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Xcaret at Night

By Jo Cooke

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Looking for things to do in Cancun? The sun-soaked Mexican paradise is awash with fun, cultural and adrenaline experiences and happily, in between relaxing on the beach. you can take your pick of them when you pick up a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7-day All-Inclusive Pass, the very best way to make great memories and savings too.

The natural wonderland of Xcaret Park is one of the highlights of the Riviera Maya - breathtaking by day and possibly even more magical by night. Here we guide you through the adventures on offer when you visit Xcaret Park at night including:
• Tropical jungle trails and wildlife
Underground river swimming
• Xcaret Mexico Espectacular show
• The Coral Reef Aquarium, Aviary and Butterfly Pavilion
Your pass also includes admission to the Cancun Scenic Tower

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What to do at Xcaret at night

Whatever the time of day, there’s always something new to discover in this tropical eco-archaeological park of over 50 attractions. Roam the jungle trails and come face to face with jaguar, deer, macaws, stingrays and manatees. Visit the Coral Reef Aquarium (until 6.30PM), the Butterfly Pavilion and the Aviary (until 6.30PM). As the evening golden hour falls, the lush grounds are even more magical, the pristine beaches less crowded, the river swims deliciously cooling and the Mexico Espectacular show not to be missed!
Evening tickets are valid from 4PM to 10.30PM.

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What to take to Xcaret at night

We’d suggest wearing comfortable clothes and shoes to explore the park.
Remember to pack or wear your swimwear and towel. You can put your belongings in a locker or drybag to pick up at the end of your river swim. Maybe take a waterproof camera, phone or phone cover to capture your adventures, though you can also buy images taken at automatic photo points. Snacks, drinks and alcohol are available to buy for the evening show.

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River swimming at Xcaret

Evening tickets are valid from 4PM with river swimming available until 5.30PM so you might want to head there first for this fun and refreshing experience. This part of Mexico is pitted with enticing xenotes (watering holes and underground rivers). Grab your mandatory buoyancy aid to float in the sparkling water, swim through caves, drift under canopies of tropical vegetation, waft through the mangroves and watch exotic birds (and even bats!)

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Children’s World at Xcaret

All ages will be entranced by the shows, wildlife and beautiful surroundings, but there’s still an area especially for those aged 6-12 years, open until 6PM. The Secret Adventure features tunnels, waterslides, hanging bridges, a wading pool, a jet fountain and a sandbox.

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Entertainment at Xcaret

Listen for the drum-beat and follow the aroma of copal (a resin traditionally burned by the Mayan people) to the Mayan village, where pre-Hispanic dances are performed at nightfall. Don’t miss the Horse Exhibition where charros and escaramuzas (Mexican horsemen and women) display their riding and roping skills on magnificent Aztec horses.

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Xcaret Flying men

Los Voladores de Papantlya (Flying Men) will leave you with your jaw on the floor as they fall headfirst from a tall pole and spin by their feet in a time-honoured ritual that is listed by Unesco as an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ (!) Watch as five men climb to the top and one plays a traditional flute and drum in honour of the sun and the four elements. Then gasp as the dancers fall, their long ropes unwinding, spiralling closer and closer to the ground, like exotic birds. There are outdoor shows throughout the day, but in the evening you can watch them fly as part of the Mexico Espectacular show.

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Xcaret Mexico Espectacular show

Take your place in the enormous Gran Tlachco theater for the famous evening extravaganza, featuring over 300 artists re-enacting 500 years of history, folklore and traditions. Watch the arena flicker to life as you light a candle along with the other audience members. Follow the scenes of Mexico’s legendary birth, of encounters between Spaniards and Aztecs and soak up the spectacular costumes, sights, sounds, dancers, musicians, singers, sportsmen and horses from every part of the country.

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Cheer on the teams in the Mayan ballgame, one of the most famous ritual sports, as two teams try to score through a high-up hoop - traditionally with life or death consequences!
Thrill as a ball of fire speeds hazardlously between players’ feet as they thwack it toward the fire-pit goals of Mayan fire hockey.
It’s a long but endlessly engrossing show for all ages, as the performers celebrate Mexico past and present.

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Cancun Scenic Tower

Your Xcaret park wristband also gives you entry to this dizzying viewpoint, found in the Cancun Hotel Zone at El Embarcadero Isla Mujeres by Xcaret, Blvd Kuklucan Km4.

Climb aboard the elevator and be whisked 260ft up to a revolving platform for stunning views of the Caribbean sea. Cameras at the ready for those evening photo opps as the golden light falls across the waves and sparkling lights flicker around the tropical landscape.

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We’re sure you can't wait to ‘xperience the ‘xcitement of Xcaret! For huge savings on combined admission to this and a whole host of other attractions and experience in and around Cancun, check out our Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass, remembering that Xcaret at night is only available on the All-Inclusive Pass.
Enjoy your adventures - with Go City.

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Great reasons to visit Cancun in September

Lying deep within the low season, September is rarely considered for visits to Cancun. The lack of crowds makes Cancun in September as budget friendly as it comes, with great deals on offer on flights and hotel stays. What’s more, September brings in one of the biggest days in the Mexican calendar, as well as events which only occur two days a year. These are in addition to the usual mix of water sports and beach fun. Join us as we explore the many things to do in Cancun in September! Hit the beaches When it comes to Cancun, it’s sparkling waters are always a good place to start. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula’s east coast, this modern city with an ancient heart faces out into the warmth of the Caribbean Sea. Edged by the world’s second longest coral reef system, its hotel zone is draped with a ribbon of white sand beaches totalling no less than 22 kilometers in length. It catches the gentle breezes to one side and looks out across the jungle around Nichupte Lagoon on the other. Although it’s one of the quieter beaches, Playa Chacmool is still a great example of what you can expect. Beside the sun loungers and parasol rentals there’s plenty of opportunities to enjoy the waves, with swimming and water sports including parasailing possible. The neighboring Playa Gaviota Azul – better known as Playa Forum – is one of the region’s top party beaches, whilst Playa Tortugas (Turtle Beach) on the spit of land connecting the hotel zone with downtown Cancun has a local family vibe that’s hard to resist. Delve into the history Undeniably, the best place to absorb the culture is at the Palacio Municipal (Town Hall) on Avenida Tulum on the evening of September 15 – Mexican Independence Day. Commemorating the start of the fight for liberation against the Spanish in 1810 – taking place with little more than clubs and catapults – the festivities begin with the reenactment of a speech given by Don Miguel Hidalgo, now seen as the father of the country. The celebrations continue with mariachi music, dancing, feasting and a late-night fireworks display. Dating back much further is the abandoned Mayan city of Chichen Itza, founded sometime around AD 600 and home to the magnificent El Castillo pyramid. Although one of the top attractions in the region, we wouldn’t usually recommend a visit at this time of year because some travelers can find the humidity levels in land hard to bear. However, who could resist the chance of seeing the appearance of a snake on the pyramid’s sides during the autumn equinox around September 20, given it’s a phenomenon only occurring a couple of times a year? Cool off in a cenote Likewise, jungle adventures are often avoided at this time of year because of the humidity. Follow this trend and you’ll be missing out on some of Cancun’s other major attractions – its cenotes (flooded naturally-occurring sinkholes). Extending underground for thousands of kilometers by some estimates, they are accessed through the collapse of cave walls and ceilings, resulting in open, semi-open and pit-like cenotes. Sought out at this time of year because of their fresh water, which remains pleasantly cool, cenotes are a unique experience. Surrounded by jungle and held sacred by the Maya, their incredibly clear waters are reached by steps, ladders passed through gaps in the rock and even by plunging several meters. Amongst our favorites are Cenote Yaxmuul beside Jungle Maya Native Park and Gran Cenote, richly decorated with stalactites and stalagmites. Its waters host both fish and small turtles, whilst bats hang out (very literally) around the cave walls. Go turtle spotting The much-larger cousins of Gran Cenote’s reptiles – green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles – arrive in their hundreds on the protected eastern beaches of Isla Mujeres during the Cancun low season. Egg-laden females push their way across the sands to the tideline most evenings in order to deposit the yet-to-be-born next generation. Males and immature females fill their stomachs amongst the reefs, making them a regular sighting on snorkeling and scuba diving expeditions. But that’s not all! With nesting turtles comes hatching turtles a couple of months later, meaning those eggs laid in June and July will be hatching out right about now. Most hatchings take place towards nightfall, bringing a wonderful end to any day on the island. Do a little window shopping Mention any trip to Cancun in September and the inevitable response will be ‘what about the rain?’ We’re not going to pretend the climate at this time of year is wall to wall sunshine, but nor can we say it’s continuously raining – because it isn’t. Statistically, September is the wettest month of the year, and yet two thirds of its days are entirely rain free. Those days which do see rain generally save it up for a heavy downpour lasting two to three hours in the afternoon. Check the local weather forecast and you can time these moments to coincide with a visit to one of Cancun’s indoor attractions. Join a shopping tour of Cancun and you’ll get to browse the stalls of Mercado (market) 28 as well as the boutique stores located within the Plaza Las Americas shopping mall. Providing two contrasting experiences, Mercado 28 is a great place to pick up local art, decide on a souvenir and eat in authentic restaurants. Plaza Las Americas is where the middle and upper classes shop for the latest brands to make a name internationally. Save in Cancun in September Know what you’re doing and a vacation in Cancun in September can be as epic as one during the high season. Only – you’ll be saving a bunch of cash in the process. Flight and accommodation deals aren’t the only way to stretch your budget either. Check out Cancun’s attractions with Go City, and you’ll get incredible savings on admission costs without having to do much more than turn up whenever you fancy and show your pass on entry.
Ian Packham
A woman floats in the shallows in Cancun
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Should I visit Cancun in June?

Cancun and June go together so well they even rhyme. After the busy months of the first half of the year, Cancun in June is quieter, with some great flight and hotel deals to be had. However, this doesn’t mean that the city shuts up shop until December. Far from it. There’s still a wealth of attractions to delight and entertain, including the arrival of turtles and whale sharks along Cancun’s frankly wondrous Caribbean shores. To prove it, here’s our guide to what to do in Cancun in June! Beach hopping Cancun’s 22 kilometers of white sand beaches – extending along the hotel zone – are a major draw at any time of year. In June, there’s even more reason to soak up the sun from the likes of Playa Delfines or Playa Langosta. Mounting humidity levels can be kept at bay by sticking to the hotel zone’s thin band of land, separated from the higher temperatures of the mainland by Nichupte Lagoon. Looking refreshed with the arrival of the new season rains, you can see the jungle and many of its species, from birds to monkeys, at its most glorious. And from the controls of your very own speedboat too! But don’t worry – although June is one of the wettest months in the Cancun calendar, just a quarter of days experience the month’s afternoon showers. They won’t force you to cancel any plans. That’s particularly good news when both turtles and whale sharks are potential attractions during the month. Head across to Isla Mujeres by catamaran and you can encounter turtles both in the coral-laden shallows immediately offshore and on the beaches of Punta Sur as they return to the sands they hatched from to continue the circle of life. Whale sharks meanwhile arrive in Cancun’s waters from May, and stay until September, filling their days feasting on the plankton-rich waters. Swimming close to these animals – which at up to 18 meters long are the world’s largest fish – is one of the highlights of the year, yet alone the month. Staying fresh With sea temperatures matching those on land – 29°C – it’s no wonder such a plethora of life chooses to spend their time here beneath the waves. Just a short journey south of Cancun, the town of Puerto Morelos is the gateway to the Mesoamerican Reef. Also known as the Grand Mayan Reef, the ‘grand’ is well placed, it being second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. One way to ensure you see it at its best is by booking a dedicated snorkeling tour, where turtles are just one of 500 different species of fish and sea creatures you have the chance to lay your eyes on. No less impressive are the Yucatan Peninsula’s unique collection of natural limestone water-filled sinkholes, or cenotes. Fed by underwater rivers, these open and semi-open cave-like structures are some of the most dramatic places to cool off in the region, with the crystal-clear waters accompanying stunning jungle locations. Held sacred by the Maya, many are located close to other sites of interest, allowing visitors to combine a tour of the pyramid of Coba with time at a cenote for instance. Don’t stop at sundown Come sunset at around 7:30PM, temperatures only drop by 5 – 8°C, meaning your adventures don’t need to stop with the fall of night. In fact, crowd pleasers including Xcaret ecopark offer special night time admission, allowing visitors to see the evening spectacular as well as 50 other park attractions. If you’re keen to take the evening down the romantic route with a significant other, you can both delight in the sunsets or moonlight and stars on a boat cruise and multi-course dinner across Nichupte lagoon. But if it’s Cancun’s nightlife that attracted you to the destination in the first place, there’s little need to go any further than Congo Bar at the northern end of the hotel zone. It is almost unrivalled when it comes to the club scene, although The City Nightclub and Coco Bongo also have long lines forming for those without the luxury of VIP access. Enjoy June’s special events Irrespective of the heavy beats and live DJs, the busy schedule of events means both day and night feel like party time in Cancun in June. Dia de la Marina, or Navy Day, is celebrated on June 1. Look out for events including military parades, historic battle reenactments and fireworks taking place either in Cancun or in nearby coastal towns. Having started in May and stretching through to mid-June, the Festival de los Océanos (Ocean Festival) showcases all the seas around Cancun have to offer through a range of talks, concerts, children’s activities and culinary events. Movie screenings take the lead at the International FILMA festival, which features Spanish language and international movies and art house shorts. Keep a particular eye out for the atmospheric classic screenings that take place on the beach after nightfall. June is also Pride month around the world, celebrating the globe’s LGBTQ+ communities. Although there’s no Pride parade in Cancun, its Riviera Maya neighbors host a series of events. The gay clubs in the downtown area also make the most of the month. How to save in Cancun in June Ticking off the top things to do in Cancun is as easy in June as it is in March, April or May. Whilst the weather will be cloudier than during these months, and the rain a little heavier, there’s no reason to worry yourself about being trapped in a hotel room for days on end or having to hide beneath an umbrella for your entire stay. Instead, it’s still very possible to enjoy the huge range of outdoor attractions available in Cancun in June, and with lower visitor numbers too, reserving your museum visits for those occasional downpours. Whatever you’re planning for when you’re in this Mexican paradise, be sure to include Go City. Simply by having our app you can make incredible savings on a whole raft of Cancun attractions!
Ian Packham

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