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Jungle Empire

By Jane Ammeson

Lush and historical, Riviera Maya offers sightseers a look into both ancient cultures and unique landscapes.

More than a millennium ago, travelers made their way through the Yucatán jungles following sacbes, white stone roads connecting the villages and cities of the Mayan empire. Forty sacbes still lead from Cobá, a thriving Mayan trade epicenter that reached its apex of power during the years A.D. 500 to 1100, including the 60-mile sacbe leading to Yaxuna, another archaeological site.

But civilizations often pass unnoticed into history and Cobá seemed destined for such a fate. Abandoned for reasons now unknown, the jungle took over, covering Cobá with vines and vegetation and its 6,500 buildings, temples and pyramids spread over 80 square miles disappeared from view.

But Cobá wasn't lost forever. Rediscovered in the 1890s, its restoration began in the 1970s. Unlike some Mayan sites that are totally reclaimed, the majority of Cobá still lies beneath the jungle canopy, creating a mysterious city still untamed by modernity.



But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot for visitors to do. Rent a bike and ride on a sacbe or pedal along the city. Climb to the top of Nohoch Mul, the highest pyramid — at 138 feet — in the Yucatán Peninsula or up the stone stairs of Cobá's second highest pyramid, the Temple of the Church, for a magnificent view of Macanxoc, one of four nearby lakes and the reason for Cobá's name — Mayan for waters of the wind. Guided tours are available, as are pottery classes that teach ancient Mayan ceramic techniques. Sample the Yucatán treat called marquesitas, a pastry stuffed with cheese and sweet cream and rolled into an ice cream cone shape. And if you're feeling lazy or like Mayan royalty of yore, take the Yucatán version of a rickshaw along the jungle roads.

Tulum, once a major seaport, is nestled atop cliffs overlooking the cerulean waters of the Caribbean Sea.

After entering, take time to watch the voladores (flyers), five men dressed in Mayan garb recreating a ceremonial ritual requiring four of them to dangle by their feet from a tall pole while the fifth, whose job seems the easiest, plays a flute as the others spin through the air. Then follow the gravel pathway that leads to the ancient city itself.

Tulum's centerpiece is El Castillo or The Castle, with its steep stairway topped by a temple whose columns are carved in the shape of rattlesnakes. Both a watchtower and a lighthouse to steer ships safely to shore, El Castillo stood sentinel over this walled city, protecting it from invaders and sheltering those within. Stop at the Temple of the Frescoes with its faint traces that tell the stories of the Chaac, the God of Rain and Ixchel, Goddess of the Women, Weaving and the Moon. Wander to the outer ring of the city, where the pathways are less smooth. Here, the Templo del Dios del Viento or Temple of the God of the Wind is distinguishable by its round base and the House of the Cenote, named for the underground lake whose dark waters can be glimpsed beneath it.



Escape the blazing Yucatán heat by swimming in the sandy cove nestled into the base of the cliff 40 feet below Tulum, but save some energy for the walk back up.

The 1.3-million-acre Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, follows the shoreline of the Caribbean and leads into the depths of the Yucatán jungle. Home to 23 known archeological sites, some dating back 2,300 years, 103 mammals and 336 bird species, as well as an important nesting site for both wading birds and turtles, Sian Ka'an is a unique and fascinating window into Riviera Maya's rich ecological and archaeological history.

A wooden walkway leads through the thick jungle, grassy savannahs, hammocks (isolated strips of forest surrounded by mangrove swamps and found only in Cuba, Florida and the Yucatán), wetlands and dunes before ending in a secluded beach along the Caribbean Sea. Markers identify the many plants including bromeliads, orchids, sea grapes and rare hardwood trees like chicozapote, mahogany, zapote and the eerily named poisonwood tree that line the boardwalk. While exploring, look carefully for wildlife such as pelicans, ibis, osprey herons and cormorants as well as turtles and a variety of fish.

Take the Sunset Birdwatching Tour aboard a 23-foot, open-air boat that traverses the lagoons of Caapechen, Boca Paila and San Miguel and stops at Bird Island. Watch the sun set over the mangroves and lagoon. Enjoy dinner at the biosphere's restaurant where fish quesadillas and arrachera (grilled marinated steak) are on the menu. Or sign up for the Canal Tour, a trip that retraces a 1,200-year-old Mayan trade route and includes a stop at several ruins and a float down a freshwater river.

Some images supplied by SELVÁTICA — exciting adventure tours and activities for the whole family.