रियो सेक्रेटो प्राकृतिक रिज़र्व और लंच टूर

हे भगवान। मैं यहाँ 4 बार आ चुका हूँ। सभी 4 बार शानदार और अनोखे रहे हैं, लेकिन इस बार सबसे अच्छा रहा है। टिकट बूथ से लेकर रिसेप्शन तक, (अविश्वसनीय रूप से स्वागत करने वाला रिसेप्शन) और सबसे अच्छी गाइड (डायना) तक, मैं जितनी बार भी यहाँ आया हूँ, इसने कभी निराश नहीं किया, लेकिन इस बार असाधारण था। मुझे यह जगह बहुत पसंद है और मैं जितनी बार हो सके उतनी बार अकेले और दोस्तों के साथ वापस आता रहूँगा। मेक्सिको में मेरी पसंदीदा पर्यटन स्थल। एक पर्यटन स्थल होने के बावजूद, वे आपके साथ एक अनमोल मेहमान/परिवार के सदस्य जैसा व्यवहार करते हैं। मैं बार-बार वापस आऊँगा।

Highlight of my trip so far. Wonderful guide (Naomi!), I loved how respectfully she introduced us to Mayan culture. There's a tiny bit of floating/ swimming involved, but even non-swimmers like me managed it (life jackets provided, along with all equipment). Book with transport to and from location if possible, but there are colectivos available from Playa del Carmen a few blocks away from the ADO terminal. Getting back is a tad tougher since you have to cross the busy highway and flag a colectivo down (I hitched a ride from some super-kind people in the group). No photos because phones and cameras not allowed. A designated photographer takes pics that are sold to you after the trip is over. Love the ixtabentun shot after as a reward!

The excursion itself was beautiful and fun, but unfortunately the overall experience was disappointing. The company bans phones/photos to push their own overpriced photographer package, and none of the photos were worth buying. It really takes away from the experience when you can’t capture your own memories. What frustrated me most was the inconsistency in how the rules were enforced. I was scolded for attempting to take a photo, yet other guests touched cave sediment and trees, despite clear no-touch environmental rules and though the guide reminded them of the no touching rule, she ultimately laughed it off on 2 different occasions after my photo attempt (which was while we were waiting stationary for the group so there was no safety issue). It made the “protection” policies feel more focused on their photo business than actual environmental preservation. The natural beauty of the excursion was incredible, but the overall experience and company practices left a negative impression.