When I first stepped off the plane I was unsure, I was greeted by the warmth of the air and overwhelmed with people crowding around the gate. After walking through customs, I was startled by men and women surrounding the exit. They were trying to get people to rent a van to go to a resort, or an excursion to zipline, others were selling trips to Mayan ruins. Signs were held up such that it was hard to navigate my way out the door into the Mexican sun. After this stressful experience my family piled into a van in order to get to the Grand Vidanta in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
At the hotel we were greeted by a personal assistant to help get my family and I acquainted to the property, as well as transport our bags. We eagerly made our way to our room after travelling in a golf cart chain, since the resort included many sub-hotels. I was stunned when I stepped into the hotel room. The hotel room included two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a dining area, a kitchen, a living space, as well as a den. This space was perfect for large families staying at the resort. My family friends joined us the next day, and this room was a perfect amount of space for nine of us total.
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| This was a hotel room in the Grand Luxxe section of the resort |
The first full day we woke up and made our way to the breakfast buffet near the Grand Luxxe pool. I was very surprised how diligent this facility was with allergies, though I stuck to cereal (other days I had banana pancakes and pastries). The buffet space was mesmerizing with tall ceilings and had some spaces without walls so the light breeze could pass through.
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| The Restaurant del Lago is located steps away from the beach club. This is one out of the two breakfast buffets on the property. |
Getting a spot at the pool was quite difficult, though having a cabana allowed constant service throughout the day and access to a menu. The pool was large enough and located steps away from the turquoise beach. The pool was also next to the beach club which consisted of five other restaurants and a market area. My favorite part of the beach club was a two foot pool that had wooden swings in it. This is a perfect spot for pictures as well as countless hours of fun, until my brother broke one of the swings.
The beach was lined with comfortable cabanas and was perfect for late night walks. It was stunning to see the stars rest over the clear water and hear the palm trees sway. Unfortunately, many places in Mexico, such as a resort ten minutes away in Playa Del Carmen has heaps of seaweed in the water. Last year I went on a family trip in May and the beach was washed up with at least a foot of seaweed on the shore. However, I was thankful there wasn’t a trace of seaweed in the Grand Vidanta. The warm water was also a perfect spot for photos.
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| The stunning Playa del Carmen beach |
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| The beach is located off the boardwalk of the beach club |
Our party then spent half a day at the Jungala waterpark. This waterpark consisted of seven water slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, and a kids section. The water slides were divided into sections of daredevil slides and family friendly slides. The daredevil section had a very steep slide and a slide with a drop door. Even though the landing from the steep slide was painful, the drop and speed was exhilarating. Unfortunately, I was too short to experience the thrill of the slide with the trap door.
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| Jungala also has seven locations for dining |
The Grand Vidanta is also closely partnered with a Cirque du Soleil show. This show consists of a story line told by different acrobatic acts. I was extremely surprised by these exciting and breathtaking acts. Some were filled with silks, acrobatics, and trampoline stunts. The set was detailed with moveable pieces. For example, a portion of the show took place under the ocean. In this, the whole set was tinted blue. There was a sheer curtain closed which made the jellyfish seem as if they were floating. The show was told in both Spanish and English, though this made the storyline confusing at times. However the story line is still strong without the speaking.
My family then surprised me with a trip to Delphinus. This was a magical place where dolphins are protected. This facility is the headquarters for the Animal Welfare Program. This is a team of veterinarians and marine biologists. Delphinus also advocates to protect our environment, especially from the worsening of global warming.
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| There are six of these "pools" in Delphinus. The ocean is behind the rocks, therefore filling the pools. This "pool" is naturally filled with fish. |
The package my family partaked in consisted of first viewing tricks of a dolphin. The two dolphins set with our family surprised us by jumping over us. These dolphins cooperated with humans well. Their tricks included singing, splashing, and giving hugs. There was a snorkeling section with the dolphins that allowed touch interaction. Another specialty Delphinus provided was a foot push. I was scared before I started this activity, though this was truly magical. I started resting in the water with my feet pointed down. It was slightly unexpected when two dolphins attached their nose to each foot and swam. This process was similar to standing up during water skiing. This was exhilarating. The trainers have a strict command such that you don’t run into a wall. I was originally scared of this, but I would do this event over and over again.
I was extremely disappointed when the plane took off leaving awe-inspiring Mexico. I truly miss the countless activities and hours of fun in Mexico. I long to return to this breathtaking country. However, this country may not necessarily be thought of as an extravagant destination, though this trip has exceeded any expectation set.
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