Xel-ha, Riviera Maya

Xel-ha, Riviera Maya

Xel-ha, Riviera Maya

Xel-Há means 'where the water is born'

Xel-ha - Explore the magic of NatureThe story is that the Mayan Gods gave Xel-Ha to mortals. Guarded by the symbols for Parrot Fish and Iguana representing wisdom, illusion and love are the historical elements representing the Park's natural beauty and its role as a cultural and religious center.

In pre-Hispanic Mexico , Xel-Há grew to become a port and commercial zone for the privileged and safe harbor for seagoing merchants.

Mayan Legend Xel-ha - Explore the magic of Nature After "bulkabal", the last deluge, the world was in chaos, from which darkness was born and the universe returned to its origin. NOTHING MOVED, NOTHING HAD EXISTENCE. There were only the sea and the sky inhabited by darkness and silence.

On the second day, they became tired of dancing over the cold waters. So they created a thin layer of solid land where they could rest while they finished their work. They said: "Let there be land!" AND FROM THE DEPTH OF THE SEA THERE EMERGED A MOST BEAUTIFUL LAND.

On the third day, they called upon the god of rain, Chaac, who poured FERTILE WATER INTO THE SECRET CRACKS OF THE LAND. Plants, flowers and trees soon dressed the ground. As rain continued to fall into the fourth day, water filled all the cracks and basins, PRODUCING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LAGOONS AND CENOTES.

On the fifth day, Kukulcan, the god of wind, flapped his wings, blowing warm breezes over the land, where ALL LIVING THINGS BEGAN A GENTLE DANCE.

On the sixth day, Kukulcan turned his winds toward the sea and from the frothy waves came Ixchel, goddess of the moon and fertility, who rose to heaven and was wooed by Ahkin, the sun god, to give birth to Itzamna, lord of the skies. UPON THE BEAUTIFUL LAND DAY AND NIGHT CAME TO BE. And on the seventh day, Itzamna painted the night with thousands of stars. Most brilliant among them was Yaman Ek, the guardian.

“Let trees have their own guardians!”, so the gods ordered on the eighth day. Birds came in astonishing variety and the most dazzling, colorful one, “Mo” the macaw, was named “GUARDIAN ANGEL OF THE SKIES”.

On the ninth day, Hunab-Kú buried a white knife, the zaquitoc, in the land. All sorts of beasts emerged from the spot: reptiles, jaguars and monkeys and “Huh”, the iguana, was named “GUARDIAN OF THE LAND”.

Like a falling star, Ixchel descended from the night skies on the tenth day. She dived naked into a cenote and the waters were made fertile. Millions of fish, of all colors and sizes, soon inhabited every body of water in the land. The gods picked the parrot fish, “Kay-Op”, as “GUARDIAN OF THE WATERS”.

The gods rested on the eleventh day. But they felt cold and prayed to Ahkin, the sun god. He came from the skies and with his magic fire he warmed the waters of the sea, lagoons and cenotes. THE CLIMATE BECAME WARM AND GENTLE. On the twelfth day, the gods CREATED THE MOST PERFECT OF LIVING CREATURES, HUMANS. Intelligent, with speech, sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch, so that they might enjoy all the magic the gods left on land and water.

Then they danced and sang, full of joy, they returned again to their heavenly abode.

And the GODS were pleased by the sight of their Magical work, the most perfect, glorious and Wonderful of all their creations, and decided to name it Xel-Há (the place where the waters are born).