If beachfront relaxation leaves you craving a little excitement, then let the spirit of the ancient Maya be your guide to the great outdoors. With four eco-adventure parks, miles of dense jungle, a host of native plant and animal species and three archaeological ruins within an hour�s drive, Cancun is a gateway to Mayan-style eco-adventure.

Light Adventure: For an action-packed day surrounded by nature, visitors need only take a short hour�s drive to Xcaret (ish-karet), one of the world's premier eco-archaeological parks. Attractions include two crystalline rivers, endangered animal exhibits, archaeological ruins, a tropical reef aquarium, a Mayan village and more. The park also boasts a rich cultural night show featuring, among others, an authentic Mayan ball game and folkloric Mexican dances. The park entrance fee is $49.00 for adults and $24.50 for children. A complete description of the park is available at www.xcaretcancun.com.

For those who seek cliff-side adventure, there is Garrafon. Only a short 25-minute boat ride from Cancun�s El Embarcadero marina, Garrafon, in Isla Mujeres is the only reef park in the Mexican Caribbean. Visitors to the park can zip-line over the water at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, snorkel, scuba dive and much more. Park admission fees begin at $26 for a basic pass ($13.64 for children), and $53.64 for an all-inclusive pass ($29.09 for children). For a complete park description, please visit www.garrafon.com.

Just 35 minutes south of Cancun, Tres Rios is home to more than 100 species of animals and a self-contained Mayan village with over 100 residents who live just as the Mayas did more than 500 years ago. An eco-park and subtropical jungle, Tres Rios spans 370 acres and offers an incredible assortment of cenotes (underground freshwater springs). Here, visitors can canoe down the freshwater mangroves and experience the "sensorama" garden where one is blindfolded and guided through stations relying on other senses to identify objects. Park entrance fees begin at $34 for adults and $22 for children. A complete park description is available at www.tres-rios.com.

Xel-Ha (shell-HAH) or "the place where water is born," is located approximately one hour south of Cancun. This natural park boasts an incredible natural aquarium where the ocean combines with the freshwater currents of the springs and underground rivers, forming an incomparable ecosystem with a number of small islands and a constant stream of bubbles that surge from the river floor. One of the most popular activities at the park is the river float where visitors can take in the beauty of the surroundings as they float past mangroves and jungle-lined cliffs in a comfortable inner tube. The general admission price is $19 for adults and $11.50 for children. All-inclusive packages that include snorkeling equipment, locker, food, and beverage are $45 for adults and $35 for kids. A complete park description is available at www.xel-ha.com.mx.

Aktun Chen is a beautiful park nestled in tropical jungle, which spans almost 67 miles. Aktun Chen, which means �the cave with cenote inside� boasts a magnificent group of caves that will awe visitors with stalactite and stalagmite formations more than five million years old. The admission fee to the park is $18 for adults and $10 for children. More information about Aktun Chen can be found at www.aktunchen.com.

For the more laid-back visitor to Cancun, there is always a walk to be enjoyed at the beautiful Parque Kabah, a public eco-park in the heart of the city. Families love a quiet afternoon stroll through the jungle, where they can experience indigenous flora and fauna such as squirrels, raccoons, toucans, parrots and other multicolored birds.

Day Trip Through Mayan Footsteps: The largest eco-tour operators in Cancun and the Riviera Maya are Eco Colors (www.ecotravelmexico.com), Alltournative Expeditions (www.alltournative.com) and Mayan Eco Adventure (www.mayanecoadventure.com). All offer unique and memorable tours that include activities such as cycling, jungle trekking, kayaking, Mayan site and nature exploration and cultural immersion.

Eco Colors offers several day trip options from Cancun including the following:

� Isla Holbox and whale shark encounter. This tour takes participants to Holbox (approximately 2.5 hours north of Cancun), an enchanting, virtually untouched island off of the northern coast of the Yucatan. Here, participants will be treated to one-of-a-kind bird watching and a stroll through Holbox�s small marketplace. During the whale shark season (mid-summer), participants may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the largest fish in the sea gliding in the open waters north of Holbox. The tour costs $95.00 per person, includes lunch in Holbox, and has a four-person minimum requirement.

� Sian Ka�an Wilderness Adventure. In Sian Ka�an, the most important Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, visitors will witness unspoiled beauty as they make their way by boat through the same unique waterway system the ancient Maya used thousands of years ago. The tour, which operates Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., is $99.00 and includes hotel pick-up and drop-off.

� The Nature Encounter. A nature lover�s delight, this trip offers an up-close encounter with crocodiles, deers, snakes, turtles, monkeys and other indigenous animals of the Yucatan. The trip also features snorkeling along the second longest barrier reef in the world and a visit to the Dr. Alfredo Barrera Mar�n Botanical Gardens, where visitors will see a wide variety of regional plants, trees and orchids, including an area in which ancient Mayan medicinal remedies are grown. The tour operates on Wednesdays and has a four-person minimum. It runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., costs $75, and includes hotel pick-up and drop-off.

Alltournative offers several day trip options from Cancun including the following:

� Cob�-Tres Reyes: A full-day adventure that begins at the expansive Cob� archaeological site, home to the Yucatan�s tallest Mayan pyramid, this tour then takes participants deeper into the jungle to the village of Tres Reyes, a self-sufficient Mayan community of approximately 100 indigenous people living next to an integral part of the region�s lagoon and cavern systems. At Tres Reyes, visitors will get a first-hand glimpse of how the Mayans live, while basking in the cool waters of the region�s cenotes.

� Cob�-Pac-Ch�n. This tour also begins at Cob�, then takes visitors into the Mayan village of Pac-Ch�n, another self-sufficient community of approximately 100 indigenous people living next to an integral part of the region's lagoon system. In addition to trekking through the forest and learning about the local fauna and flora, visitors will have the opportunity to zip-line over the �Cayman Cenote,� rappel 45 feet down into the sacred �Jaguar Cenote,� and canoe on and swim in the �Mojarras Lagoon.�

Mayan Eco Adventures� Ek Balaam-Cenotes de Aventura tour takes participants on bicycle tours through the lush terrain of the north-central Yucatan, zip-lining over cenotes (freshwater sinkholes), and to the archeological ruins of Ek Balaam, among other activities.

Horseback riding: The Loma Bonita ranch offers horseback riding tours along the breathtaking vistas of the Caribbean Sea. Visitors to the ranch will also have the opportunity to explore caves, water springs, Mayan ruins, wild life and exotic plants, and swim in the sea with their horse. The Loma Bonita tours, which include transportation from Cancun, begin at $63 for adults and $59 for children.

About Cancun A Mecca for travelers from all walks of life, with treasures for every taste, Cancun combines rich traditions and legends of the past with the luxury and comforts of the present � in the heart of an ancient and mysterious Mayan world. With 27,000 first-class hotel rooms, and a host of attractions from adventure, romance and golf, to spa, dining and shopping, Cancun is the Million Dollar Getaway. The Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau invites visitors to experience the warm hospitality and natural wonders of Cancun. For further information, visit www.cancun.info.

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Media Contact: Ana Mari Irabien +52 998 8846531 amirabien@prodigy.net.mx