Life in the Riviera Maya is never dull.  The Playa del Carmen real estate market is always full of activities filled with interesting events and activities that appeal to a wide range of tastes and keeping visitors coming to visit our little community throughout the year.  This past week end, the jazz festival held an amazing event with international musicians giving the region and visitors from other countries an amazing 4 day event filled with music and talent.   Many times while my my office is busy working in our Playa del Carmen real estate industry, we lose track of time and fail to smell the roses and appreciate the wonderful events that occur in our own back yard.  One of these annual events for example is the unique Sea Turtle Festivals.  During the days of October 16, 17 and 18, and each year in October, the  Sea Turtle Festival takes place in the  Playa del Carmen,  Tulum areas and its nearby beaches.

The Festival was a free event for the whole family, where Tulum and Playa del Carmen’s residents, Mexican and non-Mexican residents alike, joined with visitors to learn more about sea turtles, an endangered species. Through this event a forum has been created for distributing information about organizations working around to protect sea turtles through artistic,  environmental, and cultural activities.

On Friday 16, at the Casa de la Cultura de Tulum, presented various conservation programs for sea turtles, and a series of artistic and cultural activities, such as a collective painting exhibition called “Chelonia Ak” and a children’s art competitions, for children from primary schools in Tulum.

On Saturday, 17 October from 7 am, Playa Pescadores, “Fishermen’s Beach” was decorated with bright colors and shapes to welcome the official clean-up effort of the beaches, as well as sand sculptures and kites.

On Saturday afternoon, the “Shrine of the Sea Turtle Xcacelito Xcacel,” near Tulum, was decorated for a party, to  offer the collective experience of the “Freeing of the Sea Turtles” Ceremony, where each of the participants, working together with the elements of nature and various art forms, participated in a tribute to these ancient inhabitants of the seas and beaches.

Mexico has been called “the country of sea turtles,” as the diversity of coastal environments and the richness of our coast offer ideal food, rest and breeding conditions for sea turtles. Of the 8 species of marine turtles in the world, seven nest on Mexican beaches and four in Quintana Roo, the State where Tulum and Playa del Carmen are located. For the Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas) and Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) in particular, Quintana Roo’s beaches are among its main nesting sites worldwide, and the most important on national level.

However, the unauthorized over-fishing, poaching of their eggs and the destruction of their habitats by human activity have led to the sea turtles’ status as an endangered species.

The Sea Turtle Festival was organized by Flora, Fauna y Cultura de Mexico, Xcaret Park, and other civic organizations, companies and governmental authorities of the City of Tulum and the Municipal government of Playa del Carmen.

For further updates about events in Tulum and Playa del Carmen, and life in this area, and indispensible Mexico real estate information, keep up to date with our Mexico Real Estate Blog.

Beatriz Lozano, “TOP Mexico Real Estate NETWORK; Mexico’s leading specialists for finding and purchasing Mexican properties safely !” (512) 879-6546 or the company’s web site www.TOPmexicorealestate.com