have kids,
will travel
Pick me,
pick me!
Go to turtle camp
STAY: CasaMagna Marriott
Puerto Vallarta Resort ($$)
the beach here is home to many
nests of the olive Ridley species of
sea turtle. attend a nightly release
and name your four-flippered friend
before sending it into the surf.
One of Mexico’s prettiest
swimming holes
Swim in cenoteS
These subterranean sinkholes are probably the prettiest pits you’ll
ever see. Formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock, cenotes dot the
Yucatán Peninsula, with a particular concentration near Cancun and
the Mayan Riviera. Most are operated by local tour outfitters and are
easily accessible. Kids can swim in these protected alcoves without
potentially dangerous waves and strong currents. And snorkeling here
affords ample opportunities to view sea life in more tranquil waters.
STAY: Bel Air Collection
Resort & Spa, Cancun ($)
underground swimming is a
stone’s throw from this budget-
and family-friendly spot. several
cenotes are a short drive from
the resort. and when you’re
craving a little adults-only time,
the hotel can arrange a romantic
candlelit dinner for two.
($)
44
summer 2017
Cost-saving stay |
CAA sAsKATCHeWAN
($ $)
affordable luxury |
($ $ $)
no expense spared
Though they are among earth’s
oldest creatures—predating even
some dinosaur species—sea tur-
tles are also some of the most
endangered. It’s estimated that
only one in 1,000 turtle hatch-
lings survives to adulthood.
Along the Pacific coast, Mexican
hatcheries closely monitor egg-
laden beaches to safely deliver
tiny turtles to the sea. Ecotours
Vallarta’s turtle camp lets animal
lovers aid in conservation efforts.
Children (age eight and up) and
adults help biologists scour the
beach for nests, collecting eggs
and delivering to them to the
turtle “nursery,” where they can
be hatched, safe from potential
predators. During the hatching
season, campers can even release
hatchlings into the sea as they
begin their arduous journey to
turtle adulthood.