, hang out on the beach, or
check out the archeological exhibits. The lagoon is a combination of fresh
water and sea water, with lots of wildlife (manta rays, tropical fish, dolphins)
and channels to explore. Raft on big inner tubes or hike on the trails in
the park. Little ones may want to just ride around the lagoon in four wheeled
carts, the "train." You can rent life vests or snorkeling gear. |
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Tulum – At Tulum is a beachside Maya
ruin, perched above the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. At the entrance
to the archeological site, don't miss the market (mercado), where can see
the "dance of the flying men," the voladores. |
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At the ruins, climb up the "Castillo," and keep
your eye out for the "diving" god, an upside down figure. There's
a pint-sized cenote and, some walled structures are decorated with painted
frescoes. Look for iguanas around the ruins. |
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After
you've toured the ruins, run down to the beach to play. The small
beach has some big waves, but it's shallow. Bring your swim suits. |
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Grand Cenote (road to Coba) – If your
kids are good swimmers, stop off at the Grand Cenote for a memorable swimming
experience. This cenote has stalagtites hanging down into the incredibly
clear water. A wonderful place to snorkel! |
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Coba – Take a day trip to visit the Maya ruins of Coba. To get to the ruins, you'll walk through dense
forest, or rent bikes to ride to the sites. Look for butterflies
and toucans, and best of all, you can hear monkeys in the jungle. The Nohoch
Mul pyramid is higher than Chichen Itza, but much more crumbly. |
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Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve – Sian
Ka'an is a huge reserve, comprised of over a million acres of tropical forests,
wetlands, lagoons, inhabited by birds, jaguar, deer, manatees and monkeys.
Most of the reserve is off limits to tourists to preserve the natural environment
(Sian Ka'an is a Unesco Natural World Heritage site). |
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Tours into a part of the reserve are available through the
Amigos de Sian Ka'an, a non-profit organization. Older kids will enjoy this
day trip and the three hour boat ride through the Chunyaxche lagoon and
freshwater channels lined with mangroves, decked out with orchids and bromeliads.
Bring a swim suit for a swim in the freshwater channel (with a life vest).
Call (98) 84 95 83 for a reservation. |
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Day trip to Chichen Itza –
From the Caribbean Coast, the Maya ruins of Chichen Itza are just a couple
of hours away. |
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Gorgeous mixed-media
collages take you into the colorful world of the coral reef, as
a child swims with sea turtles and dolphins, and tucks himself into
a sea anemone "in a sea of stars." Plus info about coral
reef creatures. (Picture book)
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Essential
guide to coral reefs – all about coral polyps, daytime fishes,
shadow patrols, and creatures of the night – sea slugs, moray
eels and octopus. Stunning close-up photographs of coral, parrotfish
that crunches coral, candy cane sea star, colorful tropical fish,
etc. (Chapter book)
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Lift the flaps
to discover sparkling surprises in the ocean – Little
Fish and Dolphin search for hidden treasure, along with a bright
purple starfish, ruby-red hermit crab, shiny shark, pink seahorses,
and emerald green turtle. Enchanting illustrations, this is a gem.
(Picture book)
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Fun
facts about the irresistible, "gentle giants" of the
sea. Manatees eat plants only (favorite foods are sea lettuces
and water hyacinths), greet each other by pressing their
noses together, and sometimes they sleep upside down! (Chapter
book, photographs)
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(More children's
books on other Mexico pages) |
