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!

Happy St Patrick's Day. Happy Easter. We hope this “high season” has been one of the best for all of you. While most of us are experiencing a winter for the record books, spring is officially just around the corner! We at Sac-Be are happy to say our website is breaking records too, thanks to all our wonderful supporters and contributors. We encourage more of you to share your stories and photos with us. Many of our writers are amateurs who took their first try with us – so what are you waiting for...

Sac-Be.com Advertising - we depend on advertising dollars to keep Sac-Be.com up and running. If you have a business, a rental, a service or a product that would benefit from exposure to our visitors please contact us. The benefits of advertising with Sac-be.com are many and here are a few:

• growing audience engaged in the subject matter (Riviera and Costa Maya)
• good click-through rate
• a choice in where your ads are posted
• help with developing your ads.

What's New

Yoga in Akumal has just launched a new website. Thanks to Bart Smith - akumalyoga.com. And view their latest schedule at march_yoga_schedule.pdf (PDF).

Anat Kah A.C., the Mayan Riviera Community Foundation, is pleased to launch its new website, www.anatkah.org! Visit the site to learn more about the community foundation and other local nonprofit organizations and groups that the foundation works with and supports, find out about upcoming community events and volunteer opportunities, read the foundation’s latest newsletter, and see what material donations are needed for local projects, so you know what you can bring down on your next trip.

CEA's Annual extravanza in photos - take a look at the pictures from CEA's 4th annual celebration.

Anat Kah (meaning “village support” in Maya) is an emerging community foundation in the Riviera Maya. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for local residents by supporting the development of a sustainable civil society, or non-profit sector, that promotes community participation and social investment.

Xel-Ha Transportation Service - The natural park Xel-Há announces its own transportation services in order to serve tourists staying in more than 42,000 rooms in Cancún and the Riviera Maya, with the ability to move 700 passengers every day from the hotels' doors.

Interview

Meet Gynna Sainz - by Lydia Linton Pontius
Gynna is an amazing woman—vibrant, energetic and always on the go. She is a chef, belly dancer, restaurateur and instructor, divemaster and deckhand. She is a captivating woman with a very interesting story. Many people come to Akumal but few can say they have been there since they were four days old ...

Spotlight

Dr. Donald Lippincott: an extraordary volunteer! - by Myrna Sparks
A very recent visitor to Akumal and Playa Caribe was a man who has spent a good part of his life volunteering globally with medical and dental teams to the poorest corners of the earth.

Dive Tip of the Month

Tip - If you wish to photograph a sleeping nurse shark, approach them slowly so as not to disturb them. Use your zoom instead of getting extra close, and leave ample space for the animal to exit should it wake up. For further information read A Shark's Tale

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

Of Special Interest

Paddleboarding at Sunset - by Heather Froeming - You couldn't find a better match! If you want a truly unique experience, tour the beautiful flat -water lagoons and mangrove canals of Sian Ka'an, Standing Up.

Underseascapes - Cleaning Station - by Steve Dramstad, aka "XcalakSteve" - There are many ways that underwater creatures interact with each other. One of the most fascinating ways they interact is at a cleaning station. There are many fish and shrimp that act as cleaners.

Just Another Day - by Howie Xamach - It has been a short night. Sleep came late. I spent long hours talking under the stars with people who live in cities that prevent them from seeing what the gods here in the Sian Ka'an have to offer the dreamers of another life. So many stars here in the Sian Ka'an—the Milky Way lives up to its name, appearing as a child's accidental spill of milk across the sky.

Making Gringo Moves - by Kevin Graham - We fell in love with Mexico as divers eleven years ago. We were living in Dallas and we would watch for weekend getaway specials to Cozumel via the charter companies. We would laugh that with some of the deeply discounted fares it was less expensive to go to Cozumel for a weekend than it would be to stay in Dallas. We traveled to Mexico so often it grew to have the feel of a home away from home.

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:

None listed this month? Just a reminder that in these tough times you should take advantage of as many marketing opportunities as possible, and this is a FREE listing service. Come on Owners!

Casa Mañana - Located in the subdivision of Chan Chemuyil, this very affordable home is close to many amenities and attractions. It is only a 10-minute walk to the very private, pristine beach called Xcacel, which is also a turtle sanctuary.

Casa Roja - Located in the subdivision of Chan Chemuyil, this very affordable home is close to many amenities and attractions.

March 2010 - #26  

Hekab Be Biblioteca - Among the many purposes the library serves in Akumal, it is one of the few places where visitors have the chance to reach out and interact with local families. The library is always happy to host those who wish to share their skills, be it in the form of arts & crafts projects, teaching, helping maintain our buildings and grounds, or just about anything people can offer! Here are a few recent examples of activities being undertaken by library volunteers...

Observation in the Montessori Classroom - Observation plays an important role in Montessori education, for all the different people involved in a school from the students to the teachers to the parents. Montessori guides (teachers) make regular observations of each child's progress and individual developmental trajectory. On the basis of these consistent observations, the guide determines when the child is ready to be introduced to new learning materials in the classroom.

News from Xaman Ek - One of the activities offered at Xaman Ek, Montessori Education Center, is yoga, an ancient practice for uniting body and spirit in a series of postures.

Pet of the Month

Coco's Cat Rescue hopes you are having a purrfect day, and apologizes for this disruption. We'd just like to take a few minutes of your time to tell you a story. You might cry a little, but we promise, you'll also find plenty of reason to smile.

Updates on Causes

Peanut Pet Shelter is pleased to announce that PPS is now officially the S.P.C.A. for the municipality of Playa del Carmen. And keep voting! You have until April 18th to vote each day to help them win $10,000.

Coco's Cat Rescue - Coco's 1st Anniversary Cocktail Party March 21st, 8-11pm at the Blue Parrot (Calle 12 and the beach). Admission will be $250 pesos in advance or $300 pesos at the door. You can buy your admission tickes through Paypal for $25 US or at Kitxen, on AV 5 between Constituyentes and Calle 20. Advance tickes will be available only until March 19.

April 2010 - International Sea Turtle Symposium will take place at Goa, India. CEA's Sea Turtle Program will present information on our conservation efforts to protect Akumal's turtles.

April 3, Elton John concert at Chichen Itza.

November 1-8, Just Imagine Vacations, Inc and WaterART International are teaming up for their third trip to Akumal for Water Fitness Certification and CEC classes for Fitness Instructors. This year they are offering Basic Instructor Certification, Personal Trainer Certification and Rehabilitation Specialty Certification.

November 1-8 The WaterART certifications will coincide with the Second Annual Women In Wellness. Here is a look at this year's schedule of events. VIP tickets will be available for all events or you can attend part of the week. Contact Just Imagine Vacations for more information.

November 21, Second Annual Taste of Playa is scheduled. Mark your calendar it is going to be delicious.

REMINDER: If you have any events coming up in 2010 please send us the information so we can get it posted on our Events Calendar.

Make your own Special Event any night by having a Romantic Dinner for two on the beach at Lol Ha.

Extremem Control Kite School is proud to offer the highest quality service with the newest Kite Boarding and Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP's) equipment for all of students. They specialize in Kitesurfing, Diving, Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Eco Adventure Tours. The main school location is at El Paraiso Beach Club on Tulum beach. Then also have a new Kite Shop and Info Center at the entrance of Tulum, in same building as i-Tour Mexico, opposite to San Francisco Commercial Center.