lush gardens. The hotel has 96 guest rooms, all with private balconies. Guests will enjoy the resort’s outstanding amenities and services, such as a Jack Nicklaus–designed 18-hole golf course, world-class Brio Spa, gourmet restau- rants, and a 24-hour swimming pool. Similarly lush landscaping graces the Gran
Bahía Príncipe Sian Ka’an Condo Hotel, which debuted in September. Located 15 minutes north of Tulum and only 90 minutes from Cancun International Airport, the 100-suite hotel — part of the Bahia Principe Riviera Maya urban development — offers a wide range of amenities, including a business center, golf club, spa, beach club, restaurants, gym, and tennis courts. Guests also have access to all services offered at the all-inclusive Gran Bahia Principe Riviera Maya, a sister property.
New attractions Of course, hotels aren’t the only focus of devel- opment in the Riviera Maya. New and enhanced attractions also continue to make their mark, giving meeting attendees an even more varied roster of leisure activities from which to choose. Golf aficionados will want to test their game at the new Bahia Principe Riviera Maya Golf Club, designed by renowned course architect Robert Trent Jones II. The last nine holes of the 18-hole course began welcoming golfers in February 2010. In addition to golf, the Bahia Principe Riviera Golf Club offers swimming pools, a spa, a pro shop, restaurants, and bars.
For a different type of excitement, there’s
Xplor Eco-Park, where visitors can drive through the jungle and underground caves in amphibious vehicles; swim or paddle in a raft through spectacular caves, among impres- sive stalactites and stalagmites; or fly over the jungle on the park’s 14 zip-lines and two hang- ing bridges. An all-inclusive entrance fee covers equipment, a buffet lunch, and much more. Xcaret, another of the Riviera Maya’s
eco-parks, has added several programs and features. Visitors who want to learn about the relationship and interaction between mother dolphins and their young can take advantage of the new “Swim With the Dolphins” activity, while shark-lovers can swim with, feed, and pet gentle nurse sharks in an interactive “Swimming With Sharks” program in a protected lagoon. The eco-park’s beautiful Capilla de la Virgen de Guadalupe chapel, which commemorates
Invigorating beach activities
also giving them the op- portunity to meet with present-day Mayans, sample authentic Mayan cuisine, see how tradi- tional arts and crafts are made, and more. The Riviera Maya
Thrilling pursuits in breathtaking settings
teems with so many adventure activities that adrenaline junkies will never be bored. The Great Meso-American Barrier Reef is the hemi- sphere’s largest, with a plethora of marine life. Visitors can view this marine life by scuba div-
ing or snorkeling. Other popular water activities include kite-surfing, sailing, water skiing, catamaran cruises, para- sailing, and jet-skiing. On land, adven-
ture enthusiasts can get a thrill from flying over the canopy of the Yucatan Jungle on zip-lines. Xplor, Hidden Worlds, and Xel-Ha all have amazing zip-lines; some are “splash-lines” that culminate with a refreshing dip into crystal-clear cenotes