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Future Possibilities to their habitats, I had to admit Linares IF YOU GO
might have been on to a great idea. In Belmond Maroma www.maromahotel.
Change and growth are inevitable any- 2011, I applauded as the United Nations com
where as beautiful as the Riviera Maya, World Tourism Organization present- Cesiak www.cesiak.org/
but rapid development has damaged ed Mayakobá’s developers the Ulysses Esencia www.hotelesencia.com/
fragile ecosystems, altered the coastline Award for tourism projects that take a Serenidad Shardon www.shardon.
and driven away the birds and mam- leading role in responsible, sustainable com/
mals who long found refuge here. and universally accessible tourism. Viceroy Riviera Maya http://www.vice-
royhotelsandresorts.com/en/riviera-
Once again, prescient investors staked At the same time, the Rainforest Alli- maya/overview
out prime parcels of jungle and sand in ance honored Mayakobá with the Sus-
the 1980s, eventually purchasing more tainable Standard-Setter Award as the The Maya Side of the Riviera
than 1,500 acres of jungle, mangroves first resort in Latin America to be rec-
and beach. ognized as a Rainforest Alliance Verified One of the most promising devel-
Destination. opments in the Riviera Maya doesn’t
The Spanish owners left the land alone involve bulldozers and construction.
for years, until Salvador Linares, an Mayakobá is now one of my favorite Riv- Instead, the Mayan communities of the
impassioned Spaniard with wild white iera Maya destinations. I spent a couple area, with help from government and
hair and a prodigious imagination, en- of nights at the Fairmont Mayakobá private investment, have created a pro-
visioned an environmentally sensitive after my Sian Ka’an adventure, thrilled gram called Maya Ka’an. Emphasizing
tourism community built around a se- to soak my sweat-stained clothes (and culture, eco-tourism and sustainable
ries of canals leading to just one mile sunburned, bug-bit body) in a huge projects in Mayan communities, Maya
of beach. “People said this man is crazy,” bathtub filled with fragrant bubbles. Ka’an encompasses tours to small vil-
Linares said with a laugh after the Fair- lages, colonial towns and untrammeled
mont Mayakobá, the resort’s first hotel, I loved sitting on a deck outside my archeological sites where local guides
opened in 2005. comfy air-conditioned suite with my provide insight into daily life. Punta Al-
morning coffee as anhinga, coots and len and Sian Ka’an are included in proj-
I watched the whole process evolve over egrets swooped about an Amazon-like ect, and tours include birdwatching,
many visits as the Fairmont, Rosewood canal capturing bugs that might other- kayaking, traditional medicine, history
and Banyan Tree hotels rose amid man- wise seek out my blood. and a creepy cave where snakes hang
groves, underground rivers, sinkholes from crevices to hunt bats.
called cenotes, and murky canals. Riding through the canals in an electric
gondola while spotting osprey, boat- Until now, most cultural Riviera Maya
To say I was dubious is a gross under- billed herons and kiskadees reminded tours have involved visits to Mayan
statement. At the time, I thought the me a bit of Sian Ka’an. Sure, I’d rather communities that have been groomed
whole thing was a massive boondoggle the whole coast remained as pure and and amplified to provide entertain-
that would destroy the coastline I loved. undisturbed as the biosphere reserve, ment for groups. The companies run-
but that dream is long gone. Instead, I ning Maya Ka’an’s tours include small
Over several years, as I toured the ca- can only hope that future developers cooperativas where some members are
nals with naturalists and biologists and learn to respect and care for the natural trained as licensed guides while others
watched herons and crocodiles return side of the Riviera Maya. are learning how to interact with for-
eign visitors and share their knowledge
about everything from the use of indig-
enous plants to cooking in pibs (wood
burning ovens and raising stingless
bees to produce honey. Natural prod-
ucts are sometimes sold to guests—
the honey shampoo is amazing.
For more information go to www.
mayakaan.travel
Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 69

