Kantun-Chi Eco Park - Review

I have been to Mexico several times. I have visited the Riviera Maya numerous times and have enjoyed eco parks, cenotes and wildlife. I've done a ton of excursions and felt like I had "done it all."

This last trip was different though. I was taking my son with me for the first time. Things were different. Excursions that I enjoyed on my own or with my friends were not as family-friendly. I love going to cenotes (sinkholes filled with water which are either open, partially underground or fully underground and cave-like).

The cenote tour I did 2 years ago was fun. I got to zipline into a cenote, kayak, jump, rappel down and more into 5 different cenotes. The problem was, this was an all-day tour that required getting into a bus early in the morning and driving (on very rough roads) to reach each of the cenotes. I knew my 11 year old son would have a hard time on an excursion this long and would likely get bored on the bus in between the action. I also wasn't sure how he would do on the more adventurous options.

I was introduced to Kantun-Chi by Alex Martinez, who told me about the beautiful property he worked at and how it was great for families. I decided to visit with my son last month and I'm so glad I did. My friend and her 11 year old son joined us.

The first thing I noticed about this place was the unspoiled beauty. I truly felt surrounded by nature and it was clear that this was not anything like the crowded commercial eco parks in the riviera maya. It felt private, secluded and peaceful.

We made our way to gear up (everything is provided) and went to our first cenote. The boys were amazed at the rock formations and the bats flying around. We all jumped in and it was refreshing to say the least!

The next cenote was just a walk down a path. This was one of my favorite things about Kantun-Chi. They have all of the cenotes and an underground river on the same property. There is no bus ride to take you to each one. It's all there and easy to access.

The kids were thrilled to see another cenote that looked so different from the first one. They were eager to get in and snorkel.

The favorite was the cenote where they got to jump in. This was a chance for the boys to show how brave they were! It's about 4 meters high and into a beautiful cenote surrounded by trees with roots coming up all around. Luis, our guide was encouraging the fun the whole time. He was also very passionate and knowledgeable which made the whole experience incredible.


The underground river was just amazing. The experience was a combination of swimming, crawling and walking through this underground world with formations that were a million years old. It was truly unique and memorable.

Lunch was really unexpected. I was thinking that it would be a very causal meal, like a picnic. I was wrong! The food was amazing and had plating that mimicked an 5 star resort instead of an eco park. It was such a unique experience to be one with nature and then dine outside surrounded by beauty with food that was top-notch.

We had limited time so we only spent about 3 hours there. However, they give the option to stay longer and explore the cenotes on your own after the tour, or relax in the hammocks. Next time I will plan to spend more time there.

This place is not only great for families but the environment is so romantic it could be perfect for proposals or even weddings.

For booking information contact me or visit http://www.kantunchi.com/

Tour Review - Xenotes Tour Cancun Mexico

I first experienced a cenote last June when I stayed at Sandos Caracol in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The resort conveniently has one of these natural sink holes on site and allows guests to swim and explore it. I found it intriguing and refreshing and when I returned to Mexico in September I decided to check out some more of the Yucatan cenotes.

A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. There are several different types of cenotes. I was able to experience an open cenote, cave cenote and semi open cenote on this tour.

The Xenotes Tour bus arrived at my hotel right on time at 9:00 am. The driver, and our tour guide, Ismael, came out to greet me and my traveling companion. He was friendly and enthusiastic and I could tell that this would be a fun experience.

There were already a few people in the bus and we headed out to pick up a few more. In total we had about 15 people in our group. Ismael named us "The Iguanas" and gave us a quick overview of the day ahead in both English and Spanish.

The bus was air-conditioned and comfortable, until the "Mayan Massage" began. It sounds delightful, but is actually what our guide called the constant and intense bumps we experienced on the back roads that led to the cenotes.  Anyone with back problems or issues with a very rough and bumpy ride would find this quite unpleasant.

As we approached the first cenote, K'áak´, I saw a zip line that ran across. I immediately got excited and wanted to get in. Ismael, and our photographer, Jamie, took us to a shelter area with restrooms, showers and some picnic tables. Its important not to disturb the natural waters so we were all instructed to shower in order to remove any bug sprays, sunscreens, soaps and shampoo residue before getting in.

Next we grabbed our life jackets and formed a circle. It was time to ask the Alux for permission to enter the sacred waters. Once our chant was finished we lined up and took turns zip lining and dropping into the green water of this open cenote. The water was cool and refreshing and after the initial jump I allowed myself to just float quietly and take in my surroundings.

When we got out of the water we were treated to coffee, teas, fruit and snacks before heading to our next stop, the cave cenote guarded by Lu'um. This was bar far the most enchanting. When we arrived we were fitted with our rappelling gear, which included a harness and helmet before climbing up a steep set of stairs to a wooden platform built around the trees.























We were attached to our ropes and led down into the cave. The water here was the coldest. It was also the most beautiful. The water was a deep blue and there was a small amount of sunlight that shone in through the top. To my delight there were bats all over the walls, and there were tree roots that extended from the opening of the cenote all the way down into the water. It was incredible to be immersed in something so natural.

The next cenote was open and river-like. We all got into kayaks and floated down the water, surrounded by high rock formations. It was calm and peaceful. We followed that with snorkeling in another section of the cenote. There's not much to see in the water, but it was still a fun experience.

Lunch was great. As a vegetarian I was a little limited, but there was salad, a vegetable mix, bread and cheese. There was also lunch meat, soup and pasta salad. Wine and beer was provided, along with bottled water.

The final cenote was Lik, the wind cenote. This had two different options for zip lining. You could hang from a bar or use the sling. There was also a fantastic cliff that we were able to jump from into the water (That was my favorite).

This was an incredible introduction to several different types of cenotes in Mexico. I highly recommend the company, Xenotes Oasis Maya. The tour guides were professional and entertaining and I felt completely safe the entire time.

Interested in booking this tour? Visit LoveLandandSea.com for more information.

Table For One

Solo Travel - Part 1 


I’ve never been the type of person who was comfortable going out solo. Sure, I liked my alone time and had no issues running errands alone, shopping or just spending a quiet evening at home.  But eating at a restaurant by myself, seeing a movie and certainly traveling alone was out of my comfort zone.
I often felt envious of the people who had the confidence to travel alone and I couldn’t have imagined becoming one of those people. In late June this year everything changed.

I received an email about a travel agent opportunity in Mexico. It involved touring three resorts and meeting several contacts at a popular resort chain that I have sent many clients to. It was the perfect opportunity to increase my knowledge, meet face-to-face with the hotel staff and see the new accommodations that one of the resorts recently built.

This was an agent-only trip, which meant no guests allowed. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity so I pushed past my comfort zone and confirmed my participation.

I had some concerns about traveling alone which I think anyone would have. I knew that I needed to be aware of my surroundings at all times. I made sure not to flash money and I didn’t wear expensive jewelry. I learned as much Spanish as I could in the month that I had to prepare and made sure that my transportation and accommodations were pre-arranged and confirmed. 

My stomach filled with butterflies as I wheeled my luggage through the automatic doors of the CVG Airport and down the hall to the Frontier counter. I waited a short time for my turn, then answered matter-of-factly when the agent asked, “Is it just you?”

After checking my luggage it was time for the security line. There’s nothing pleasant about airport security but the process was fast and I didn’t have to wait around for a traveling companion. 

I always arrive to the airport early. I would much rather spend extra time relaxing and reading than panicking and running to the gate. So, just as any other trip, I had a lot of time to spare. I went to Starbucks and ordered a latte, and leisurely walked down to my gate.

When I got there I plugged in my phone to charge and started reading one of the travel magazines I brought with me. There was a group of young travelers nearby and I couldn’t help but overhear their conversations. They were likely in their early twenties and they were all wearing matching T-shirts announcing their “Cancun Summer Vacation 2015.”


Right before boarding I witnessed this group attempting to use a selfie-stick to take a group photo. Even with the stick fully extended they still couldn’t quite fit the whole bunch into the frame so I offered to snap a few photos. As we all boarded the plane together I felt like a temporary member of the “Cancun Summer Vacation 2015 group.”

I love direct flights. Three hours later we were in Cancun. It was sunny and 80 degrees. The airport is was easy to navigate and since we arrived so early in the day it was not yet crowded. I waited a short time in the customs line after grabbing my checked luggage. I was one of the lucky ones and they pulled my bag aside to go through it by hand. Having it organized and having my smaller items all in clear plastic bags was extremely helpful.

Once I got my bag back I headed to the restroom. Typically I would ask my traveling partner to watch my bags while I went in, but this time I was on my own. I fumbled around a bit trying to navigate the small entry way and even smaller amount of space I had to fit my checked bag, carry-on bag and large purse… but I made it work and as strange as it may sound, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I also decided that I should learn to travel lighter. I heeded the sign in at the sink that read, “Water not suitable for drinking,” and opted to use some hand sanitizer after washing my hands just in case.

It was time to meet up with my transfer. I booked with AmStar, www.amstardmc.com  who I highly recommend. I quickly walked past the “Time Share” area of the airport (as I always tell my clients to do) and went straight outside where I found a nice gentleman holding a sign with my name. He called his co-worker over to assist me.

Rafael was a cute twenty-something charmer with a huge smile. He told me not to wait in the transfer line, that he would assist me personally. We talked back and forth and he helped me practice my Spanish for about ten minutes while we waited for my van to come. When the driver came out, Rafael introduced me and sent me on my way, ending our conversation with, “Enjoy Cancun, bonita pelirroja.”

The driver said we had a couple joining us before we headed out to the resort. They arrived a few minutes later and we left the airport. I struck up a friendly conversation with them, learning that they had been on my flight too, were from Cincinnati and their names were Steve and Mary. We had a nice talk and they took my business card to keep in touch after the trip. As we pulled up to my resort, Now Sapphire, it started to sink in. I was in Mexico… alone for the next seven days...

Now Sapphire - Riviera Maya Mexico