Xel-Ha Ecological Park in Mexico

Picture yourself snorkeling in crystal clear waters while you watch brightly colored fish swim around you. The air is fresh and clean, the sun warm on your face as you swim with the dolphins. For those wanting a little adventure to their travels to the Yucatan Peninsula, Xel-Ha is a perfect spot to combine adventure with relaxation.

Xel-Ha (pronounced "shell-ha"), is an ecological park about two hours south of Cancun on Mexico's eastern shores. The rural area has been transformed into an eco-friendly park with an ancient Mayan archeology site nearby. The park is only a two hour drive Cacun on fairly easy to navigate major highways.

The admission price to Xel-Ha is a reasonable $40 for adults and $27 for children. The admission price does not include life vests and snorkel equipment ($10), locker rental ($2), or the dolphin swim (the price was about $60 per person in 2006). It's best to arrive early, before the busloads of tourists and schoolchildren arrive for the day.

Xel-Ha park officials are serious about staying eco-friendly. You will be asked if you have any non-eco friendly sunscreen as you arrive. (The chemicals in most sunscreens damage the fragile water eco system.) They will impound any offending lotions, which you can pick up on your way back out, and will supply you with a sample of non-damaging lotion. Xel-Ha's layout is designed around the inlets and waterways of the area, including the "lazy" river, which is an actual river beginning in an exotic mangrove.

Xel-Ha's size can be intimidating at first, with dozens of activities available with your ticket price. It's best to sit down with your family, map in hand, and plan out your day, realizing that you will not experiencing everything in just one day. Like most large tourist attractions, there's always something that you will miss during a short visit.

There are plenty of easy-access stairways to the water for snorkeling. Snorkeling equipment rentals dot the water's edge, and are easy to find. The water is warm and amazingly clear. The reef is somewhat disappointing in areas, as it has worn away, but the brightly colored schools of fish in the area more than make up for the disappointment.

The Xel-Ha river attraction is amazing in its undeveloped nature. Starting in a vine-draped mangrove, we floated down the river with lush vegetation on either side. Stronger swimmers can snorkel, but I recommend grabbing a life vest or tube if you tire easily. This is no sanitized water park lazy river, but an actual river with a fairly strong current and few stops on the way. Those snorkeling will enjoy more schools of fish, as well as the occasional barracuda.

The dolphin swim is a delight to both watch and experience. After watching a short educational video, participants are guided through a thirty minute experience with the dolphins. Safety is apparent in the Xel-Ha staff, as they control the events at every level. My daughter and spouse came away with incredible memories of touching, swimming, and even being pushed through the water by these amazing creatures.

For those with a more adventure spirit, Xel-Ha offers cliff diving and rope crossing. For those wanting relax, a grove of hammocks are a perfect solution, especially during the hottest hours of the day. Tours are available for those wanting more information about the park and its natural wonders.

Be prepared to wait for many of the attractions in Xel-Ha. The Mexican culture is different from our instant-access and service in the United States and Canada. We had to wait about fifteen minutes for the bus to the river's entrance. Once we arrived, we encountered a huge line of visitors waiting for the bus to bring more inner tubes, and waited for about thirty minutes in the hot sun. (There are no vending machines in some areas, so bringing drinking water is a good idea.) The serving times for food can also be long - it's wise to bring snacks and extra drinking water along, especially if you've got children in your group.

Xel-Ha is truly a jewel on the Mexican Rivera, offering unique memories to your Mexican vacation.