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see + do
Riviera Maya see + do
The Riviera Maya is packed with exciting attractions along its 81 miles of coastline and tropical jungle between Cancún and Tulum. You'd be shortchanging the region if you just lounged at the hotel and missed the Mayan pyramids and temples at Tulum and Cobá and the tours to indigenous communities nearby. Xcaret, a mind-boggling eco theme park, offers a comprehensive overview of the Yucatán's—and Mexico's—natural and cultural wonders in a one-shot deal that comprises everything from a manatee lagoon and bat cave to a nightly folkloric show. Water sports rule, of course, and snorkeling or diving on the Great Maya Reef paralleling the shores is a must. Freshwater cenotes (sinkholes) offer a different type water immersion in deep limestone-walled pools of cold water that bubble up from underground springs. The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve protects centuries-old canals, pristine white beaches and more than 300 bird species in a World Heritage Site worth exploring on a full-day or overnight journey. And let's not forget the Riviera Maya's beaches—miles and miles of white sand beside the crystal-clear Caribbean Sea. Check out Paamul for solitude and Mamitas Beach Club for a full-on bikini party.
Hotels and theme parks now claim many of the Riviera Maya's finest beaches, but there are still a few spots where sandy roads lead to crystal-clear caletas...more
Coral reefs protect the Riviera Maya's beaches from storm surges and are littered with shipwrecks dating back to the 18th century. Nonprofit organizations have...more
Maya villages, pristine jungles, and lagoons still exist in the Riviera Maya, despite the rampant development along the coast. One of the first companies to...more
For early Mayans who guided their ships through this coast's treacherous offshore reefs, the city of Tulum was a lighthouse: Firelight shining through window...more
The residents of Puerto Morelos, a small town just 11 miles south of the Cancún airport adamantly resist any outside attempts to "modernize" or...more
Sian Ka'an means "where the sky was born" in Mayan. It's an apt name for the 2,500-square-mile peninsula about 75 miles south of Cancún, where ocelots,...more
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