There are currently 17 small tourist accommodations operating in the coastal towns of Majahual and Xcalak on Quintana Roo's southern coast.  Collectively they offer 109 hotel rooms as well as scuba diving, sport fishing and other water sports.  These two villages also have new airstrips for small private aircraft, however no public service is offered yet.  Because the drive from Cancun's International Airport is about 5 hours, some have chosen to fly to Chetumal or San Pedro Belize and drive up to Majahual and Xcalak.

Far south of Tulum at the southern tip of Mexico's Caribbean coastline is the former fishing village of Xcalak.  This beautiful coastal area is just a few miles above Ambergris Caye in Belize and is the gateway to the mangrove estuaries between Mexico and Belize, and the Bay of Chetumal.  Chinchorro Banks is also located to the east out in the Caribbean.  An important seabird and wading bird nesting colony is just a short distance offshore in the bay behind Xcalak village and may be visited by boat with a local guide.  The village has small hotels and communication facilities.  Xcalak is a frontier post on the Mexico-Belize border and therefore has an immigration office. 

Kohunlich was a Mayan city that was built in the early 6th century AD and abandoned during the 7th or 8th centuries.  Its original name is now lost; and it is now known as "Kohunlich", from the English "Cohoon Ridge", a reference to a particular type of palm tree which is plentiful at the site.  Its architecture resembles the Rio Bec style to the south in Campeche, and the Peten style of northern Guatemala and Belize.  These two styles tie Kohunlich to other important areas inhabited by the ancient Maya.
 
 

If you like Mayan ruins, southern Quintana Roo has some of the best.  Roughly 4 hours south of Tulum, down at the base of the Yucatan peninsula, are some fantastic archaeological sites. The ruins of Kohunlich and Dzibanche are a couple real gems.  Completely surrounded by the lush foliage of the tropical jungle these time worn ruins have a mystical quality that is enhanced by a lack of tourists, who seldom venture this far south.  For that reason they are frequented by all manner of tropical wildlife and exotic birds.

To dive Chinchorro yourself click here.

Spectacular coral formations and abundant marine life aside, Chinchorro offers divers excitement few others reefs can match.  It's a veritable graveyard of ships! The sea floor is littered with the wrecks of vessels that have foundered on the reefs over the centuries.  Divers can explore Spanish galleons as well as the rusting hulks of modern cargo ships like the 120m. long, 12m. high Glenview, which ran aground in 1960. 

In order to protect Chinchorro's reefs, marine life, shipwrecks and wildlife, the Mexican government intends to declare the area a reserve. 

"Chinchorro" refers to a 'fishing net like bag' and is the namesake of three small islands; Cayo Norte, Cayo Lobos and Cayo Centro (which is the biggest of the three).  A community of fisherman live in wooden stilt houses over the water.  Their only communication with the mainland is by radio. 

Around these three small islands there are numerous shipwrecks in various stages of decay, some completely engulfed by the coral reef.  A galvanized metal lighthouse that operates on solar cells warns mariners of the hazard.  Numerous marine birds like pelicans, ducks, gulls, etc., frequent Chinchorro and coconut palms thrive on the islands.

The only mode of transportation is by boat and canoe. 

Information about Xcalak, Chinchorro &  the photo, were provided by  Chetumal's Tourism Office.