Kay Walten of Loco Gringo is one of the true experts regarding the beautiful stretch of coastline in Mexico known as Riviera Maya.
Kay is also featured in the Adventure Travel Experts directory, and you can read more of her insider tips and information in the article she wrote titled Nine Amazing Adventure Activities in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
ATM: I understand that you’ve been living in Riviera Maya since 1992. What’s the story of how you came to choose this area to live and work?
Loco Gringo – Kay Walten: My husband, Gary, and I began leading groups of cave divers to the area in 1991. After a job offer to move to Akumal and explore caves in the Fall of 1992, we decided to follow our dreams, quit our 9 to 5 jobs and move to the Riviera Maya. Our goal was to make enough money teaching cave diving to get by, and explore some of the best underwater caves in the world in our spare time.
All was going according to plan when one of Gary’s diving students introduced us to a new thing called the Internet and suggested we offer vacation rentals to our dive groups and the general public. We started our new venture with eight rental properties and a used 386 IBM Think Pad laptop.
The Riviera Maya looks like paradise. What are some of the things you like best about this part of Mexico?
I love the natural beauty of Quintana Roo. It was the caves that brought us here, but there is so much more.
Gary and I are divers, cave and open water, so we enjoy the diversity of underwater life along the MesoAmerican Reef as well as the rock formations and cenotes created specifically by the state’s limestone foundation. Also, beaches don’t get any prettier than the ones we have in Tulum.
In looking over the photos on your facebook page, it’s clear that adventure is a big part of your life. What are your favorite adventure activities?
For me, stepping off into the unknown has always been my favorite adventure activity. Whether it involves quitting my secure job and starting over in a new country or jumping out of an airplane on my 40th birthday – I went skydiving in Cancun. I welcome anything that challenges what I know and who I am.
What are some Loco Gringo suggestions you would have for those looking for an adrenaline rush in Riviera Maya?
For adrenaline junkies I recommend the ziplines. Flying high over the trees is exhilarating!
How about for those looking for soft adventure experiences. What would you recommend for them?
For all the adventure with very little risk I encourage everyone to try scuba diving. It’s easy for all ages from young children to grandmothers. Each dive adventure is guaranteed to be different.
What cultural events, or cultural tours, are the most popular along the Riviera Maya? And what times of the year are best to enjoy them?
One of my favorite times of the year is the Fall when Mexico celebrates Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
The cities of the Yucatan are alive with parades, bakeries are churning out the delicious Day of the Dead bread, vendors have tables lined with sugar candy skulls and each home has a decorated alter for their loved ones that have passed. It really is a holiday filled with traditions and festivities totally different from anything we celebrate in the U.S.
What does the Riviera Maya have to offer for those interested in luxury adventure travel?
The Riviera Maya has several luxury accommodations to chose from. Luxury resorts, five star hotels and palatial private villas equipped with a full staff are all available to cater to your every whim.
High end fishing boats can be chartered out of Puerto Aventuras, helicopter rides along the coast are offered and private/customized tours can be arranged to just about any attraction in the Riviera Maya.
How about family adventure travel? What are some of your best Loco Gringo recommendations for adventure experiences for the entire family?
Any of the Riviera Maya’s nature themed parks are perfect for family adventure. Xplore, Rio Secreto, Xcaret, XelHa, Aktun Chen all have exciting regional adventure in a safe family-friendly environment.
For something a bit less organized and budget friendly I always encourage families to snorkel in Akumal Bay, where the sea turtles live. Here you are almost guaranteed to have an underwater encounter you never expected.
It seems that weddings and honeymoons are a big draw for the Riviera Maya. Give us a few examples of what couples looking for romantic adventures can find there.
The Riviera Maya is the quintessential setting for a tropical fantasy so take any adventure, make it for two, add a bottle of wine and you’ve got romance.
Picnic on a deserted beach in Sian Kaan, arrange for couples’ massages at any of the resort spas, make love in a hammock! This place ooozes romance.
What are your best Loco Gringo insider tips for those who want to explore and discover the best of what the Riviera Maya has for the adventure travelers?
My biggest piece of advice for travelers to the area is to leave their preconceptions about Mexico and Mexicans at home.
The Riviera Maya is a safe place filled with good, hardworking people. Don’t be afraid to explore the area because of what you may have heard in the media.
Some of my best adventure stories are because I strayed off the beaten path to see what was waiting for me around the next bend.
Tell us a little about Loco Gringo.
Loco Gringo Inc. was officially born in 1996 and now represents more than 300 hotels, resorts and rental properties. We have a staff of seven agents, all of whom are currently living in, or have lived in the Riviera Maya. Collectively, we have decades of experience in the area so we know Riviera Maya and Costa Maya.
We got the name Loco Gringo from the common misconception that all cave divers are crazy, and in this case, gringos as well. It seems the company name appeals to people, bringing up a desire to break away from their day-to-day life and go on an adventure.
Kay Walten is not only the CEO/owner of Loco gringo .com, but she is also the owner of Kay Walten Group http://www.kaywalten.com an international social media consulting firm and a well-respected social media marketing voice in the industry.
The Wall Street Journal has referred to Loco Gringo as the “Top Choice for Travel to the Riviera Maya.”
In 2010, Loco Gringo was ranked #20 in the “Top 50 Social Media Influencers in the Travel Industry” and it’s CEO crowned the “Leading Micro-blogger for the Riviera Maya.”