The Riviera Maya: from past to present

Posted by Groshan Fabiola
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The Riviera Maya is one of the most bustling tourist resorts that Mexico has to offer. The resort stands out from all the others thanks to the many underground river sites and because it is conveniently located between the marvelous Cancun and the Mayan ruins of Tulum. In fact, you can take one of the many Cancun tours and go see this amazing coastal attraction. Nevertheless, this resort has such a rich history that many are virtually unaware of. When visiting the place, few think about the evolution of the region in time. The district has certainly evolved taking into consideration that up until a few years ago it used to be nothing more than a collection of fishing villages. The fact is that the Riviera Maya wasn’t as serene as it is now. The area of the Riviera Maya, as it name suggests, was once inhabited by the famous Maya civilization. After their occupation, the region became their main commercial and religious center.

The traces of the Maya culture are still visible at present in the many constructions that they have left behind. Not only are their constructions durable, but also they managed to build them without the help of tools. Within the period of thousands of years spent in the Yucatan Peninsula, the Mayans have built temples dedicated to worshiping the sun and they were usually placed on top of the pyramids. The Mayans used these pyramids for two basic purposes: to house their deities and as burial places for their kings. They were extremely important for the Maya culture and consequently they occupied the main spot in public life, not to mention that people performed sacrifices during the religious ceremonies performed at the pyramids. The culture of the Mayans is without doubt more complex than that of present times, but you can’t even imagine to what extent. The Mayans had developed a system of writing, they used numbers and more importantly, they had a calendar that was more precise than the one you use today. More specifically, they managed to calculate the solar years at 365.242 days, which is more than impressive given their resources. However, no ingeniousness helped them battle the Spaniards that quickly drove them away.

After the Spanish Conquest the Riviera Maya remained isolated for hundreds of years because here were no roads to link it to the rest of the country. The region was connected to the rest of the country thanks to the growing popularity of Cancun as a tourist destination. When tourists opted for Cancun tours they expected other beach destination than those made available for them. As a consequence, the region was developed into resort in order to give tourists access to the ancient ruins. The herds of visitors are mainly responsible for the development of the eco-tourism because they constantly demanded to see the beautiful coral reefs and the cenotes. Taking into consideration that you can both relax in the sun, as well as being introduced to the Maya culture, the Riviera Maya is a truly destination for all tastes with a long and rich history.

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