Today's post is dedicated to someone I met 20 years ago but haven't seen in many years ~we have kept up contact on Facebook and she let me know the other day she has never been to a hot destination ~ Shannon Trombley, this is for you ... I know writing about them and sharing photos won't give them the proper respect they deserve but here is my best description of the water we are so lucky to wade, swim and snorkel in and the beaches we get to play in, build sand castles on and run through.
Our favorite beach in the Mayan (which runs south from Cancun down to South America) is Maroma Beach. It has been rated one of the nicest in the world. Its impossible to adequately describe the feeling of the sand but its like flour, not quite as fine and lightweight, but pretty darn close! To walk barefoot is like nothing else. There is the odd shell or sharp piece of coral but otherwise its soft, warm and comforting. Kids can dig for what seems like miles and when damp the consistency creates the best long standing castles around!
When sitting on a beach chair or laying on a towel I constantly find my feet playing with the sand ~ its a natural reaction to bury or write words with my toes. I just love the feeling of the sand. And, after spending a day on the beach you have to because you'll find it everywhere when you're done. Its so fine that there will be residue on your magazines, your cameras and your sunscreen bottles for days!
The beach along the Mayan varies in color due to tides, the past hurricanes and developments on the beaches. However, for the most part its a light creamy color. Not quite white but definitely not beige like the Pacific side. It is simply stunning to watch the turquoise waters hitting, making its way up and leaving the still off-white land.
In our opinion there is nothing more beautiful than the Carribean Sea. The multitude of colors, the clarity and the warmth is like none other. From minute to minute, area to area and tide to tide you can observe light blue, turquoise, royal, teal and white all within a span of five minutes. My personal favorite area to take in this array of color is en route to Isle Mujeres. Its absolutely picturesque and breath taking to see how the ocean glistens in the sun and changes shades depending on the depths of the waters. Absolutely beautiful. On any given day you will see bright, transparent, large or small fish, different sizes and shapes of coral and perhaps dolphins jumping 40 feet out ... all just standing in knee deep water!
From area to area you will also observe different activity! In my experience, Cancun beaches along the hotel zone are occupied by younger groups (especially during spring breaks) and there is music, beach volleyball, dancing, football and contests. Moving south there are public beaches where locals bring their families, picnic lunches and quite often their dogs. There are young babies, children, parents and grandparents all experiencing the joys of the ocean ... often they are swimming in their underwear or clothes but they are enjoying their time as much as the European couple next to them. On a Sunday it is also quite common to watch a soccer match (there are leagues that actually play on the beaches).
Over the years I have walked miles and miles along the Mayan Riviera and have seen many different type of beachfront resorts and properties ~ nude, children oriented, adult only, party, romantic and baren. There are different levels of cleanliness (the more exclusive resorts have their beaches tidied, raked and cleaned by dawn) and have seen many many different nationalities.
I'll never forget the first time I walked past a nude resort ~ I was by myself pushing Emy in her mountain buggy. I knew there was this type of resort a couple hotels down from where we stayed, I thought I was prepared and wouldn't think it was a big deal when I got to it ... so there I went, walking with my 18 month old daughter. I came to a sign in the middle of the beach that stated "clothing is optional for the next x amount of meters so enter with caution" ... OK here I was. I've seen naked people before what's a few more!? Well ... there were more than a few! At that time the beach wasn't as wide as it is now ~ Hurricane Wilma had taken the majority of the sand so I would say from the ocean to the property was about 50-60 feet. To my right there were cabanas with sheets that could be drawn for privacy (there was NOTHING private here!), there were men and women laying on beach chairs hiding not a thing and there was a beach volleyball game going on. NO ONE had clothing on. Not even the waiters or activity directors. OK, I had my sunglasses on so no one would know I was walking, sneaking a peak with the "deer in headlines" look and was in utter disbelief until I walked the buggy right into a huge piece of driftwood! Oh my God, I was so embarassed ... only to hear my then awake daughter loudly acknowledge "mommy, BOOBIES"!! OK, I could die.
Continuing further south there are private homes with nice piers and gated pools, there are areas for seadooing, speedboating and parasailing and there are resorts that have cabanas in the ocean that house massages and yoga sessions. There are marinas with beautiful cruisers and worn out fishing boats. There are undeveloped areas where you have to walk in and around marshy swamp areas and over large pieces of driftwood. There are areas in the process of being developed and are under construction. There are gorgeous beach clubs and restaurants, small and local taco stands and many different massage or tour huts. There are resorts with secuity guards and beach butlers. There are resorts with nothing but beach chairs and rooms.
Currently the beaches in and around Playa del Carmen (and eventually all the way up to Cancun) are in the process of being replenished ~ millions of dollars are being spent to pump in sand from the ocean floor to widen the beaches that were destroyed by the last hurricane.
To me there is no better place in the world. I can watch my kids play in the sand, fight the waves, snorkle and dive. I can people watch. I can catch some rays. I can observe life underwater. I can stare out in the "deep blue" for hours! I can cool off in the clean water. I can have a cold drink and share lunch with my family.
I truly hope every one of you will have the opportunity to experience this at least once in your lifetime...Shannon, perhaps a 40th birthday gift from your loved ones? Or, from you to you!!?
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