Xavage teaches families the ropes

X marks the park

IAN STALKER

PICTURED above: The Xcaret park among other things serves as a showcase for Mexican culture. Photo:Xcaret Park.

Mexico’s Grupo Xcaret is inviting people to engage in some X-rated family activities.

Xcaret has nine parks and tours on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, each eager to host families and all beginning with the letter X.

Indeed, even its tours that showcase cenotes – the underground water bodies found through the Yucatan – and excursions to the Mayan archeological site of Chichen Itza – are labelled Xenotes and Xichen, respectively.

The latest addition to Xcaret’s Mexican Caribbean coast parks is Xavage, which Xcaret’s Iliana Rodriguez says includes the Howler Monkey rope course, which may have participants reach heights of up to 40 metres above ground and features “four levels of difficulty,” each of them named after a primate – Spider Monkey, Chimpanzee, Orangutan and Gorilla level.

Spider Monkey is the easiest, while Gorilla is the most challenging, designed for those who
are very fit.

And Rodriguez says Xavage is quite comfortable seeing visitors push themselves if need be.

“The philosophy of this park is, ‘We know you can do more than you think and we will prove
that to you in the park,’” she says.

Other Xavage features include the Hawk zip-line, the Dragonfly jetboat and Barracuda rafting, with Barracuda offering the longest manmade river rafting anywhere, Rodriguez reports.

The rafting is a Level 3 on the rafting grade scale.

Rodriguez is also quick to note that Xcaret’s offerings also include the Hotel Xcaret Mexico,
with guests at “the All-Fun Inclusive” property receiving the likes of not only food and beverages in its bars and restaurants, but also entrance to the different parks and the tours, as well.

She notes that Xcaret, Xplor, Xplor Fuego, and Xenses are all within walking distance of the hotel, while those planning to visit Xel-Ha, Xoxmimilco and Xavage can reach them by shuttle.

“You can walk, you can bike or you can go in a shuttle,” depending on the park that will be visited, she reports.

The all-suite hotel has different categories of suites, including swim-up units.

Kayaking and paddle-boarding are among hotel guest activities.

More information can be found at xcaret.com.