Xcalak Beach Travel Guide

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Snorkeling the waters of Xcalak (Nadine Markova/courtesy, Mexico Tourism)

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Xcalak Beach Travel Tips

By Gary Chandler

Unwind in Xcalak (pronounced esh-ka-LOCK), a sleepy fishing village at the far southern end of Mexico's Caribbean coast.
Practice your Spanish—it's the town's predominant language.
Fly-fish for permit, tarpon, and snoo in the quiet canals of southern Quintana Roo.
Soak up the solitude. Telephones, US newspapers, and gift shops are rarities.

Xcalak Travel Guide

By Christine Loomis

Xcalak (pronounced ish-ca-lak) is the southernmost town in the state of Quintana Roo. It is just a few miles by water from Belize and part of the developing Costa Maya region of Mexico, which is just south of the Riviera Maya. Unlike the Riviera Maya, however, Costa Maya does not have big cities with glitzy nightclubs and posh restaurants. The trade-off for what Xcalak doesn't have is what it does have: deep blue water and skies; the incredibly beautiful Parque Nacional Arrecifie de Xcalak; Cenote Azul; the nearby Mayan ruins of Chacchoben; and guides who know the best bonefishing flats, the best dive and snorkel sites, and the best inlets for tranquil kayaking. There are many places in Mexico that tourism websites and brochures refer to as "authentic" or "unspoiled" Mexico. Xcalak is one of the few for which those designations are undeniably true. Read More

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can you get to Xcalak on a collectivo? do you need to rent a car? We are trying to plan a bus trip down there as a jump off spot to Ambergris Caye and Belize.
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