Villas of the Month

Up & Down the Coast

Welcome to the monthly newsletter from Sac-Be.com, your source for news, maps and travel information for the Riviera Maya and Costa Maya. If you have a news item, an event you'd like to promote, an article of interest or a comment to make please email us at info@sac-be.com. Enjoy!

P.S. Don't forget, Daylight Savings Time begins in Mexico on April 5th.

Update

Terri, Joelito, and big brother Diego proudly welcome Alexander Amado and Cody Christopher, born March 12, 2009. Sac-Be.com joins in this warm, warm welcome.

Each year toys are collected at the Real Estate Office, CEA and TSA and on January 6th, Dia de los Reyes, they are taken to a small villages in the area. Special thanks to the Toy Drive Team, Ingrid, Malu, Jorge, Jaime and Gina. Toys are being collected now for next year.

Tid Bits

This might better be under a heading titled Shameless Self-Promotion, but we'll try to sneak it in here. Sac-Be.com proudly announces the kick-off our first ever Referral Contest for Margarita Lovers. That's right, we're promoting recreational drinking. Whoever sends us the most referrals before the next newsletter comes out in May will get 2 Margaritas on us at Lol-Ha Beach Bar in Akumal. See the article for more details.

We're still listening...and making changes and improvements to our website. We have worked on our people section this month and have now made it easier to find interviews, spotlights and articles by specific authors – those contributing writers for Sac-Be that make us unique. If you are a contributing writer please send us your photo and a short biography so we can add you to our Author Section.

Here are some of the contributors we have listed so far.

Don't forget to check out our blog and post your comments or send us your articles. Sac-Be International, Inc. would like to take this opportunity to thank Ed Blume for his participation and numerous postings. Great job Ed – THANKS.

Mary Rassmussen Recommended that we share this information about a wonderful artist she met several years ago. He reproduces Mayan artifacts. He told us he has pieces in the Smithsonian. For more information, including photos, please read our article.

If you have an artist or story you want to share please contact us.

Dive Tip of the Month

Tip - This dive was a drift dive, which means that our divers drift with the current through our their entire dive. Our boat drops us off, follows us, and picks us up when we are done. In many places, divers must swim back to a parked boat or shore. This is not the case in Akumal. We do not need to waste our air and dive time swimming against the current. Why fight the water when you can drift!

Dive with Natalie and Ivan and a friend from Canada -

Make every dive count when you Dive with Natalie and Ivan.

Fish of the Month

Sac-Be is grateful to Yibrán Aragon for sharing these wonderful fish images.

Of Special Interest

Turtle Rescue – a personal story - Sometimes we have experiences that feel like we are just a touch closer to God. One of those experiences graced my path recently. There were a lot of baby turtles washing up on the beach with some unknown malady. A couple of weeks ago, I found one washed up on the beach during low tide, yards away from the cooling sea water.

San Agustin Family Attraction Au Natural - By Mari Pintkowski - On the days that I drive along the Coba Road on the way to and from our boutique hotel, La Selva Mariposa, I pass the brightly painted entrance to Hacienda San Agustin at km. 6. I often wondered what was behind those yellow hacienda walls. A few months ago a new sign appeared in front of the entrance announcing "La Ruta de los Cenotes," and this intrigued me even more.

Accommodations

Sac-be offers free listing of properties along the Riviera Maya. If you would like to have your rental property listed please complete the form on our owner's page. Or, if you are interested in learning more about other advertising opportunities please contact us. The following vacation rental properties were recently listed:

Casa Maleno - 3 bedroom home located in Akumal Bay area - 3 minute walk to the beach.

Condo Half Moon Bay - a four bedroom vacation rental located in North Akumal. The condo accommodates from 2 to 10 guests comfortably and can be rented as separate 2 bedroom units. Dramatic views are guaranteed.

Mayan Beach Garden Inn - in Mahahual, has 3 beachfront cabanas and 3 Beach view rooms. Large well ventilated rooms sleep from 2-4 persons with King-size beds in every room.

April 2009 - #15  

Hekab Be Biblioteca Update - During the month of March, staff and volunteers have been concentrating heavily on the Arts. The contest to help create a new logo for our US non-profit organization was a huge success, with over 25 participants and 4 overall winners (First and second place winners from older and younger age groups)....

Montessori Preschool Expands - With the help of Fort Collins and Playa del Carmen rotarians, with financial assistance from the Foothills Rotary Club of Fort Collins, Colorado and construction management supplied by fellow Rotarians from the Playa Del Carmen Rotary Club in Mexico, the Montessori School in the pueblo of Akumal, Otoch Paal, has been able to expand its child care services.

CEA Q & A

Question: My name is Peter and my girlfriend, a friend and I were at your place today (saturday) and left a little turtle we found down in Tulum. We are very interested in how it's going for the little fellow since he was very weak when we found him laying in the sand, probably flushed to shore by the waves. He was very dry and didn't move much so we put him on sand in the shadow and flushed him with water often so he kept moist. Was that the best way or should we do something else if we find another in the future? We are also interested to know if it was a hawksbill turtle? age? gender etc? Thanks for taking care of the little one for us and hope he grows strong!

Read Paul's Answer

If you have a question for CEA please be sure to send it on

Peanut Pet Shelter Update - Peanut Pet Shelter suffered a major setback. Our landlord (who resides in Belgium) paid us a visit. When he saw how great his piece of previously trash-strewn jungle looks now it has been cleared, levelled, gravelled and walled, he immediately began to see $$ and tore up our 3 year contract and gave us notice to leave. While we want to stand up for what's right and not compromise our principles, we do not believe the Shelter would flourish where it is not welcome.

Just in: Win 7 Nights in Playa del Carmen and support the Peanut Pet Shelter. Visit the website for full details. The Raffle will run until all 500 are sold and then another will begin – so participate now and again later.

On a brighter note still, We have been in correspondence over the past year with a lovely lady, Andrea, from the Cozumel Humane Society. They have been running The Cat Cafe project at many of the AI hotels on the island. The Cat Cafe idea is one originally started in Costa Rica (click on the link to read more about the great McKee Project). Read our exciting announcement!

VIDAS comes to Playa - VIDAS has scheduled its next clinic in Playa del Carmen for August 8-15th. VIDAS, (Veterinarios Internacionales Dedicados a Animales Sanos) a non-profit organization from Colorado, will be conducting their annual free s pay and neuter clinics to those in need. VIDAS have been providing free services in the Yucatan for 7 years sterilizing over 5,000 cats and dogs so far. They focus on educating communities about the importance of spaying and neutering. They provide free services to those that cannot afford to have their pets sterilized otherwise. Donations are welcome.

Anyone wishing to volunteer their time, meals or lodging are encouraged to e-mail VIDAS. Cozumel and Bacalar clinic dates to be announced!

Sunday Art shows 12 – 6 - Come join in the fun. Looking for artists to participate and shoppers to come find the special piece of art for which you've been looking.

Good Places to Eat In Tulum - Thanks to the great folks at Tulum.info and Stephanie who updated the Restaurants of Tulum. Check it out and thanks all of you who share such great information.

The Puerto Aventuras Art Show is on every Sunday for the next 2 months. The hours are 12 am until 6 pm.

Akumal's 50th Anniversary Celebration - May 29 - 31. We'll keep you posted on developments.

Just Imagine Vacations, Inc is looking for participants who would like to be a part of the Women In Wellness: Fun and Fitness in Paradise trip October 24th – November 4th. If you have a program, workshop or class that you would like to add to our itinerary please contact lydia@justimagine.net.

New Yoga hours in Akumal