Discover picture-perfect Xcacel, a spectacular palm-lined bay in the Riviera Maya with untouched reefs festooned with sponges and sea fans in shallow water just offshore and a secret cenote.
A track leads from the highway through the forest, mangroves and a coconut palm grove to the beach. Once you have taken in the spectacular views of white sand and sparkling turquoise waters, don your mask and flippers and get ready to explore Xcacel’s coral gardens. As you explore, you’ll spot parrot fish, pork fish, blue tangs, butterfly fish and sergeant majors, and you may be lucky enough to see spotted moray eels and turtles.
After a spot of snorkeling, bask in the sun or go for a stroll along the beach and visit the cenote hidden in the mangroves. Peaceful and breathtakingly beautiful, this is a place to celebrate nature.
Due to its importance as a turtle-nesting site, the Quintana Roo state government designated it as a turtle sanctuary in 1998, thus protecting it from development. There is a turtle camp at the site and volunteers patrol the beach at night during the summer on the look out for nests. Recent sightings of other rare creatures such as deer, ocelots and the nocturnal jaguar in the Xcacel area have led to pledges to boost protection of this natural treasure.
Contact tourdesk@royalresorts.com for more information or ask at the Thomas More Travel desk in your resort.
Whenever you go snorkeling or diving, please rinse off suntan oil before going in the water as it is harmful to marine life. Wear a white t-shirt to protect your skin from the sun instead.
