Good day once again, fellow ZANDAnistas!

I promised a full post-trip report in my last blog entry, so here we go.

This was my second time visiting the Cancun area and points south as far as Xel Ha (about 40 minutes south of Playa del Carmen), and it was my wife's first. She provided a unique perspective of the parks and the trip itself from the view of someone who is both vision and mobility-impaired.

The parks visited were, in this order: Xcaret, Dolphinaris at Wet n' Wild (formerly known as Parque Nizuc), Dolphin Discovery at Isla Mujeres, and Xel Ha. I also returned to Dolphinaris on my own to participate in their "Trainer for a Day" program.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

A lot has changed in the area in eight years (I was last there in 2000), some good and some not so good. The good is seeing the interactive programs evolve significantly, and continue to grow and change to balance the needs of their animals and clients alike.

The not-so-good is that some programs do a better job than others in terms of how they present their animals. I've already mentioned this in my other blog entry of how to choose a swim-with program. I would recommend reading that entry before this one so you have a solid context for the details.

Speaking of...

THE DETAILS: XCARET

Xcaret is a blend of natural beauty and Mexican culture. They have some amazing stage shows, as well as exhibitions by native aerialists, though I would bring a portable cushion if you plan on attending the big arena show. It runs over two hours, and that's a long time to be sitting on bare concrete.

Getting there is easy. Buses and taxis are readily available. You can also save some money by booking online (www.xcaret.com), or by going through whatever travel agent happens to be located at your hotel of choice.

Their regional wildlife enclosure, near the main entrance, is well worth a visit especially for bird-lovers. I think they've got more scarlet and military macaws than I've ever seen in one place, and they have a first-class breeding facility and lab to back them up. They also have flamingos, numerous smaller parrots, and a magnificicent king vulture.

For those who may be closet spelunkers, there's an underground river you can snorkle and swim through as it winds through a number of caves. Fair warning, though, you'll want a 'shortie' wetsuit as the water is fairly chilly.

The dolphin swim-with Xcaret features used to be (in 2000) one of the best features. The swimmer-to-dolphin ratio, at that time, rarely exceeded 2:1, and you could even get 1:1 on a slow day. You were given plenty of free time with the animals, and some fun structured behaviors such as a foot push.

Unfortunately, they seem to have lost their way. The program still exists, but the STDR now stands at around 5:1 or higher. Free time has been severely cut back, and the foot pushes are gone.

Xcaret's version of a swim-with is a good program for someone who has never been around a dolphin in their lives, or someone who is very nervous around them (or other large animals). Those who are comfortable with dolphins, or desire a more challenging program, would do better to look at Xel Ha or Dolphinaris.

THE DETAILS: DOLPHINARIS

This program is interesting in that it is contained within a waterslide park that has been part of the Cancun landscape for many years. While the water park itself has little to interest zoogoers, unless you happen to enjoy waterslides and 'tubing' down an artificial river, the dolphin program is well worth the effort.

STDR here is no more than 3.5:1, and I suspect you can (as always) get better on a slow day. Another unique feature of the park is that they use some unusual dolphins: Specifically, Tursiops Aduncus, better known as the Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin. You will rarely find this species in a captive environment outside of non-US facilities, as they are not often found in US territorial waters.

T. Aduncus are distinct from the more familiar Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in several ways. For starters, their bodies tend to be longer in overall length and slimmer in build, and their rostrums are longer and narrower. T. truncatus are much more stocky, as a rule, and have thicker and shorter rostrums.

Coloration is another significant difference. Aduncus tend to be much darker, nearly black in many cases.

As for personality, the training staff has told me that Aduncus tend to learn a bit slower than their Atlantic cousins, but once they "get" something, they often retain it better than T. truncatus. My personal experience with these animals is that they tend to be a bit more hyper than Atlantics, but they can be just as fun and sociable once you gain their trust.

They have a few different interactive programs, but their top-end version is called (simply enough) the 'Dolphin Swim Program.' I would highly recommend it to anyone, beginner or advanced. You will get both free time with the critters and structured behaviors, including your choice of a foot push or dorsal tow.

For those who are more deeply curious about training and animal care, I would recommend spending the extra $$ for the 'Trainer for a Day' package. The list price is USD $200, but you can often find discounts online or at http://www.dolphinaris.com/

For that price, you get into a small group and hang out with a trainer for the entire day. You'll get classroom time, and at least three sessions with the dolphins including (if you're lucky) working a bit with the youngsters. You will also receive an in-depth tour of the place, including the veterinary lab and trainer's office. You can ask ANY questions about the critters, their training or their care, and you will receive very detailed answers (possibly more so than you might want). ;-)

The only disadvantage to this program is that the "free time" segment of the normal dolphin swim-with is not included. If that's something you count on, you'd be better off sticking with the swim program itself.

No matter what program you select, you'll receive an all-inclusive (in terms of admission, food and drinks) pass to the park itself. The only out-of-pocket cost you'll have is locker rental (USD $4 plus a $10 refundable deposit).

One warning I do feel the need to pass on: The food at this park is pretty bad (it made my wife sick for two days!) You would do well to bring your own (you're allowed to do so, but don't flaunt it), or do as I did and have your hotel pack you a box lunch. I didn't regret it.

If you do find yourself stuck with eating there, stay far, FAR away from the nachos, pizza, and chicken fingers. You might do well to simply go on a liquid diet for the day (soft drinks and purified water are readily available, and included in your package price).

THE DETAILS: DOLPHIN DISCOVERY

D-D is one of the higher-priced (basic interactive programs start around USD $150) operations in the area. However, they are the only facility I know of who are doing interactive programs with manatees. If you've always been curious about the critters, more commonly known as the "sea cow," this is the place to go.

Their nearest facility to Cancun is on Isla Mujeres, about six miles off the west end of the hotel zone. The island itself may be worth a visit for its shops and villages (I don't know, I didn't go beyond the facility itself). Your package price includes round-trip boat transport and free drinks. There may also be an all-inclusive package available which adds food. Check their web site at www.dolphindiscovery.com for details.

D-D's dolphin swim-with is probably the most heavily-structured in the region. Do not expect any free interaction time at all, and the STDR can go as high as 7:1.

Their program does, however, feature a unique type of behavior called a 'belly ride,' which is done with the swimmer gripping the base of the dolphin's pec fins as they swim upside down under you. It's worth doing if you've never done one before.

The food is pretty good. Go for the buffet if you eat there. It'll be the best value for the $$.

THE DETAILS: XEL HA

I can sum up this park in one word: Wow!

Far more water-oriented than its sister park, Xcaret, Xel Ha also has far more room for their dolphin programs, and they take full advantage of it! Here is where you will definitely get some quality time with the critters, as well as a foot push, human hurdle, and all the other fun behaviors that used to be at Xcaret.

You will also find an enormous lagoon, fed from both the ocean and a brackish river (the latter is one that you can float or swim down from deep inside the park), that has an amazing assortment of fish and rays. If you get tired of the water activiities, just wander over to one of the "hammock islands" they have on either side of the lagoon, and cork out for a while.

Like birds? No problem! Just as Xcaret does, this park has wandering bird handlers, carrying a variety of macaws and toucans, who are perfectly happy to turn you into a temporary perch and take your picture with the featherheads. You can retrieve such later at the gift shop if you wish (it's not mandatory). It'll run you about USD $12 per print.

The food is good as well. Once again, the buffet is your best bet. In fact, I would strongly recommend the 'All-Inclusive' package. It lists for USD $75 per adult, but you can find discounts online, and it gives you all you can eat and drink plus a locker, towel, snorkeling gear, etc. The only thing not included is swimming with the dolphins.

THE BOTTOM LINE...

If you consider yourself a "beginner" with dolphins, just about any of the programs will do, though Xcaret and Dolphin Discovery offer what could be considered the "safest" for those who are a bundle of nerves about the idea. Of the two, Xcaret is the least expensive.

If you have worked or played with dolphins before, or want a program that is a little more challenging to your skill set, I would recommend Xel Ha and Dolphinaris, in that order.

No matter where you go, make it a habit to use either biodegradable sunscreen (for the benefit of the local fish and reef life) or a good rash guard or wetsuit. It is soooo easy to get a bad sunburn in those latitudes, even on an overcast day.

WHEN TO GO

I've been told that the big cruise ships tend to come in during the middle of the week, so it can sometimes get crowded when you least expect it. My advice would be to check the sailing schedules and work around them.

The down-season (between just after Labor Day through the following Memorial Day) is, of course, a good time to be traveling almost anywhere. Crowds are at a minimum, and the weather is still (for the most part) gorgeous. Even if it rains, it rarely goes below the mid-70's.

Perhaps the best advice I can give is something that many of you who have traveled to Mexico are already aware of: Don't drink anything but bottled water, and make sure you drink enough of it not to dehydrate!

BRIEF UPDATE, 3-Dec-08: I don't have too many photos of the parks (I was fairly busy trying to goof off), but I will contribute a couple of general shots.

The first two are from Dolphin Discovery, Isla Mujeres. Specifically, one of their dock area and another of one of their trainers with a manatee.

The third is a wide view of Xel Ha's dolphin lagoons. As you can tell, they have quite a bit of space (more than my camera could see in one shot).

Happy travels.