I’m sure by now you’re tired of hearing about Costa Rica, so I’m going to move on to another vacation hot spot a bit more north.
Destination:
Riviera Maya, also known as the Mayan Riviera, is located on the Caribbean coastline of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, most famous for Cancun. Riviera Maya stretches from the city of Playa del Carmen to the village of Tulum, although recently the towns of Puerto Morelos and Felipe Carillo Puerto are being promoted as part of the Riviera Maya tourist corridor.
Why Riviera Maya?
Riviera Maya is well-known for its large all-inclusive hotels and various historical sites. I will review one of these all-inclusive hotels, the Valentin Imperial Maya, in a future entry. The highway along the coast, highway 307, is loaded with all-inclusive resorts, as well as smaller hotels and fine-dining restaurants. Rivera Maya boasts the second longest barrier reef system in the world. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System is home to more than 65 species of stony coral, 350 species of mollusk and more than 500 species of fish.
What to do there
Popular activities in Riviera Maya include scuba diving, snorkeling, Jet Skiing, zip-lining, horseback riding, swimming with dolphins, sailing, and jungle tours. Mayan ruins are a huge tourist attraction, with the ancient town of Tulum on the coast and the ruins of Chichen Itza located a few hours inland. Two other popular destinations in Riviera Maya are the natural water theme parks, Xcaret and Xel-Ha. At these two popular sites you can explore underground rivers, go on tours through the jungle, swim with captive dolphins, and even shop for Mexican art.
My family chose to go to Rivera Maya in September 2009, the height of swine flu season. As you can imagine, we got a pretty good deal on an all-inclusive hotel, and none of us ended up with swine flu! In my next update I will tell you what NOT to do when you land at the airport in Cancun.
