Sacred Mayan Journey

Celebrated on May 24 and 25 in the Riviera Maya, the Travesia Sagrada Maya or Sacred Mayan Journey is the reenactment of an ancient Mayan pilgrimage in a fleet of wooden canoes to the holy island of Cozumel to worship at the shrine of the goddess Ixchel.

Xcaret Park is the location of ancient Polé, once a Mayan port and the departure point for pilgrimages to Cozumel.  At dawn, around 300 oarsmen will board their canoes in the bay and set sail with the blessing of Mayan priests, the ruler and his courtiers and Polé villagers.

The pilgrims make landfall on Cozumel at Chankanaab Park at around 1 p.m. and worship at the shrine of Ixchel. The return voyage to the mainland is the following day and they are greeted in Polé with great joy.

After six months of arduous dawn training sessions, hundreds of oarsmen from Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and even further afield are ready for the Travesia Sagrada Maya or Sacred Mayan Journey. They follow the sea route taken by ancient Mayan pilgrims who traveled to the sacred island of Cozumel (Kuzamil) to worship at the shrine of Ixchel, the goddess of fertility, childbirth and the moon and tides. Depicted as an old woman or a beautiful young maiden, Ixchel was also the patron of fishing, painting and weaving.

If you would like to witness the Sacred Mayan Journey, ask at the Thomas More Travel desk in your resort for Xcaret tour and ticket options.

New ferry service to Cozumel

Xailing is offering a new ferry service from Playa del Carmen to the island of Cozumel with departures at regular intervals throughout the day. If you would like to go diving, snorkeling or simply explore Mexico’s largest Caribbean island, hop on the Xailing ferry.

Tickets are available from Thomas More Travel.