076: What to Expect When Visiting Akumal Monkey Sanctuary with Ricardo Arellanos

When Ricardo Arellanos’ family moved to Cozumel, the Riviera Maya was a very different place. Cancun only had two hotels and Playa del Carmen was just a small town. Today the area is abundant with visitors and many of those visitors are drawn to the Akumal Monkey Sanctuary where Ricardo works. Working at the Monkey Sanctuary allows Ricardo to live out one of his missions in life, which is to give people an experience an unforgettable experience by sharing the treasures of the Riviera Maya. The six-hectare sanctuary cares for injured, displaced and unwanted wild animals. They rehabilitate the animals, introduce animals back into their native habitat, and educate humans. They have four different types of monkeys, snakes, exotic lemurs, zebras, goats, and more. Visitors learn about how the animal ended up at the Sanctuary, why the animals behave the way they do, and interact with the snakes and birds. A partner of the Sanctuary, VEA Tours offers rides on ATVs to a beautiful cenote for swimming and then an underground cavern tour which has stalactites and stalagmites.   Ricardo Recommends Visiting These Authentic Local Places: ● Cenotes — Cristalina and Azul are two of Ricardo’s favorites. ● El Alux — An underground restaurant in Playa del Carmen. ● Un Taco Mas — The name says it all— in Playa del Carmen. ● Los Aguachiles — Great seafood platters. ● La Cueva del Chango — A nice place for breakfast. ● El Pescador — For fried oyster ceviche in Cozumel. ● La Cocay — International dishes in Cozumel.   Thank you to Buy Playa for sponsoring this episode. They are buyer’s agents and only sell titled properties. They are truly experts in their field! Use these Resources to Continue Your Journey: Loco Gringo Loco Gringo on Facebook [e-mail] — Ask Paulina Email Kay: [e-mail] @locogringocom on Twitter @locogringo_mexico on Instagram LocoGringo Mexico Vacation Free E-books Akumal Monkey Sanctuary Akumal Money Sanctuary on Facebook VEA Trips and Tours