Sisal Gets a Facelift

Sisal Gets a Facelift

 

Have you ever been to Sisal on  Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula? If you have, you may be surprised to see it now. Over the past months, the State Government has been pouring money into upgrading and giving the small fishing town a new facelift. 

Sisal was founded in 1811 as the principal port for the export of Agave-derived Sisal. Lighthouses and fortresses were built in the area to protect the village when Mexico obtained it’s independence from Spain. When the Sisal boom ended, the small town lost its tourism to the neighboring city of Progresso. Now that Progresso has exploded into a booming city, many people are looking to the town of Sisal to find peace and quiet again. Sisal is also known to have the best beaches in the area.

Sisal is about 30 minutes from the International Airport of Merida and has a population of about 2,000 people. Upon seeing an increase in tourism, beach seekers, and fisherman to the area, the State Government has decided to invest money into the area once again, with a focus on tourism. With the help of MexicoPropreties R Us, development projects are underway to make Sisal a tourist destination, for fishing and tourist boats.

Don’t miss your boat this time. Prices of beach lots are going up with new development happening in the area. Contact us for more information about prices and sizes of lots available and to visit our Oceanfront Gated Community. Electricity is now installed!

Island Facts

1. Did you know that one in 6 people live on an Island? Since so many of us live on Islands, we thought it might be interesting to share some little known facts about “any land mass completely surrounded by water”.

2. Not all islands are alike! Continental islands lie on the shelf of a continent, for example, Greenland, which lies on the shelf of North America. Oceanic islands do not sit on a continental shelf. Most, such as the Hawaiian Islands, were formed by volcanic activity.

3. Although Australia is completely surrounded by water, geographically it is considered a continent rather than an island. It’s not only too big to be formally classified as an island, it also sits on its own tectonic plate. Because of this, the title of world’s largest island goes to Greenland, a continental island lying on North America’s continental shelf.

4. The official name for a group, cluster or collection of geographically-related islands is archipelago. Familiar archipelagos include the Canary Islands, the Bahamas, the Caymans, Indonesia, the British Isles, and the Philippines.

5. The Guinness Book of Records lists Bishop Rock as the world’s smallest island with a building on it. It is 151 feet (46 m) long by 52.5 feet (16 m) wide and is situated at the end of Britain’s Isles.

6. There are 6,852 islands in the nation of Japan.

7. Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean Island. Cozumel is 48 km (30 mi) long and 16 km (10 mi) wide. It lies some 10 km (6.2 mi) from the mainland, and 90 km (56 mi) south of Cancun. The vast majority of the population of Cozumel lives in the town of San Miguel (pop. 77,236 in 2010), which is on the island's western shore. The land area is covered with an impenetrable jungle which has many endemic animal species found only on Cozumel. The Island, including offshore islets, has a land area of 477 sq. kilometers (184 sq. miles).

Cozumel attracts divers from all around the world to dive its famous coral reefs, one of largest in the world. An International airport with daily flights from Europe and other parts of the world makes it very accessible for international tourists who also take advantage of Cozumel’s 300 restaurants, some of which are 5 star with international cuisines.

Cozumel is also famous for its Jack Nicklaus-designed, first-class golf course tucked within the delicate ecosystem of the surrounding tropical rainforest. The golf course is home to the giant orange Cozumel iguanas, crocodiles, raccoons and a multitude of bird species as well as other wildlife which call the Island home.

Contact us today for more information about property for sale on Cozumel Island!

New Years Playa del Carmen

10 Things That You Can Do For New Year's in Playa del Carmen. 

Every year is always a little different but there is always a lot to do!

1. Celebrate the evening on 12th and 1st st. This is where most of the clubs are as well as the people. Every club will have some promo to get you into them (bottle and table). But if you don't want to go into a club, there is also a huge gathering of people partying in the street between the clubs.

2. Bring in the New Year's at a restaurant on 5th Avenue. I would recommend making reservations at a restaurant you want to eat at before hand. Restaurants will be packed with locals and tourists from all over the world.

3. Every year there is a popular Dj that comes to Playa. This year it is Armin Van Burren. I suggest getting tickets in advance because this place will be hopping!!!!!

4.  Celebrate on the beach. This is definitely the more quiet side of bringing in the New Year's, but most definitely romantic. Walking along the beach with friends or family, there is nothing quite like it. Just be careful with drinks. Neither glass nor liquor are allowed on the beach.

5. Fireworks! Most hotels will offer fireworks but I like being in the downtown centre on the beach and watching all the fireworks along the coastline going off as well as Cozumel Island as its display can be seen from the beaches in Playa.

6. BPM. This is an unforgettable experience, but does not fall exactly on New Year's. Last year for 2012-2013 it did, but this year it falls on January 4th till the 12th, 2014. Below is a list of all the Dj's coming in for this epic event and what days they are playing. This is a ticket event. So buy one now before it is too late!

7. Take a walk down 5th Avenue. This street is always a good place to be. Everyone seems to like to walk up and down the street and see what is going on. There is enough action on 5th Avenue to keep everybody grooving.  Shopping, bars, and celebrations seems to be taking off everywhere. You really cannot miss out, because every corner seems to have something going on.

8. Head to Zenzi or Fusion. These are restaurants/ bars on the beach, right off of 5th Avenue. These places usually have New Year's menus, live bands, and fire dancing shows. This is great for people who want to sit and relax, watch fireworks, but yet still be involved in the fun.

9. Party like a tourist at Señor Frogs. This place really makes you get your dancing shoes on with shots, wild drinks, and a live band. This bar is right on the beach in front of the Cozumel ferry dock. A lot of tourists love to head there since it is a well known location to party all around Mexico.

10. Stay in the hotel! Some people choose this option, but I believe it a last resort (pun is intended). I think a lot of people miss out on all the activities going on. Granted staying in the hotel means that your room is close by for an easy retreat, but the happening place is 5th Avenue!!!!


This is a great list of places to go and things to do for New Year's.  Playa del Carmen is well known for its diverse activities, so it is really not hard to find something for everyone!!  

Contact us if you are interested in owning your piece of paradise in Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya, or the Yucatan Peninsula!

House of Montejo in Merida, Yucatan

Francisco de Montejo came to Mexico in the early 1500's. He was a conquistador who conquered the State of the Yucatán and became the leading civil authority in Mérida. In 1529 he built this house on the central plaza of Mérida, where it still stands today. The house is a perfect example of the Renaissance period which has an elaborately carved facade, still intact, which exemplifies plateresque style in a civilian context.

The house was occupied by Montejo's descendants until the 1970's. Since then, the Montejo House has had many modifications inside, according to the tastes of its various owners and the architectural and decorative fashion eras, yet still preserving its stunning cover.

In 1981 the National Bank of Mexico acquired the house and proceeded to restore the inside to its original look. In a second intervention of restoration and adaptation, part of the house was made into a museum. 

Neat Features:

Above the doorway a man hunches over bearing the weight of the upper tier, perhaps representing Montejo’s dominance over the Maya. Also, if you look closely, the statues on either side of the entrance are both standing with one foot on a Mayan head.

Are you ready for a change in lifestyle? Contact us if you are interested in beachfront property near Merida and the House of Montejo.

Mexico's has the Heaviest Known Bony Fish

The Ocean Sunfish in Mexican Caribbean

The ocean sunfish, or otherwise known as the Mola mola or common mola. The sunfish is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). The species is native to tropical and warm waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and fins are extended.

Sunfish live on a diet that consists mostly of jellyfish, but because this diet is nutritionally poor, they consume large amounts in order to develop and maintain their great bulk. Females of the species can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate. Sunfish resemble miniature puffer fish, with large pectoral fins, a tail fin and body spines uncharacteristic of adult sunfish.

Adult sunfish are vulnerable to few natural predators, but sealions, Orcas, and sharks will consume them. Among humans, sunfish are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, including Asia. In the EU, regulations ban the sale of fish and fishery products derived of the Molidae family. Sunfish are frequently, though accidentally, caught in nets.

Although early research suggested that sunfish moved around mainly by drifting with ocean currents, individuals have been recorded swimming 26 km in a day, at a top speed of 3.2 km/h. Sunfish also swim at depths of up to 600 m (2,000 ft). Contrary to the general perception that sunfish spend much of their time basking at the surface, research suggests that adult Sunfish actually spend a large portion of their lives submerged at depths greater than 200 m (660 ft).

These fascinating fish are often seen in the warm waters of Mexico. They are extremely large with unusual characteristics making it breath-taking to swim with. We are glad that these gentle fish have made the Mexican Caribbean one of their favorite places to stop by.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish

Horseshoe Crab's in the Mexican Caribbean

Four species of horseshoe crabs exist today. Only one species, Limulus polyphemus, is found in North America along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Maine to Mexico. The other three species are found in Southeast Asia.

Horseshoe crabs are not true crabs at all. Horseshoe crabs are more closely related to arachnids (a group that includes spiders and scorpions) than to crustaceans (a group that includes true crabs, lobsters, and shrimp). Horseshoe crabs are often called "living fossils" because fossils of their ancestors date back almost 450 million years--that's 200 million years before dinosaurs existed.

Despite inhabiting the planet for so long, horseshoe crab body forms have changed very little over all of those years.

The Anatomy

The strange anatomy of the horseshoe crab is one of this animal's most notable aspects. Unfortunately, the long, thin, spike-like tail of horseshoe crabs has given this species an unfavorable reputation. Many people view horseshoe crabs as dangerous animals because they have sharp tails. In reality, horseshoe crabs are harmless. Their tails are used primarily to flip themselves upright if they are accidentally overturned.

Horseshoe crabs are known for their large nesting aggregations, or groups, on beaches. During the nesting season, principally in spring and summer, male horseshoe crabs move parallel to the shoreline on sandy flats and intercept females as they pass by. A successful male attaches himself to a female by using his specialized front claws, and together they crawl to the beach. Most of this nesting activity takes place during high tides in the three days before and after a new or full moon.

Why are horseshoe crabs important?

Horseshoe crabs are an important part of the ecology of coastal communities. During the nesting season, horseshoe crab eggs become the major food source for migrating birds. Over 50 percent of the diet of many shorebird species consists of horseshoe crab eggs. Many bird species have been observed feeding on horseshoe crab eggs. In addition, many fish species rely on horseshoe crab eggs for food.

Horseshoe crabs are extremely important to the biomedical industry because their unique, copper-based blue blood contains a substance called Limulus amebocyte lysate. The substance, which coagulates in the presence of small amounts of bacterial toxins, is used to test for sterility of medical equipment and virtually all intravenous drugs. Research on the compound eyes of horseshoe crabs has led to a better understanding of human vision. The marine life fishery collects live horseshoe crabs for resale as aquarium, research, or educational specimens, and the American eel and whelk fisheries use horseshoe crabs

Threats to horseshoe crabs and research efforts

Horseshoe crab numbers are declining throughout much of the species range. Although scientists are unsure of the exact causes of this decline, it is probably due to a variety of factors, including the degradation or decrease of habitat.

You can find horseshoe crabs here in the Mexican Caribbean. They are very neat to see when they come ashore. You truly feel like you have gone back millions of years, to watch these ancient creatures in their natural setting. Contact us today to buy a piece of paradise!

http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/crustaceans-marine-arthropods/horseshoe-crabs/facts/

Mexico is Safe!

Sitting at home, it can be hard to believe that Mexico is a safe place to travel, especially when the news is intent on telling us about Canadians (and other tourists) being attacked in popular Mexican destinations, or about cartel activity near the borders. In some cases it’s enough to make one say, “Nah, I’ll skip Mexico”—and that is a problem.

Mexico is not the only destination where there has been violence against tourists, yet because of its close proximity to Canada, news of violence in the nearby country is ever present. So, what should you do? Should you ignore the news and travel to Mexico? Or should you stay home and just dream of Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta? The answer is to stop listening to the fearmongers and get yourself to Mexico. Stat!

That being said, it still makes sense to keep your wits about you. Here are some safety tips to ensure you don’t run into trouble in Mexico.

Don’t Bling Out

A safe traveller is a smart traveller. Don’t walk around Mexico (or anywhere, for that matter) wearing all your bling, or carrying the most expensive-looking equipment. Be smart. If you did that in New York City, you’d likely get robbed at some point. Same goes for Mexico.

Have Confidence

If you look weak, worried or lost, this could put you at a disadvantage. Be confident. Know where your hotel is and how to get back there. Carry taxi money so that if you feel unsafe you can climb into the nearest cab and get back to your hotel.

Don’t Buy Drugs on the Beach (or anywhere else)

This should be self-explanatory. The fastest way to get into trouble is to buy drugs. Don’t be stupid.

Keep Valuables Safe

Public transit in Mexico is great, but like in every other country, you need to keep your valuables safe. Wear a money belt. Hide your passport. Diversify your valuables so that if someone robs you, they don’t get everything in one swoop. If you’re venturing from your hotel at night in search of a taco stand, only take enough money for your meal. Leave the rest in your hotel room’s safe.

Talk to Locals

Ask locals (especially the motherly types) about which areas are safe, and which ones are dangerous. They will know better than the CBC or any other news channel.


Mexico is safe. The culture is rich. The people are fabulous. You will love your time in Mexico, especially if you leave the resort and venture into the cities. If you’re a little nervous, take a day tour and then ask your guide questions about safe areas and things to do.

If you have any questions about travelling, contact us!

http://www.travelandescape.ca/2013/04/warning-mexico-is-safe/