#865 Cancun, Mexico

It may be famous for American spring break visitors, and have more flights to the states and Canada than some places on the main continent should have, but these visitors do not come without reason. The beach is absolutely spectacular. It goes on and on, is wide and flat, with beautiful white sand and rolling waves with a delicious turquoise ocean with just the right sized waves -- the perfect temperature in Spring. Mega hotels may have sprung up in their hundreds, the nightclubs offering free drinks all night long may lead to offensive behavior, and there may be just a few too many tourist stalls, but where there are tourists there are jobs, money, better standards of living and other benefits to share. 

The 15 km strip likes on a the outer banks of a lagoon that separates the main city (where the majority of Mexicans live and the backpackers stay) from the high flying golf courses and five star palaces. The Yucatan peninsula where it sits is porous limestone offering fabulous day trips to cenotes (sinkholes), and of course the magic Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza (#875). Off the coast lies the more laid-back Isla Mujeres and even whale sharks (#915).

#875 Chichen Itza, Mexico

In the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula likes Mexico's crowning historical glory of Mayan traditions: Chichen Itza. With one of the largest, most beautiful pyramids (El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan) that at equinoxes reflects a twisting serpent in its shadows, it is rare to see it without a swarm of tourists from nearby Cancun. Typical of most Mayan buildings it was a structure built over top of an older building, with that built on top of something else.


Near to the main square is the great ball court, one of thirteen such structures on the site, but an impressive structure in its own right, flanked by the Temple of the Jaguar and the Temple of the Bearded Man. You can see the "goals" in the walls, at a very high level above the ground making you wonder as to the complex rules of such a sport.

The skull carvings on the Skull Platform (Tzompantli) are an appropriate reminder of the frequent human sacrifices that took place during the Mayan era, evidence of which can be found at the bottom of the 60m wide Cenote Sagrada, where along with gems, pottery, wood and cloth were the skeletons of men and children.

Beautifully decorated buildings, the impressive complex known as the Group of a Thousand Columns, and the El Caracol Observatory all provide testament to the Mayans engineering, learning, arts and culture. I think I love the connection to the jaguar the most!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_itza

#915 Whale sharks off Cancun, Mexico

During the summer months, if you travel about an hour's speedboat ride off the coast of Cancun and Isla Mujeres in Mexico, you will come to a place where there are often hundreds of whale sharks swimming. The krill and plankton sits on the surface, and therefore, so do the whale sharks. In an industry highly regulated by the Mexican government, you are permitted to swim with them. Wow! What an amazing experience! They are so large and peaceful, with their wide mouths and swishing tails. They say if you can take a picture of their finger-print side, this unique genetic code can be posted online to tell you where else in the world they have been to.

Isla Mujeres for lunch!

#916 San Blas Islands, Panama

In a hidden corner of Panama, down near the Colombian border on the Caribbean coast lies an archipelago which is quite unique from a political perspective. The San Blas islands are autonomous and pretty much self-ruling despite being part of Panama. Their isolation and lack of valuable resources has meant that throughout history they have been seen as a place of transit rather than somewhere valuable to own in its own right. This has allowed the people of the San Blas to maintain their lifestyle and cultural practices and live similarly to how they have for centuries.

Effectively most islands are windswept sand bars in a picturesque ocean location (100s of them), but the Comarque de Kuna Yala are a proud example of effective indigenous independence, the first of their kind in Latin America. Foreigners (including Panamanians) are not allowed to run businesses here and often foreigners are charged a fee to visit the islands. Subsisting on tropical foods and the abundant marine life, their lifestyles have not changed for decades. 

Diving is forbidden in the Archipelago de San Blas, and other activities are strictly monitored (so no jet skis and cruise ships!). The pretty blue waters with cute yellow starfish and recent sailboat wrecks are a world away from lively Panama City, and disembarking into the jungle is onto a dirt trail up a small creek.

Paradise?

Source: Lonely Planet Central America 7th Edition

#920 Panama Canal, Panama

An astonishing feat of engineering that has changed modern times, the Panama Canal has been owned by three countries, connects two vast countries, has been functioning for almost a century, broke a country in two, and cost untold lives in its difficult construction. It is part of the modern economy ticking away and truly a marvel of human engineering.

It's being expanded and improved in time for its century anniversary. Truly a marvel!

One of the dredging boats that dug the canal.

A view of the construction of the canal from inside the museum.

Looking from the Miraflores locks towards the Pacific Ocean.

Draining the canal.

The many viewers -- a popular tourist attraction!

The modern ships dwarf the Miraflores station. Most ships are now constructed to within centimeters of fitting within the canal.

Miraflores locks.