Very charming sleeping and fishing village of 300 inhabitants pressured by tourism boom of the Chinchorro Bank and the barrier reef. Excelent fishing, diving, snorkeling and birdwatching.
One of the very few villages that gets electricity energy from eolic and solar sources, which means cloudy and calm days equals "no electricity in town"
Xcalak can be found 178 kilometers from Chetumal, passing through Mahahual and heading south along the peninsula of the same name. This small, old fishing village played an important role in local history. When an attempt was made to end the Caste War at the end of the last century, the troops stationed in southern Quintana Roo began to dig a canal linking Chetumal Bay with the Caribbean, thereby giving the city direct access to the sea. However, the canal was never put into operation and has since been blocked.
Fishing off the coast of Xcalak is plentiful and regardless of wheter we cast our glance upon the road leading to the village, with its exotic fauna and surrounding mangroves, or the spectacular colors of the caribbean, landscape in and around the village is truly exquisite.
Chinchorro Bank
To the south of Quintana Roo and just over 22 kilometers from the coast, the Chinchorro coral atoll, the largest in Mexico, stretches out in front of Mahahual and Xcalak, covering an area of 240 square miles. Sorrounded by a barrier reef, the atoll has an inner lagoon, the depth of which varies from 2 to 8 meters. Some of the numerous islets covered in mangroves that emerge from the lagoon are quite sizable and have names like North Islet and Lobos Islet. Beyond the reef, the ocean floor plunges down between 150 and 200 meters.
The remains of shipwrecks from many different eras have attracted both treasure hunters and underwater archeologists. In order to reach Chinchorro, visitors should hire a boat in Mahahual or Xcalak and make sure to take diving equipment, or at least snorkels and flippers.Services:
Gas Station: Gasoline deposit in town.
Telephone: Cellular local services, expensive.
Restaurantes: A couple of seafood open until 5 p.m.SOURCE: The State of Quintana Roo book.
Yucatan Travel services.
Chetumal