Xcaret, Theme park in Solidaridad, Mexico.

Xcaret is a theme park south of Playa del Carmen that combines nature experiences with archaeological traces. Paths lead through green areas, past animal enclosures, swimming pools and ruins, while underground rivers run through the grounds.

In 1984 architect Miguel Quintana Pali bought five hectares here and, clearing the land, uncovered cenotes formed by collapsed cave ceilings. He joined Oscar, Marcos and Carlos Constandse to open the ecological park in December 1990. The park then contacted INAH to restore Maya pyramids and buildings found on the grounds, with the park funding the work.

The evening Xcaret México Espectacular fills the Gran Tlachco, a 6,000-seat theater modeled on a Maya ball court, with more than 300 performers tracing the meeting of Maya and Spanish worlds. Daytime shows include the 25-minute Papantla flying men ceremony, pre-Hispanic dances in the Maya village, and a charrería display with charros and adelitas. The park also re-creates the Travesía Sagrada Maya, the annual crossing to Cozumel honoring the lunar goddess Ix Chel, staged from late May to early June.

Admission covers many offerings, but some animal encounters or equipment rentals cost extra. Visitors who want to explore several areas should arrive early and wear comfortable shoes, as the site is spread out.

Some river sections pass through narrow cave passages where the current is gentle and light openings above illuminate the limestone walls. You drift in clear water while tropical fish swim between your legs.