Save Eco Destinations

The beach in Tulum, with a hotel or two off to the side

We first arrived at Cancun Airport, got stood up by the shuttle service we had already paid for, freaked out, threw an exhausting tantrum, had a couple of cocktails, and finally found a solution to our dilemma.

But on to the fun stuff.

I am sorry to inform that the only way to reach Tulum from Cancun is via the use of vehicles that run on gasoline, and there is no airport in Tulum (yet). The trip can take between 1.5 and 3+ hours, depending on much you choose to spend (about USD 30 for a 3+ hour ride with transfers or USD 100+ for a comfy drive with AC just 1.5 hrs long).

You can also rent a car – and maybe find a hybrid one! It’s worth finding out if that’s what you would rather do.

Riding a bike would take so long you’d probably collapse from the heat and dehydration before getting anywhere. If it gets unbearable just standing beneath the morning sun, imagine what it would be like riding a bike with luggage on your back and for hours on end. And it’s not like the road between Cancun and Tulum is picturesque either – it’s very green, but nothing to write home about.

On to the green, largely sustainable hotel -

We finally arrived at our eco hotel, which did not provide us with any electricity except a fan in our room during the day and wi-fi (you could charge your computer, just not in your room, as there are no outlets – but believe me when I say that spending the vast majority of my day away from the computer was 100% liberating and relaxing).

Note: I will tell you why the no-electricity factor is nothing to be apprehensive about in my next post.

A little of the romantic magic in Tulum

We had hot and cold water in our room (but we barely used the hot water at all!). We really did not need AC (it was summer there: late August) and must have used the fan once, if that. The ocean breeze was spectacular and all you really need to feel refreshed.

Okay – our hotel was on the coast. If you stay in the town of Tulum, which is 6 km. away from the beach, the breeze will be less potent. All the hotels I could see in the town advertised AC, cable, and so on. But why go there when you can take a break and detox from “civilization”?

Let me tell you: I can’t remember a time I’ve been so intensely relaxed for so many consecutive days.

Tulum is paradise for beach and nature lovers – and history + anthro buffs too, as Mayan ruins abound. And there are activities – plenty of them (more on that in a later post) – but I basically used most of my time sitting by the waves, staring at them for hours, and letting their beauty flow into me as the sound of the crashing waves cleansed me from the inside out.

taken at Isla Mujeres, by Ricardo Carreon

Prices have been slashed by 50-70% in an effort to lure back tourists, many of whom not only did not come after having bought their tickets and reserved their rooms along the coasts of Quintana Roo—which is arguably understandable—but they didn’t even cancel. How rude.

The federal government is giving the tourism industry a hand through a multimillion-dollar campaign worth USD 450 million. They got loans for hotels, cuts in airport and port fees and tax write-offs, the New York Times reports.

And the government should be generous: Mexico’s tourism industry earned USD 13.3 billion last year alone (the worst case scenario is thought to be a USD 5 billion loss for 2009, up to 0.5% off their GDP). Two million people depend on the Mexican Caribbean tourism industry to feed their families. Tourism represents 8% of the country’s economy.

Cozumel by John and Lee

Still, no cruises will stop at Mexico. And even a Royal Caribbean representative admits that “It is not necessarily the risk” It’s more about whether our guests feel comfortable visiting Mexico.” Right! Because Mexico has been stigmatized, which I find unfair. And really, anywhere something this hysterical happens it would be unfair, it’s not a Mexico thing.

And yet the US Govt still says “essential travel only or you’ll get H1N1.” Overreact much? This is why people are in fear—Because people exaggerate!

I’ll let Jon Stewart tell you about it (plz follow the link because I can’t figure out how to embed a video).

The Cancun Hotel Assoc will be working with Mexican travel agents to get more Mexicans back in the area. It’s deserted out there, I hear. Once the global flu threat is dismissed or lifted, the assoc will work with US and other foreign travel agents to attract gringos and everyone else back.

North Hemisphere folks, you will get to swim, sunbathe, relax, hike and party your ass off in Mexico this summer. For cheap. Just skip DF and you’ll have no excuse to freak.

Swine flu’s so last week.

Come on, let me see a smile on that pretty face of yours!

ruins in Acapulco by tourbyvan

P.S. I think this issue gets to me so much because I used to be one of the people who saw or heard something on TV and believed it. Sure, I was a kid back then. But it’s always been disheartening to me to learn that I’ve been duped even if everyone else is too. It’s not cool. It’s crap. It has to stop. And bringing panic to the masses is not only crap but also evil. Not to mention the ulterior motives of selling Tamiflu and all that shit.

P.P.S. I think there’s no more for me to say on this issue, so expect a break. Yay!

A colorful map of QR from seamonkeybusiness.com

Mexico reopened a lot of its archaeological sites and museums to the public yesterday thanks to the authorization of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), said State Tourism Secretary Sara Latife Ruiz. The sites had been closed since April 29.

About time!

Quintana Roo INAH Delegate Adriana Velásquez Morlet said the following have been greenlighted:

• Museum of the Maya Culture in Chetumal
• El Rey and El Meco in Cancún
• San Gervasio and El Cedral in Cozumel
• Tulum and Coba in Riviera Maya
• Chacchoben, Kohunlich, Kinichná, Dzibanché, Oxtankah, Xpuhil and The Fort of San Felipe Bacalar in the south

I hope you’re happy because I’m still getting partly screwed: the Tulum by Night show hasn’t even been given a date for making its comeback.

Chichén Itzá

In Yucatán, Chichén Itzá has reopened. Apparently it’s one of the new 7 wonders of the world. I should check it out.

Speaking of which—how do the forces of the universe (ha) choose what comprises a wonder, why are there new ones, and why still 7 instead of adding to the list? I’m sure there are very boring answers to those questions.

Anyway, after widespread piggy flu P-A-N-I-C throughout Mexico (in vain, I tell you, in vainnn!) most of the Caribbean portion of QR is returning to normal—bars, restaurants, shops (I’m sure the shopaholics reading this have a smile on their faces now, eh?), and other “tourist attractions.”

High schools and universities reopen tomorrow, Thursday 5/7 and the little ones go back to class starting Monday.

Cancun Intl Airport

The Ministry of Health assures the country is fading out of the disease.

Poor Mexico, so stigmatized when the swine flu is really no more dangerous than the regular flu. (Oh, yes—you better expect a whole post on that.)

At least the intl. airport in Cancun (CUN) got 99 flights (arrivals + departures) today alone. Wait for me, CUN, I’ll be there soon!!

“The swine flu be damned!” they said. OK, not really—that’s what I said.

Here’s the deal: federal, state, and municipal authorities have met in Cancun together with the businesses involved in the plan to stop beach erosion in the north of Quintana Roo.  Mexican authorities assured their work will continue.

Beach erosion at Playa del Carmen

The swine flu plus the worldwide economic crisis—and now its exacerbation due to drastic tourism lows because people mistakenly think they have super high chances of catching swine flu and that it is super deadly*—are wreaking havoc in Mexico.

Still, “The swine flu be damned!” I said (see?).  Beach rescue plans in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel will not be stopped, said Rodolfo Elizondo of the Secretary of Tourism (Sectur) and Mauricio Limón, of Environmental and Natural Resources (Semarnat).

Although the project was to begin on June 4, it has been pushed back a month to July. They expect the project to be finished by December, as it’s the most important month in terms of tourism for the Mexican Caribbean.

Why will this project go on? Precisely because of the chaos: Cancun must get itself out of trouble come high tourist season. It has to regain its allure to attract people to Mexico.

The federal government is ponying up MXN 400 million (USD 29 million) and the state govt. MXN 200 million (USD 14 million) plus credits to be solicited by the municipalities.

Ecological issues

The environmental aspects of the project will cost about MXN 900 million (USD 65 million). The authorities are in the process of gathering public opinion.

The regional Environmental Impact Manifestation has been submitted to Environmental Impact Evaluation Proceedings (PEIA) on April 2. PEIA has 60 days to emit a verdict, or longer if it requires additional information to make its decision. Semarnat guaranteed one by mid-June.

The “Cozumel issue”—the original opposition to sand extractions in its bank in Punta Norte—was “resolved” after hotel developer Fernando García Zalvidea got pissy about the repercussions of the continued block on this “indispensable” project for all of Quintana Roo and Mexico.

On the other hand, Limón Aguirre said La Ollita is not an option for a sand extraction source, as it holds less than 50% of the necessary amount of sand required.

More info (in Spanish) here.

Oh, the environment always loses when faced with financial gains to be had at its expense. Is beach erosion something so important to fix, environmentally, that extracting sand from another area and thereby affecting an ecosystem is worth the trouble?

YES, say hotel businessmen. DUH.

Oh, sorry. I should’ve known.

At the same time, if these beaches stop looking like the pamphlets promise they do and tourists start flocking elsewhere, these people, locals, won’t be able to feed their families (most people in Mexico are, of course, not rich).

It is complicated.

But can it only be one way or the other? Can’t there be a middle ground, or a way that both parties can win?

There must be. But it’s not worth the money when you can just extract sand from someplace more convenient, and finish it all in time for high season. At least this time.

* yes, I think the swine flu pandemic is BS. Really, read this article!! Think critically and deconstruct fear.mongering!

Beach erosion in Cancun (pic usurped from Trip Advisor, sorry)

Understandably, since it would cause environmental problems, inhabitants are against sand extraction in their vicinity. So where should the sand come from that is needed to fight beach erosion in Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen?

The Mexican state government has begun analyzing other sources in the area and guarantee they will continue with the “beach rescue project” despite the swine flu, sinking economy, and whatever else. The govt is awaiting the approval (or not) of the regional Environmental Impact Manifestation (MIA) by the Secretary of Environmental and Natural Resources (Semarnat).

State Governor Félix González Canto said last week that “we all have to do our part.” Although the technical and financial aspects of the project are set, “the environmental issue is a legitimate concern.”

There seems to be some real interest in remaining eco-friendly here. You know, to quit pissing so many people off, is my guess.

So, he said, sand will be extracted from across the Cozumel coastline only if Semarnat approves the MIA. Experts are seeking other sand banks among numerous options between Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.

If Semarnat says NO, well, they’re going to try again. Quite optimistically, even if they fail to get Semarnat’s OK, they hope to get the project going by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Cozumel authorities show ambivalence and refrain from taking an official stance of the issue. Awesome.

Oh, and tourists have been complaining about the eroded beaches in the Mexican Caribbean, since, you know, perfect ones show up in the pamphlets…

The mayor of Cozumel, Juan Carlos González, said he understands he needs to speak up but he feels caught between “a sword and the wall.” The locals are against it because they fear it would affect the harvest of pink snails and would make the area more vulnerable to hurricanes.

The area from which the sand would be extracted, moreover, is about to be decreed a Protected Natural Area, which would conflict with the sand extraction project. With the lack of a positive MIA, there is no way to convince the community that no negative effects will be felt.

What do you think? Can a compromise be reached? Does one evil outweigh the other?

UPDATE: 1 May, QR remains swine-flu free.

Happily, although Mexico D.F. and other parts are hosting people infected with the swine flu, Quintana Roo is home safe.

The trouble is that some people must fly through D.F. to get to QR. But, if you’re lucky and can just fly in through Cancún, you’re in the clear. (Still, if you’re in good health and take the proper precautions, even if you fly in through D.F., you should be fine.)

The QR State Secretary of Tourism has announced that the state is swine flu-free. Not a single case has been reported in the area. Beautiful.

Mexico’s Ministry of Health continues to monitor check points at airports, cruise and bus terminals and the more than 77,000 hotel rooms (whoa) operating in QR. Read the full text here.

All schools in Mexico-so in QR as well, are closed. However, I’ve been reading that in Tulum, “people are in the streets as usual, eating beside each other at the open-air food stands, and nobody is wearing masks.” Fabulous.  Speaking of walk-by sights, there is a new park on Avenida Tulum! It used to be a construction site, but now it holds a lively playground.

A few people are, perhaps as expected, canceling reservations in the area, but I’d wager it’s happening a lot more northwest of the Yucatán Peninsula. After all, Mexico is a big place! And the main “scary” part right now is D.F., far off from Tulum and Cancún.

Thus far, the party is on in QR–so if you’ve got reservations, as long as you take your vitamin C tablets, wash your hands thoroughly and often and stay away from sick people, you ought to be just fine. Enjoy the beach!

And just for the record, I am flying in to Quintana Roo through D.F. next week. Damn swine flu isn’t going to ruin my vacation!

Finally, something is going right in the Yucatan! This just in from Cancun:

Cancun has taken another step forward in its commitment to sustainable tourism and offers since June a community network, appropriately called Puerta Verde (Green Door), which will allow visitors to travel with Asociacion Civil Kanche along a route of sea and jungle operated by 14 co-ops comprised of seven Maya communities from the municipality of Lazaro Cardenas. Twenty-three activities are offered, allowing a wide range of combinations: from one-day trips to a complete itinerary of four days and three nights. When visitors travel to Puerta Verde with Kanche, the co-ops are paid directly for their services and a percentage of the earnings are reinvested in projects to improve the natural and cultural wealth of the area.