Search results matching tag 'Mayan Riviera '

News in the Fight to Keep Exotics Off of 5th Avenue

435836 — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:36:00 GMT

Today's online edition of the Playa del Carmen newspaper La Respuesta featured an update about the fight to keep exotic animals from being exploited to the tourist trade in Playa del Carmen. Those of us who have been a part of the process, sending letters and petitions to PROFEPA and SEMERNAT will not be satisfied with the comments issued by Carlos Rafael Muñoz Terab, Secretary of Ecology and the Environment.

What follows is a translation of the article posted online today:

After praising the work of the Federal Attorney of Environmental Protection (Profepa), the Secretary of Ecology and the Environment (Sema), Carlos Rafael Muñoz Terab, recognized that while federal law allows permits for owning exotic animals the display of these specimens will continue on Fifth Avenue.

He argues that it is currently "difficult" to exhibit exotic species without proper authorization, since noncompliance implies a sanction, confiscation of the animal and up to imprisonment for the offender, the official went on to comment, that for these reasons it is considered that "most have the corresponding authorization".

"I do not agree that nothing has been done about this issue, it seems to me that historically, Profepa has done a tireless job on Fifth Avenue of trying to enforce the law as it applies to the specimens of wildlife that are displayed: the wildlife law establishes the possibility of ownership of a species with do process, if there is “proper handling" and if it is specified as, “no problem", said the official, who added: “As much as we try to enforce the law, it is necessary that people make an official complaint against those who do not comply with the law, that is the remedy for these illegal practices and to obligate those who have permission from Semarnat to give the animals proper treatment”.

He admitted that the agencies are understaffed and remarked that, "the best staff are citizens, they are the best tool". “However”, said Muñoz Terab, "a complaint against an activity must be proven".

"It is difficult to attend complaints, the agencies are understaffed, and it is important to understand the legal process, if there is no evidence we can not take action", and added:
"I insist, the the only solution is to be informed of who has permits for ownership. At this stage it is difficult to own and exhibit an exotic species without permission".
Carlos Rafael Muñoz insisted that "as long as federal law allows ownership of these species, this situation will continue, the activity will continue".

While it is somewhat encouraging to see this issue being raised by the media and addressed in some way by government officials, we at BuyPlaya believe that the best way to combat this type of activity is economically. Do not have your picture taken with any of the exotic animals being displayed on 5th Avenue and please do your best to educate other travelers to also avoid these vendors. It is a simple matter of supply and demand. Trade in exotic animals is expensive. If we can eliminate the demand, there will be no reason for these people to continue in this business. Please share this information on TripAdvisor, playa.info, In the Roo, LocoGringo and any other place where travel and destination information is exchanged.

The original piece on Diario Respuesta can be found here.

Have a Safe Spring Break on the Riviera Maya

435836 — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:00:00 GMT

What Should I Know about Spring Break? - A Message from the US Consular Office in Playa del Carmen

Over 100,000 American teenagers and young adults travel to resort areas throughout Mexico for Spring Break each year. While most enjoy their vacation without incident, a small number are arrested, become victims of crime, or even die. Using common sense will help you avoid trouble.

Here are some of the basics:

You need a passport if you travel by air. When you enter Mexico the immigration agent will give you the bottom portion of the immigration form you filled out on the plane. This is your visa. Do not lose your passport or visa; you'll need both to leave Mexico.
Whether you travel to Mexico by land, air, or sea, you are entering a foreign country and are subject to the laws and regulations of Mexico.
Before you leave the United States be sure to activate international roaming for your cell phone so you are able to make and receive calls during your vacation here.
Excessive alcohol consumption and unruly behavior can lead to serious problems with Mexican authorities. Alcohol is involved in the vast majority of arrests, accidents, violent crimes, rapes, and deaths suffered by American students on Spring Break. Disturbing the peace, lewd or indecent behavior, littering, driving under the influence, drinking on the street or on public transportation, using public transportation without payment, or making obscene or insulting remarks are all considered criminal activities by Mexican authorities. The importation, purchase, possession or use of drugs can incur severe penalties, including imprisonment without bail for up to a year before a case is tried, and imprisonment of several years following a conviction.
Leave your gun, bullets and knives at home. Mexican law imposes harsh penalties for bringing as few as one bullet across its borders.
Read through the Country Specific Information sheet for Mexico. There is a wealth of information about everything from water sport safety to renting a car to common scams.
Read "Spring Break in Mexico - Know Before You Go!"
Register with us at the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program
Phone home periodically to let your family know where you are and that you're ok.
Crimes (to include rape) commonly but not exclusively occur at night or in the early morning hours, and often involve alcohol and the nightclub environment. It is important to travel in pairs or groups, be aware of surroundings, and take general precautions. To protect against property crimes, valuables should be left in a safe place or not brought at all. If you are detained, arrested, or become a victim of a crime, immediately notify the U.S. Consular Agency in Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Cozumel or the U.S. Consulate General in Merida. Our contact information can be found at our U.S. Citizen Services.

We hope you have a safe and enjoyable vacation!

For more information and to address specific issues contact:
Samantha Mason
US Consular Agent
Tels: [52] (984) 873-0303
Fax: [52] (984) 873-0481
Emergency Cellphone: [52] (984) 807-8355
E-mail: playausca@hotmail.com

"The Palapa"
Calle 1 Sur, entre Avenida 15 y Avenida 20
77710 Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo

Mon, Wed, Fri: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

2013 About.com Readers Choice Awards - Vote Riviera Maya!!

435836 — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Greetings from sunny Playa del Carmen!!

Once again, our little blog "Life's a Beach" was nominated for the About.com Readers Choice Award for Favorite Mexico Blog. I just found out that I am now a finalist. Huzzah!!

But wait...it get's even better! "Life's a Beach" blog was not the only nod toward the Riviera Maya!

Tony and Cheri Head are in the race with Luna Blue Hotel in the running for Favorite Bargain Hotel!
Mitch and Shawn with Yucatreks have a fight on their hands to win Favorite Mexico Tour Company.
Matt Shilowitz from Acanto Boutique Hotel has his sights set on winning the award for Favorite Luxury Hotel.

Let's show the Riviera Maya some love and show the About.com readers that our little corner of Mexico is the very best place to be!

There are other fun categories to vote on as well. Votes are limited to one vote per award category per user per day. The winners will be announced on March 19th!

So please, take a minute to cast your votes and pass along these links to your friends, share them on Facebook, Twitter or your favorite social media platform! It would make me super happy and hopefully draw some good attention to the Riviera Maya!

Click here to vote for "Life's a Beach" for Favorite Mexico Blog:

Click here to vote for Luna Blue Hotel for Favorite Bargain Hotel:

Click here to vote for Yucatreks for Favorite Mexico Tour Company:

Click here to vote for Acanto Boutique Hotel for Favorite Luxury Hotel:

Thank you so much for your support!!

I moved to Mexico with my family in 2004 with the hope of offering our children a more global education and world view. Since then, we have traveled through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, gathering friends and life experiences and learning a lot about ourselves along the way. When we are not out and about exploring, Rob and I own and operate BuyPlaya, a Playa del Carmen real estate company and FurnitureMex. "Life's a Beach" is a catch-all blog where you may find anything from restaurant reviews, to recipes, gardening tips, commentary about expat daily life, local events, information about moving to Mexico and educating children in Playa del Carmen. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

OHL Classic at Mayakoba Moved to November

435836 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Mayakoba, together with officials of the PGA TOUR, announced today that Mexico's Only PGA TOUR Event will move to November as the event joins the new fall portion of the PGA TOUR FedExCup schedule. The next edition of the tournament is slated for the week of Nov. 11 - 17, 2013.

For more information, visit www.ohlclassic.com.

As a result of the scheduling change, the event now boasts its own unencumbered date on the PGA TOUR calendar affording any PGA TOUR player, regardless of world ranking, the opportunity to compete in Mexico's Only PGA TOUR Event should he meet qualifying criteria and wish to play. Previously the tournament had been held in February opposite the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, prohibiting the top 64 players in the world from enjoying the chance to compete at Mayakoba.

Additionally, officials announced an updated name for the event which will now be known as the OHL Classic at Mayakoba to reflect the commitment of tournament title sponsor and resort developer, OHL Developments.

"We are honored to continue as host of Mexico's Only PGA TOUR Event and extremely pleased to now have our own week on the TOUR schedule," said Andres Pan de Soraluce, CEO of OHL Developments, owner and developer of the Mayakoba Resort. "In many ways a new era has been born for this tournament and we are excited about our new date and look forward to a bright future. We are confident the 2013 tournament will be a signature event for Mexico and for golf worldwide. As always, we are eager to share the beautiful Mayakoba resort as well as the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions with the best golfers in the world and an international television audience."

As part of the announcement, officials also unveiled an increase in the total purse to $6 million USD guaranteeing the winner will earn a check of more than $1 million USD. The OHL Classic at Mayakoba will continue to offer the largest amount of prize money of any golf tournament in Latin America, a distinction it has held since its inception in 2007.

With this new date, the tournament will continue to be a part of the season-long FedExCup competition and will now distribute a full allocation of FedExCup points. In addition to a winner's check of $1.08 million USD, the champion will also earn 500 FedExCup points. Previously, the event awarded 250 points to the first-place finisher.

"The OHL Classic at Mayakoba has been a favorite tournament of many PGA TOUR players the past six years," said Andy Pazder, Chief of Operations for the PGA TOUR. "In this new unencumbered date near the start of the season, all TOUR players will now have an opportunity to experience the world-class Mayakoba Resort and its challenging El Camaleón championship course. We are grateful for OHL's partnership and look forward to the continued growth in stature of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba."

The OHL Classic at Mayakoba made golf history when the tournament was first conducted in 2007, becoming Mexico's Only PGA TOUR Event. A six-year contract extension was announced in November 2011 which will keep the tournament part of the PGA TOUR landscape through the 2018 season, representing a total commitment of 12 years by the PGA TOUR to Mexico.

In addition to the commitment of the PGA TOUR to Mexico through 2018, today's announcement also assures the continued worldwide television and media presence of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. As the only PGA TOUR event scheduled for the week of Nov. 11-17, 2013, the golf world will be focused on Mexico. The event boasts more than eight hours of television coverage and is broadcast to more than 200 countries around the globe, providing Mexico and its Riviera Maya and Cancún regions with unprecedented exposure to an affluent global audience.

OHL, a multi-billion dollar construction and development company based in Madrid, Spain, serves as the tournament's primary sponsor after developing the Mayakoba resort as a tourism complex. Included in the award-winning resort are three luxury hotels and the tournament venue, the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón Golf Club. Further development at Mayakoba will see the construction of two additional luxury hotels and the creation of a second phase of the property which will ultimately feature a second championship-caliber golf course and additional hotels and real estate properties.

 "We are proud that all the hard work the past six years has been recognized by the PGA TOUR, the players and the community as we start a new chapter for this tournament with our own date," said Joe Mazzeo, Tournament Director of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. "We look forward to a new era of PGA TOUR golf here at Mayakoba and making the 2013 tournament a truly special event."

Through its first six years, the OHL Classic at Mayakoba has donated nearly $1.5 million USD to local, national and international charities. In an effort to grow the game of golf in the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions, the tournament created Golf PARa Todos, or Golf FORE Everyone. The one-day golf clinics are held throughout the year. The community event aims to create a fun-filled, diverse and educational program that teaches about the game of golf and its ideals.

In February 2012, PGA TOUR rookie John Huh outlasted Australian Robert Allenby in a thrilling and record-setting eight-hole, sudden-death playoff. With more than $2.6 million in 2012 earnings, defending champion Huh is a strong candidate for 2012 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year. 2007 saw PGA TOUR veteran and fan favorite Fred Funk win the inaugural OHL Classic at Mayakoba when he outlasted Argentina's Jose Coceres in a two-hole sudden-death playoff. Other champions of the event include Brian Gay (2008), Mark Wilson (2009), Cameron Beckman (2010) and Johnson Wagner (2011).

Through six years, Mayakoba has welcomed some of the biggest names and most accomplished players in professional golf. Among the event's past participants are: Stuart Appleby, Aaron Baddeley, K.J. Choi, John Daly, Jason Day, David Duval, Bill Haas, J.B. Holmes, Charles Howell III, Fredrik Jacobson, Lee Janzen, Jerry Kelly, Matt Kuchar, Tom Lehman, Graeme McDowell, Greg Norman, Jose Maria Olazabal, Rory Sabbatini, Brandt Snedeker, David Toms, Scott Verplank, Bubba Watson, Boo Weekley and more. Since its inception in 2007, 12 Mexicans have participated at Mayakoba. An 11th place finish by Esteban Toledo in 2008 marks the best performance by a Mexican player in the event's history.

For further information about the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, please visit www.OHLClassic.com.

Notes on Napkins - A New Website for Playa Foodies!

435836 — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Taking the time to enjoy local cuisine on your vacation gives you a greater understanding and appreciation for the culture of the country you're visiting. Food is one of the best ways for people to interact across cultural divides and discover a commonality. The Riviera Maya is unique to other destinations in Mexico in that its cuisine is a cacophony of flavors and ingredients brought in from all across Mexico and from around the globe. Here you can find everything from Yucatecan cochinita pibil to Oaxacan mole to Venezuelan arepas, Indian tika masala, Italian pizza, Spanish tapas, crepes, thai, sushi, and more!

How will you decide where to eat? How will you know what and where all the choices are? A new website will help you navigate through the culinary cornucopia that Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya has to offer. On Playa Food can search alphabetically, by price, cuisine and location. You can find the restaurant on a map and even leave a rating and a review to help future diners! Check it out at http://www.PlayaFood.com.

The "Copa Riviera Maya" Regatta in Puerto Aventuras

435836 — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:03:00 GMT

January 31 to February 3, the 2013 "Copa Riviera Maya" Regatta will take place, hosted by the Sailing Club of Puerto Aventuras.

Michelangelo Pani, President of the Mexican Windsurfing Association, reports that there will be 170 boats and 200 sailors from all over Mexico participating in this event. Child, Youth and Olympic sailors will compete in the categories of Optimist, Olympic Laser, Veleros 420 and Olympic Level Windsurfing. This will be the first event of the Circuito Nacional de Vela 2013. In these four categories, there will be qualifying heats for upcoming State, Regional and National competitions for 2013.

Young sailors from 8 to 11 years of age, or those weighing under 45 kilos, will be competing in the Optimist class, which is the formative level. The Optimist is the vessel traditionally used to teach the basics of sailing. Upon graduating from this class, either by age or by weight, youth sailors pass to the Olympic class of their choice, either in Windsurfing or the Laser class. Sailors can then continue their training, working to become elite athletes or as recreational sailors. Likewise, the 420 class, in boats for two helmsmen, is formative training for Olympic class vessels with a sailing crew of 2 or more.

To close the event, Natalie and the Foxes will be performing LIVE at the Puerto Aventuras Cultural Center starting at 7pm. Food and beverages will be available. Admission is 80 pesos. Tickets are available at the Colonos office or at the door.

This event has the official endorsement of the Mexican Sailing Federation, the Mexican Association of Optimist Sailors; Mexico Laser Association, National Association 420, Mexican Association of Wind Surfing and Cojudeq. Regatta sponsors include the PA Fideicomiso, Nissan Cars, the Colonos, the Playa del Carmen municipal council, City Club, Coca Cola and the PROA Sailing Association.

Jan 11- 22 - Photography Exposition Puerto Morelos

435836 — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:48:00 GMT

The Casa de Cultura in Puerto Morelos is proud to present an original photographic exposition with photo art by, Natalia Padilla Corcuera.

This photographic experience' "Estelas del Inframundo" will be at the Casa de Cultura, Puerto Morelos through January 22nd. We hope to see you there!

January 10th - Mayan Music Therapy

435836 — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:31:00 GMT

Why not make the trip down to Cancun for some Mayan Music Therapy and Singing?!

On January 10th from 8:00 - 10:00 pm for only $120 pesos!

January 18, 2013 The Image of Woman

435836 — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:19:00 GMT

Starting at 7:30pm Friday, the 18th of January at the Cultural Center in Puerto Aventuras dazzle your senses with music, dance and poetry in English and Spanish dedicated to the dignity of all women.

Women in attendance are encouraged to wear something red as a symbol for a better future for women all over the world.

Read more about this cultural event and its creator HERE

Jan 5. - Lama Lhanang Rinpoché

435836 — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:54:00 GMT

Come, listen and learn from this spiritual tibetan budism teacher, on Saturday he will be talking about how to live a properous and abundant life. On Sunday you can come paint a Mandala with Lama for $150 pesos, $100 anandis.

For more information call: 984 1062133