Elite Traveler July-August 2017

elite traveler JULY/AUG 2017 127

MUST DO

Chichen Itza and TulumRuins It gets crowded and the trek is long, but Unesco-listed Chichen Itza is worth it. Stone temples, ball courts and pyramids, edged by jungle, provide just a glimpse into the spectacular Mayan settlement; plan to spend hours exploring. Many choose to stay the night, and return the next morning when the ruins are less crowded and bathed in golden light. Alternatively, Tulum, an hour south of Playa del Carmen, is an extant 13th-century Mayan port and city-state. It nestles a cliff by the sea and can be accessed by foot, bike or car. chichenitza-tour.com; tulum.com Cenotes Unique to this region, cenotes (freshwater sinkholes) are plentiful. They connect in subterranean tunnels, creating the world’s largest underground river system. Sacred to theMayan people in past and present times, the cenotes have crystalline water, framed by limestone and local flora. Explore themwith fins or by foot. Don’t miss Cenote Dos Ojos, located just south of Tulum on Highway 307. It boasts two round pools, perfect for scuba divers, swimmers and snorkelers. cenotedosojos.com Whale Sharks Breaststroke with the biggest fish on earth. Funny-faced, harmless whale sharks mirror hippos in size. They crowd the waters along the Riviera Maya fromMay to September in search of plankton snacks. Join an expedition (such as reputable Solo Buceo), which takes guests 30miles offshore by small boat to spot the magnificent creatures. solobuceo.com Cancún UnderwaterMuseum (MUSA) It’s a whole newway to visit a museum. MUSA, the largest underwater exhibition in the world, presents hundreds of statues amid the reef. Home to countless colorful fish, MUSAwas created to promote the interaction between art and the environment. Here, the scientifically directed installation promotes healthy coral and marine life, while offering a family-friendly ramble in the sea. musamexico.org

TOP SUITES

GRANDVELAS RIVIERAMAYA Redefining all-inclusive, Grand Velas Riviera Maya brings only the best to play. Stretching across 206 verdant acres alongside the turquoise sea, this exemplary resort manages to honor more eco-initiatives than any other retreat inMexico— even while operating eight outstanding restaurants, providing upmarket wines and giving guests the choice between three distinct hotel experiences, including an adults-only section. The two- bedroomGrand Class Presidential Suite can house four. Double-height ceilings, hand-painted frescoes, local art and hand-loomed fabrics add to its charm. A plunge pool on an ample terrace overlooks the Caribbean. Enjoy its crowning glory: an in-suite champagne and caviar bar. From$7,000 per night, contact Dinorah Tobon Hampshire, tour & travel sales manager, dtobonh@velasresorts.com, +52 1 984 877 4418, rivieramaya.grandvelas.com BELMONDMAROMARESORT&SPA Once the private home of a visionary architect, the intimate and elegant BelmondMaroma Resort & Spa lords over a sugary-white, secluded beach about an hour from the airport. With beachside rooms and an art-bedecked main house, the chi-chi resort also vaunts a shaman-built beachside temazcal (sauna), and a hut-like tequila and ceviche bar. Bed down in the Oceanside One-Bedroom Suite, located steps from the water, which offers a private fitness room, outdoor shower, plunge pool and palapa for private spa treatments. From$1,365 per night, contact Heda Chehda, director of sales and marketing, heda.chehda@belmond.com, belmond.com BANYANTREEMAYAKOBAANDROSEWOODMAYAKOBA Mayakoba, an eco-conscious compound just south of Playa del Carmen, incorporates four five-star hotels into its wilderness-like expanse. A unique melange of mangrove forest, lagoons and man-made canals, the sensitively- built, wildlife-rich complex whisks guests by boat to the beach and between the resorts, which share amenities, such as the Greg Norman-designed golf course. Set on opposite sides of the landscape, the top stays are Rosewood Mayakoba —a contemporary-style haven— and the spa-focused Banyan Tree Mayakoba. Both have grand residences on the beach. Rosewood Mayakoba’s Beachfront Presidential Suite, with three bedrooms and private butler service, showcases the view via floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Down the shoreline, Banyan Tree Mayakoba’s Oceanfront Three BedroomVilla, built around a private pool, is ideal for families, and provides stellar ocean access. Or book Banyan Tree’s Sanctuary Spa Pool Villas, which sit lagoon-side with a personal pool, and offer unlimited spa treatments and wellness menus. Banyan TreeMayakoba: Oceanfront Three-BedroomVilla from$3,570 per night, Sanctuary Spa Pool Villa from$1,399 per night, contact Jesus Estrada, reservations manager, jesus.estrada@banyantree.com, +52 984 877 3688, banyantree.com RosewoodMayakoba: From$5,500 per night, contact Monica Ortiz, rooms division director, monica.ortiz@rosewoodhotels.com, +52 984 875 8016, rosewoodhotels.com

Discover Mayan history at Chichen Itza

Plunge into clear cenotes

Blessings sculpture by Elier Amado Gil at MUSA