You'll Love the Yucatan

Best Things Nearby:
Xcaret/Xel-ha Biopark

Best Things About the Resort:
Everything you need (or want) is readily available on the property! The resort is well-organized and makes everything easy, including local transportation and planning last-minute excursions.

Resort Experience:
The Catalonia Riviera Maya (formerly the Chameleon Marival Puerto Aventuras) gave us the best vacation ever. Located within the Yucatan Peninsula right across from Cozumel, this all-inclusive resort not only met our expectations, but exceeded them entirely!

The lush property is absolutely beautiful. As our hotel shuttle pulled up to the open-air lobby, all the stress from my wedding and traveling melted away. After we checked in, we followed the walkway into the heart of the property and became surrounded by palm trees, grassroof huts, and swimming pools—all complemented by the Gulf of Mexico sparkling in the distance. Upon entering our room, we were greeted by festively colored walls adorned with stone-carved masks. Our balcony view overlooked one of 3 swimming pools. Exhausted, we flopped onto our king-sized bed and turned on the TV. Much to our surprise, we were greeted with The Simpsons—in English! We were elated. After a nice siesta, the pool's beckoning was impossible to ignore. We threw on our swimsuits and jumped in. The first pool is terrific—it offers a swim-up bar! Of course all drinks are complementary, and a wide variety of non-alcoholic beverages are available (and very tasty!) As we soaked in the sun and beverages, we watched a nearby cocktail-making class. There are many activities available near the pools, such as cocktail making, dance lessons, and my personal favorite, ceramic painting. For a small fee, you can sit in the shade (or sun!) and paint Mexican ceramic pieces. That evening, your piece will be embellished with fine festive detail, and glazed with a clearcoat to make it supershiney! All these activities had us working up a huge appetite, and what better to qualm our needs than an all-you-can-eat buffet! The open-air dining area is a come-as-you-are setting that catches the ocean breeze just right. Both authentic Mexican and American fare are available, as well as wines, cocktails, and domestic beers. In the morning, the same buffet will awaken your senses with made-to-order omelettes, the freshest fruits you'll ever eat, and the best coffee south of the border. After breakfast, we got ready for one of many excursions. Signing up for one couldn't get any easier. A travel representative sits at a table in the lobby with books and pamphlets of all the tours available. All you have to do is hand over the cash, write your name on the line, and hop on the bus the next morning! Simple as grapes to wine.

If adventuring isn't your thing, there are plenty of beach loungers available to relax in. I chose the beachfront location, but after seeing more topless women than I was accustomed to (or comfortable with), I decided to go for the "more conservative" poolside locations. It was just as fabulous. I sat back and let the Mexican sun lull me into paradise...

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Excellent

Perched atop one of the Catalonia Riviera Maya resort buildings rests Los Alebrijes restaurant—an elegant and romantic place to wine and dine.

Our mistake was making reservations too late (reservations are required) and so we settled for dining at Los Alebrijes on the very last night of our stay. But it was worth the wait!

As we arrived, the uber-romantic tone was set as a wedding party was congregated just outside the entrance. The new bride and groom looked so happy, and made me reflect upon my own nuptials that we had spoken just a week earlier. Happy and hungry, my new husband and I stepped hand in hand into Los Alebrijes.

The decor of the restaurant was truly unique. It had large metallic star-shaped sculptures hanging from the ceilings, which doubled as lighting fixtures. Among these large twinkling stars hung a giant dragon, reminiscent of the Chinese dragons abundant during the new year. With the soft lighting, the soft music, and my husband and I both dressed to the nines, it was hard not to feel sentimental. The only thing that surpassed this emotion was hunger. Our entrees arrived, mocking us and daring us to attempt to eat it all. I was unsuccessful. But not due to culinary dissatisfaction. Only lack of stomach capacity. I was, however, successful in making the server chuckle a bit—as he had caught wind of the fact that I am a big fan of all that is spicy. And to my table was brought a small dish of habenero peppers—supposedly the hottest pepper Mexico has to offer. After consuming about half of one, my tongue went numb, my beverage glass was emptied, but I could not stop eating them. Luckily for me, the server returned with our dessert and took away the habaneros. Sherbet and lemon meringues were exactly what my burning tongue needed. After we stuffed ourselves silly, we rolled back to the hotel room and wistfully drifted into a triptophan-induced sleep.

During our trip to the Yucatan Peninsula, we adventured into the jungles once inhabited by Mayans. Here we saw an ancient Mayan sports arena as well as a handful of temples. Soon enough, we hopped on bikes (included in the tour price) and pedaled our way deeper into the jungle, where even larger adventures awaited us! It was hot and humid, but the sweat was worth it. We climbed a giant Mayan Temple (the tallest in the Yucatan!) and got a great view of the peninsula. (Not recommended for small children or those afraid of heights.) The tiny and uneven stairs were steep, and the flimsy rope for support was of no consolation. But once I had made it to the top, I felt like I had indeed conquered a mountain!

Next on our Mayan to-do list was descending into an ancient "cenote", or a type of underground well-type cave. But to get there was an adventure in itself! Soon enough, my new husband and I found ourselves harnessed together and suspended about 50 feet above a lake by a zip line. Some small locals gave a good tug on the end of our rope and off we zoomed over the lake, like a pair of conjoined Supermans. How exciting!

After yet another short hike on the other side of the lake, we reached the cenote. Once again I found myself in yet another harness, only I was the one in charge of getting me down to the bottom of this well! The idea freaked me out a bit, but once I understood the instructions, it was fun! In the cool waters below, we floated in donut-style inner tubes until we were given the options to ascend via rope and harness, or tackle the rope ladder! Me being the self-confident fool that I am, believed I could climb up the rope ladder with ease. Boy was I wrong! However, after much mental speculation of quitting and the consideration of what a fall into the water from such a height might do to my body, I struggled on and eventually made it to the top.

After all the hard work of climbing, we were given the opportunity to relax and kayak on a small lake. It was nice to see the wildlife buzzing about us. Eventually the tour guide called us into shore. While we were kayaking, some local Mayans had prepared an authentic Mayan dinner for us! It was superb. Large french-frie like potato wedges and meat was exactly what my empty stomach had wanted.

After an exciting but exhausting day, we piled our weary bodies back onto the shuttle and smiled as we dozed off in the back of the van...

Hop on a shuttle into Playa Del Carmen and you'll be greeted by a rainbow of ethnic wares! The beauty of Mexican shopping is that you can bargain to get the lowest prices! (Many retailers actually set their prices high, expecting you to bargain.) Be sure to look around at ALL the shops BEFORE you purchase anything—you'll be surprised at just how inexpensive many of the items can be! Playa del Carmen shops offer many handcrafted blankets, hats, clothes, and other accessories to the ethnically-inspired buyer. I came away with a warm and cozy blanket, made with vibrant colors, for a mere $7.

Surprisingly, we discovered that many foreigners have moved to Playa and set up shop there. We met a shop owner from Canada, and another one from France! Both offered unique wares that I've never seen anywhere else. We even found an Internet cafe, where we emailed our families and let them know what a great time we were having!

Playa del Carmen offers enough shopping to last you all day, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes!

Perhaps one of the most unforgettable experiences you could ever have is waiting for you in the Yucatan Peninsula!

As part of a wedding gift to me, my husband signed us up for a trip to the nearby water park—with 2 tickets to swim some of its local residents—bottlenose dolphins!

The weather was a bit rainy and the water was a little cold, but it didn't matter. I was too excited to care. After we zoomed down a few water slides, we made our way to the back of the park, where our new friends awaited us. Some marine biologists gave us some interesting info on the flippered fellows and then divided us into small groups of 5 people. And then, off into the water we went! It didn't take long for the curious dolphins to see who had come to visit! They circled around us and did a few tricks. And then came the best part, photo ops! Each person in the group received a kiss from each dolphin at the same time! (Surprisingly, their "beaks" are pretty hard and it kinda hurt! But it was worth it!) As I grinned for the cameras, I was imagining just how jealous everyone back at home will be when they see this picture! After everyone got their dolphin kisses, it was time for the dolphin RIDES! After receiving instructions, I found myself face down in the water. Quickly, the two dolphins came up behind me and used their beaks to push the bottoms of my feet! They pushed me so fast I was almost standing completely upright in the water! The pictures make me look like Poseidon surfacing in a majestic wake! It was awesome.

All too soon, however, the dolphins waved their goodbyes, and off they swam. We climbed out of the water with huge grins. It was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.