This list of places to see in Riviera Maya It will help you to know better one of the wonders of Mexico and one of the places that we are safe, you will never forget.
This coastal area of white sand beaches and turquoise waters, typical of the Caribbean Sea, receives millions of tourists every year to enjoy a dream vacation, in which in addition to relaxing on the beach and seeing its fantastic coral reefs, You can enjoy several of the best sites of the ancient Mayan civilization and one of the best cuisines in the world.
The best way to get to Riviera Maya is to fly to Cancun and stay at a hotel in its most important cities such as Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum or the quieter Akumal, from where you can rent a car to tour the entire Yucatan Peninsula through your account, use the bus as public transport or book day trips from your hotel, depending on your preferences.
Although the temperature is hot throughout the year in this part of Mexico, the best time to travel to Riviera Maya, broadly speaking, would be from January to April, at which time there is less tourism and the weather is more pleasant.
Based on the days we spent in this jewel of the country during our trip to Mexico for free, we have made this list of what we think are the 10 essential places to visit in Riviera Maya.
Keep in mind that although Riviera Maya is the coast of the state of Quintana Roo, by proximity there are several important places in the state of Yucatán that are worth knowing if you visit this area and we have included them in the list.
1. Tulum
Tulum is one of the favorite holiday destinations for tourists from all over the world and one of the places to see in Riviera Maya more beautiful. Here you can see the archaeological site of a Mayan city located on top of a cliff above the transparent waters and the intense turquoise color of the Caribbean Sea, which form one of the most famous postcards of the country.
The Tulum ruins complex can be explored in about two hours and end the visit by taking a bath on the beach located under the site, one of the most spectacular in the world.
And if after this you still have time, we recommend you walk to Playa Paraíso, a long beach of white sand and palm trees where you can eat, have a drink or just lay on a towel or hammock to end the day in the best way .
To get to the site, if you do not have a rental car, you can take a bus to the city of Tulum and from there a van to the ruins.
Another easier and more comfortable option is to book a tour with a Spanish guide at sunrise or this tour that also includes a visit to the Mayan ruins of Cobá, taking into account that both tours will pick you up at the hotel.
Tulum
2. Cenotes
The cenotes, some calcareous caves caused by erosion and flooded with crystalline waters, are another of the essential places to visit in Riviera Maya.
There are different types of cenotes; closed, open or semi-open, depending on the degree of demolition of the natural dome that covers them. We liked the closed or semi-open ones, although we assure you that any of them will surprise you as soon as you arrive.
In addition to entering its caves and taking thousands of photos, we recommend taking a relaxing bath or even diving, since in cenotes such as Chac Mool or Dos Ojos, formed by caverns connected through underground rivers, diving is always allowed with a guide and Open sky cenotes, such as the Cenote Azul and the Gran Cenote are perfect for snorkeling.
Although our favorites are the cave-like cenotes around Valladolid with a small opening and located in the middle of the jungle, among which we highlight Samulá, X'kekén, Palomitas, Agua Dulce, Xcanahaltun, Hubiku, Suytun and Il Kil, located at side of Chichen Itza.
If you want to visit them in peace, we recommend you rent a car, since the states of Yucatán and Quintana Roo have good roads and are very safe to travel in your own car.
Another alternative if you do not want to drive is to book a tour through the cenotes of the Riviera Maya, where they will pick you up at the hotel.
Valladolid Cenotes
3. Chichen Itza
Visiting Chichén Itzá, one of the seven wonders of the modern world and one of the most famous places to visit in Mexico, is one of the obligations of every tourist that comes to Riviera Maya since this impressive city of the ancient Mayan civilization still keeps well preserved some of its most important buildings such as the Pyramid of Kukulkan or the Ball Game, among others.
When receiving thousands of tourists every day, we recommend arriving before 8 in the morning, to enter the moment they open and thus be able to see and take pictures of their famous great pyramid with the least possible people.
The duration of the visit to the entire complex is around 4 hours and can be completed with a swim in the Ik Kil cenote, one of the places to see in Riviera Maya more impressive.
To get to Chichen Itza, if you do not have a rental car, you can take a bus at the ADO station in Playa del Carmen or Cancun, which will take you directly.
Another way to get more comfortable in addition to knowing better the history of Chichen Itza is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish which includes the Cenote Il Kil or this excursion at dawn, both located among the best excursions in Riviera Maya.
Chichen Itza
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
4. Beaches Xcacel, Xpu-Há and Akumal
The beaches of Riviera Maya, located 100 kilometers between Puerto Morelos and the Sian Kaan nature reserve, are among the best in the world. White sand, lonely palm trees, transparent water, coral reefs, good temperature and gentle waves, make these beaches another one of the essential places to visit in Riviera Maya.
Although there are many beaches in this coastal area of the Caribbean Sea, it is important to take into account the characteristics of each one, since some are only accessible by sea and others have a large hotel and catering infrastructure. We opted for three of those we visited during our trip to Mexico as free as Akumal, Xcacel and Xpu-Há.
The Akumal beach is the most tourist of the three and has its peak between April and October with the arrival of sea turtles to spawn. It also has several resorts with hammocks on the beachfront and you can see turtles while snorkeling, yes, please be responsible and follow the rules for swimming with them, not touching them or approaching them.
Xpu-ha, is another beautiful beach of the Caribbean Sea with shallow waters where you can practice a good snorkel in a quiet environment surrounded by nature.
And in Xcacel you will find a paradise of virgin beaches, without hotels, surrounded by greenery, a cenote, and a protected area of turtles, which make it one of the places to see in Riviera Maya more spectacular
If you do not have a car, more touristy beaches like Akumal can be reached by bus getting off at the station of the same name. To go to the others you can take a bus that will leave you close, to reach on foot.
Riviera Maya Beaches
5. Holbox, one of the places to see in Riviera Maya
The island of Holbox is a paradise located just over two hours from the great cities of the Caribbean coast and another one of the places to visit in Riviera Maya.
On this small island that you can travel on foot or by golf cart, it still gives a calm atmosphere on its white sand beaches and turquoise waters, although every day it receives many tourists.
Another of the best things to do in Holbox is to see the incredible sunsets from Punta Coco, walk along the beach to Punta Mosquitos or tour the center of town in search of fantastic graffiti that flood its streets.
In addition to having good hotel infrastructure, the island has some of the best restaurants to try delicious Mexican and international food, so this island has quickly become one of the most interesting places to see in Riviera Maya.
Also keep in mind that if you visit Holbox between June and September, you can swim with the whale shark, which can reach 20 meters in length, do the bioluminescence tour, known as the luminous plankton, or see on its beaches the spawning of the turtles.
The only way to get to Holbox is by ferry from the coastal town of Chiquilá so if you arrive by car, being unable to take it to Holbox, since it is forbidden to drive with them, you must leave it in one of the parking lots, where you can park it for about 100 pesos a day.
Another option is to arrive by bus or book this day trip.
Holbox, one of the places to see in Riviera Maya
Our recommended hotel in Riviera MayaWe were staying at the Hotel Ginger de Tulum, located in a very central area and 3 kilometers from the archaeological site of Tulum. In addition to an excellent quality / price ratio, it has parking, swimming pool and a good breakfast included in the price.
If you want to stay in another city or on the seafront you can search here for other accommodation options at the best price.
6. Coba
The ruins of Cobá is one of the most extensive archaeological sites of the Mayan civilization in Mexico, with several structures and monuments scattered throughout the jungle.
Here it is usual to rent a bike to see all its most interesting points such as Nohuch Mul pyramid, the tallest in the Yucatan Peninsula with 42 meters high, although it is perfectly affordable to walk the entire area on foot.
From the top of the most prominent pyramid, which is allowed to climb to its top using support ropes for its steep slope, you will have panoramic views of the ruins and the jungle.
The little reconstruction of its buildings and being able to enjoy them with fewer people than in Tulum or Chichen Itza, make it other places to see in the Riviera Maya.
To get to Cobá, if you don't have a rental car, you can take an ADO bus, which will leave you near the entrance. Another alternative to learn more about the history of each structure and the Mayan civilization is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish, which will pick you up at your hotel.
Coba Ruins
7. Laguna de Bacalar
Bacalar, what does it mean in maya “Place where heaven is born”, honoring its name with the different shades of blue that the water acquires throughout the day and although it may seem an optical illusion, everything has its explanation and is that the water has so many shades for the different cenotes that are distributed throughout the lagoon, which produces a variation of depths, which with the sun's rays change color.
Also known as the lagoon of the seven colors, Bacalar is located just over two hours from Tulum and has become one of Mexico's fashionable destinations, as well as one of the places to see in Riviera Maya, although despite In some areas, if you move away from the city and stay in one of its many ecological hotels, such as Kúuch Ka'anil Eco-Romantic Villas where we were, you will enjoy this natural wonder to the fullest.
To visit the Bacalar Lagoon, if you do not have a car, you can take an ADO bus from the main cities of Riviera Maya. Another option is to book a day tour with a guide in Spanish where they will pick you up at your hotel.
Bacalar Lagoon
8. Izamal
Izamal, located between Mérida and Valladolid, is one of the most beautiful villages in Mexico and one of the places to see in Riviera Maya. This Magical Town of the Yucatan Peninsula, has its main protagonist in yellow as all the buildings in the center are painted in this color, making the visit a truly amazing moment.
The most prominent place is the complex formed by the Temple of the Immaculate Conception and the Convent of San Antonio de Padua, built on a pre-Hispanic platform, although for us the best thing you can do in Izamal is to wander aimlessly through its photogenic old town, where you can see from beautiful colonial houses to Mayan pyramids.
You can not forget to try the typical Yucatecan food, one of the best in Mexico and a perfect place to try all these delicacies, such as cochinita pibil, stuffed cheese, chaya with eggs or panuchos, is the Kinich Restaurant, One of the most famous in the town.
The best way to get to Izamal is by rental car, since the town is about 2 and a half hours from Tulum. Another option is to take a bus to Valladolid and from there take another to take you to Izamal, although in this case it is preferable to spend a night in the city so that you have time to visit and discover one of the places to see in Riviera Maya more amazing
Izamal, one of the places to visit in Riviera Maya
9. Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres, surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and located 13 kilometers from the tourist Cancun, is another of the places to visit in Riviera Maya and one of the best excursions in Cancun.
This island is perfect for scuba diving or snorkeling thanks to the clarity of its waters and the magnificent coral reef where you can also rent a motorcycle or a golf cart to visit the El Garrafón marine park or find some of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico like north beach. Nor can you leave Isla Mujeres without trying the snail ceviche, the most typical dish of the island, with which you will surely remember this place forever.
To get to Isla Mujeres you can take a ferry from Puerto Juarez or from the hotel zone of Cancun, which will take you in about 20 minutes to the island. Another more comfortable alternative is to book this excursion to Isla Mujeres by catamaran.
Near Isla Mujeres is Isla Contoy, another of the places to see in Riviera Maya, a perfect island for snorkel lovers to find one of the largest coral reefs in the world. In this small island it is also worth taking a walk through the National Park of Isla Contoy, which has a great diversity of fauna, and enjoy dream beaches, although due to measures of protection of natural space and fauna, access to the island It is only allowed by booking an organized excursion that you can combine with Isla Mujeres.
Women Island
10. Sian Ka'an
The Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve is the largest protected natural space in the Caribbean and our latest recommendation from the list of essential places to see in Riviera Maya.
It is in this area where you can see almost virgin beaches of white sand, mangroves, freshwater springs that spring from the bottom, to a half-submerged Mayan temple, in addition to a great diversity of fauna such as birds of all kinds, crocodiles, manatees, turtles , dolphins, spider monkeys, pumas and even jaguars, which is another of its great claims.
Keep in mind that Sian Ka'an can be traveled by boat, taking a tour with a local guide or just relax on one of its beaches and sleep in one of its bungalows, so it is worth knowing what your preferences are for be able to make a reservation if necessary.
The best way to get to and from Sian Ka'an is by rental car along its sandy paths, always remembering to take the full tank, since there are no gas stations there. If you want to go by public transport you can take a bus from Tulum to Punta Allen and there take an excursion to visit the park. Another option is to take a tour in one of the cities of Riviera Maya such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum.
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 places to see in Riviera Maya, add yours in the comments.
