Mexico is a natural wonderland filled with incredible variety, ranging from natural opulence to cultural diversity. Although the country has received much negative publicity for drug-gang violence, the situation is more discriminating and less visible than presented. Mexico is a large country, consisting of 32 states (31 plus a Federal District), with many fascinating, fun places to take a safe vacation, especially the southeastern region in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Travel Types
Favorable for various types of travel, Mexico can accommodate for a luxury vacation, nature travel, responsible tourism, adventure tours, visits to archaeological sites, or for a golf and spa vacation. Most can be combined, especially in destinations like Cancun and the Riviera Maya where vast areas of wild nature still exist, providing a feast for the senses.
Endangered animals, plants, and marine life, such as howler monkeys, mangroves, coral reefs, and sea turtles are nationally protected, offering opportunities for travelers to learn about the environment while hiking, zip lining, kayaking, jet skiing, snorkeling, and diving.
Scattered throughout the countryside are mountains and jungles, cenotes (cavernous wells), underground rivers and caves, the rainforest and mangroves, lagoons and canals, white sand beaches and the blue sea, nature parks and reserves, and archaeological sites of Aztec and Mayan ruins, such as and Tenochtitlan and Chichen Itza respectively.
Ecotourism
Mayan ruins and cenotes have even been incorporated into some of the region’s golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. (Cancun Golf Club & Riviera Maya Golf Club), Aoki Corporation (Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa), Robert Von Hagge (Playacar Golf Club), and Greg Norman (El Camaleon Golf Club), although there are many magnificent golf courses throughout Mexico.
What makes them so special is the creative integration of natural obstacles: winding fairways and rolling hills, lush greens and topical plants, mangroves and wetlands, sea channels and cenotes, white sand traps and ocean views. Golf course designers conscientiously and beautifully blend indigenous natural and cultural elements into their courses.
This is no accident. Since Mexico’s countryside is being negatively impacted by human encroachment and pollution, nature conservation is vital to preserving the ecosystems that support all mankind. For this reason and the amount of land required to develop a golf course, Mexico reinforces environmental responsibility in course design.
With so many natural attractions and the importance of their continuation on man’s survival, a Mexico vacation today is about more than just tourism.
