Top 10 non-fishing things to do at Acocote Eco Inn

November 25, 2015

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Top 10 non-fishing things to do at Acocote Eco Inn

So if you know me, the first thing I would want to do on a trip to Xcalak, Mexico would be to go out fly fishing for permit. Now I know that not everyone that comes down here wants to do that, or has a spouse or family that isn’t in to fishing. So we get asked a lot so what else is there to do there besides fly fish? Here are the top ten things to do here, if you aren’t fly fishing.

1. You could have a massage or a Jinshin Jyutsu session

Leisa (Co-owner) does massage therapy as well as the Japanese healing art of Jinshin Jyutsu at Acocote Wellness on site. Leisa specializes in the healing art of Jinshin Jyutsu, which if you have never tried it, is one of the most relaxing therapies that you can get. It works with the same points and meridians as Acupuncture and Shiatsu but in a much less invasive way. She also does Swedish massage if you are more interested in that.

2. There is great snorkeling right off the beach in front of the Inn

We have more coral heads than you could explore in a week right in front of the hotel. Put your fins on in a foot of 80 degree Caribbean and snorkel right out to some fun coral heads.

3. Hire a boat for the morning for snorkeling, sight-seeing

There are a number of places you can go on a sightseeing tour. They can take you to some snorkeling spots that are difficult to get to without a boat. If the water is calm, they can sometimes get you out on the reef. Other places you can go are bird island which is a mangrove island that is home to massive numbers of nesting/mating birds. There is the Belize border, which is a small “creek” that winds through the mangroves. If you are lucky you may see dolphins, manatees, or sea turtles.

4. Go out on one of our kayaks or stand up paddle boards

We have sea kayaks and Dave Scadden stand up paddle boards for use by our guests. The stand up paddle boards are inflatable, light weight and 3 feet wide so they are super stable even for beginners. You can paddle around inside the reef in front of the Inn. Or use the Kayaks to get you from coral head to coral head.

5. See Mayan ruins off the beaten track

Within about a two hour drive there are multiple Mayan ruins to explore (Dzibanche, Kohunlich, Chacchoben, Oxtankah, to name a few). These ruins are spectacular and are in a well maintained but still pretty wild state. A couple of them, Dzibanche and Kohunlich have howler and spider monkeys in the trees among the ruins. These ruins are not like Chichinitza or Tulum with their bus loads of tourists. Depending on the day, you may be the only ones at the entire site. A number of them allow you to climb the pyramids, to get up close and personal to the sculptures on the pyramids as well as to give you a view of the surrounding jungle.

6. Take a day trip to San Pedro, Belize

It is about an hour and a half boat ride to get to the resort town of San Pedro. If you are looking for a little more excitement for the day, they have tons of tourists, bars, restaurants, and t-shirt shops to get your shopping urges satisfied.

7. Explore the lagoons behind the hotel on SUPs or Kayaks

If you are a bit more adventurous, there are a couple of lagoons behind the Inn that are great for exploring. There is a mangrove tunnel you can go through to get to the lagoon just north of us. There are tons of fish, and birds to see.

8. Drive to the Costa Maya (Mahahual) cruise ship port (about 1 hr)

Another option is the cruise ship port in Mahahual. It is only about an hour away, and is a lot less frantic than San Pedro. There are a number of good restaurants and bars. If there are multiple cruise ships in port, it can be a very bustling resort town.

9. Scuba diving

The Great Mayan Reef is just off the beach with multiple dive spots within a short boat ride. There are two dive shops in Xcalak covering diving on the Great Mayan Reef in front of Xcalak. The reef here has been designated a national park: The Xcalak Reef National Park. So the marine life is protected creating some of the best diving you will find anywhere. Xcalak is also the jumping off point to Banco Chinchorro, one of only 4 coral atolls in the Atlantic. You will have to find a day of calm seas to go out there but if you can, it is a pristine coral eco-system with hundreds of species of fish and wildlife.