Leaving Minnesota in cold, snowy February was easy for the Wheelers. Arriving in Mexico’s Mayan Riviera south of Cancun was even better. Terrie and Jim Wheeler along with their 11-year old daughter, Michelle, whisked away on an MLT direct flight to Cancun, Mexico. From there they were driven to the Xpu Ha Palace (pronounced esh poo ha) resort, which was built on the former Xpu Ha Ecopark. Having been to the Cancun airport before, the Wheelers were very pleased with the “MLT Only” lines, which completely eliminated the need to wait in the lines that most everyone else was standing in.

Filled with wild tropical gardens and caged wildlife such as chimps, snakes, alligators, flamingos, and deer, the Xpu Ha Palace overlooks an incredible white sandy beach and crystal clear Caribbean water. All of the accommodations are bungalow style huts which are circular in shape with thatched roofs and are arranged in pods of five or six two-unit huts. “The accommodations were far from Gilligan’s Island-style. Our daughter referred to the bungalow as our ‘high class hut.’ We were on the second floor in a suite with two beds, a jacuzzi/whirl pool, private balcony, 24-hour room service and full maid service,” said Terrie. “It was very cozy and every night we could hear tropical sounds which included birds and the lull of the ocean as we went to sleep.”

Across from the Wheelers’ bungalow was one of the two outdoor swimming pools at the resort. One pool was used for activities and the other was used for relaxation. The clear Caribbean waters provided wonderful snorkeling and a fresh water lagoon was perfect for kayakers. What appeared to be “blurred” water marked the line where the salt water and fresh water met.

In addition to the water activities, the resort offered a variety of excursions. Xpu Ha is 10 minutes from Tulum which offers many sites and restaurants. With a goal of experiencing at least one major educational day-trip (since Michelle was missing a week of school), one day the Wheelers headed for the Mayan Ruins of Tulum. Even though the ruins of Tulum border the Caribbean Sea, the temperature was hot but the Mayan Ruins were well worth the ride.

Another day the Wheelers visited Xel Ha (pronounced shell ha), which means “clear water.” This Mayan park is a series of large clear water lagoons filled with angelfish, lobster, barracuda, parrotfish, and scores of other fish. All swimmers are asked to remove their suntan lotion before swimming or snorkeling because it harms the marine life (eco friendly suntan lotion is available for purchase or is given to visitors in small single-application packs.) Michelle especially enjoyed this spot; from a pair of ropes strung over one of the lagoons she balanced herself to the middle and jumped into the crystal water. The Wheelers spent an entire day snorkeling and swimming at Xel Ha. A buffet lunch was also included. And while this day excursion was not included in their all-inclusive MLT vacation, Terrie commented that “Xel Ha was worth every penny!” and highly recommends this day trip to any visitor of the Mayan Riviera.

Xpu Ha offered many other activities such as ecological tours, mangrove excursions, and botanical workshops. According to Terrie, the resort was not a place with lots of nightlife (which was fine with the Wheelers). In the evening some of the guests enjoyed an outdoor theatre which provided multi-lingual singing and interpretive Mexican dancing.

Most days the Wheelers relaxed on the white sand beach. The service on the beach was excellent. After staying at the beach until about 6:00 PM, the Wheelers cleaned up and visited one of the three resort restaurants. Depending on their mood, they could dine at a restaurant serving Chinese, Italian or Mexican food. In addition, the buffet was always open. Most days a very talented Mariachi band serenaded those dining in the main restaurant. “Our all-inclusive option really let us relax. It’s nice to sit down at a five-star restaurant, open the menu and see no prices—you really can focus on what sounds good and can try a variety of menu items,” remarked Terrie.

Having traveled to Mexico before, Terrie was pleased that the resort did not allow vendors onto the beach. The Xpu Ha Palace resort is one of a group of Palace resorts in Riviera Maya. Each day the Wheelers were invited to take a day trip to other Palace resorts. Terrie would caution others planning to travel to Xpu Ha with MLT to find the MLT representative early to schedule day trips and to learn what is available to you if you are on an all-inclusive MLT vacation.

What did the Wheelers enjoy the most on their trip? “The beautiful weather, our day trip to Xel Ha, and the resort itself,” said Terrie. “Because it was off the beaten path we felt secluded and unto ourselves. It was exactly what we were looking for.”

Terrie learned of Xpu Ha from Ann Gray, president of Interlachen Travel. “We wanted to go to Mexico and I trusted Ann to make the right recommendation. Using the Internet was integral in having Ann show me all of the potential resorts. On the phone from her office, Ann walked me through the sites and I was able to choose a resort from the comfort of my own office. Plus the trip was quite affordable. Ann just knew where and what would fit our needs,” said Terrie.

As one final tip Terrie noted, “Just say ‘no’ to the day trips to the other Palace resorts - - and to the ‘vacation plans’ the resort offers. Enjoy Xpu Ha while you’re there!”

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