Gulf of Mexico
Attraction refers to the countries:MexicoMEXICO , USACubaThe Gulf of Mexico is a semi-enclosed sea of the Atlantic Ocean whose waters lap the southern coast of the United States, the eastern and northern shores of Mexico, and the western part of the island of Cuba. The warm subtropical climate and long sandy beaches attract residents of the Midwest and northern United States to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Resort hotels and entertainment centers are located in coastal cities and towns. In Texas, Louisiana and Florida there are large international airports, receiving travelers from many countries around the world.
Video: Gulf of Mexico
Contents- Highlights
- History of the Gulf of Mexico
- Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
- Geography
- Climate and Weather
Gulf of Mexico Attractions - Beaches
- Entertainment
Shopping - Local food
- Where to stay
- How to get there
Highlights
The sandy coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, from Florida to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, are lined with beach resorts interspersed with vast rainforests, swampy lagoons, and national parks. On the southern shores of the United States can be found luxury resort hotels, club golf estates, luxury villas. It also offers and inexpensive vacation by the sea in modest guest houses and tourist campgrounds.
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Beach condominiums are popular in the Gulf of Mexico area, away from the bustling tourist centers. Ocean liners depart from coastal ports for cruises to the Caribbean and Atlantic.
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On Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, overgrown with dense jungle, tourists can expect no less comfortable vacation at coastal resorts. In the region are concentrated ancient cities and archaeological sites of the Mayan civilization. Many locations are authentic architectural treasures listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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History of the Gulf of Mexico
https://trevaladvisor.com/img%img/Meksikanskij-zalivreterte/Karta-Meksikanskogo-zaliva-Richarda-Maunta-i-Tomasa-Peydzha-1700-goda_2493.jpg” alt=””/>‘ Yucatan was settled by the Maya people, who created an outstanding civilization with advanced science, architecture, and writing. In Yucatan and throughout Mesoamerica, the majestic ruins of 40 ancient Maya cities have been preserved. World famous step pyramids of Chichen Itza, Palenque, Yashchilan, Ushmal are well studied. These colossal structures are amazing and are the main tourist attractions of the region..
In 1502, on his fourth voyage to the shores of the Americas, Christopher Columbus rounded the island of Cuba and entered the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. One day a large Indian pirogue with goods and products sailed up to the caravel’s side, and trade began. Thus, Europeans first became acquainted with the Maya people who inhabited the Yucatan.
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A few years later, the conquistador Francisco Hernandez de Cordova, at the head of a well-armed detachment, crossed the Gulf of Mexico and began the conquest of Yucatan. The armor-clad Spaniards wielded firearms and deadly crossbows, but the greatest damage to the Native Americans was caused by epidemics of smallpox and plague brought here by the overseas conquerors.
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In the early 20th century, oil and gas deposits were discovered in the state of Texas on the Gulf Coast. Hydrocarbon reserves fully met the needs of the U.S. economy. In the 1940s, a technology was developed for drilling deep-water wells in the coastal continental shelf. Drilling rigs mounted on floating platforms began to extract “black gold” from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Offshore fields are developed mainly off the coast of Texas and Louisiana, as well as in shallow waters off the coast of Mexico, in the area of the Yucatan Peninsula. Today, hundreds of drilling platforms rise above the waters of the Gulf. Offshore oil fields are dangerous to the environment, they inevitably pollute the waters.
.Gulf of Mexico oil spill
The largest man-made disaster occurred on April 20, 2010, when the 120-meter Deepwater Horizon drilling platform, owned by the transnational corporation British Petroleum (BP), exploded and went to the bottom off the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
.The mouth of the damaged 5,500-meter well was at a depth of 1.5 kilometers. The accident was eliminated only after 87 days. During this time, up to 800 million liters of oil poured into the waters of the gulf, beach shores were polluted, many fish and seabirds died.
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Meanwhile, at the end of the last century, it became clear that in the ancient history of the Gulf of Mexico occurred a grand cataclysm that radically changed the further course of evolution on all continents of the planet.
The explosion of incredible power threw billions of tons of rock and water vapor into the atmosphere. For several decades, sunlight did not reach the surface of the Earth, the planet was in perpetual night. Photosynthesis of plants and the life cycle of animals were disrupted. Probably, it was then that dinosaurs and many other land dwellers became extinct. Thus, the Cretaceous period ended in the history of the planet and the Tertiary era began.
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In the area of the crater on the Yucatan Peninsula stands the Mexican port and resort town of Chicxulub-Puerto (sometimes spelled “Chicxulub”). There, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, a stele has been erected marking the epicenter of the fateful explosion that killed the dinosaurs.
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Geography
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The eastern, northern, and northwestern shores of the Gulf of Mexico are home to the U.S. states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The total length of the Gulf coastline belonging to the United States is 2,700 kilometers. Houston, Texas, and South Louisiana have major commercial ports that are among the top ten busiest harbors in the world.
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The Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo, where the resort city of Cancun, known for its beaches, is located, all face the southwestern and southern shores of the Gulf. To the southeast, the bay is bounded by the island of Cuba.
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The Gulf of Mexico is where the Gulf Stream warm current originates. The Gulf is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Florida, lying between Cuba and the Florida Peninsula. Through this corridor, the Gulf Stream rushes into the Atlantic, curving northward.
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Along the southern end of Florida stretches a chain of coral reefs and islands in the Florida Keys archipelago. From there, it is only 150-170 kilometers to the coast of Cuba. Interestingly, in 2013, 64-year-old American athlete and writer Diane Nyad swam across the Florida Straits from Havana to Key West, Florida – the southernmost population center in the continental United States. The marathon swim lasted 53 hours. Diane covered 177 kilometers, happily avoiding encounters with sharks.
.By the way, Key West is famous for the fact that here ends the longest highway in the United States, crossing the country from north to south (US Highway 1). The highway begins in the town of Fort Kent (Maine), which is on the border with Canada. The length of the highway is 3,810 kilometers. To the city of Key West, located on the islands, the highway is paved through several bridges, the longest of which stretches over sea lagoons for 11 km.
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The second strait, the Yucatan Strait, connects the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean Sea. This passage is located between Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. Along the Yucatán is a notional geographic boundary separating North and Central America.
>The shores of the Gulf of Mexico are riddled with bays and lagoons, swampy estuaries with mangroves, shoals and coral reefs hide underwater. Along the low-lying sandy coasts with endless beaches stretched narrow long spits and islands washed up by the surf.
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Dozens of rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico. In the northern honor of the coast are the deltas of the largest tributaries, the Mississippi (3770 km) and the Rio Grande (3051 km). In the south are the mouths of the Grijalva (480 km) and the Usumasinta (1000 km).
.The salinity of the water in the Gulf of Mexico is comparable to that of the Atlantic Ocean. However, in the waters off the northern coast, where the Mississippi flows into the Gulf, the water is almost fresh at a distance of 30-50 km from the mouth of the great river, which is among the largest freshwater arteries of the planet.
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The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are rich in fish, especially abundant in the continental shelf area. Mullet, sea bass, flounder, as well as shrimp and clams are caught here on an industrial scale. Whales and sperm whales swim into the Gulf from the Atlantic, sharks, stingrays, swordfish, marlins and tunas live here. Numerous national parks are located on the northern and eastern shores of the water area. There are marine reserves in the habitats of manatees and turtles.
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Climate and weather
The Gulf of Mexico is located in the humid marine subtropical belt. The climate on its shores ranges from tropical to subtropical. The weather in this region is largely influenced by the Gulf Stream. The evaporation of its warm waters contrasts with colder air masses and generates atmospheric vortices (cyclones) that often become tropical storms and hurricanes. These huge spiral formations are clearly visible from space. The annual hurricane season begins in August-September and lasts until the end of November. A particularly powerful hurricane hit the coastal city of Galveston, Texas in 1900. It was surpassed by Category 5 Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) in terms of wind strength and widespread flooding.
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Earthquakes also occur in the region. In September 2006, in the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, 400 kilometers from Florida, there was a 6-point earthquake. The tremors were felt in the coastal cities of the southern U.S. states and Cuba, but they did not cause serious damage.
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For most of the year, the gulf coasts are warm or even hot. From May to October the air warms up to +30…+33 °С. The hottest period lasts from June to August, when daytime temperatures often reach +37…+39 °С. The three winter months bring cooler weather with relatively moderate temperatures. In the coldest period, which falls on January and February, thermometers usually show +14…+18 °С. Extremely rarely atmospheric flows from the North Atlantic briefly cool the air to 0…+5 °С.
.Near the coasts of Mexico, South Florida and Cuba, the water in the Gulf of Mexico is comfortable for swimming all year round, its temperature is +22 … +27 ° C.
. In June-October the sea warms up to +28…+32 °С. On the beaches of the northern shores of the gulf in winter and early spring do not bathe: from December to April at the coast of Texas and Louisiana sea water cools to +16 … +18 ° C. .
Sights of the Gulf of Mexico
Interesting monuments and monumental buildings from the era of the Mayan civilization, inscribed in the World Heritage registers, are located on the Yucatan Peninsula, the most popular tourist destination in Mexico. More than 2 million travelers come here every year. Many of them are passengers on cruise ships cruising the Gulf of Mexico.
.The Yucatan Peninsula is composed of limestone rocks. In the dense jungle lurk karst caves and thousands of cenotes – deep sinkholes filled with water. These mini-lakes were formed by the collapse of underground cave vaults. The ancient Maya considered cenotes as portals to the netherworld. They played the role of ritual reservoirs, where they dumped prisoners sacrificed to the gods accompanied by ceremonial offerings.
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Cenotes have become iconic dive locations for divers. The most famous cenote is located in the Chichen Itza Archaeological Reserve and is called the “Well of Sacrifice”. The reservoir is 300 meters from the stone stepped pyramid of Kukulkan, the divine feathered serpent. The funnel is 60 meters in diameter and the water mirror lies 27 meters from the surface of the ground. Underwater archaeologists have extracted from the depths of the reservoir thousands of artifacts made of jade, obsidian, gold, turquoise and sea shells. Among them are weapons, ceramic vessels and statuettes, jewelry made of precious stones.
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The presence of two horizons of water – an interesting feature of many coastal cenotes. The lower layer is created by the salty waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which penetrated through cracks and tunnels in the limestone. Above the seawater is a layer of lighter fresh water that entered the dungeons during rainstorms. Underwater tunnels have been discovered in the depths of the cenotes. Some of them have been explored for hundreds of meters. The underground passages are believed to penetrate the interior of the peninsula for thousands of kilometers.
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When traveling along the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico in the United States, don’t miss the opportunity to visit The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston. On its vast grounds, located southeast of the city, are displayed launch vehicles and individual stages with spacecraft jet engines. Visitors ride in open-air “steam train” cars accompanied by guides. You can spend a whole day at the Astronautical Museum, viewing thousands of exhibits about space exploration. Here you will be able to look into the cabin of a real shuttle, and in a virtual simulator to try to land on a spaceship. There is an excursion to the Mission Control Center, where NASA employees negotiate with the inhabitants of the International Space Station, decipher the signals of probes from deep space, control rovers on the distant Mars. One of the accessible hangars has a glassed-in gallery from where you can watch the training of astronauts. The complex is open to tourists from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and admission costs $32.63.
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On the west coast of Florida, the resort town of Key West is home to several marine reserves and Dry Tortugas National Park. The city’s attractions include an ancient fort that served as a base for fighting piracy, which flourished in the Gulf of Mexico until the early 19th century. Here tourists can explore the Shipwreck Museum, the memorial house of writer Ernest Hemingway.
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Beaches
The sickle-shaped Gulf Coast, stretching 1900 kilometers from Florida to Texas, has earned the title of the American Riviera. The shores are covered with dazzling white coral and quartz sand. Warm waters of the bay abound with fish, shrimps, oysters. In the small shallow lagoons tourists will find wild secluded beaches, overgrown with palm trees.
.The longest wild sandy beach on the U.S. Gulf Coast is located in the northwest Florida peninsula, in the Panhandle region. It is an unspoiled sandy strip with lagoons and islets 241 kilometers long. Sugar-white dunes are overgrown with stiff grasses resembling oats. In some places there are swamps, where mangrove trees grow, crocodiles and snakes live here. This is what the coast looked like before human settlement. Now there are 7 national parks, golf clubs, campgrounds and inexpensive resorts.
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In the city of Galveston in south Texas, not far from Houston, is the largest public beach in the region, Stewart Beach, equipped with the necessary infrastructure. The sandy strip stretches for 11 kilometers. In 100 meters from the surf line along the beach built a protective dike. An asphalted highway with separated bicycle lanes is laid along its crest. The service sector is well developed here, many cafes and beach restaurants are open. In addition to delicious food, the establishments offer a variety of beach and sports equipment.
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In Mexico, the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula south of the resort of Cancun tour operators call the Mayan Riviera. The low-lying shores are covered with tropical jungle. On the cleared from the forest locations built beach hotel complexes, luxury boutique hotels and restaurants, cottages with thatched roofs in the style of Mayan settlements. On the Mexican Gulf Coast, equipped beaches are concentrated in the area of resort towns and villages. Hundreds of kilometers of wild coastline are at the disposal of romantics looking for a secluded vacation by the sea.
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Entertainment
Diving and snorkeling are the most popular activities on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The shallow waters off the coast are home to many picturesque coral reefs, grottos and caves. The abundance of marine life brings new colorful notes to each swim.
. The cost of scuba rentals varies. For example, in Florida resorts for a set of equipment and delivery by boat to popular dive sites ask 75-120 $. If you just want to swim at the reefs in a mask and make interesting photos, for the flight you need to pay 50-60 $..
A boat trip for a 6-hour deep sea fishing trip will cost $60-70$. The gear is free on board, but snacks and drinks need to be brought with you.
. Large shopping centers with boutiques of world brands await shoppers in the American cities of Houston, Miami and other tourist centers. Here you can buy everything that is produced for consumers in the U.S. – from the latest models of iPhones and consumer electronics gadgets to stylish clothes and shoes. . Among the popular souvenirs from Mexico are lightweight women’s huipil blouses, woven from cotton and hand-embroidered. These long blouses are popular beachwear in the resorts of the Yucatan Peninsula. Accessories made of beads, traditional handicrafts of the Huichol Indian tribe, will go well with such clothes. . Good silver jewelry Tasco, named after the largest mine of this metal. Jewelers make designer necklaces and bracelets, earrings and rings with inserts of jasper, opal, lapis lazuli, amber in the technique of Mayan masters. The cost of jewelry – from 70 to 600 $. As a gift for those with a sweet tooth, you can buy a box of delicious Mexican chocolate, because Mexico is its homeland. Packages of chocolate powder are sold to make hot chocolate. The process of making the drink would be incomplete without a molinillo, a special carved wooden whisk used to whip a beautiful foam in the cup. From Mexico you can also bring the famous alcoholic beverages made from the juice of the tropical agave cactus. A liter bottle of Mexican tequila in a tin gift case sells for 170-250 pesos ($8.92-13.11). It’s also worth taking home a strong, smoke-scented mescal, with bottles starting at 190 pesos ($9.97). The Gulf Coast has developed a rather motley creative culinary scene, combining flavors of Creole, Caribbean, French, Mexican, Asian, and traditional American cuisine. Depending on the region, the recipes for appetizers and main courses are based either on seafood or on beef and pork combined with spicy seasonings. Baked vegetables, boiled rice, fried potatoes prevail as a side dish. . In the southern seaside resorts of the U.S. quite a few restaurants are marked with Michelin stars, which testifies to the high skill of chefs and excellent quality of service. In Alabama, gourmets should visit the Italian restaurant Villaggio Grille, where delicious baskets with shrimp and crab with parmesan sauce are served, in Florida you will be pleased with the menu of Ravenous Pig restaurant. By the way, “Michelin restaurants” does not always mean “expensive”. For example, in Houston, you’ll see a Michelin star on the sign of Tim Ho Wan Chinese restaurant, where you can have a delicious lunch for $16-$22. At atmospheric beachside eateries on the American Riviera of the Gulf of Mexico, a meal for two will cost about $120-$140. In an inexpensive restaurant a three-course lunch costs within $20 per person, in chain fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s or Burger King you can eat for $9-10. . In Mexico, in the Riviera Maya resorts, guests will find rather expensive restaurants, where main courses are offered at a price of 20-35 $, and lunch for two will cost from 80-120 $. On the beaches and walking the streets of the resorts, you can satisfy your hunger with Mexican fast food. Everywhere for 25 pesos ($1.31) are offered hot burritos – wheat tortillas, in which wrapped pieces of fried meat, beans, tomatoes, avocado, spicy rice with hot sauce. Local variants of hamburgers – tortas (1,57 $) are very tasty, tacos – rolls from corn dough with meat or fish filling (0,5 $) are also good. In the same price will cost a cob of boiled sweet corn. Various pies cost about 15 pesos ($0.79). You can wash down your snack with a glass of fresh fruit juice ($1.47) or a cup of hot chocolate ($2.62).
Shopping
Local cuisine
Where to stay
Popular among tourists are Hilton S
