The word Xel Há is a combination of Maya terms which mean "water entrance" or "where the waters are born" in reference to the geography of this place (an inlet), although that name was given by the Spaniards and it is not known whether this was really its original name. The site was used as a port by the ancient Mayas due to its location at one of the important crossroads for marine traffic in the trade of merchandise and goods. The first references concerning the port date from 1527, the year when the Spaniards arrived in this zone which they called Salamanca de Xalá, alluding to a small native settlement which they found nearby.

One legend states that this amazing place was created by the Maya gods, who combined their love and wisdom to create the most marvelous place on Earth, designating the iguana and the Lora fish as "guardians of Xel Há."

The main attraction at Xel Há Park is precisely its cove or inlet. Because of the combination of sea water with fresh subterranean currents of sweet water, the site is a natural aquarium hosting hundreds of marine species and tropical fish. No visitor to Xel Há can resist spending a few hours with a snorkel, visor and fins or putting on scuba gear to reach greater depths, along with the marine species. Within the park there are also turtle and dolphin sanctuaries, and research concerning marine life is also undertaken here to contribute to the knowledge and ecological conservation of this zone.

Xel Há is undoubtedly one of the most dazzling sites, both in its archaeological and its natural treasures, making it one of the basic attractions on the Riviera Maya, a place where nature celebrates in all its splendor, linked to the millennial culture of the Maya.