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In center of the U is a "jungle" replete with a variety of animals(pheasants, iguanas, roosters, chickens, flamingos, and a family of monkeys). There is a concrete/stone path that weaves thru from the pool area to the buffet/entertainment area. We never minded taking a stroll thru to get to other locations in the resort, because we never knew what we would come across. It was even more enchanting in the evening. The pool is located in front of the jungle and is quite large, surrounded by foliage and palapas. Getting a lounger around the pool can be a bit of a challenge--no big deal for us; we just took the short walk to the beautiful warm waters of the Caribbean and found a chair on the beach. The lobby, buffet restaurants, entertainment area, etc. were all open air and marble lined.

The rooms were found in several 3 story building set on the perimeter of the property.Our room was quite nice, and slightly larger than an average sized room. It had A/C, TV, two double beds, and a "couch" that could be used as an additional bed, etc. Even the balcony was marble lined. All the rooms contain a small refrigerator(doesn''t work too well) that is stocked daily with cerveza(beer), coke, diet coke, orange soda and of course bottled water. On the Tucan side, building #10 is oceanfront and comes at a premium, building #11(where we were) #12(good location, but not a great view), #13 and #14 are all in good locations-close to the pool and progressively futher from the beach.

The food was good, but nothing impressive. There was a great variety. For a seven day stay you may make reservations at one of the property restaurants(Mexican, Italian and Steakhouse. Our kids loved getting their own pina coladas, strawberry daquiris, and ice cream cones whenever they desired. Waitresses did bring drinks while we were lounging on the beach (does it get any better than that?).The staff was friendly and accommodating. The international mix of guests added to the charm of the resort. The beach was two levels, which added a bit of intimacy to a rather large resort.

A short stroll down the beach, just past the resort next door, you can find a great little place to snorkel.The beach is very angled so you can get a bit of a workout getting there.

All in all this was really a great place to stay and if you like-it is in a great location for exploring the Yucatan Penisula.

My research definitely paid off with this find! We brought a "folding" cooler from home,stocked it with drinks and ice from the resort we stayed at,added a few bagged snacks and we were set! We paid the $6 'admission at the parking lot. The good news was that there were bathrooms(bring your own toilet paper, none was to be seen). We took the short path thru some plantings and rocks and found our own little spot on the rocks. It was even partially shaded. We arrived on the early side so as to miss any bus tours that may have stopped here.

The water was a magnificent color of blue and totally calm at the innermost location(which is where we started from). It is rocky close the water,perfect for the fish, but not quite as good for you feet. Just proceed slowly and all will be fine. This was very easy for the kids-just jump off the large rocks and immediate sightings of some beautiful fish. You will be more successful at locating schools of fish if you stay near the rocks. Once we felt comfortable here we were ready to move on towards the ocean. The center part of the lagoon was mostly sand and not a fish to be seen....but .....we did see and follow a young sea turtle, until he "lost" us. How exciting!! As we continued towards the ocean, the sea life became more and more interesting: coral, fans and sea urchins. With this came a much stronger current and deeper water. The kids were scared off after a strong warning about the dangers of the beautiful sea urchins and the difficulty with the rougher water... however my husband continued for a bit and was rewarded with seeing a very large sea turtle...we only saw the pictures... good thing he had proof.

There were no crowds here....although more people came as the time progressed. My daughters even became friendly with a boy who was visiting his family. You can easily spend a day in this area-between the snorkeling in the lagoon and the gorgeous beach at Akumal(we didn't have time to do this, but we heard great things about it). We were off to our next destination... a cenote... a what? ...that's cenote (see no teh)...another unforgettable memory!

We somehow were able to communicate enough to pay our 'entrance fee'. We had a little hike through a wooded trail. On the way we passed some locals homes (a good lesson for our children), better known here as shacks. It was a bit uncomfortable, but we felt safe. When we arrived to the clearing, the sight was not something we have seen before. Now it wasn't dramatic, but unique nonetheless. We all stood around just taking in the sight, not quite sure what to do next. A young couple found their way there too. The water was amazingly crystal clear- you could easily see the small fish swimming and the large rocks below. The water was refreshingly cool, especially considering the summer heat. Then my youngest daughter said, "What are we all standing around for? Let's jump in!" Well, the rest is history. The water was beautiful and clean. Another couple came and 'played' in the adjoining section. They demonstrated what the ladders up against the rocks were used for--to climb up to the top and jump in...crazy!! What great fun we had!