In 2020, there is still a country you can fly to without mandatory Covid-19 PCR tests. We present to you Mexico: the country of tequila, unique hotels and colorful sombreros!
Mexico is a country of diversity, full of places with rich culture, tropical jungles, paradise beaches and colorful haciendas. It is a popular destination because everyone will find something they like here.
At the end of the 90s, the animated series "Mysterious Golden Cities" was extremely popular in Poland. Watching it with great delight as a child, I did not expect that traveling would become my passion and that one day I would have the opportunity to play the role of Esteban - the main character, riding on the back of a large condor in search of the Golden Cities. My condor, a Boeing 767, unfortunately was not made of gold, but it completed the mission successfully and brought me from Frankfurt straight to Cancun. Good morning Mexico!
Riviera Maya – the first destination of the Mexican trip
Riviera Maya is a popular tourist district located south of Cancun. Where better to celebrate a grand arrival than in a hotel dedicated to adult guests – UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya. The most luxurious apartment is Estancia Suite, whose decor brings to mind classic Mexican haciendas and is decorated with local works of art. It's nice to see people enjoying every moment spent together in a restaurant, on the beach or relaxing by the hotel swimming pool. After check-in, it's time to welcome Mexico in local style and with great atmosphere.
“Tequila time!” – I thought, and for the rest of the evening I rejoiced with the other guests, because there is still more to see. The extensive All Inclusive offer may make many hotels jealous.
Playa Del Carmen, the place of the most exclusive hotels in Mexico
The next day I traveled to the heart of the Riviera Maya, in other words to the well-known Playa Del Carmen. Mexico and stunning hotels? I couldn't have chosen better. It is the epicenter of the most exclusive hotels and phenomenal snow-white beaches. They are leading the way Mayakoba Resorts, which include: Rosewood, Banyan Tree and Fairmont. The hotels are located in a landscaped garden dominated by mangrove forests inhabited by numerous iguanas and hundreds of species of birds and mammals. It is a wonderful landscape because nature can really surprise you.
The dense bush is interspersed with bicycle and jogging paths and river channels. Boats run along them, transporting guests to the beach, for whom it is a local attraction. There are turtles and fish swimming in the river, and during the cruise I learned that the hotel mascot is a young crocodile named Sophie. “Things like this only happen in Mexico,” I commented on this fact, swallowing slowly and observing the crystal clear water around my boat.
Colonial haciendas in Yucatan
Mexican haciendas are my next stop on my journey and I know I won't be disappointed. After three days spent on the 11-kilometer Riviera Maya, I move on with a great appetite for more. I left the paradise beaches in search of Mayan temples inland. I started by staying overnight in The 17th century hacienda Uayamon, which literally means "let's begin" in the Mayan language. This is a great accommodation base near Edzna - the ruins of one of the oldest Mayan cities from the 4th century BC, discovered only in the 20th century.
When talking about Yucatan, we cannot ignore haciendas, i.e. rural estates that once belonged to European conquistadors. Recently, they have been transformed into luxury hotels and restaurants. Belonging to the Luxury Collection Uayamon, Temozon, Santa Rosa these are real gems. The rooms have been transformed, among others: from the hosts' bedrooms, servants, but also from chapels and stables. These walls hide turbulent stories! These are truly unique places far from civilization. The fantastic sounds of fauna and flora that wake you up in the morning and the sight of the ubiquitous iguanas create the unique atmosphere of Yucatan.
Of course, you can't count on flawless service and the refined attitude of a waiter with fluent English, but that's not what it's all about. The Mayans working in the haciendas are members of local communities who are happy to do any work they can. They make up for the shortcomings with a warm smile :) When I order tea, I only receive a kettle with water and sugar because someone forgot about the tea itself. But it doesn't matter, tea is not an iguana, it won't escape. To quench my thirst, I carry tequila with me because in Mexico you can drink it at any time of the day!
Mayan culture and their temples
The foundation of the expedition is to learn about the Mayan world by discovering the remains of their cities, temples, art and history. IN Hacienda Santa Rosa I meet Mayan descendants in person who don't look like Mexicans in the cities at all, and I suddenly become aware of racial differences. The Maya are characterized by more slanted eyes and more prominent cheekbones, typical Indian features. It turns out that they have retained a different language and practice their own craft to this day.
Every day, after sightseeing, we go for a well-deserved rest in private haciendas. There is no one on the entire property except the staff, and the buildings are exclusively at our disposal. What happened to me there? A huge swimming pool, hand-painted interiors, columns and ubiquitous ornaments. “It's all mine today,” there's a selfish twinkle in my eye as I can't resist the charm of this place. Before I jump into the pool, the staff treats me to fruit and tequila - “Oh, Mexican hospitality, salud!".
There are various attractions waiting for me in private estates, which always positively surprise me. One of them are cenotes, i.e. deep water reservoirs carved out of limestone rocks. There are no rivers or lakes on the peninsula, so rainwater has carved out underground or open karst wells connected to groundwater supplies. In front of me is a jump into shimmering, inky water 50 meters deep. This raises the adrenaline level dramatically, because I don't do it every day. 3…, 2…, 1… and I did it, I'm alive! If it weren't for the lack of coverage, I would show off to the whole world.
The Mayan country begins to delight me more and more. New attractions every day: dinner under a huge downy tree, lunch in the ruins of an abandoned chapel, SPA treatments in hidden caves. Moreover, an amazing cruise among pink flamingos and mezcal vodka tasting on huge agave plantations. Is it the tequila, or maybe the panoramic view of the old town from the roof of the Puerta Campeche hacienda that tugs at your heartstrings? Suddenly the days start to pass too quickly and I don't want to leave this place at all...
The former Mayan city of Chichén Itzá
The final point of my trip was Chichén Itzá, which had been talked about from the very beginning. It was going to be an extraordinary climax. Chichén Itzá is a 4th-6th century Mayan city where human sacrifices were made in deep cenotes. The facility was announced as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. That day, I was treated to a multimedia show projected on the ruins of a temple with a sculpture of a huge snake.
Late in the evening, in a part of the ancient city closed to visitors, we climbed to the top. Suddenly, soft sounds started coming from inside, and we held our breath and put our phones away. Private concert by a Mayan flutist on the top of the temple at sunset. Can you imagine a better setting? This melody took me back in time and gave me a mystical aura. We didn't move until dark because the music hypnotized us completely.
"Goal achieved" - I smiled proudly, because I finally managed to discover the Golden Cities.
Mexico, see you soon!
Author: Marek Mazur
