Calica

Calica is a quarry and a port on the Quintana Roo coast of Mexico. The name is based on "cal," Spanish for lime or limestone (cognate to the English "calcite.")

The port is primarily used to dock ships for loading aggregate (gravel and sand) used for construction. The Calica quarry is part of a joint venture between Vulcan Materials Co. and Grupo ICA. The port facilities also serve to dock cruise line ships to access the resort town of Playa del Carmen, some 10 km (6.2 mi) distant. The Calica site, with a port blasted directly into the limestone, was chosen after other port facilities near Playa del Carmen were damaged or destroyed by hurricane.

The Calica port itself has little or no services or hotels. Just north of the port is the "ecological theme park" of Xcaret, a Mayan tourist destination, archaeological site, and beach.

Although situated on the continental mainland of the Yucatán Peninsula, the Calica facilities are not part of the surrounding "municipio" (municipality) of Solidaridad. An area of some 11.9 ha surrounding the site is formally part of the municipality of Cozumel, which is based on the island of the same name lying approximately 20 km (12.4 mi) offshore to the east.

External links

* [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10942857_ITM Information on the CALICA quarry business venture] .
* [http://www.caribbeanportreviews.com/Calica13.htm Page from David Daugherty about Calica as a Cruise destination] .