Next stop to Mexican paradise.
Pack your bags and go to the Mayan Riviera . So, no more. Leave everything and go to the Caribbean coast Mexican where the sun shines almost every day of the year and where the average temperature is around 25º. Namely, absolute perfection.
What do you not like? all inclusive resorts (we'll see about that) , that you don't want to go where everyone else goes and be just another tourist, that you don't want to end up in a loop drinking margaritas at the hotel without having seen anything of Mexico… Well, let's go in parts.
I will not fool you, the Riviera Maya is the most touristic area of the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico , but it has nothing to do with what we Europeans understand by mass tourism.
The best thing is to know the tricks to escape from the crowd (which is never overwhelming), see everything calmly and enjoy the wonders of this magic coast.
This is the definitive guide to explore the Riviera Maya slowly but at a good pace , experiencing each landscape, its jungle, its beaches, its people... and of course enjoying life relaxed under a coconut tree, with a margarita in hand and some good tacos. Here we go!
Absolute relax.
1. CHOOSE WELL YOUR ALL INCLUSIVE
The Riviera Maya is the best place to live the experience of all inclusive , possibly you will not experience it the same anywhere in the world. Many travelers choose this option when they travel to the Mexican Caribbean For that reason and because we wanted to experience it once in a lifetime, so we did.
There are many options, you will find them in Carmen beach , Cancún, Tulum… If you don't like living with an excessive atmosphere, we recommend that you do not stay in the hotel zone of Cancun.
In the northern zone, just 30 km from Cancun, in the Bay of Women is one of the most virgin areas of the Riviera, a tongue of white sand and beaches with crystal clear waters. Coast Women , which is not Isla Mujeres -the island that is just in front of Cancun- is an area of calm beaches, great vegetation and towering palm trees.
Right here is the newly opened Hotel Riu Palace Costa Mujeres, an all-inclusive resort with 670 rooms, five swimming pools, and direct access to the sea. Innovation has been their main objective, which is why they have located the restaurants, rooms and bars in the highest areas of the complex, allowing nothing to get in the way of the beautiful views of the Atlantic.
We warn you that you are going to want to stay more than one day relaxing on the premises and, above all, in its rooms. For example, the junior suite has a small private pool on the terrace , perfect to see the sunsets and sunrises of Mexico.
It also has a mini bar with a dispenser (how crazy!) and a bathtub in the center of the room. What more could you want?
You will feel even more proud of wearing the bracelet when you visit the different restaurants in the complex. Our recommendation is the steakhouse grilled lobster . The themed buffets are delicious, but don't be late because the food flies.
What are you going to spend your time on here? At the hotel do daily activities : yoga, dance, water sports and sand sports, such as volleyball games.
The best thing without a doubt is that you can have all the margaritas you want sitting on one of its terraces looking at the sea and enjoying your surroundings. Near Riu Palace is the Isla Mujeres Turtle Conservation Center, the site the meco of the pre-Columbian Mayan culture and the archaeological remains of The king.
Let time stop!
two. MAYAN CENOTES: THE TREASURE OF MEXICO
on the peninsula of Yucatan , the historical zone of the Mayans, are the majority of the cenotes of Mexico. The guides dare to say that there are about 8,000 , but it is impossible to enumerate them accurately considering that They are located on the private properties of the Mayans..
Every so often there is news of new cenotes open for tourist exploitation, the last one was Chukum-Ha. The cenotes are a unique spectacle in nature, that's why it is mandatory that you visit even one.
They are magical, in fact it is considered Sacred places in the Mayan culture. You will hear everything about them, for example that they performed sacrifices on them, and those who tell you will be right; Mayan culture is one of the bloodiest in ancient history . But the truth is that not all cenotes sacrifices were made.
Each of them is a world: there are caves, open to the sea, underground, but its waters are always turquoise and crystal clear … The Mexicans They take great care of their natural spaces , for this reason they will ask you not to bathe in them with sun cream so as not to contaminate them. Pay attention to them.
Its formation dates back centuries and is due to the strength of underground river waters; the same one that makes all the cenotes be connected to each other.
The impressive cenote in Xel-Ha.
On my route through Mexico I visited three different cenotes, each one more interesting. Perhaps the most touristic of all is Ik-Kil, in the municipality of Tinúm. Is about a cenote open to the sky with 60 meters in diameter and 40 meters deep . It is a wonder of nature, from above you can see the immense hole that culminates with that blue so typical of all cenotes; and once down you can jump into its mineralized waters.
You'll find it in the Ik-Kil Archaeological Park , you can get here on your own or book a private tour. We did it with the Boutique Tours Mexico team. These types of tours are recommended because include several guided visits to cenotes and other monuments , displacements, the entrance to the natural parks, the equipment and the food during the day.
We also didn't miss the impressive **cenote de Samula** near the colonial city of Valladolid . In this underground cavern you can see fish swimming in its turquoise waters, fossil remains in its walls and how the sun's rays filter through its upper hole.
But without a doubt, my favorite cenote is Nicte-Há , one of the most beautiful and quiet in the entire peninsula. I recommend that you get up early to be able to snorkel and enjoy this jewel in privacy..
Our last experience was in the Yum-Ha cenote . I must say that this was not my favorite, although it was my partner's. Why? It's about a cenote cavern covered with stalactites and stalagmites , that when it receives the light of the flashlight, its waters are azure blue but when not... Absolute darkness and... I won't say anything else!
Akumal beach. fancy?
3. TELL ME HOW YOU ARE AND I WILL TELL YOU WHICH BEACH YOU NEED
Since Puerto Morelos until the Sian Ka'an Reserve they extend their 130km of white sand beaches , coral rocks, mangroves, coral reefs, and some of the most fascinating species in the world such as turtles and dolphins.
From north to south the first beach you will find is Secret Beach , an immense and calm sandbank ideal for snorkel lovers . bond with her Paradise Beach , the idyllic beach mexican palm trees with which one dreams when one thinks of the Caribbean.
This last one is of all the busiest, also during this year it is experiencing the ravages of the sargasso like many of the beaches on the Mexican coast, but it is equally irresistible.
Punta Maroma is classified as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world , and much more you will enjoy it in low season with less people. In it is the Mesoamerican Reef System , the second largest in the world, so if you like diving this will be your place.
on the mexican coast not all beaches are public , many belong to hotels and resorts. This is the case of Mayakoba: more than 600 hectares of rain forest , paradisiacal beaches, lagoons and golf courses. In this place they are also carrying out coral reef rehabilitation projects , protection of white turtles and other threatened species.
Palm trees and turquoise waters.
Xpu-Ha beach It is also private access, to enter you have to pay about 50 Mexican pesos, which are reimbursed if you spend about 220 pesos per person. On this beach there are beach bars, showers and everything you need to spend the day.
Why go? Its white sand and calm waters make it perfect for snorkeling , but above all, better during the week. Remember that you are in one of the most touristic areas of Mexico so it will be difficult to find absolute privacy.
If you are thinking of seeing turtles here, do not forget that you are the visitor so you respect your environment and the turtles themselves to the maximum . There is nothing like contemplating these magical beings in their habitat without having to touch them. Always try to book your tours with responsible companies.
For example, the beach Akumal is one of the best known in the Riviera Maya for the turtle spawning , which occurs from May to November, so in addition to impressive seabeds it is possible to find them offshore throughout the year.
In this area there is also the impressive Yal-kú lagoon , the half moon bay , in addition to cavern cenotes and an eye of fresh water.
Mayan Portal of Playa del Carmen.
Four. LIVE THE NIGHTS IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN
Carmen beach it's crowds, fun and its Fifth Avenue . By the way do not expect to find anything similar to Fifth Avenue in New York.
The one in Playa del Carmen, with its 4 km long, It has its own personality and comes to life at night. You cannot leave Mexico without having visited it , it is mandatory to see the nightlife where everything is possible.
Surely there are too many souvenir shops, mariachis on every corner, too many shops, artists, tour and taco vendors, but it's crazy fascinating 365 days a year . In addition to Fifth Avenue, it is convenient to drop by its Calle Corazón and Quinta Alegría, and reach its 'Mayan Portal' right in front of the sea.
Playa del Carmen was known in the Mayan civilization as "Aguas del Norte", because it was a place of pilgrimage for those who went to the sanctuary of Ixchel in Cozumel.
A fun way to explore it is to do it by bicycle. Currently, it has a 4 km bike path from Avenida 10 , in addition to two other lanes that connect the Mayan Center and Plaza Las Américas. It's not surprising considering how many young people from all over the world come here to have fun.
The center is modernizing with hipster hotels and many international food restaurants , vegetarian and healthy. If you are thinking of staying the night, you can do so at Hotel Playa Marquee, a small and very pleasant boutique hotel located a few meters from Fifth Avenue.
You can eat very well at La Senda, a small vegan restaurant popular with local people and also at Yum Yum by George, a delicious Thai with Vietnamese essence.
Mexican skulls, the classic souvenir from Playa del Carmen.
5. KNOW THEIR MAYAN CULTURE
Mayan Riviera It owes its past and place name to the ancient Mayan culture, although "Riviera Maya" was the name chosen during the tourist boom of 1997.
this civilization, which lived for 18 centuries is one of the oldest in the world and one of the most interesting . Surely it keeps so many secrets that it will be impossible to unearth them all during your visit to its main cities and archaeological remains, but you should at least try.
It was during what they call their Classic Period, from 300 to 1000 BC, and the Post-Classic Period, from 1000-1550 BC, that some of the cities that survive today were built: Chunyaxché, now known as Muyil ; Coba , built next to a large lagoon, Tulum , the only Mayan city built by the sea; Pole or Xcaret , the great water park that was a great commercial port in Mayan times.
Also Xamanha or Playa del Carmen , one of the first locations where the Spanish settled and Xel-Ha , where the first European settlement on the peninsula was established.
L he Mayan cities were very prosperous and it is surprising how advanced they were in terms of architecture, design and culturally, in fact they had their own alphabet. To know them in detail, it is best to scroll to Chichen Itza , the great Mayan city par excellence.
My advice is to get up early and be one of the first to enter because it is a very visited place Y it is advisable to make the visit with calm and time . If you want it to be profitable, the most advisable thing is to take a guide.
Chichen Itza was founded in 525 AD and was for many centuries one of the most important sacred cities of the peninsula of Yucatan . Some of the current constructions have remained from that legacy, such as the sacrificial altars , where they asked the gods for rain (the scarcity of water was one of the key factors for the depopulation of the Mayan cities) and where they made their offerings.
Here you can admire the colossal Pyramid of Kukulcan, a sacred cenote open to the sky, the structure of Tzompantli or platform of skulls where the skulls of captives were nailed as offerings to the gods.
He too temple of warriors , from the Toltec era, and the large esplanade where they played the Mayan ball game. Attention, because it had nothing to do with current football, if it is true that players were considered great warriors and they wore their best feathers for the occasion, but they put their lives at stake in each game. In fact it was more related to an oracle and not so much with a game of leisure in itself.
In the surroundings of this UNESCO World Heritage Site (1988), you can find souvenirs of all kinds at a very good price and there is also a good restaurant where you can have lunch after the visit.
Chichen Itza pyramid.
6. 'LAZY RIVER' IN SIAN KA'AN RESERVE
The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve , a World Heritage Site (1987), is one of the most incredible places in the Riviera Maya. It's about a protected area of 1.6 hectares in which they cohabit rain forest , coral reefs, mangroves, rivers, savannah and sea.
Yes, and there are also two species of crocodile in danger of extinction . In addition to manatees, parrot fish, butterfly fish, green turtles and even sharks.
Sian Ka'an means "where the sky is born" ; With that name it is almost impossible for you not to pass through here on your trip to the Riviera Maya.
In this abysmal space 23 Mayan settlements have been discovered and it is also one of the few places where tourism is limited; not all agencies can enter here.
How can you visit it? You can access its only two towns, Punta Allen and Boca Paila, or you can take one of the guided tours. We chose a magical excursion with Boutique Tours México.
We first take a boat to cross two of the lagoons with turquoise waters of the Reserve until reaching the mangroves and the ' lazy river' . It is called that because it is a lazy river (where, by the way, there is no danger of crocodiles). Here the water runs calmly in a circular circuit, hence the nickname.
In these lazy waters you will let the current carry your body, previously equipped with life jackets, and you will relax like never before you would have believed.
The Sian Ka'an Nature Reserve.