The Riviera Maya will captivate you for its natural beauty, its important cultural legacy and its wide range of entertainment. It is one of those destinations that hooks and which I personally like to return from time to time. It has so much to see and to do that you need several trips to get to know this area in depth.
These are some of the many things you can do in the Riviera Maya:
You can not travel to the Riviera Maya and not visit Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza is one of the seven wonders of the world. It is one of the most important Mayan vestiges, and to contemplate the Pyramid of Kukulkán and the rest of the numerous constructions that compose the enclosure well they are worth a day excursion.
Its spectacularity deserves a visit and that you put it among the priorities of things to do in the Riviera Maya. Although your priority is to enjoy its beaches, book a day to make an excursion to Chichen Itza.
The practice of scuba diving is one of the most popular activities to do in the Riviera Maya. On its coast is the Mesoamerican reef, which is the second largest on the planet.
Diving in its waters you will see sharks of various species, blankets, parrot fish, turtles, butterfly fish etc. In the area there are a good number of dive sites. Some of the most recommended: the island of Cozumel, Mahahual or Banco Chinchorro.
If you like scuba diving you will enjoy like few places in the world, and if you have never practiced it, this is your opportunity to do so. In addition, it is a site that offers all the facilities and very good prices to get an official degree.
The cenotes of the Riviera Maya are a kind of caves that abound in the area due to their karstic morphology and that over time flooded with water. There are several types of cenotes: open, semi-open and underground. In many of them it is possible to snorkel and even dive.
Visiting one of these cenotes should appear on your list of things to do in the Riviera Maya. There are a good number scattered throughout the region. Among the best known are the Cenote Dos Ojos, the cenote Ik Kil, the Gran Cenote, Chac Mool, Xkeken, the Sacred Cenote, or the Suytun cenote, among others.
The Mayan Riviera is characterized by an animated nightlife. Here you will find restaurants of typical and international food open all night, bars with the best drinks and with an own environment of the Caribbean populations, night clubs with first class shows, and discos to keep moving until dawn.
One of the liveliest places to party in the Riviera Maya is the 5th Avenue of Playa del Carmen. Go to the area of Calle 12 and its surroundings and you will find a good number of bars and discos as well known as Mandala, Coco Bongo, or Blue Parrot.
One of the most adventurous activities you can do in the Riviera Maya is to snorkel with the company of whale sharks on the island of Holbox. You dare?
In the Riviera Maya there are several islands of these that could appear in any postcard of paradisiacal sites. Isla Contoy, Isla Mujeres, Holbox, Cozumel are some of these islands in which to disconnect and enjoy dreamy beaches.
Fishing lovers will find what they are looking for in the Riviera Maya. In the marina of Playa del Carmen, as in other locations, you can rent boats to fish offshore or hire group fishing trips.
The waters of the Caribbean Sea are home to at least 35 large species of edible fish, including tuna, barracuda, marlin, dorado, snapper, grouper and sailfish. Some of the most popular spots are the lagoons of Boca Paila and the Bay of Ascension, especially to fish bass, tarpon, palometa, tuners and bonefish, among others.
The Fifth Avenue of Playa del Carmen, the shopping corridor of Puerto Aventuras, the Tulum Avenue of the homonymous deposit and Akumal, these last two, especially for souvenirs, are the best points to make purchases. Of all of them, without doubt Quinta Avenida is the point you can not miss to go shopping in the Riviera Maya.
The typical items most demanded by tourists are beach sets, handicrafts, souvenirs, local clothes, and perfumes. The jewels are also a very popular item. His designs are exclusive and have precious and semiprecious stones like opal, amethyst, turquoise and onyx.
As it could not be otherwise in a coastal destination, seafood and fish are the star ingredients. They are also the dishes of Mayan and Spanish origin. Hitting some gastronomic tributes is one of the things that you have to do in the Riviera Maya and that without doubt you will enjoy more.
The tikinxic fish, the cochinita pibil, the papadzules, the pork marinated in achiote, the tortillas in pip sauce, the dzotobichay (a variety of tamale), the motuleños eggs and the lime soup will not be lacking in the establishments where food is served typical My mouth water just remembering it.
Now, being a world class destination you will also find the best of international cuisine such as Argentina, French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, etc. Many of the best restaurants you will find in Playa del Carmen (on its beaches and on Fifth Avenue), but also in Akumal, Tulum and Puerto Aventuras.
If your palate is demanding, eating in the spectacular dining rooms of the best hotels is a guarantee of satisfaction, especially if you stay in one of the best all inclusive of the area. At the same time, you can make plans to visit the Riviera Maya during the Wine & Food Festival, where you can taste the best dishes and taste the most exquisite wines in the world.
In the Riviera Maya there are several cities that have a very interesting colonial heritage. The most interesting colonial cities of the Yucatan Peninsula are Merida, Valladolid, and Itzamal.
The Riviera Maya has several golf fields for fans of this sport. What better way to spend a day playing golf than surrounded by the fantastic landscapes of the Mexican Caribbean?
The practice of Kitesurfing is widespread in the area of Playa del Carmen, where there are several schools. The coast of the Riviera Maya is ideal for the practice of this sport.
Coco Bongo, with a place in both Cancun and Playa del Carmen, is one of the best-known clubs in Mexico. It combines the concept of show with the traditional disco. Do not stop going at least one night. Believe me when I tell you that it is an experience that you will really remember.
Only the name already invites to visit it. This tranquil spot half an hour from Playa del Carmen is a virgin beach with lush mangroves, fine white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters. For some, this is the best beach in the Riviera Maya.
Playa Paraíso is one of the best beaches in the Riviera Maya. It really is a stretch of the long beach of Tulum that is very close to the ruins of Tulum. Ideally, spend a few hours in it after visiting these ruins.
Personally I usually stay in Playa del Carmen and this is one of the beaches where I like to spend the day. It is very easy to get to it with buses, there are usually few people, and it has a beach bar that is very good for eating on the beach.
Located less than ten kilometers from Playa del Carmen, it is one of the most beautiful and most peaceful spots in the entire Riviera Maya. It is impossible not to marvel when contemplating the spectacle that nature gives us in this place.
The turquoise waters bathing the white sand of its coast is an image difficult to forget. On the other hand, lovers of archeology can combine these beautiful views with the Mayan vestiges of Xcalco, located very close to Punta Bete.
Less than fifty minutes (by car) from Tulum, is Coba, an impressive Mayan archaeological site with an extension of more than seventy square kilometers. Its 6,500 structures connected by dozens of roads give us an idea of the splendor and power achieved by the Mayans during the height of their civilization.
In fact, there are solid reasons to believe that a large part of this city still remains buried and that there is still much to discover. The most outstanding buildings of Cobá are La Iglesia, about twenty-five meters high, and the Nohoch-Mul pyramid, the highest in the Riviera Maya (42 meters).
Near Punta Bete and Xcalacoco there is a unique beach: Punta Maroma. This beach has been chosen by numerous specialized publications as one of the ten most beautiful on the planet.
Its white sand, its crystalline waters, and its coral reefs, which are part of the Mesoamerican Reef System, the second largest reef in the world, make it probably the best beach in the Riviera Maya.
So much sun, sea and sand could make you forget that you are in an ecosystem of tropical forests. Unless, of course, you visit Mayakoba, a paradisiacal jungle mangrove of more than two thousand square kilometers.
You do not have to be very clever to guess why the Mayans baptized this destination as “Place of the Turtles”. For centuries, it has been the site chosen by the turtles to be born, grow and reproduce.
Another attraction of Akumal are the rivers that are found in the interior of its more than 200 caves. So is the Yal-kú creek, a meeting point between the underground waters and the crystalline waters of the Caribbean Sea that I recommend you to see.
In this cove you will have the opportunity to contemplate a great variety of fish of all colors, sizes and shapes. Very close to there, there is a cenote where you can also have a good time diving.
Faced with such natural scenarios, it is not surprising that it is one of the most popular places in the Riviera Maya. It is a fairly quiet place and not at all over exploited tourist. However there are ample options to stay in Akumal that include inns, villas, the best hotels, and the most modern condominiums. You choose.
Playacar is one of the most recommended places for your accommodation in the Riviera Maya. Its excellent beach, the category of its resorts, and the proximity to Playa del Carmen make it an excellent option to stay.
Staying in Playacar you can rest in an exclusive all-inclusive resort and get close to Playa del Carmen, even walking, at a time when you want some movement.
The Sian Ka’an Reserve, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1987, is a protected natural area that includes beaches, dunes, coral reefs, cenotes, and a tropical rainforest with a rich biodiversity that includes both wildlife as flora.
We can not overlook the ancient Mayan city of Muyil located within the reserve. The Castle, Structure 7H3 and Temple 8 are the main archaeological remains of this settlement. In several buildings it is still possible to see part of the murals painted by the ancient inhabitants.
An excursion to visit Sian Ka’an is one of the most recommended things to do in the Riviera Maya.
Its three bays are the sanctuary of a large number of birds. The hotel zone has a great boardwalk, a tennis club and an aquarium for dolphins. The marina is your starting point to travel to Cozumel Island on board the ferry and witness a live show of sea lions and dolphins.
Also, in Puerto Aventuras you can practice other water activities, such as sailing, diving to witness the colorful reefs up close, organize fishing trips, etc.
One of the things that you have to do in the Riviera Maya and that I recommend most vividly is to spend a day in one of its eco parks. These amusement parks have as a central element nature, water, and adventure activities. Pay attention to me when I tell you that they are one of the best experiences that this tourist destination can offer you.
Each park has its characteristics that makes it unique. I will not talk to you about all of them, but to give you an idea of what they offer you, I’ll give you a few strokes of Xcaret, the most popular with Xelha. This park has it all: nature, culture and fun.
The park is located in a coastal jungle and has a cove and underground rivers where you can swim and dive. On Jaguars Island you can see the dominant feline of this place up close. The butterfly and the coral aquarium should also be included in your itinerary, and if that were not enough, Xcaret has a space for swimming with sharks, dolphins, rays and other marine species.
Daily, exhibitions are offered that remind us of the past of the inhabitants of the region and the country, as well as the Mexican traditions. Worthy of mention are the Mayan ball game, the ritual flight of the fliers, the pirekua song, the charro party and the mariachi..
Tulum is a very well preserved Mayan historical site. Some sixty structures that correspond to the 12th to 15th centuries are still standing. This ancient city was relevant for two reasons: it was one of the main Mayan commercial ports and is one of the few walled Mayan port cities that served as a fortress to defend against enemies.
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