Xel-Há Park If you love crystal clear waters, the smell of sea salt, the cenotes' serenity, and the possibility of discovering underwater worlds, join us to take a swim, explore and snorkel in one of the best eco-theme parks around the globe: Xel-Há.

Xel-Há — where water is born, in the Mayan language — is a natural water park of the Xcaret group located north of Tulum, on a gigantic cove fed by several underground freshwater rivers, through which the Caribbean Sea also joins, causing a unique explosion of colors and life.

Their main focus? The water: in addition to swimming and snorkeling, you can explore cenotes, caves, mangroves, jungle trails, a meliponarium, or a Chacahs garden, jump from the Piedra del Valor, or from the slide of the Mirador Lighthouse, 30 meters high.

One more thing, it is an all-inclusive park, meaning that admission includes the rental of snorkel equipment, bicycles, towels, and lockers, as well as unlimited food and drink and access to practically all of the park's main attractions; a perfect idea to spend an intense day full of water adventures, relaxation, and leisure.

Xel-Há Park Aquatic Attractions

One of Xel-Há's unique and greatest features is its cove. In the Xel-Há cove, the water remains calm, practically without waves, crystal clear and warm, all year round, making it incredibly ideal for spending the day swimming, with or without snorkeling. In it, you will find about 400 species of plants and fish, such as parakeet kefish, surgeonfish, chac-chi fish, snapper fish, mackerel fish, rays, barracudas, sea turtles, manatees, and the famous pink snail, a protected species.

Besides its cove, there are two open cenotes in the park: Paraíso and Aventura, and a Mayan cave, which constitutes a closed cenote, where you can cool off under the cavern's shade. You can also swim, or ride on a floating lifesaver, in the Xel-Há River, one of the rivers converging to the cove, where you can find the Piedra de Valor, a rock ledge 5 meters high overlooking the water, from which you can test your courage, and Mundo de Aventuras, a universe of zip lines (called salpichanga), rope games (called trepachanga) and high jumps.

And last but not least, there are a whole series of additional activities not included in the cost of admission: an encounter with rays, with manatees, and swimming with dolphins,as well as “Power Snorkel,” which is snorkeling with a propulsion jet; sea trek,which is an underwater trail using helmets connected to floating oxygen tubes; and snuba, a hybrid between snorkeling and diving, which you can practice in the cove or in a 7-meter-deep cenote.

Xel-Há Park Land Attractions

The first off-water attraction in Xel-Há is the large 40-meter-high Mirador Lighthouse, from where you will have a spectacular view of the entire area and the opportunity to go down one of the 4 open slides to natural water wellsbr>
Furthermore, the park has several jungle trails where you can walk or go for a ride on a bike (included in your ticket). The most popular of these trails is the Sendero de la Conciencia,which will take you, among other points in the park, to the Grieta de Ixchel, where you can snorkel or swim, and the Gruta el Dorado, where you will find ancient mollusk fossils.

And for the best part, the park has a meliponarium, where meliponas bees are found and protected; an ancient Mayan wall; a nurserywith 270 different species of plants; and the Chacahs Garden, a species of trees typical of the area.

Tips and recommendations for visiting Xel-Há Park

If you are going to visit Xel-Há Park, keep these tips in mind:

• The park has an exclusive area for children called Mundo de Niños, with slides, a slide, rope games, and so on.

• Entrance to the park includes unlimited food and drinks. The park has between 2 and 4 restaurants, depending on the season, and these usually close at 5 in the afternoon.

• Admission also includes access to bicycles, snorkel equipment, lifesavers, towels, and lockers.

• Remember that if you wear sunscreen, repellent, or any type of lotion, they must be 100% biodegradable and natural to protect the park's ecosystems.

• Free Wi-Fi access throughout the park.

So now you know that if water and sun, exploration, and fun, and, in short, adventure are your things, then you are sure to spend one of the best days of your trip through the Riviera Maya in Xel-Há Park.