Whale Shark Season --> Are you ready!?

Are you in or coming to the Mayan Riviera? Are you looking for adventure and excitement? The Whale Shark Adventure is for you then - come and spend a day snorkelling with these amazing creatures! With the whale shark season starting this month, many people still wonder about these creatures. Therefore, we have compiled a list of important and interesting facts for you! Find everything you have ever wanted or needed to know below:

*The slow moving, filter feeding whale shark is the largest living fish
*They can weigh up to 36 tonnes (79,000 lbs) and be over 12 meters (40 feet) long
*Whale sharks are found in warm tropical waters (see map below for detailed area)
*They can live up to 70 years!
*It is capable of diving to depths of 700 meters (2,300 ft)
*With a mouth that can be up to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft), it can contain between 300 and 350 rows of tiny teeth
*It has five large pairs of gills
*The body of a whale Shark is mostly grey with a white belly with three prominent ridges along the side
*There can be a "checkerboard" of pale yellow spots and stripes (which are unique to each individual and is helpful for counting populations)
*It is one of only 3 filter feeding species of shark (the others being the Basking shark and Megamouth shark)
*Its diet consists of macro-algae, plankton, krill, and small sea animals such as squid
*Are they SAFE!? Although it is large and impressive in size, the whale shark is not dangerous towards humans
*They are extremely large, but are docile animals that are actually quite gentle (towards humans and other sea life!)

And lucky you:
One of the spots Whale Sharks can be seen are near Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres in Mexico!

Come with the best: with over 9 years of experience, EcoColors Tours promises you a one of a kind experience! Book online and get 15% off! (Book before May 31^st and receive a free t-shirt as well!*)
*restrictions apply

New Additions, New Adventures

At EcoColors we are always trying to expand and try new things. We strive to offer something unique and one of a kind experience for our guests. Whether this means constantly updating ourselves with social media trends or adapting our tours, we strive to make you happy!

One of the newest editions is our (soon to be released) Extreme Reptile Adventure. The tour is a combination of two other tours; our Kantemo adventure and crocodile adventure. We decided to combine the two to be able offer something truly extraordinary. The tour starts in the early evening with the departure to Kantemo, where upon arrival you will be able to explore the caves and find hanging snakes! This is truly a one of a kind experience, as this is not known to occur anywhere else! After, you take part in a conservation and preservation of crocodiles, where you will help capture them to obtain data and learn more about these great creatures. Upon the release back into the wild, you will start your return back to your hotel.

Note: this tour is not for the unadventurous, but rather the people who seek thrill!

The other announcement is our partnership with ISIC! If you are a student, you are now entitled a 15% discount* on all our tours! It’s a great deal, so book now! Whether it be adventure you seek in the Whale Shark tour (one more month to go!) or a multisport activity in Sian Ka’an, pick your favourite and enjoy a tour with EcoColors Tours.

Hope to see you all there! Visit our website to keep informed!

*restrictions apply, please see website

Sustainability – Playing a small part in a very big world

I recently read a very interesting article, one that made me think of world around me and the impact that we have when we travel. The article talks about the future of travel and mentions many unique and diverse trends that are on the horizon. I became intrigued by such things and wanted to share one of my favourite trends: Tradecations.

Tradecations definition: “cooperating with radical plans by hotels and resorts to slash their carbon footprint in return for carbon reward points that can be traded for visits to local sites of interest, spa treatments or dinner and drinks - ‘fly-and-swap’ holidays where travellers spend time helping the local community and environment, or with a regional non-governmental organisation (NGO) in return for extra holiday perks.”

This was something I was super intrigued by - what a great concept (not to mention a great name!) As a company that works in the tourism sector, we are aware of the impacts we have the on the earth. This is why we have always strived to create the smallest impact on the earth, with our tours, as well as right here in the office! This inspired me to question what we do at work to be sustainable, and I compiled a list of things we do here at EcoColors to play our part in sustainability.

Some of the things we do to be sustainable:
- recycling (paper, plastic, glass)

- Compost

- Reusing paper (when printing)
- Making sure all electric outlets are unplugged at night and when not in use
- LED Lighting

All our tours are run as sustainable as possible as well and we work with local communities, donating proceeds to local organizations such as Amigos de Sian Ka’an, in return helping preserve our environment. We also work with international companies such as the Coral Reef Alliance, which we help to promote the preservation of coral reefs in the area to guests and other companies. We work with local school groups as well, inorder to educate students. EcoColors realises that every step counts and we strive to play a part in protecting our environment!

Don’t forget Earth Hour March 26th, 2011 & Earth Day April 22nd, 2011 Do your part – it’s easy!

*Sources: The Future laboratory: 13 : 12 : 2010. Thomson holidays: sustainable holiday futures (Ask me for the complete article to read more!)

Sailfish Adventure!

Have you ever wondered about Sailfish? What are they, and where can you find them? Well the life of a Sailfish is that of a peculiar one. Not only are they the fastest fish in the world, but they are also quite versatile. They are able to change their body colors (ranges of blues, yellows & grays to even shades of purple and silver) almost instantly and raise their sail (the dorsal fin that stretches the length of their back) when they feel threatened. The sailfish season is considerably short, usually lasting from December/January until about March/April but Sailfish can reach up to 11 feet long and weigh up to 220 pounds! There are two types of sailfish (Atlantic and Pacific) but the type present in and around the Cancun area is the Atlantic Sailfish – they prefer warmer waters.

Spotting Sailfish this year has been difficult, but we finally spotted them! Our first Sailfish Adventure tour (ever!) went out this past Friday and it was a success, with lots of Sailfish present. The tour begins with a hotel pick up and then departure to the dock. There is a short boat ride out towards the Island of Contoy and from there snorkeling with the Sailfish is possible. Dive in and let the experience begin!

Have you wondered how it’s possible to find them – the ocean is quite large! Well, interesting to know is, we are able to find the sailfish by means of spotting birds first! Sailfish and birds (such as Frigates and pelicans) all feed on the same ocean delicacies such as sardines. If there are birds present, this usually means there will be Sailfish. The more birds, the more Sailfish!

Swimming with the fastest fish in the world is exhilarating, as they sure are fast! If you are up for a new adventure, contact us now - Tours go out every Wednesday. Please visit our homepage for more information!