RIVIERA MAYA JAZZ FEST 2010
November 30th, 2010
RIVIERA MAYA MUST DO’S – IF YOU DARE
November 25th, 2010
Dolphin Encounter®
A program for all ages: Learn and have fun!
Imagine an exchange of looks; a gaze full of liberty and love. That is the beginning of an unforgettable experience in Puerto Aventuras beside marine friends, the dolphins. During theDolphin Encounter ® program, you and your family will have the opportunity to receive all the affection of these tender and playful animals that always seem to smile. In this swim with dolphins program your kids will be able to enjoy safe and funactivities that Dolphin Discovery Puerto Aventuras has specially designed for all ages. Doesn’t matter if you are 1 or 80 years, you will be able to enjoy from a platform that will cover half of your body and swimming is optional. Your new friend will give you unlimited love, he will give you a Handshake, he will Sing and Hug, you will be able to pet him and swim in a place that he and his other dolphin friendscall “home”: the Mexican Caribbean.
Our dolphins will always welcome you in our location highlighted by its beautiful environment next to the Caribbean Sea. Return home with this memory that will last forever!
Dolphin Royal Swim®
Pure excitement: action and speed!
Have you ever dreamed about swimming with dolphins in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean Sea? Today you can make your dreams come true! The Dolphin Royal Swim® program, is best defined with the words action and speed. It is the most dynamic of all the swim with dolphins programs, and this time. Dolphin Discovery Puerto Aventuras, will give you an experience to talk about for the rest of your life with family and friends. On the beautiful complex of Puerto Aventuras, Riviera Maya, a few minutes from Playa del Carmen, one of our incredible dolphinariums is located in a totally natural environment. You will find interesting aquatic activities with these tender animals that seem to know you already. While you walk by the pier, you will notice them following you, waiting for their playtime. They will conquer your heart before you even get into the water. They will give you a handshake, kisses and will pull you with their dorsal tows to give you a speed ride! After that, the dolphins will push your feet to raise you up the water surface, you will feel like you are flying!
Today you are alive, feel the freedom and magic of dolphins!
Dolphin Swim Adventure®
Perfect entertainment: Up-close and underwater!
If swimming with dolphins is one of your greatest dreams, now is the time to make it real! In the crystal clear waters of the Caribbea Sea you will be able to live an adventure that you will remember forever. The Dolphin Swim Adventure® in Puerto Aventuras—a beautiful residential complex located in the Riviera Maya – will bring you as close to the dolphins as you ever imagined. You will discover yourself in their world through a snorkeling mask and you will understand the greatness of the special bond between you and them. They will tenderly say hello with their fins, they will kiss you, sing for you, take you for a ride on their belly and you will be able to swim in Caribbean waters while they jump or play with you. The dolphins will be your pals for the rest of your life.
For full information about prices, schedules and reservations contact your hotel concierge of go to http://www.dolphindiscovery.com/
RIVIERA MAYA EVENTS – MEXICAN WINE FESTIVAL @ XCARET
November 25th, 20101st Annual Mexican Wine Festival in the Riviera Maya – Xcaret
Just when you thought that the Riviera Maya is only about beach, sun and fun then this great event comes along. Last month, the eco-park Xcaret hosted a wine tasting event in anticipation of the 1st Annual Mexican Wine Festival to be held next March 9-12, 2011. The event was a huge success as hundreds of people turned out to sample over twenty different Mexican wines including: Casa Madero, Monte Xanic, and Cavas Domecq.
Afterwards 50 musicians treated guests to a special concert celebrating the Mexican Bicentennial from the Yucatan Youth Symphony Orchestra. The concert took place in one of the special underground theaters of Xcaret located in a natural cenote. It was a wonderful evening and it’s refreshing to see the many different cultural options available in the Riviera Maya, to both tourists and locals.
This is one event to put on the calendar for 2011 and I’m sure it will be a success. We’ll be there reporting and sampling the fine Mexican vinos. Hey! Someone is got to do it.
RIVIERA MAYA GOURMET – TASTE OF PLAYA
November 25th, 2010
November 26, 2010 – Playa del Carmen, Mexico – On Sunday, November 21, 2010, 43 of the Riviera Maya’s most talented chefs, restaurateurs, beverage purveyors and specialty food merchants gathered in the Parque Fundadores, just steps from the beaches of Playa del Carmen, to present their signature dishes and culinary creations to over 7000 local residents and visitors to the popular Mexican Caribbean city.
“The event far exceeded our expectations this year!” reported event Chairperson Nicola Inwood. “The small businesses who made up the participants in both the restaurant and marketplace areas truly reflected the international influences that make up the modern Riviera Maya.” The local restaurants, bars and food retailers represented this year offered truly world class dishes for food lovers from across the globe who came to enjoy the Caribbean sun and experience the best of traditional Mexican and international cuisine.
The Travel Channel’s Mark DeCarlo was the celebrity host of this culinary festival and worked through the crowd talking with guests, meeting the participants and sponsors and signing copies of his new book, “A Fork on the Road, 400 Cities One Stomach”. A popular new attraction for the Taste of Playa 2010 event was the cooking demonstration area. Throughout the day, Mr. DeCarlo hosted a series of informative and humorous demonstrations of regional dishes with Chefs from the region. These presentations attracted quite a crowd and added a new level of fun to an already exciting day.
The members of the Volunteer Executive Committee are pleased to be able to make a significant charitable contribution to the Rotary Club of Playa del Carmen, the beneficiary of this year’s event proceeds and are already making plans for 2011. Following the overwhelming success of this year’s event, Corporate Sponsors have been eager to commit their support and restaurants that were unable to secure a spot for this year have started to sign on early for Taste of Playa 2011.
Taste of Playa is a community-focused culinary event that celebrates the creativity and diverse cultural influences of chefs throughout the Riviera Maya. Taste of Playa 2010 will take place on November 21, 2010, in Playa del Carmen’s Parque Fundadores. The event is open to the public, with tickets and all-inclusive VIP passes available for sale on the official event website http://www.tasteofplaya.com/. Proceeds from the event will go to a food education program initiated by the Rotary Club in Playa del Carmen that will directly benefit the children and families of the Riviera Maya. Photos from the event are available.
Source: http://www.facebook.com/tasteofplaya
RIVIERA MAYA GOURMET – OUR MONTHS CHOICE
October 22nd, 2010CENACOLO
Cenacolo Ristorante Italiano, without a question the best Italian restaurant in town, introduces itself as an ambassador of Italian traditions. After arriving to Mexico, Amati family founded Cenacolo in 1988 in Cancun with the purpose to offer the pleasure and taste of traditional Italian food and wine. Now since 2010 Cenacolo is open in Playa Del Carmen’s Little Italy
Two main aspects distinguish Cenacolo, hospitality and fine dining. Since the restaurant is administered and served by its Italian owners, food and wine are always under rigorous supervision. For instance, following the best Italian culinary traditions, Cenacolo serves handmade pasta using the finest products. The recipes have passed from generation to generation showing respect for ancestral traditions and warrantying outstanding gastronomic experiences.
Dining at Cenacolo is not only a gastronomic experience, but also a cultural journey where modern italian philosophy is reflected in every single detail. This philosophy can be perceived, sensed and experienced.
Your sense of taste will allow you feel the connection between the vibrations of the Earth and the hands that have knowledge to transform natural produce into delicious dishes. This ancient knowledge, learned and developed through time, is precisely the great legacy of this noble gastronomy.
Giving yourself the oportunity to experience Italian food at Cenacolo will open your world to new dimension of pleasure and desire to live a new life.
Cenacolo will guide your senses along the way, projecting itself toward the future without leaving its roots behind.
Located on 5th ave and 28th Street
Reservations 984- 873-3292
Riviera Maya Must Do’s – IF YOU DARE
October 22nd, 2010XICHEN
Tour Xichen is an exclusive guided tour to the archaeological site of Chichen Itza that includes an unforgettable tour to Valladolid, a colonial Mexican town surrounded by picturesque, beautiful and captivating corners worth visiting, such as a Mayan Cenote and the ex-Monastery of Saint Bernardino of Siena.
Enjoy a delicious All Inclusive buffet lunch in a typical Mexican restaurant in Valladolid. An exquisite variety of Yucatan’ specialties, as well as the best Mexican and international cuisine.
Tour Xichen All Inclusive to Chichen Itza-Valladolid includes:
- Roundtrip transportation in a deluxe bus with air conditioning (includes pick-up service from your hotel).
- Light gourmet breakfast (baguette, fruit, sweet bun and dessert) during the trip on bus.
- Guided tour at Chichen Itza with certified bilingual guide.
- Visit to the city of Valladolid where you can take a walk to the Calzada de los Frailes street and the San Bernardino ex Convent.
- All Inclusive lunch in Valladolid with an exquisite selection of Yucatecan cuisine, Mexican and international buffets.
- Visit to the Mayan cenote Zaci (the visit will be brief after lunch so swimming is not recommended).
- Unlimited drinks on bus (soft drinks, juices, coffee, bottled water and beer) and refreshing facial towels during tour.
Chichen Itza in Mexico which means “at the mouth of the well of the Itza” in Maya, is the most important archaeological site of the Mayan culture in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Chichen Itza was a city founded in the year 525 AD and experienced several stages in its development, as result of cultural fusion with other Mexican groups that conquered the city during its existence. Although its architecture presents variations, its style is unique and impressive. The archaeological site of Chichen Itza features many stone buildings which exhibit very fine architectural styles and some brightly colored interior frescoes.
At the end of the late classic period between the year 600 and 900 AD, Chichen Itza became one of the major political centers of the Mayab region and rose to regional prominence as one of the most powerful Mayan kingdoms of the Yucatan Peninsula. The Maya extended their domain through a unified culture and made Chichen Itza their capital. However, by the year 1,250 AD the city was mysteriously abandoned for reasons yet unknown.
In 1988, the archaeological site of Chichen Itza was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. After a worldwide vote in 2007, it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Valladolid is one of the main tourist attractions of the region due to its cultural and historical heritage, natural cenotes and traditional gastronomy, its colonial style and key location to the most famousarchaeological sites of the Yucatan Peninsula. The city of Valladolid in Mexico was founded in 1543 by the Spanish conqueror Francisco de Montejo, “The Nephew”, on the ancient Mayan city Zaci. Francisco de Montejo carried out the conquest and pacification of the indigenous people of the east and baptized this beautiful town after the city with the same name in Spain.
Valladolid city in Yucatan is renowned by its abundant tropical vegetation and stunning natural sinkholes (also known as cenotes). During the Colonial period, Valladolid became the main trade center of the Yucatan Peninsula and was called by the local population the “Sultana of the East”. Valladolid city has over 65,000 inhabitants and is the third most populated city in the Mexican state of Yucatan, after Merida and Tizimin.
For more information visit http://en.xichen.com.mx/
Riviera Maya Events – Jazz Festival 2010
October 22nd, 2010
Once a sleepy fishing village, the Riviera Maya, celebrating its eighth annual Jazz Festival, is quickly becoming what Conde Nast deemed “Mexico’s most fashionable getaway.” Nestled between the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea and emerald jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula, the Riviera Maya is proud to announce an acclaimed line-up of internationally-renowned jazz musicians at the highly-anticipated 2010 Jazz Festival to be held November 25-28.
Drawing more than 50,000 visitors to the Riviera Maya last year, the Festival has showcased acclaimed jazz artists such as Herbie Hancock, Kool and the Gang, Gino Vanelli, Pat Martino, Sergio Mendes, The Tower of Power, Fourplay and George Benson, among others, while also giving local jazz musicians the opportunity to display their talents. The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival is free and open to the public, allowing residents and visitors alike to easily partake in this unforgettable experience.
“With white sand beaches, an ideal climate and the warmth of the local people, the Riviera Maya provides the perfect setting for this inspired Festival,” states Javier Aranda, general director of the Riviera Maya Destination Marketing Office. “The opportunity to sit on the beach, under the twinkling stars while listening to a mixed genre of jazz is sure to turn a good evening in the Riviera Maya into a truly unforgettable one.”
During the four day festival, concerts will begin in the evening around 7 p.m., allowing attendees to explore Riviera Maya during the day. In addition to enjoying the sun at the stunning beaches, festival attendees can peruse local boutiques, restaurants, shops and clubs on Playa del Carmen’s 5th Avenue, tour notable Mayan architectural sites such as Tulum and Coba, snorkel and dive at the world’s second largest barrier reef, The Great Maya Barrier Reef, explore underground caverns and ponds, ride ATVs along the coast or zip line atop the canopy of the jungle.
Mamitas Beach Club is one of Playa del Carmen’s most popular spots for lounging and relaxing just steps from the Caribbean Ocean. It is also home to the renowned Riviera Maya Jazz Festival.
Full Jazz Festival lineup and artist info, visit www.rivieramayajazzfestival.com.
November 25
November 26
November 27
November 28
RIVIERA MAYA EVENTS – MEXICO BICENTENARIO
September 22nd, 2010
On the night of September 15th, Mexicans all over the world united to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mexican Independence. This date commemorates the famous “grito” or shout for Independence by Father Miguel Hidalgo in the tiny town of Dolores, Guanajuato. His battle cry kickstarted the long battle against Spain that would last for another 11 years. Every year on this night, the President of Mexico rings the bell just as Father Miguel rang the bells of his church. After honoring the heroes of independence he, along with all Mexicans, cry out the patriotic declaration of “Viva Mexico”. The celebrations last into the next day, the 16th, which is officially recognized as Independence Day in Mexico.
Here in the Riviera Maya, foreign tourists joined in the celebration along with all the festive locals. All hotels, restaurants, and bars were decorated in the traditional Mexican colors of Red, White and Green. Playa del Carmen was in its usual festive mood and everywhere you went people were celebrating with friends and family. This is definitely one of the more popular holidays in Mexico and it’s provides a good reason to visit at this time of the year.
Here is to 200 more years of shouting “Viva Mexico (cabrones)”!
RIVIERA MAYA MUST DO’S – IF YOU DARE
September 21st, 2010SKY DIVE IN PARADISE
For the adrenaline lovers!
There is World famous Underwater Diving in Playa Del Carmen and then there is Sky Diving.
The parachutes used at Skydive Playa are ram-air canopies and are rectangular in shape. They actually glide through the air like an airplane wing, allowing even the novice jumper to make a soft, stand-up landing. But don’t think you’ll be flying alone. The staff at Skydive Playa is fully trained and licensed by the United States Parachute Association (USPA). Each of your jumpmasters has years of experience and is dedicated not only to training but also to skydiving demonstration and competition. The staff at Skydive Playa holds a National Championship Recognition. They’ll train you for the jump and then accompany you on a flight over Playa del Carmen.
TO REMEMBER: Your first jump and to show your friends, we can provide video and still photography from training to freefall to landing.
Skydive Playa del Carmen
Has been enjoying human flight for more than 20 years. During that time, advances in equipment and training have made it safer and easier for more people to enjoy the world’s most exciting sport.
TANDEM JUMP
This is one of the most popular skydiving programs. This jump includes a 45 second freefall, and an 8 minute canopy ride while you’re actually attached to your jumpmaster. This is a unique way to experience your first skydive.
TRAINING: For a Tandem jump is only about 20 minutes.
JUMPING: While attached to your jumpmaster, you will exit the plane from 10,000 feet. After a 45 second freefall, you and your instructor will be suspended in a dual harness below an oversized ram-air canopy.
While under canopy, the instructor will assist you in guiding the canopy to a soft, on-target landing.
For more information visit http://www.skydive.com.mx
RIVIERA MAYA GOURMET – OUR MONTHS CHOICE
September 21st, 2010
LA AZOTEA – By El Punto
Something was missing in the unique panorama of Playa del Carmen. This cosmopolitan tourist trap for visitors worldwide and of all generations is a point of attraction not only due to the history surrounding the Mayan ruins, but also for its gorgeous beaches. Playa del Carmen was missing the spirit of LA AZOTEA.
Contemporary, minimalist and distinguished, LA AZOTEA Bar & Tapas, has become THE place to share extraordinary experiences. Always accompanied by the most spectacular view of the ocean, the best selection of music and an attentive staff who make sure our clients are never in need.
Service is the motto at LA AZOTEA.
We are certain you will love our restaurant bar that serves Spanish delicacies with a Mexican edge in an energetic and centrally located environment.
How to arrive to EL PUNTO Hotel from Cancun International Airport. Total distance is approximately 68km.
After exiting the airport, take the right lane towards Carretera Federal where there is a sign indicating “Playa del Carmen 68km”. It will take you approximately 40 to 45 minutes to get to Playa del Carmen. Upon arrival you must turn left on Av. Constituyentes. You must continue straight until 15th Avenue, where you will turn right. Then continue until 8th street and turn left. Remain on this street until you come upon 5th Avenue (Quinta Avenida), where you will find EL PUNTO Hotel.