Exploring Xplor in the Riviera Maya
Via Xplor’s website
If you ever happen to be in the scenic area of the Riviera Maya and fancied an exhilarating and potentially nerve-wracking day out, then look no further than Xplor. Oh, and if you’re into caves, it has that too. Loads of them! It's an adrenaline junkie/cave enthusiast's dream experience day in Mexico and I definitely came out more of a cave lover than when I walked in. On risk of being too cave-heavy, let’s Xplor some of the activities you can get up to at Xplor. Get it? Yep, you get it...
Zipline Time
Thrill seekers, dare-devils, unwilling participants dragged along by your family, you need to check out the Ziplining for a rush of adrenaline! Not only is Xplor the most visited Zipline park in the World, it's also packed to the brim with them! So, gear up in your harness and get ready for two circuits of seven different ziplines, getting higher each time. They also have two water landings to cool you off from the Mexican sun, and their highest zipline is a whopping 45 metres high! When you arrive at this one, you might be the fearless type and jump off the ledge with no hesitation like a modern-day George in the Jungle. Or, you may whimper on the side and hold everyone up while you make excuses that 'the harness isn't on right' (me). Either way, flying through the air gives you the best view of the amazing landscape over the Playa Del Carmen jungle and the Mexican sea.
Drive To Survive
If your favourite part of the Jurassic Park trilogy was those super cool jeeps being chased by a T-Rex, then you can emulate half of that experience at Xplor with their Jungle Tour! While any sign of a T-Rex was somewhat evasive, Xplor offers an amphibious vehicle to drive through the jungle and the flooded caves. Whether you have a license or not (which I think adds a sense of devil-may-care to the experience), you can drive all the way through the bumpy tracks, splash through deep waters, and almost nearly drive off a bridge to the alert of your significant other. Joking, it’s perfectly safe...So, if you're after a rough and exhilarating jeep experience, I'd definitely recommend this activity. You'll just have to manifest the T-Rex.
Raft The Day Away
If you want to see more of the breath-taking caves (and they really are), try your hand at paddling through the cavern on one of the underground rafts. Either team up with your bestie, parent or your lady love, and work together to turn those sharp corners and flowing waters. Or, be left adrift by your significant other like I did and forced to navigate the raft singlehandedly. You ultimately find out your hand-eye coordination is not as flawless as you thought it was. There are two routes; one longer and one shorter. You can challenge yourself to a lengthier journey if you so please and get lost in your thoughts through the caves. You also get to use your hands as paddles, so tap into your inner cave man and splash helplessly at the water as you try to attempt a three-point turn. And get the whole ordeal on camera. It's great fun, I'd highly recommend!
Swim With Stalactites
If what you're after is a leisurely and beautiful swim, then the river swim activity through caves full of stalactites is the go-to activity for you. The river is crystal clear and the darkened cave atmosphere makes for a relaxing, almost spa-like experience. Xplor also offer the Underground Expedition, a hike through the peaceful ancient caves and also down fun waterslides in the river. It’s the best of both worlds! Swim under the stalactites and hope one of them doesn't snap and fall, putting a brutal end to your holiday. Not really! These icicle-shaped formations have been hanging around for literally 65 million years, so they're not about to snap any time soon. We can hope...They’ve been produced by precipitation of minerals from the water dripping through the cave ceiling. It’s pretty cool to see them as you’re taking a leisurely swim (a lot better than your local leisure centre I’m sure).
Hammock Splash
If you're just not feeling the colossal zip lines, you can always try out the Hammock Splash which is much smaller at only 4 metres. Get cosy in a hammock and be flung into a cenote (a pit or sinkhole filled with beautiful blue water) to splash away any bad thoughts. A relaxing yet thrilling hybrid, this is a great standalone activity, or it can help gear you up for those higher ziplines you're trembling in your water shoes about. It's great if you've got some little ones with you, as long as they're 1 metre tall of course. So, if you want to dodge this one too and just be a happy spectator, crouch down below this height limit.
Release The Inner Caveman
The caves themselves are a reason to visit Xplor altogether. I wasn't kidding when I said you'll come out a cave enthusiast. The caverns and caves of Xplor are a result of 65 million years of erosion. They form the wonderful caves you can see today, and it's all thanks to the meteorites that killed off the dinosaurs. They make sure to zone in on the dinosaur aspect, and to my delight (and hopefully yours), figurines of dinosaurs were dotted around the park. What's not to like?! Aside from these, the caves feature waterfalls, streams, and flowing rivers at every turn. So even if you're not into the more daring activities, there's plenty of beautiful and relaxing things to do in the caves to inspire you with awe.
Digging the Dino’s
Xplor and Chill
If you're just not into activities at all and are more the Xplor and Chill type of guy, then don't fret! There are many rest areas dotted around, including a stall offering free oatmeal cookies, fruit and the best smoothies going. I’d recommend visiting Xplor just for the smoothies alone. They also have the biggest buffet lunch you can ever want with every food known to man. So, if you just want to sit about in the Sun gorging yourself on meat, pasta and cakes, there's plenty for you! They also have relaxing hammocks to doze off in, WIFI and shops if that's what you desire. All the makings of a relaxing day out while the rest of your group swings through the trees.
Overall, I'd 100% recommend visiting Xplor. It has all the makings of an amazing day out! It’s fun filled, amazing to look at and delicious in all the right ways. To top it off, there's also a huge red beating heart inside the cave. So, if you get lost, just follow your heart to find your way. Too cheesy? Definitely. They also have a new ride called Toboganxote coming soon, the only 5-in-1 waterslide in the World! Yep, I'll definitely be going back. I hope to see you there. I'll be the one screaming bloody murder across the ziplines but loving every second. If you want to check it out, click on the link below.
