Mexican Wave

By DM Parody

When I told my brother we were spending our summer holiday in Cancún, his response was immediate. 

"That's a long way for a beach holiday." 

As it turned out, the beaches were the last thing on our minds. Within two days of arriving, we had bumped into four other Gibraltarian families who had travelled there for much the same reason. 

Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Mexico's Quintana Roo state are renowned for their white sand beaches and turquoise waters. But in recent years, large quantities of sargassum seaweed have affected many stretches of coastline, making some beaches less appealing. 

Instead, we headed inland to discover what is, in many ways, an extraordinary collection of nature-based adventure parks. 

The Xcaret Group has built an impressive tourism offering around the area's natural landscape, using cenotes, underground rivers and coastal inlets to create a range of parks that cater for families, thrill-seekers and nature lovers alike. 

The original Xcaret park remains the flagship attraction. It combines underground rivers that visitors can swim or float through with wildlife exhibits and cultural displays, before culminating in an evening performance celebrating Mexican history and traditions. 

One interesting local detail is that many of the attractions’ names begin with the letter X. The reason dates back to the Spanish conquest, when the letter was written to represent the "sh" sound found in many Mayan words. 

Each park has its own identity. 

Xel-Há is centred around a natural inlet where snorkelling, cliff jumps, zip-lines and a lazy river provide a full day of water-based activities. 

Xplor focuses more on adventure, with lengthy zip-lines above the jungle canopy, amphibious vehicle trails, underground rivers and raft courses through flooded caves. 

Xenotes offers perhaps the closest experience to the region's natural environment, taking visitors to four different cenotes where activities include kayaking, swimming, zip-lining and abseiling into the water. 

For those looking for something even more adventurous, there is Xavage, while Xoximilco is aimed more at evening entertainment. Xenses, meanwhile, is a shorter experience built around optical illusions and sensory tricks that leave you questioning what you're seeing. 

Away from the parks, we visited the archaeological site at Tulum before combining the day with more cenote swimming and the opportunity to swim alongside turtles in the open sea, an experience that will stay with us for a long time. 

Another day was devoted to Chichén Itzá, one of Mexico's most recognisable archaeological sites and, in my view, an essential excursion for anyone visiting the region. 

What surprised me most about this part of Mexico was just how much there is to do that has nothing to do with lying on a beach. 

It is a destination that works particularly well for families, offering days packed with activities that appeal to both adults and teenagers. 

Equally memorable was the warmth of the people. Everywhere we went, we found locals welcoming and helpful. 

Mexico's security situation is well documented, particularly in relation to organised crime, and there was a visible security presence at hotels, tourist attractions and along major roads. While, in an ideal world, such measures would not be necessary, they also provided reassurance. 

Throughout our stay, we never felt personally unsafe and encountered little of the persistent street selling often associated with busy tourist destinations. 

Accommodation is largely centred around all-inclusive resorts, with options ranging from modest hotels to high-end luxury properties. Visitors can choose whether to spend their entire holiday relaxing within a resort or use it as a base to explore the surrounding area. 

The only real challenge was the climate. Temperatures of around 33C may not sound excessive to anyone from Gibraltar, but humidity regularly above 70 per cent makes even moderate physical activity far more demanding than expected. 

Among the visitors we met were Mexican families from the country's northern states, alongside large numbers of Argentinians and Brazilians, giving the region a distinctly Latin American feel. 

We booked the holiday independently, flying direct from London Gatwick with British Airways and staying at Xcaret. 

For many people, Mexico will always be synonymous with beaches. 

For us, however, it proved to be something rather different: a destination where nature, history and adventure combined to create one of the most enjoyable family holidays we have experienced. 

Gallery by DM Parody