Whale of a time

Marvellous Mexico really has someFIN for everyone

By Jimmy O'Leary, 03/01/2010

SO there I was in the depths of the Caribbean Sea with the world's biggest shark heading straight for me.

Frozen with fear, the only sound I could hear was my heart beating along to John Williams' Jaws theme.


Dum, dum . . .


There was no escaping the 36ft beast, its giant mouth wide open ready to gobble up anything in its path.


Dum, dum . . .


But there was no girlie scream or calls for a bigger boat.


Because the mammoth creature was in fact a whale shark, which only eats algae, plankton and other tiny sea creatures - a kind of veggie monster.


One of nature's most spectacular wonders, it was oblivious to little me swimming alongside it.


Only moments earlier I had been sitting on the side of a boat off the Mexican coast with our guide Eva, who had asked: "Who wants to go first?"


While the other divers looked down at their flippers and adjusted their masks, I watched in horror as my hand shot up. I've no idea why - the pounding Mexican sun must have got to me.


We were floating on beautiful blue waters an hour's boat ride from Isla Mujeres (Island Of Women).


This is a Mexican hidden jewel and one of the greatest places on earth to see the migration of turtles, dolphins, manta rays and blue marlin.


Oh, and let's not forget the whale shark, which by now was sliding off into the distance.


Soon I was relaxing back at the five-star Azul Sensatori in the beautiful resort district of Riviera Maya, which, like all of Mexico's tourist areas, is looking forward to the year ahead after being tarnished by the swine flu outbreak in 2009.


Sitting in the south-eastern corner of sprawling Mexico - 20 minutes from Cancun airport - it's the world's first multi-generation hotel, which has three interconnecting areas for families, couples and adults.


There's also an area for cocktail fans. Choose from 31 speciality Mojitos then pick one of the six all-inclusive restaurants with Tapas, Italian, Mexican and Caribbean meals to tempt you.


With its jet-black marble floor, Le Chique wouldn't look out of place in London's West End. And its 12 (yes, 12) course meal was just as flash.. Foie gras cotton balls hanging from a tree, black onion rings, fried sushi and desserts called Between Clouds and Culinary Images. All this washed down with a sparkling cucumber Martini.


Between courses I was served with wine from around the world - even Mexican, which was surprisingly good.


And as each course turned up, head chef Jonatan Gomez Luna popped out of the kitchen to explain that particular culinary wonder that he had created.


I couldn't help but feel guilty that it took me a little over two seconds to devour his "exploding" liquid olive that had taken him an hour and a half to prepare.

The Sensatori is right on the beach, overlooking the second- largest coral reef in the world. So the next day, after a quick refresher in the swimming pool, I was out exploring the waters in full scuba gear.


If you prefer dry land, the hotel has plenty to offer, including tennis, football and beach volleyball, kids' clubs and a games room packed with the latest computer gadgets.


For those who like to walk along the beach I recommend a stroll to the charming little town of Puerto Morelos. Its small restaurants and cafes allow you to breathe in the marvellous simplicity of an old fishing village.


It takes a good 90 minutes to walk there, but you can always grab a boat ride back to the hotel if you're tired or it's too hot on the white sands.


Paradise

It's very different to Playa del Carmen. Only 30 minutes drive from the Azul Sensatori, the capital of the Riviera Maya is a bustling town with a variety of food, clothing and jewellery.


It's a great place to buy high quality Mexican handicrafts and the main street, Fifth Avenue, is full of busy bars selling many varieties of Mexican tequila.


Not far away along the Riviera Maya is the breathtaking Xel-Ha (Mixed Water). This is a snorkelling paradise where the river meets the salty sea and is the world's biggest natural aquarium.


You can spend hours snorkelling among the hundreds of species of fish, hike or ride a bike through the nature paths or just take a siesta in a Mayan hammock under a palm tree.


I marvelled at the family of manatees (sea cows) kept in the inlet and it was here I had my second aquatic experience of a lifetime - I got to swim with dolphins.


Just like Superman, I was sent flying out of the lagoon and into the sky with two of these incredible creatures which had the tips of their noses on each of my feet.


Back on dry land, if you get the chance take in the historic ruins of the ancient city of Tulum. An archaeological site, the walled city is set high on a cliff with outstanding views of the Caribbean Sea below.


And as I stood there looking out to sea, I couldn't help but wonder if my whale shark buddy was gliding through the ocean deep, hunting down its next meal.


Dum, dum...


Getting there

THOMSON offers seven nights all-inclusive at the 5T Azul Sensatori Resort Mexico, departing Gatwick on May 18, including transfers and taxes from £999 per person based on two sharing.


Visit www.thomson.co.uk or call 0871 231 5595.