LUXURY RESORTS, NATURE MEET AT MAYAKOBA
Ecological diversity stars in Mexican destination
The players’ assistant pulled up beside me as I was standing in the middle of the fairway on the first hole of the El Cameleon Golf Course. I was only one shot into my round, so I knew he wasn’t coming over to tell our foursome that we had already fallen behind the group ahead of us. No, it was my inquisitive look at the obstruction in front of me that brought him over.
“It’s a ‘cenote’,” he told me, pointing to the natural limestone sinkhole in front of me that was home to a monstrous sand trap about six metres deep. “You don’t want to go in there.”
Unfortunately, my playing partner hadn’t heard this advice early enough and now found himself in the middle of it. After a minute of consideration, he opted for the “hand wedge” to get himself out of this unique bit of trouble.
“The cenotes are all over the course,” the assistant informed me, referencing the 18 holes that are home to the PGA Tour’s OHL Classic every November. “They built the holes in and around them. And if you’re not careful, the ‘Aluxes’ will come out and steal your ball.”
The Aluxes, he informed me, are mythical Mayan gnomes who live in the forest. Their role is to protect Mother Nature. Treat the Earth well, and the Aluxes will treat you well. If not, the vengeful Aluxes will curse you and your land.
I felt fortunate that no Aluxes were seen throughout the balance of my round, even though my ball certainly found its fair share of cenotes.
The El Cameleon Golf Course is in the heart of the Mayakoba region on the doorstep of the Fairmont Mayakoba, along with five other luxury resorts. This part of the Mexican Riviera, on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula just south of Cancun, is rapidly becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. And for good reason.
Mayakoba was the dream of Spanish construction company Obrascon Huarte Lain (OHL) back in the mid-’80s, when it purchased 1,500 acres of undeveloped jungle and beach. The concept to develop an ecologically sensitive tourism destination was led by Salvador Linares, who developed the master plan for the area. It eventually saw shovels hit the ground in 2003 with the development of the Greg Norman-designed El Cameleon golf course one year later, and the Fairmont Mayakoba in 2006.
Other resorts have since followed, and all have reciprocal agreements with each other. In other words, you are welcome to visit, eat and drink at the Rosewood Mayakoba, Banyan Tree Mayakoba and Andaz Mayakoba, all within walking distance, and charge the cost back to your room.
Most of the Mayakoba development today lies on nearly 600 acres of land on the coastal side of Highway 307, but construction is soon to begin on the west side of the highway as well. The longdiscussed Ciudade de Mayakoba (www.ciudadmayakoba.com) will come to fruition over the next decade. This commercial and residential development will be the first single-family home community planned in the Playa del Carmen area. At its heart is El Pueblito, home to restaurants, shops, art gallery and a church, along with arts, culture and entertainment spaces. The sprawling property that makes up the Fairmont Mayakoba is a perfect example of why the area is so special. Visitors to the property can take a series of hiking trails to truly appreciate the ecological diversity of the area — from the jungle-like entrance to the resort to the canals that intersect the property to the white sand beach bordering the Atlantic Ocean.
When they built the Fairmont, the canals did not exist. Once excavated, groundwater filled the canals and the overhanging mangrove trees took on new lives, growing to twice their original size because of this new-found water source. The resort takes a lot of pride in its environmental practices, and a guided canal tour (an extra cost outside of the resort’s all-inclusive package) is a great way to see the many examples of this.
GETTING THERE
WestJet (www.westjet.com) has direct flights from Calgary to Cancun International Airport, which is about 40 minutes north of Playa del Carmen. That said, this is still a long flight — five and a half hours there and just over six hours home — so be prepared to watch about three movies on the plane or find another way to kill time. It is strongly recommended that you reserve in advance ground transportation to Playa del Carmen. There are many companies that provide this service, but we chose Canada Transfers (www.canadatransfers.com), mainly because of the name. For a family of five, it will run you about $200 Cdn roundtrip, and you can pre-order drinks. Your driver will meet you outside the exit of the airport, holding a sign with your name on it. This will come as an instant relief to you when you see the crowd upon your arrival, offering everything from cab rides to tours of Cancun.
WHERE TO STAY
The Fairmont Mayakoba (www.fairmont.com/mayakoba) was the first resort to be constructed in the area and it continues to be the jewel. There is a diverse range of accommodations to be had at the resort, depending on preferences and budget. Canal-facing rooms, some with king beds and some with two queens, range from $445 Cdn per night in low season to $1,835 Cdn per night in high season. Add in an all-inclusive package, which includes food and beverages at all the restaurants on site, and your nightly rate ranges from $640 Cdn per night in low season to $2,790 Cdn per night in high season.
Ocean-side rooms, with their own splash pools, range from $1,800 Cdn in low season to $4,410 Cdn in high season with an all-inclusive package built in depending on the season.
WHERE TO EAT
The Fairmont Mayakoba has five restaurants on site, each providing a different take on Mexican cuisine.
Brisas Coastal Latin Grill is on the beach, about a one-kilometre walk from the main resort area and, not surprisingly, both its lunch and dinner menus have a heavy seafood focus. Like all the restaurants on site, the menu was curated by Chef Richard Sandoval. Raised in Mexico City, Sandoval is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and his menus showcase contemporary Latin cuisine.
El Puerto, in the lower level of the lobby overlooking the central pond, specializes in modern Latin cuisine, and would easily be considered the flagship restaurant of the resort. Besides an assortment of chef ’s specialties, there’s also a sushi bar.
And La Laguna, beside the main pool, is the most popular breakfast spot in the resort, offering both a buffet and menu items. With a focus on modern Mexican cuisine, this restaurant proved to be our family’s go-to venue — the tacos and enchiladas easily being the most popular items on the menu.
For those travelling with children, the Fairmont has been very smart in that it maintains the same kids’ menu at all its restaurants — pizza, spaghetti, hamburgers. The lack of diversity was perfect for our eight-yearold daughter and 12-year-old son.
WHAT TO SEE
A trip into Playa del Carmen is highly recommended. While there are no shuttles from the Fairmont to Playa del Carmen, you can order a round-trip cab to take you on the 10-minute ride there and back for about $40 Cdn. Most tourists head straight to Fifth Avenue where a wide variety of merchants will try to sell you everything from dresses to handbags to coffee mugs. While it’s an interesting experience for about 30 minutes, you would be encouraged to take the time to visit some side streets or head toward the public beach.