Nichupte Lagoon, a symbol of Cancun

Are you one of those persons who think that all you can enjoy about Cancun was the beaches that are washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea. But Cancun has another amazing place in which you can relax, sunbathe and practise many water activities, the Nichupte Lagoon. And as well as other important landmarks, the Nichupte Lagoon is also a symbol of Cancun.

Cancun

You probably know, if you are travelling to Cancun, that this marvelous city is one of the most popular destinations in the world. Filled with turquoise waters, perfect warm temperature of the Caribbean Sea, fun activities and luxurious resorts (there are lots of first rated hotels in Cancun); it attracts more than 3 million visitors annually. But what most of these visitors do not take into account is that Cancun, as the rest of the Yucatan Peninsula, is a major habitat for thousands of marine life, animal species and vegetation. Here you will be able to find colorful birds, a great variety of fish, monkeys, jaguars, crocodiles and many more. Thanks to this, tourists (who are sometimes called ecotourists) really enjoy Cancun as a place that takes care of its natural beauty and ecology. If you go there, you will see that is much more than a site to sunbathe, drink margaritas and party all day.

The Nichupte Lagoon

Nichupte, which borders the hotel zone of Cancun, is actually a system of different lagoons that are set three thousand hectares and is made up of seven bodies of water in which are included the Bojorquez Lagoon, the Mediterranean Laguneta and the Lagoon of Love (called in this way because it has the shape of a heart). Furthermore, this system of lagoons is considered one of the most important ecological sanctuary thanks to its mangrove swamps in which you will be able to observe a rich and diverse wildlife. For example, the lagoons are the home of waterfowls, crocodiles, fish, shellfish and, of course, typical mangrove vegetation (red, black, buttonwood and white mangroves). Besides this, in Nichupte you can go on the famous jungle tour in which you can navigate through the canals in a two-seater wave-runner while tourist guides show you the flora and fauna of this gorgeous ecosystem.

Benefits of Nichupte

Apart from offering a beautiful natural view, the Nichupte Lagoon means a huge advantage for the city and the people living in Cancun. As it is a habitat of a wide variety of flora and fauna, it has become into a protected area by the Mexican government. But this is not all. This major ecosystem is essential to protect Cancun since it can significantly delay the erosion of the coastline that could be caused by the different storms and hurricanes. In addition to this, the swamps also help reduce the levels of pollution in the water; consequently, this is very useful to preserve the biodiversity and, what is more important, the future reef formation in Mujeres Island, Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc. Because of all this, tourists who go to visit Nichupte Lagoon have to be very careful in order not to contaminate the site and follow the instructions of the our guides.

All in all, Cancun has many different places to enjoy that you might have never heard of. But once you get there you will realize that there are many places to explore besides the beautiful Caribbean Sea and the Nichupte Lagoon is one of them. So come to Cancun and be ready to have fun!

Romina Nieto

Image: Flickr//Author: hollysuewho

Visit the Tequila Museum in Cancun, the First Sensory Museum in the World

Are you planning to visit Cancun any time soon? Surely, you must be thinking about lying on the beach, sunbathing, drinking a mojito and doing a little snorkeling in the turquoise, warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. But Cancun is so much more than that. It has an interesting story to discover like the rest of Mexico. And one way to discover it is by visiiting museums. In this article, I will propose to visit an incredible museum: the Tequila Museum in Cancun, the first sensory museum in the world.

Cancun

Cancun, known as the hotel city, is a famous resort destination in Latin America located on the northeast corner of the Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo. This Mexican city that has the modern infrastructure (there are incredibly luxurious hotels in Cancun), entertaining activities, gorgeous beaches and turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Its story began in 1967 when the federal government recognized the importance of the development of the tourism industry. In this way, in 1974, the National Fund for Tourism Development helped transform Cancun from a small fishermen village surrounded by virgin forests and undiscovered shores to one of the most impressive vacation spots in the continent. As I wrote above, Cancun offers tourists a great deal of attractions to visit. One of them is the Tequila Museum.

The Tequila Museum

The Sensory Tequila Museum is located in Casa Herradura in the iconic Cancun Hotel Zone on the Blvd. Kukulcan Km 12.5. This museum opened a few years ago to exhibit one of the most significant characteristics of the country: Tequila, the national drink. At the Sensory Museum, you will be able to witness the ancient and the modern ways to prepare this national spirit beverage which can only be produce in a specific part of the country. In Casa Herradura, you will also discover the history of the Hacienda San Jose del Refugio, the place where Tequila was born. But the museum is not called sensory for nothing, the aim of the tequila tour is that visitors can have the chance to smell, taste and feel the drinks as they get several tequila tastings by the best experts in the area.

Tequila

It is known that the Aztecs made a beverage from the agave plant called octli way before the Spanish conquistadors arrived. Today, this national alcoholic beverage is one of the main features of the Mexican culture besides mariachis, fajitas, or nachos. But you might be wondering what Tequila is? Where does it come from? One of the things that you will learn at the Tequila Museum is that it comes from a plant called blue agave which grows mainly near the city of Tequila (40 miles northwest of Guadalajara) and in the highlands of the state of Jalisco. The conditions of the blue volcanic soil in that particular zone are perfect for the agave plant to grow (almost 300 millions of plants are grown each year) but each plant grows differently according to the area in which it is.

All in all, the Tequila Museum in Cancun is one of the best places to get to know the history and culture of Cancun as well as Mexico. Doing things like this will change your perspective of Cancun as a place in which you can only enjoy the beach. So come to the Tequila Museum and get ready to learn and have fun!

Romina Nieto

Image: Flickr//Author: monocai