Beaches and sights along the Mayan Riviera

Cancun

Cancun is one of Mexico's most important destinations for national and international tourists, offering a 30 km (19 mi) stretch of beaches and an impressive hotel zone. It offers the unparalleled beauty of the Caribbean Sea's turquoise-blue water and white-sand beaches. During your stay, you can do water sports or other activities: snorkeling, scuba diving, parachuting, or you can take a spin on a waverunner. You'll also find plenty of time to relax and enjoy the fine services offered in the hotel zone. Along the hotel strip, you'll find everything from villas and five-star hotels to exclusive resorts and spas. You'll also find modern shopping malls, more than 500 restaurants offering the best in national and international cuisine, and numerous bars and discos where the parties rage all night long.

Nearby Cancun, you can tour the Mayan Riviera and check out Playa del Carmen, Xcaret and Xel-Ha, ancient Mayan ports that have been converted into modern-day paradises. Also nearby is Tulum, a fascinating archaeological zone by the sea. It was the only walled city built by the Mayans. Finally, you'll want to visit Isla Mujeres and Cozumel to live the unforgettable experience of snorkeling and scuba diving along the coral reefs.

Cancun is the best place to have fun at night. If you're looking to dance to the beat of Latin rhythms, we recommend the Cocobongo, located in Plaza Forum. For those who like pop and electronic music, The City, The City Basic, and Bulldog Café. are good options. For live music, check out Dady Rock, El Bulldog, or The Hard Rock Café.

Nearby, along Kukulkan Boulevard, you can listen to Latin and Caribbean sounds at Mango Tango, a place with ten years of tradition. If you want to do something totally different, you can take a cruise on a replica of a Spanish galleon, where you'll be waited on by pirates and enjoy a delicious meal, an open bar and dancing. There are also other boats that offer romantic night tours and dinner on the Caribbean Sea.

From Cancun (maybe including a stop over in Merdia) you can also visit other interesting Mayan archaeological zones, such as Uxmal, Kabah, Labna, Sayil, Dzibilchaltun and the impressive ceremonial grounds of Chichen Itza, which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Among the notable sights there are the Observatorio (Observatory), also known as the Caracol, the Juego de Pelota (Ball Court) and the Piramide de Kukulcan (Pyramid of Kukulcan), where you can witness the shadow image of a plumed serpent descend on the pyramid's stairs every spring equinox.


Mayan Riviera

A natural paradise that merges with the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The coastal strip of the Mayan Riviera stretches more than 120 km (75 mi) from Puerto Morelos via Puerto del Carmen to Punta Allen along the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula, in the state of Quintana Roo. The climate in this region is subtropical with an average temperature of 25°C (77°F).

Considered one of the fastest growing tourist destinations over the last decade, here you can relax or enjoy recreational activities at luxurious resorts nestled in the jungle. The posh hotels offer exclusive golf courses, spas and white-sand beaches, where you can bask in the sun and indulge in all kinds of water sports. For example, you can scuba dive off the coast at a depth of more than 10 meters (33 feet) as you take in the spectacular sights of the Great Meso-American Barrier Reef. You can also discover ancient Mayan cities such as Coba and Tulum; the latter is located right on the beach. What's more, you can visit incredible ecological reserves such as Sian Ka'an, which was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Here you can take part in eco-tourism outings, sailfish and marlin fishing, and other outdoor activities such as: long walks or horseback riding, while enjoying the beautiful backdrop of the Caribbean Sea. During your visit to the Mayan Riviera, do not miss out on Xcaret and Xel-Há, two of Mexico's most important theme parks, where you can see fascinating indigenous wildlife and live the unforgettable experience of snorkeling in underground rivers. At dusk, don't forget to visit the spectacular nightclubs, where you can chat with friends over drinks, or you can visit a restaurant and treat yourself to a delicious lobster dinner. These are just some of things you can do in the Mayan Riviera, which is why it has earned a reputation as the ideal destination to enjoy life.


Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is one of the most attractive destinations in the Mexican Caribbean. Located in the heart of the Mayan Riviera, 68 km (42 mi) south of Cancun, it has an ideal subtropical climate with an average temperature of 25º C (77º F) and sunny days throughout most of the year. During the summer, the maximum temperature can reach 35º C (95º F).

At Playa del Carmen you'll find beautiful beaches looking out onto the Caribbean Sea, which are ideal places to relax or do all kinds of water sports: snorkeling, windsurfing and even kitesurfing - a new and exhilarating extreme sport that combines surfing and parasailing. For those who like scuba diving, there are boats departing from the docks which offer exciting outings to the Great Mayan Reef, the second largest coral reef (system) in the world. There you can dive at depths of more than 10 meters (33 feet) among multicolored fish and coral that has existed for more than 500 years. Near Playa del Carmen you can discover Playa Paamul and Playa Paraiso, two beautiful beaches with calm waters and gorgeous ecological parks: Xcaret and Xel-Ha. Also nearby are numerous sinkholes where you can do rappelling and cave diving while exploring the amazing depths of underground river systems.

Playa del Carmen lures painters, musicians, dancers and poets where ideas flow like rivers and creativity springs inspired by nature. All along its busy streets, visitors can taste the delicious local dishes at any of numerous sidewalks cafes. Once a sleepy fishing village, Playa del Carmen, is now one the fastest growing communities in the world with a first-class hotel infrastructure and all the services of a cosmopolitan tourism destination.

Come nightfall, we recommend that you take a stroll along Quinta Avenida, one of Playa del Carmen's most happening areas. The avenue is lined with restaurants, bars, cosmopolitan nightclubs and a shopping mall with exclusive boutiques, clothing stores and jewelry shops.


Source: Mexican Toursim Board - www.visitmexico.com