The Riviera Maya, located on the Mexican Caribbean, extends from the town of Puerto Morelos to the fishing village of Punta Allen. Each point is located at the extremes of this site recognized by travelers and tourists from anywhere in the world. How can you not dive into its waters or visit its shore to feel that warm sand under your feet? As irresistible as this sounds, it is impossible not to add Punta Allen to the list of places to visit when you are in the Riviera Maya.
Punta Allen, what is it?
Punta Allen, is an outcrop of dry land that is highlighted by the lighthouse that rules impetuously over this point.
Today integrated to the town of Javier Rojo Gómez, Punta Allen is located about 50 kilometers south of the city of Tulum, a city of accelerated growth and unique attraction.
This is the end of a thin tongue of land cradled by the sea on both sides. With its imminent and paradisiacal existence, it marks the northern end of one of the two shallow bays that are located in the center of the coasts of Quintana Roo (the other bay is the Bay of the Holy Spirit).
This small town is located within the great and lively Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, which promotes adventure and ecotourism for visitors from all over the world. This is also a place of great attraction and natural wealth where you are sure to have a couple of adventures to live, and a little more.
Sian Ka’an Special Biosphere Reserve
The most extensive natural reserve in the entire Yucatan Peninsula. Of these there are only about 125 in Latin America and the Caribbean, this being one of the largest in Central America.
The Sian Ka’an Biosphere was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.
Sian Ka’an is translated into Spanish from the Mayan language as «gateway to heaven» or «place where the sky begins», and the impressive and grandiose beauty of this remote place along with the majesty of its blue and white sands are a clear visual explanation of why it was given that name.
However, this extensive area of diverse fauna and flora is not only the coral reef, it is much more than that. This natural reserve consists of beaches, dunes, cenotes, mangroves, coral reefs, archeological sites and a tropical jungle, along with its diverse fauna and flora, all comprised of more than 650,000 hectares extended in the heart of the Mayan jungle.
This extension covers 120 kilometers from north to south between the municipalities of Tulum, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Solidaridad, Bacalar and Othon P. Blanco. Each part of its fauna and flora is part of this title that has been a World Heritage Site since 1987, given by UNESCO.
What to do in Punta Allen?
If you go in a 4×4 vehicle, which is the most recommended at this point in the road. This recommendation will allow you to travel much more easily along its intricate sandy beach roads, where you will find potholes and slight deformations in the road.
During your tour you can make different stops to get deeper into the luxuriant flora of Punta Allen.
All the way from Tulum to Punta Allen, which is about 55 kilometers, that you can cover in about two hours, the jungle will prevent you from seeing the beach for most of the way. You will know you are getting there once you start seeing its incomparable emerald blue in the distance.
There you will find restaurants, boat rides, kayaking and other activities to make, depending on your luck if it could be called so, you can swim with manatees, dolphins, dive in its pristine waters and be just inches away from those unique coral reefs that populate the sea floor of this beach that in its early days was a fruitful fishing village.
You can also do many other activities:
You will be able to kayak, snorkel, dive and sail in the charming beaches of the surroundings.
You must go fishing. You can have lunch and taste the freshest and most exquisite fish with a bit of luck.
Visit the Ben Ha cenote, also called Sian Ka’an cenote, which is wide open and can be confused with a lagoon.
Visit Boca Paila and enjoy the seawater clearance point and the lagoon around the road.
If you want to swim in waters that allow you to see the bottom of the sea, swimming at El Blanquizal is something you should definitely do. This is a real pool in the middle of the sea with a coral reef and fine white sand, hence its name.
Taking advantage of the peace and quiet, a reservation in an accommodation far from the hustle and bustle can provide the privacy and attentive service of the local lodge with a distance from the perfect routine.
Try as many meals as you can, the seafood will come to your table from the sea, so don’t hesitate to try them all.
