Mexican Caribbean & Yucatan News

Cancun Airport News: use of Passport Control e-Gates expands to visitors from 18 countries

The e-Gates in the Passport Control hall in Terminals 3 and 4 at Cancun International Airport which have been used by visitors with U.S. and Canadian passports since 2023 can now be used by visitors with passports issued by the following countries: United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Finland, The Netherlands, Hungary, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Iceland, Japan, Czech Republic, Belgium, Romania, South Korea

This will help speed up entry times for arriving passengers and reduce queues.

Tren Maya Cancun-Tulum stretch now open

The Cancun-Playa del Carmen section of the Tren Maya railway was inaugurated on February 29, and work continues on the Playa del Carmen to Tulum to Chetumal and Chetumal to Escarcega sections.

Summer reopening for El Meco archaeological site

El Meco archaeological site near Punta Sam is currently being excavated and additional buildings restored. It will reopen in the summer.

In other Maya World news, restoration has been underway at the Tulum archaeological site, with special attention being paid to the Descending God or Diving God sculptures on the facades of seven of the temples. The entrance to the site has been renovated, with improved visitor facilities and a site museum to open this year. It forms part of the Jaguar National Park, which will have beach access and a new viewpoint for panoramic vistas of the coast.

The Gran Museo de Chichen Itza site museum is now open with exhibits of ceramics, stone carvings and offerings found during excavations of the ancient city and replicas of some of its most famous treasures on display in the Regional Anthropology and History Museum in Merida.

Also coming this year, a site museum at Kabah archaeological site, the opening of the Ichkabal archaeological site near Bacalar in August, and there are new clusters of restored buildings to visit in Chichen Itza, Uxmal, the Izamal area and in Kohunlich in southern Quintana Roo, among others.

Coming up in March: Sportfishing Season and Maya Marvels at Chichen Itza

If you are due to visit Grand Residences by Royal Resorts in March, make a note of these upcoming events. Sportfishing season begins in March for fans of the ocean waves who like to go out in search of marlin, sailfish and other game species. Fishing charters are available from local marinas and there is a catch and release policy.

Witness an ancient marvel at Chichen Itza on March 21, the day of the spring equinox. Watch as a serpent of light and shadow appears to slither down from the heavens on the north staircase of the Pyramid of Kukulcan, testimony to the skill of long-lost temple builders, who aligned the building so precisely to catch the rays of the setting sun.

The snake is a symbol of Kukulcan (Quetzalcoatl in central Mexico), the feathered serpent god returning to earth and it heralded the approach of the spring planting season for the ancient Maya.

Your Concierge can help you with day trip reservations to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site.