Explore Mayan ruins and swim in the turquoise blue Caribbean Sea when you visit the Yucatan’s Riviera Maya. About 45 minutes from bustling Cancun is the more refined and secluded Riviera Maya, where resorts are expansive and tucked away for more privacy. This isn’t the place where spring break means hordes of college kids carrying oversized frozen drinks and overcoming the pools with lively volleyball games. Instead, this is where most families can safely enjoy a Mayan getaway, complete with all-inclusive resorts, historic settings, and outdoor adventures.
The ancient Mayans called the Yucatan home, and evidence of their former glory can be found at expansive ruin sites like Tulum, overlooking the Caribbean, or the massive grounds of Chichen Itza. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mysterious Chichen Itza’s pyramids and structures have astounded and confounded historians and families alike.
The rich tropical rainforest of the Riviera Maya provides a perfect outdoor playground for families. Swim in caves and cenotes (sinkholes), zip line above the treetops, snorkel along coral reefs teeming with marine life, and swim with dolphins and stingrays in eco-parks like Xel-Ha.
Resting along the Caribbean Sea, the Riviera Maya’s beaches stretch for miles upon miles. Enjoy water sports from sailing, kayaking, jet skiing and kite surfing in the surf, or build sand castles, play volleyball and just take in the views from a cabana. This is what vacation is all about.
Five-star resorts are in abundance in the Riviera Maya, which stretches along the Yucatan Peninsula and includes towns such as Puerto Aventuras, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. You’ll find Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, a Belmond property spreading across 200 acres, as well as the Rosewood Mayakoba, the Fairmont Mayakoba, and a Viceroy all ready to pamper your family.
Besides enjoying the included activities at the all-inclusive resorts, which often mean multiple swimming pools and water sports in the Caribbean, the Riviera Maya was home to the once-dominant Mayans. Their numbers may have nearly disappeared, but their Mayan temples and villages have not. Visit Tulum’s ruins along the water and take a dip on a private beach, or travel further to Chichen Itza, one of the largest Mayan ruins available to tour. It’s towering pyramid, El Castillo, is one of the top World Heritage Sites.
The kids will especially love the outdoor activities in the Riviera Maya, which includes swimming in cenotes (sinkholes) and caves, zip lining across rainforests and swimming with dolphins. You’ll find much to explore and do in eco-parks like Xplor, Xel-Ha and Xcaret, where you can easily spend a full day sampling every bit of excitement available in the Yucatan.
Nearly all resorts in Riviera Maya provide airport transfer to their properties from the Cancun International Airport. When traveling to various off-property attractions, the properties utilize tour operators to get you safely to and from, so you will not need a rental car.
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