# Merida coastline



## ElPocho

I'm thinking of moving to the Merida coastline. Not really into living in the tourist areas, like Cancun etc. 
I have heard great things about Merida, but I'd rather live near the ocean.

Telchac seems a little pricy, Progreso and vicinity seem ok but I'm not sure what that area will look like in 10 years. I liked Sisal. Wherever I go I'm not sure I'd get the first row (on the beach).

Anybody here know about this coast?


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## Anonimo

I always believed that Merida is well inland. It's not on a coast. Google Maps show the coast at Progreso to be about 60 kilometers from Mérida. https://goo.gl/maps/Xd2yN6C9rCq


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## NCas

I'm also curious about the area as my father would like to move out there. In his youth he went to Quintana Roo several times and really liked it. I'm thinking that it's probably fairly expensive (in Mexican standards) to live out there. I don't know if Merida is a little easier on the wallet.


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## horseshoe846

I noticed this article within the last couple days :

Tourism Secretariat seeks investors for 16 tourism projects

It reminded me of Fonatur (Cancun, Huatulco etc). 

Someone with vision might be able to anticipate that the areas mentioned are about to blossom.


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## chicois8

Anonimo said:


> I always believed that Merida is well inland. It's not on a coast. Google Maps show the coast at Progreso to be about 60 kilometers from Mérida. https://goo.gl/maps/Xd2yN6C9rCq



My Google Maps shows from Centro Merida to Progresso 38KM or 22miles.

There are many small towns along the gulf coast from Sisal to the West of Progreso to Dzilan de Bravo to East of Progreso. Maybe get a hotel in Progreso and explore the area if looking for a place to retire...My favorite town in the area is San Felipe very near Rio Lagartos....link below


The Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve


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## Lefthanded Gordie

horseshoe846 said:


> I noticed this article within the last couple days :
> 
> Tourism Secretariat seeks investors for 16 tourism projects
> 
> It reminded me of Fonatur (Cancun, Huatulco etc).
> 
> Someone with vision might be able to anticipate that the areas mentioned are about to blossom.


They haven't lined up the usual investors from the Cámara de Diputados or the Senado? What's this country coming to? The state Governors seem to have a pretty good cash flow also. Where's "El *****" Durazo when you need him.


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## ElPocho

Anonimo said:


> I always believed that Merida is well inland. It's not on a coast. Google Maps show the coast at Progreso to be about 60 kilometers from Mérida. https://goo.gl/maps/Xd2yN6C9rCq


Sorry about the confusion, I used Merida as a placeholder. I'm thinking in airport terms.

Puerto Progreso is 30 minutes from Merida, Sisal is 40 minutes. From my perspective, that is less than it takes to get from my house to SFO, or from Cancun airport to the vicinity of Playa del Carmen. 

I might be jumping the gun, but I see this as part of Merida. Here's why, Merida had 800K people in 2010, they are shooting for 2 million in 2020. At that rate, the coast will be suburban Merida to a population of 4 million in 2030.


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## ElPocho

chicois8 said:


> My Google Maps shows from Centro Merida to Progresso 38KM or 22miles.
> 
> There are many small towns along the gulf coast from Sisal to the West of Progreso to Dzilan de Bravo to East of Progreso. Maybe get a hotel in Progreso and explore the area if looking for a place to retire...My favorite town in the area is San Felipe very near Rio Lagartos....link below
> 
> 
> The Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve


I'm thiking of renting a place. I like Sisal, never been there. The problem (and good thing) about Sisal is that it is cut off. I read about San Felipe as well. This is good information. 
Do you live down there? 

I want to be close to Merida, I think San Felipe is over an hour away?
thanks!


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## ElPocho

horseshoe846 said:


> I noticed this article within the last couple days :
> 
> Tourism Secretariat seeks investors for 16 tourism projects
> 
> It reminded me of Fonatur (Cancun, Huatulco etc).
> 
> Someone with vision might be able to anticipate that the areas mentioned are about to blossom.


I worked in Cancun in 1977, in 1978 I enrolled in college in Mexico City, studied administracion de empresas turisticas, I worked with Fonatur for a summer. Personally I see this area as a area that will grow. Hopefully the state of Yucatan will not screw things up as much as Quintana Roo. 
I found a really good study on the area, it's in Spanish, I can dig it up if you want. I think they are shooting for the eco-tourism side. My plan is to buy something that has limited growth in the area. Then there is climate change and ever stronger storms which may dissuade big investors. Plus the mess with things getting a little too corrupt on the RIvera Maya side, might affect demand.


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## ElPocho

NCas said:


> I'm also curious about the area as my father would like to move out there. In his youth he went to Quintana Roo several times and really liked it. I'm thinking that it's probably fairly expensive (in Mexican standards) to live out there. I don't know if Merida is a little easier on the wallet.


If you don't adjust it's more expensive. If you adjust, it's cheaper.
You have to change eating habits, live like the locals. 
When you go to tourist areas, there is a large infrastructure that magically brings goods, internet etc. In my mind Quintana Roo is international tourist area. 

The Merida coastline (It's actually called the Yucatan coast) gets a lot of people from Merida in the summer, a lot have beach houses, or rent. So it is mostly an area that is a local tourist area and fishing area.

I have never been there (except when I was 12 years old), so anybody feel free to correct me.  In part that is why Im here


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## chicois8

ElPocho said:


> I'm thiking of renting a place. I like Sisal, never been there. The problem (and good thing) about Sisal is that it is cut off.




Yes, there is only one way in or out of Sisal, could mean not a lot of people so less crowded or only one escape route in case of Hurricane........

Pocho, without ever being there what do you like about it? I found it kind of blah..

No I looked at Merida and surrounding area for a retirement home but decided on a small town just north of Puerto Vallarta, jungle surrounds me.


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## horseshoe846

For me - living on the gulf coast is not anything like living on an ocean. For many years we lived on the Atlantic coast of Florida. We have traveled (just about every road) from Cancun to Xcalak. I have been to Puerto Barrios (too many times), San Pedro Sula ... We spent some time in Texas and ran off to South Padre Island as often as we could. Just doesn't compare to true blue water.


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## Isla Verde

NCas said:


> I'm also curious about the area as my father would like to move out there. In his youth he went to Quintana Roo several times and really liked it.



If your father spent time in QR in his youth, he probably wouldn't recognize the place now, for better or for worse!


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## ElPocho

chicois8 said:


> Yes, there is only one way in or out of Sisal, could mean not a lot of people so less crowded or only one escape route in case of Hurricane........
> 
> Pocho, without ever being there what do you like about it? I found it kind of blah..
> 
> No I looked at Merida and surrounding area for a retirement home but decided on a small town just north of Puerto Vallarta, jungle surrounds me.


I like that Merida was declared the safest city in Mexio (or something along that line). Some of the central and northern states are Narco States. I think that area will become like Cuernavaca was to Mexico City. 
I was looking at different areas and sent an email to a buddy of mine who knows Veracruz, Campeche well. My friend recommended Merida. In fact he likes it so much that he is moving there in a year. 
I've got another good friend in Cancun and it;s a 3.5 hour drive.
I like that it's close to a natural preserve, property will increase in value. They also put a University campus there. 

I had read about Progreso first, then researched up to Telchac, but I'm on a budget and it seems pricier and further from Merida.

I'm not dead set, it's just that on paper it seems like my best bet.


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## chicois8

Pocho writes: ""I like that Merida was declared the safest city in Mexio ""

Have you heard of Los Zetas ?
Rumor has it that most of the parents of its members have been re-located to Merida.


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## ElPocho

chicois8 said:


> Pocho writes: ""I like that Merida was declared the safest city in Mexio ""
> 
> Have you heard of Los Zetas ?
> Rumor has it that most of the parents of its members have been re-located to Merida.


That is good information, thank you! 


The Zetas are the primos of Javier....

Federal Judical police call signs started with J or Javier. Mexican slang for Judicial Federal is Javier.
After the US helped train a paramilitary police force, members of that unit took on the letter Z. The commander's call sign was Zeta 1. At one point they started business for themselves. 

It would make sense that the people with the most money would send their parents to the safest town. It's kind of a neutral zone because there is little cartel activity. If I were a Zeta I'd either send my parents to a "neutral town" or one that I had the most control in. Problem with the later is they don't want their "madrecitas santas" to witness their brutality.

IMHO it's better to send them to "Disneyland" (Merida). 

As you can see I have a mexican sense of humor.


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## Zorro2017

Merida is indeed a beautiful city with a lot to see and a lot of places to shop, which is important. The coast is close enough for a day trip but as has been said, there will be sacrifices there. Small coastal villages are charming but lacking in things you may want or need. We love the Poza Rica area just for the atmosphere, but there are no large supermarkets, hardware stores and even internet is spotty if available. Even finding something as simple as diet drinks will simply not be available. Merida has a large open market, clean streets and modern technology without losing the old world appeal. We went there and liked it, why not have the best of both worlds if you like this area? Live in the city and visit the coast?


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## ElPocho

Hi Fox,

Very nice reply thank you. It got my head thinking. Originally I thought about the Golfo area, after deciding that Salina Cruz was too isolated. It's a shorter drive to the border on the gulf side.

I had asked my friend Roberto about the Gulf states .He said Merida and was leaving CDMX next year lo migrate there. He has since hooked back up with a girlfriend from Costa Rica, and may now think Costa Rica. Roberto is like a brother to me and I'd have a place to crash in Merida. Also in the established middle class from Merida escape the heat and rent places on the beach. If you are in the right area on the coast, you can become friends with people in Merida who you otherwise would of meet socially. It's a way to sneak in the social circles.

Another thing about Merida is that people are very nice and polite to visitors, they just don;t like people who move in. I'm not sure about this, nor do I remember who told me. There is a BIG difference between people from "provincia" and "chilangos", since they do not share the same values. 

I'm getting divorced and my boys are 17 and 19 and I want to make it easy and cheap for them to fly in. Going back to Merida, Roberto said you ucan buy a house for $70 K. It all reminds me of GUadalajara 30 years ago, a lot of people migrated from CDMX for a better life only to have it become similar to CDMX


My grandmother was from Tampico and I'd go there to pend summers, I remember Poza Rica as one of the last towns before crossing the Panuco river when taking the bus from DF. Another town on the way is Tuxpan. 

How do you like the area? 

Diet sodas? Try making your own Jamaica! I'm pre diabetic and you don't have to sweeten it up a whole bunch. Make a concentrate and freeze it. 

Internet, I've thought about extending coverage I can haul data over wireless for 2-3 kms given a line of sight. Might be a business if I can find a remote area with people needing it and a way to resell\extend bandwidth. I also think that I could get a place in town and on the coast and rent out the coastal area in summer and winter. I'm still thinking... 

once again thanks for the post and the pictures


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## TurtleToo

Nice pictures, Zorro! 

.


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## Zorro2017

ElPocho said:


> Diet sodas? Try making your own Jamaica!


Not sure how that would mix with my rum.


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## Zorro2017

TurtleToo said:


> Nice pictures, Zorro!
> 
> .


Thank you, my wife tells people all over Mexico that I am Japanese as I always take pictures.


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## ElPocho

Zorro2017 said:


> ElPocho said:
> 
> 
> 
> Diet sodas? Try making your own Jamaica!
> 
> 
> 
> Y
> Not sure how that would mix with my rum.
Click to expand...

Ohh! 
I once had a Tamarindo Margarita, try that. Let me know if you do. How about some orange juice or pineapple juice? Coconut juice and lime juice with some artificial sweeteners?

Oh well, have a drink and toast to my health! Salud!


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## chicois8

Are you prepared for the heat and humidity of the Yucatan? A little different than Walnut Creek,CA. There is not much difference between Progreso and Merida from April through October ...Just a few degrees...


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## horseshoe846

chicois8 said:


> Are you prepared for the heat and humidity of the Yucatan? A little different than Walnut Creek,CA. There is not much difference between Progreso and Merida from April through October ...Just a few degrees...


We lived for many many years in the Miami area . Whenever we returned to Miami - one of the first things we did was stop and say ahhh - and suck in the humidity and heat. If you are dressed appropriately there is no issue. But - in the house we had two large a/c units - and we lived within a mile of the ocean and had a good ocean breeze.


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## ElPocho

chicois8 said:


> Are you prepared for the heat and humidity of the Yucatan? A little different than Walnut Creek,CA. There is not much difference between Progreso and Merida from April through October ...Just a few degrees...


Good points, thank you!

We get days in the 100s here, of course the humidity is the killer. Plus the mosquitos. 
When I was young I got a job in August working night shifts at a hotel in Cancun. No AC, if you didn't fall asleep by 9 am the heat would be too much. Around noon I'd wake up soaked in sweat, and drift back to sleep. I think it would be easier if I had a hammock, instead of a mattress.

If I had to work, I think it would be a different issue. That's part of why I would check it out first. 

I think the ocean breeze is an important factor, and finding a place with good airflow.

There is no way that my soon to be ex-wife would ever last a day. Divorce opens up a whole new set of options for me, that's the bright side.
I like the heat. Beer taste better.


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## citlali

Ocean breeze have a tendency to stop t one point or another and you only get it when you are on the beach in that flat land and when the breeze stops the mosquitoes move in...

Walnut Creek is nothing.. It is dry and the weather cools off at night and the weather is not 100 year round..


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## Isla Verde

horseshoe846 said:


> We lived for many many years in the Miami area . Whenever we returned to Miami - one of the first things we did was stop and say ahhh - and suck in the humidity and heat. If you are dressed appropriately there is no issue. But - in the house we had two large a/c units - and we lived within a mile of the ocean and had a good ocean breeze.


I think that keeping two large A/C units running would be a hell of a lot more expensive in Mexico than in the States.


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## ElPocho

citlali said:


> Ocean breeze have a tendency to stop t one point or another and you only get it when you are on the beach in that flat land and when the breeze stops the mosquitoes move in...
> 
> Walnut Creek is nothing.. It is dry and the weather cools off at night and the weather is not 100 year round..


Thats when you get a couple of Chelas bien heladas, or hang out somewhere that has an AC.  Or maybe find a location close to a cenote. I don;t have to work.


That's also why I'm not interested in downtown Merida. I'm linking on the coast, not the beach, but with line of sight of the beach. You also forgot the worst part: breathing in diesel exhaust in that heat!

I think that the weather is comparable to Cancan area. I like the heat. I'm older now so I plan on checking it out.


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## chicois8

Pocho, are you saying you have not experienced the heat and humidity of Merida in the summertime?


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## sunnyvmx

It was the mosquitoes, deer flies and horse flies that ran me off there. It was a constant attack from one or the other and the only escape was being submerged up to your hairline in the pool. I did enjoy the cenote tours, the one day swimming in each of the three unique pools reached by mule drawn cart and the deep snorkel tour in another cavern with only flashlights.


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## citlali

go there in July and if you like it stay if not move..but check it out during the bad time of he year and after that it will be easy. I f you like hear and humidity go for it.


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## ElPocho

citlali said:


> go there in July and if you like it stay if not move..but check it out during the bad time of he year and after that it will be easy. I f you like hear and humidity go for it.


You profile says Chiapas, I imagine San Cristobal, how is that? I hear it's cold?


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## ElPocho

Isla Verde said:


> I think that keeping two large A/C units running would be a hell of a lot more expensive in Mexico than in the States.


Agreed


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## ElPocho

chicois8 said:


> Pocho, are you saying you have not experienced the heat and humidity of Merida in the summertime?


When I was 14 that was 45 years ago. Then when I was 19 I lived and worked in Cancun with no AC in august, not on the beach but the town. This was when there were only 17 hotels spaces about 1 km apart...
A goog 

I would also have the option to rent out a beach property in the summer to Merida people and go to Zacualpan Morelos for the summer, my Mom and brother both have places there. I could turn a property into revenue generating for a few months...

I lived in Mexico from 8-27 years old. I definitely will rent before I buy. I'm looking for a place without a lot of tourists, judiciales or narcos.... I think heat keeps them away or may help


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## citlali

live in San Cristobal and it is cool to cold as a rule but if you want warm you just drive an hour to Tuxtla and you get heat and humidity there..The highlands are cool and the low land hot and humid and chiapas and everywhere else I guess..
I am always happy to get home after being in the low lands. last week we were in Juchitan and it was 39 and the humidity was through the roof, we got on the mountain it was 14 and 24 in San Cristobal which qualifies for a heat wave here...


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## ElPocho

citlali said:


> live in San Cristobal and it is cool to cold as a rule but if you want warm you just drive an hour to Tuxtla and you get heat and humidity there..The highlands are cool and the low land hot and humid and chiapas and everywhere else I guess..
> I am always happy to get home after being in the low lands. last week we were in Juchitan and it was 39 and the humidity was through the roof, we got on the mountain it was 14 and 24 in San Cristobal which qualifies for a heat wave here...


What is it like in San Cristobal? I've never been to Chiapas. That is one area I know nothing about... I love the salty cheese. Do you like it? How is the ariport\travel situation?
I believe the indians are the Lacandons, correct? How much more expensive or cheap is it?

I once knew a Lt Colonel whose job it was to kill Guatemalan guerillas that crossed the border into Chiapas. He must of be stationed there in the mid 1970's.


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## Isla Verde

ElPocho said:


> I believe the indians are the Lacandons, correct? How much more expensive or cheap is it?


The native people living in the Lancandón jungle are Maya. Were you thinking of taking up residence in that area?


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## citlali

well in the jungle there are Lacandones, Cholesm Tzeltales, Mayas from various parts of Guatemala, indigenous from Oaxaca and other areas.. The jungle area is very nice and the rivers and waterfalls are beautiful during the dry season.
The highlands and the surroundings of San Cristobal are green as it rains a lot and usually cool , the weather on the mountains changes several times a day you get warm in the sun
, cold in the shade , rained on.. in the fog etc.. during the same day, you never know what to expect.
The salty cheese comes from Ocosingo which is halfway between the highlands and the jungle
The prices are low in comparison to Quintana Roo.
The area has lots of indigenous , it is the poorest state in the union and there are lots of conflicts , road blocks etc.. It is a colorful and beautiful state.


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## xolo

There are many names for indigenous peoples in that general area, they are names of ethnicities and of languages.


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## chicois8

Just to ad to citali's excellent post, The Lacanddon Maya live in the jungle near the ruins of Bonampak and Yaxchilan along the Usumacinta River which separates Guatemala and Mexico.
Near San Cristobal / San Juan Chamula lives the Tzotzil Maya ( Population 300,000 ) and in the Ocosingo area live the Tzeltal Maya ( Population 500,000 ).. By the way the last two do not get along with each other.


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## Isla Verde

chicois8 said:


> Just to ad to citali's excellent post, The Lacanddon Maya live in the jungle near the ruins of Bonampak and Yaxchilan along the Usumacinta River which separates Guatemala and Mexico.
> Near San Cristobal / San Juan Chamula lives the Tzotzil Maya ( Population 300,000 ) and in the Ocosingo area live the Tzeltal Maya ( Population 500,000 ).. By the way the last two do not get along with each other.


To put it mildly!


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## chicois8

Yes, everybody carries a machete.........


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## TundraGreen

chicois8 said:


> Yes, everybody carries a machete.........


Pretty common in a lot of rural areas. Doesn't mean much.


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## chicois8

Yes, pretty common to cut weeds, these guys cut heads......


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## Zorro2017

We saw a women in her 70's carrying a machete yesterday. It is a statement of protection in our area, as she was not going to work.


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## citlali

Even kids have machetes, it means nothing but it is a nice way to defend yourself if attacked.. This week I was working in a Tzeltal village and a young kid was going to the hills with his machete and coming back with wood on his back for his mother but on one of the trips he cut himself with his little machete, they did something I had not seen before, rubbed the wound with lime, then put on savila from a plant they cut , then did a bandage with spider cobwebs, that was a new one on me and it seemed to work..Yes everyone going out carries a machete and it means nothing, the area is vey safe..


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## ElPocho

sunnyvmx said:


> It was the mosquitoes, deer flies and horse flies that ran me off there. It was a constant attack from one or the other and the only escape was being submerged up to your hairline in the pool. I did enjoy the cenote tours, the one day swimming in each of the three unique pools reached by mule drawn cart and the deep snorkel tour in another cavern with only flashlights.


OK Sunny, you said the one thing that really made me question this area... 
Deer /Horse Flies - the ones that bite, I hate them. 

I appreciate the info.


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## ElPocho

citlali said:


> Even kids have machetes, it means nothing but it is a nice way to defend yourself if attacked.. This week I was working in a Tzeltal village and a young kid was going to the hills with his machete and coming back with wood on his back for his mother but on one of the trips he cut himself with his little machete, they did something I had not seen before, rubbed the wound with lime, then put on savila from a plant they cut , then did a bandage with spider cobwebs, that was a new one on me and it seemed to work..Yes everyone going out carries a machete and it means nothing, the area is vey safe..


My abuelita would do that with spider webs. She would also use lime (limon) juice to comb our hair and as deodorant.


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## ElPocho

Isla Verde said:


> The native people living in the Lancandón jungle are Maya. Were you thinking of taking up residence in that area?


The Lacandon indians victims of exploitation, and the Zapatistas took up their cause. I was wondering about the number of power crazy, low level army officers wondering around that area. And maybe elements of the Brigada Blanca (or whatever they call them now) from Mexico City. I was shot at by drunk members of the brigada blanca outside a night club in San Angel. They were not shooting to kill rather to ricochet bullets at legs. This was in 1981.


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## ElPocho

Isla Verde said:


> The native people living in the Lancandón jungle are Maya. Were you thinking of taking up residence in that area?


Oh to answer you question, it's all under consideration...


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## chicois8

ElPocho said:


> Oh to answer you question, it's all under consideration...



Have you ever lived in a jungle? I have, it sucks..........


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## Isla Verde

chicois8 said:


> Have you ever lived in a jungle? I have, it sucks..........


Details, please!


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## Isla Verde

ElPocho said:


> The Lacandon indians victims of exploitation, and the Zapatistas took up their cause. I was wondering about the number of power crazy, low level army officers wondering around that area. And maybe elements of the Brigada Blanca (or whatever they call them now) from Mexico City. I was shot at by drunk members of the brigada blanca outside a night club in San Angel. They were not shooting to kill rather to ricochet bullets at legs. This was in 1981.


I would avoid any area of Mexico that is full of warring political factions, especially any places where the Zapatistas are still active. I can't imagine that outsiders of any kind would be welcome in the Lacandón.


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## chicois8

Isla Verde said:


> Details, please!


My reasons for moving from the jungle:

Climate: for 6 months it can be 90+ degrees and 100% humidity.
Humidity: causes everything from electronics to fail & clothes to rot.
Mold: appears in places where the sun don’t shine, LOL
Furniture: most woods can be eaten by termites.
Flooding: right now the closest town is flooding from tropical storms.
Critters: everything from scorpions to mosquitoes* to bees and wasps.
More critters: last week a solider while fishing was killed by a crocodile.
Going for a hike? We also have mountain lion and jaguar in the area.
*Many cases of Dengue Fever this last year.....
That is way I am out of the jungle and surrounded by Blue Agave at 4900 feet.


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## TundraGreen

chicois8 said:


> My reasons for moving from the jungle:
> 
> Climate: for 6 months it can be 90+ degrees and 100% humidity.
> Humidity: causes everything from electronics to fail & clothes to rot.
> Mold: appears in places where the sun don’t shine, LOL
> Furniture: most woods can be eaten by termites.
> Flooding: right now the closest town is flooding from tropical storms.
> Critters: everything from scorpions to mosquitoes* to bees and wasps.
> More critters: last week a solider while fishing was killed by a crocodile.
> Going for a hike? We also have mountain lion and jaguar in the area.
> *Many cases of Dengue Fever this last year.....
> That is way I am out of the jungle and surrounded by Blue Agave at 4900 feet.


I can relate. I spent a year in Vietnam. We didn't have much in the line of furniture, just sand bag bunkers, but we definitely had 100F/40C, 100% humidity, mold and critters. I would add rats and snakes to your list. And none of those were the main problem.


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## citlali

yes the jungle is rarely nice.. It i beautiful but lots of creatures that can hurt you.. People are not unfriendly , I stay with Lacandones and they are very friendly, I also stay with other ethnic groups and they are very nice.. Most of the conflicts are about land so if you do not own chances are that you will not be involved in the problems . The towns are isolated and poor, just not places where I would enjoy to live in Chiapas.. I do not know about The Yucatan Peninsula.
The Zapatistas are not worst than the others either, let's face it there are no good guys or bad guys in all those conflicts just humans trying to survive. 
The indigenous will leave you alone if you respect their customs but you better respect their customs and unless you are willing to accept their ways , an indigenous village is not a good place to live.. remember the saying small town big hell.. you get the idea..

Yes the jungle is full of bugs,, there are also dangerous caterpillars..Yesterday one beautiful blue and green one fell on my shirt and all the women started screaming "".. I do not know how painful that one was but they sure were upset about it..
The humidity destroys everything, clothes , books electronics etc.. people in the villages where I go do not have a/C ..they sometimes have fans but often not even that.. the electricity does not always work and the phone signals come and go and sometimes there is no internet so it is not my idea of paradise no matter how beautiful the rivers are during the dry season and how beautiful the vegetation is.
In CHiapas we have dengue, zika and chikungunya , none are very nice either..


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## Isla Verde

chicois8 said:


> My reasons for moving from the jungle:
> 
> Climate: for 6 months it can be 90+ degrees and 100% humidity.
> Humidity: causes everything from electronics to fail & clothes to rot.
> Mold: appears in places where the sun don’t shine, LOL
> Furniture: most woods can be eaten by termites.
> Flooding: right now the closest town is flooding from tropical storms.
> Critters: everything from scorpions to mosquitoes* to bees and wasps.
> More critters: last week a solider while fishing was killed by a crocodile.
> Going for a hike? We also have mountain lion and jaguar in the area.
> *Many cases of Dengue Fever this last year.....
> That is way I am out of the jungle and surrounded by Blue Agave at 4900 feet.


It's even worse than I had imagined! Luckily, I have never yearned to set up housekeeping in the jungle (my body and brain cannot deal with hot and humid weather of any sort), so I will never end up living in that kind of situation. Why did you?


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## chicois8

After an extencive recon for a retirement home in Mexico I decided on the area north of Puerto Vallarta because I had family, friends and it was only 3 hours by air to SFO in case of emergency or just a visit.

I did not mention the rat problem like Tundra brought up, as in many parts of Mexico there is a pole with a basket in front of many homes for garbage, for some reason in La Penita, Nayarit plastic bags of garbage are deposited in the middle of an intersection, well then the street dogs tear into the bags to get to food and as soon as it gets dark the rats come out to get to the garbage the dogs have provided a doorway for them............NICE


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## Isla Verde

chicois8 said:


> After an extencive recon for a retirement home in Mexico I decided on the area north of Puerto Vallarta because I had family, friends and it was only 3 hours by air to SFO in case of emergency or just a visit.
> 
> I did not mention the rat problem like Tundra brought up, as in many parts of Mexico there is a pole with a basket in front of many homes for garbage, for some reason in La Penita, Nayarit plastic bags of garbage are deposited in the middle of an intersection, well then the street dogs tear into the bags to get to food and as soon as it gets dark the rats come out to get to the garbage the dogs have provided a doorway for them............NICE


Family and friends are important when choosing a new home, but in your case they could not compensate for all of the other problems you mention. I'm happy that you have found a more congenial place to live in Mexico.


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## ElPocho

chicois8 said:


> My reasons for moving from the jungle:
> 
> Climate: for 6 months it can be 90+ degrees and 100% humidity.
> Humidity: causes everything from electronics to fail & clothes to rot.
> Mold: appears in places where the sun don’t shine, LOL
> Furniture: most woods can be eaten by termites.
> Flooding: right now the closest town is flooding from tropical storms.
> Critters: everything from scorpions to mosquitoes* to bees and wasps.
> More critters: last week a solider while fishing was killed by a crocodile.
> Going for a hike? We also have mountain lion and jaguar in the area.
> *Many cases of Dengue Fever this last year.....
> That is way I am out of the jungle and surrounded by Blue Agave at 4900 feet.


Very good points my friend.


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## ElPocho

citlali said:


> yes the jungle is rarely nice.. It i beautiful but lots of creatures that can hurt you.. People are not unfriendly , I stay with Lacandones and they are very friendly, I also stay with other ethnic groups and they are very nice.. Most of the conflicts are about land so if you do not own chances are that you will not be involved in the problems . The towns are isolated and poor, just not places where I would enjoy to live in Chiapas.. I do not know about The Yucatan Peninsula.
> The Zapatistas are not worst than the others either, let's face it there are no good guys or bad guys in all those conflicts just humans trying to survive.
> The indigenous will leave you alone if you respect their customs but you better respect their customs and unless you are willing to accept their ways , an indigenous village is not a good place to live.. remember the saying small town big hell.. you get the idea..
> 
> Yes the jungle is full of bugs,, there are also dangerous caterpillars..Yesterday one beautiful blue and green one fell on my shirt and all the women started screaming "".. I do not know how painful that one was but they sure were upset about it..
> The humidity destroys everything, clothes , books electronics etc.. people in the villages where I go do not have a/C ..they sometimes have fans but often not even that.. the electricity does not always work and the phone signals come and go and sometimes there is no internet so it is not my idea of paradise no matter how beautiful the rivers are during the dry season and how beautiful the vegetation is.
> In CHiapas we have dengue, zika and chikungunya , none are very nice either..


Somewhere I read that San Cristobal is surrounded by pine forest. I assume there is no or less chances of dengue, zika etc?

Everybody here is very helpful! Maybe not what I want to hear, but what I need to hear.


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## citlali

No dengue, zika bugs in San Cristobal... I get them when I work in tierra caliente...
Yes there are pine forests around San Cristobal with orchids and bromeliads in the trees.. All of it is indigenous territory, or army....


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## beachseeker

ElPocho said:


> I'm thinking of moving to the Merida coastline. Not really into living in the tourist areas, like Cancun etc.
> I have heard great things about Merida, but I'd rather live near the ocean.
> 
> Telchac seems a little pricy, Progreso and vicinity seem ok but I'm not sure what that area will look like in 10 years. I liked Sisal. Wherever I go I'm not sure I'd get the first row (on the beach).
> 
> Anybody here know about this coast?


I live in Merida from Canada. I know the coast here well. East of Progreso are the nicest clean beaches & water. Progreso with the port is busy and murky water. Also west to Chelem is similar and has some Erosion issues as well as dirty town. East is the future on this coast, most all the new development is happening east as well. We are building in San Crisanto just east of Telchac, it is very affordable and a beautiful area more laid back. Sisal is a tad far out there.


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## wildbutterfly

horseshoe846 said:


> For me - living on the gulf coast is not anything like living on an ocean. For many years we lived on the Atlantic coast of Florida. We have traveled (just about every road) from Cancun to Xcalak. I have been to Puerto Barrios (too many times), San Pedro Sula ... We spent some time in Texas and ran off to South Padre Island as often as we could. Just doesn't compare to true blue water.


So are you saying that the Ocean waters are bluer and nicer than Gulf coast? I always think that the Caribbean waters are magnificent, and all the rest are second best. I have seen both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans but have never seen the Gulf waters. I thought maybe they would be more comparable to Caribbean, but maybe that is not accurate? The oceans don't have the beautiful white sands either?


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## chicois8

wildbutterfly said:


> So are you saying that the Ocean waters are bluer and nicer than Gulf coast? I always think that the Caribbean waters are magnificent, and all the rest are second best. I have seen both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans but have never seen the Gulf waters. I thought maybe they would be more comparable to Caribbean, but maybe that is not accurate? The oceans don't have the beautiful white sands either?



There is an old joke about Gulf waters:
No need to bring sunscreen to the Gulf, there is enough oil in the water...

Granted this joke probably applies from Coatzacoalos westward but it gives you some idea of the water color, one area west of Veracruz is known as the Emerald Coast because of water color, I'll take Turquoise water any day.......


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## wildbutterfly

chicois8 said:


> There is an old joke about Gulf waters:
> No need to bring sunscreen to the Gulf, there is enough oil in the water...
> 
> Granted this joke probably applies from Coatzacoalos westward but it gives you some idea of the water color, one area west of Veracruz is known as the Emerald Coast because of water color, I'll take Turquoise water any day.......


Ewww! That doesn't sound appealing! I think that the Ocean is not the turquoise blue like the Caribbean either.


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## ElPocho

wildbutterfly said:


> Ewww! That doesn't sound appealing! I think that the Ocean is not the turquoise blue like the Caribbean either.


The ocean seems to change colors in Sisal.
I find it beautiful, and like it. The water temperature is not as warm as Quintana Roo, but very pleasant and refreshing.


Ive tried to include the beach at Sisal...
I hope the picture comes throw









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## citlali

When we first got married we lived on the gulf in the US and I loved it and I also like the gulf in the Yucatan, actually I like the funky areas of the gulf a whole lot more than the Quintana Roo coast..of course you cannot beat the color of the water in Quintana Roo but to each its own.


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## wildbutterfly

Those photos look beautiful! I also saw several videos of Sisal on Youtube.


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## wildbutterfly

citlali said:


> When we first got married we lived on the gulf in the US and I loved it and I also like the gulf in the Yucatan, actually I like the funky areas of the gulf a whole lot more than the Quintana Roo coast..of course you cannot beat the color of the water in Quintana Roo but to each its own.


Yes the color of Quintana Roo is gorgeous, but it is way too busy there for my taste. I prefer a more peaceful area. Also Quintana Roo is way too expensive for me. I do want to consider which area is a better investment so when it comes time to sell that I won't lose a lot of money. Going eastward sounds like a better choice. If I knew I could find someone to rent or look after the house during the really hot times of the year, then I think it may be a good choice? I do also need to consider zika and dengue as my MS meds kill my immune system, so I am much more susceptible to infections, illness. Something else I had not considered!


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## ElPocho

wildbutterfly said:


> Those photos look beautiful! I also saw several videos of Sisal on Youtube.


Here is one from the place where i was staying
Not sure the link will work.
It was windy and red seaweed had washed ashore, sand was churned up in the water.







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## citlali

you forgot to mention chinkungunya we have them all in lower altitude in Chiapas.. and my husband got dengue in Ajijic at 5000 feet .. I have not heard of anyone getting them at 2000 meter but then that is not the beach..


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## ElPocho

wildbutterfly said:


> Yes the color of Quintana Roo is gorgeous, but it is way too busy there for my taste. I prefer a more peaceful area. Also Quintana Roo is way too expensive for me. I do want to consider which area is a better investment so when it comes time to sell that I won't lose a lot of money. Going eastward sounds like a better choice. If I knew I could find someone to rent or look after the house during the really hot times of the year, then I think it may be a good choice? I do also need to consider zika and dengue as my MS meds kill my immune system, so I am much more susceptible to infections, illness. Something else I had not considered!


There are mosquitos, not a lot. However if that is a concern I'd go for San Cristóbal de las Casas. 


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## ElPocho

citlali said:


> you forgot to mention chinkungunya we have them all in lower altitude in Chiapas.. and my husband got dengue in Ajijic at 5000 feet .. I have not heard of anyone getting them at 2000 meter but then that is not the beach..


What are symptoms of dengue?

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## ojosazules11

ElPocho said:


> What are symptoms of dengue?


To give you an idea, a lay term for dengue is “break bone fever”, because it can feel like your bones are breaking. 

The following is from UpToDate.com , a subscription medical website for healthcare practitioners. It is taken from their “Patient Education” handout about dengue fever - meant to be freely shared with patients and the lay public, so I don’t think there’s any concern about copyright infringement, since the goal is to inform and educate. 
———————————————————————————————

What is dengue fever? — Dengue fever is an infection caused by 1 of the 4 viruses called the "dengue viruses." They are related to each other, but are not exactly the same. Getting sick from one dengue virus does not protect a person from the others. A person can get dengue fever more than once.

Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes that carry dengue viruses. People who live in areas where these mosquitoes are common have the highest risk of infection. These areas include southern Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

What are the symptoms of dengue fever? — Symptoms usually happen 4 to 7 days after a bite from a mosquito that carries dengue virus. But they can happen up to 2 weeks later. Symptoms usually last 5 to 7 days.

Dengue fever symptoms are different for each person. They can be mild or severe. They can include:

●Fever
●Headache
●Pain behind the eyes
●Joint and muscle pain
●Feeling tired, sometimes for days to weeks
●Rash – This can be flat or have small bumps. It might be itchy. A rash is more common in people who have not been infected with a dengue virus before.
●Stomach problems, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
●Cough, sore throat, and stuffy nose – The throat might look red.
●Small purple spots on the skin or bowel movements that look black
●Red eyes
●Swollen glands

Children and younger people often have less severe symptoms. People who had dengue fever in the past and get infected with a different dengue virus have the highest risk of severe symptoms.

A person with severe dengue fever might:

●Have bad belly pain
●Get bruises without bumping into anything – The person might also have small purple spots on the skin.
●Vomit blood
●Get nosebleeds
●Have black bowel movements
●Have seizures – A person who has a seizure might pass out or move or behave strangely. For example, he or she might shake or fall down.

A woman might also have bleeding between her menstrual periods


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## ElPocho

ojosazules11 said:


> To give you an idea, a lay term for dengue is “break bone fever”, because it can feel like your bones are breaking.
> 
> The following is from UpToDate.com , a subscription medical website for healthcare practitioners. It is taken from their “Patient Education” handout about dengue fever - meant to be freely shared with patients and the lay public, so I don’t think there’s any concern about copyright infringement, since the goal is to inform and educate.
> ———————————————————————————————
> 
> What is dengue fever? — Dengue fever is an infection caused by 1 of the 4 viruses called the "dengue viruses." They are related to each other, but are not exactly the same. Getting sick from one dengue virus does not protect a person from the others. A person can get dengue fever more than once.
> 
> Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes that carry dengue viruses. People who live in areas where these mosquitoes are common have the highest risk of infection. These areas include southern Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
> 
> What are the symptoms of dengue fever? — Symptoms usually happen 4 to 7 days after a bite from a mosquito that carries dengue virus. But they can happen up to 2 weeks later. Symptoms usually last 5 to 7 days.
> 
> Dengue fever symptoms are different for each person. They can be mild or severe. They can include:
> 
> ●Fever
> ●Headache
> ●Pain behind the eyes
> ●Joint and muscle pain
> ●Feeling tired, sometimes for days to weeks
> ●Rash – This can be flat or have small bumps. It might be itchy. A rash is more common in people who have not been infected with a dengue virus before.
> ●Stomach problems, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
> ●Cough, sore throat, and stuffy nose – The throat might look red.
> ●Small purple spots on the skin or bowel movements that look black
> ●Red eyes
> ●Swollen glands
> 
> Children and younger people often have less severe symptoms. People who had dengue fever in the past and get infected with a different dengue virus have the highest risk of severe symptoms.
> 
> A person with severe dengue fever might:
> 
> ●Have bad belly pain
> ●Get bruises without bumping into anything – The person might also have small purple spots on the skin.
> ●Vomit blood
> ●Get nosebleeds
> ●Have black bowel movements
> ●Have seizures – A person who has a seizure might pass out or move or behave strangely. For example, he or she might shake or fall down.
> 
> A woman might also have bleeding between her menstrual periods


Thank you.
So it's not like malaria that never really goes away?
But it's really really miserable when you have it.
Is there a vaccine?

On that note,

What vaccines would you recommend for someone who is not from Yucatan, but is now living in Yucatan?

Thanks
Richard

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## ojosazules11

ElPocho said:


> Thank you.
> So it's not like malaria that never really goes away?
> But it's really really miserable when you have it.
> Is there a vaccine?
> 
> On that note,
> 
> What vaccines would you recommend for someone who is not from Yucatan, but is now living in Yucatan?
> 
> Thanks
> Richard


No vaccine for dengue, Zika or chikungunya, which are “cousins” in the flavivirus family. 

I recommend vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and of course the routine vaccinations also used NOB (eg Tetanus booster every 10 years). Personally I also use Dukoral, an oral vaccination against cholera and travellers diarrhea. But last I checked it’s not available in the US (it is in Canada). It also needs to be boosted (taking another dose) every 3 months.


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## citlali

El Pocho the problem with dengue is that there is a hemorrhagic dengue that can be fatal and the more you get it and the more chances you have to get the hemorrhagic one so it is not something you want to get.


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## ElPocho

ojosazules11 said:


> No vaccine for dengue, Zika or chikungunya, which are “cousins” in the flavivirus family.
> 
> I recommend vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and of course the routine vaccinations also used NOB (eg Tetanus booster every 10 years). Personally I also use Dukoral, an oral vaccination against cholera and travellers diarrhea. But last I checked it’s not available in the US (it is in Canada). It also needs to be boosted (taking another dose) every 3 months.


Thank you! Ive been wondering about that.


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## ElPocho

citlali said:


> El Pocho the problem with dengue is that there is a hemorrhagic dengue that can be fatal and the more you get it and the more chances you have to get the hemorrhagic one so it is not something you want to get.


Good to know thank you for the reply!
I know a lot about a lot of things.
Didn't know this. 
This is a gift of knowledge from both you and blue eyes. Which is probably one of the more important things i should know.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos

ElPocho said:


> Here is one from the place where i was staying
> Not sure the link will work.
> It was windy and red seaweed had washed ashore, sand was churned up in the water.
> 
> https://youtu.be/1TrdoYyhG2Q



Very beautiful, but any sharks out there? What are the shark attack rates per year or per decade? (Thanks, Steve Spielberg).


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## chicois8

""but any sharks out there?"" 

Of course, the biggest sharks in the world...people from around the world come to Holbox to swim with these gentle giants, the Whale Sharks.........


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## ElPocho

Meritorious-MasoMenos said:


> ElPocho said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here is one from the place where i was staying
> Not sure the link will work.
> It was windy and red seaweed had washed ashore, sand was churned up in the water.
> 
> https://youtu.be/1TrdoYyhG2Q
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Very beautiful, but any sharks out there? What are the shark attack rates per year or per decade? (Thanks, Steve Spielberg).
Click to expand...




> No sharks that I've heard of.


I'll ask next time I go.


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## chicois8

https://holboxwhalesharktours.com


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