Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen & Tulum)

The Caribbean coast south of Cancún, with Playa del Carmen or Tulum as your base: clifftop Maya ruins, cenote snorkeling, turtle bays and the Cozumel reefs.

The Riviera Maya is the Caribbean coastline of Quintana Roo, Mexico, south of Cancún, and this destination uses Playa del Carmen and Tulum as its two main bases. Playa del Carmen is lively and stylish, with shopping and nightlife along Fifth Avenue running down to the city beach, and ferries to and from Cozumel; the southern outskirts are home to theme parks including Xcaret, Xplor, Xenses and Río Secreto. The middle stretch around Puerto Aventuras and Akumal is known for turtle bays, lagoons and many cenotes. Tulum is famed for its Maya ruins on a sea cliff, boutique eco-hotels and beaches, with Gran Cenote, Cenote Calavera and Laguna Kaan Luum nearby; inland you can visit the Cobá ruins and a monkey sanctuary, and farther south lie the World Heritage Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and the Muyil ruins. Climate: Dec–Apr is dry, sunny and pleasant, and is high season; May–Oct is hot and rainy, Jun–Nov is hurricane season, and sargassum can wash up on the coast Apr–Sep. Getting around: Cancún International Airport is about 1 hour from Playa del Carmen and about 2 hours from Tulum, and Tulum also has its own international airport; ADO buses and the Tren Maya link the towns, and driving or renting a car is the most flexible. We suggest 5–7 days. Notes: most cenotes and marine parks ban regular sunscreen, so bring biodegradable products; small cenotes often take cash only; ruins and cenotes are quieter and cooler in the morning.

Top sights

• Tulum Archaeological Site – A Maya walled port city built on a 12-metre sea cliff, with a temple overlooking the turquoise Caribbean. It is the most photogenic ruin on…
• Cozumel – Mexico's largest Caribbean island and part of the Mesoamerican Reef. Its drift dives over the Palancar Reef are world-class, and it is a ma…
• Xcaret Park – An ecological and archaeological theme park south of Playa del Carmen, with underground river floats, marine and butterfly exhibits, and a…
• Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue), Playa del Carmen – A pedestrian street running parallel to the beach, lined with restaurants, bars, silver jewelry and handicraft shops. It is the heart of Pl…
• Gran Cenote – Tulum's most popular semi-open natural cenote, with crystal-clear water where you can see underwater stalactites, caverns and small turtles.
• Cobá Archaeological Site – A Maya city deep in the jungle, with white ancient roads that radiate in all directions and can be cycled. The 42-metre Nohoch Mul pyramid…
• Cenote Dos Ojos – Two connected cave sinkholes shaped like a pair of eyes; the crystal-clear underwater stalactites make it a world-class cave diving and sno…
• Playa del Carmen Beach (Playa Mamitas) – A city beach with fine white sand and clear turquoise water, where beach clubs cluster around Mamitas, the liveliest seaside spot in Playa…
• Parque Fundadores & Portal Maya – A seaside square at the starting point of Fifth Avenue, with the giant bronze sculpture “Maya Gate” as a city landmark, where Voladores de…
• Akumal Bay – Snorkel alongside green sea turtles feeding in seagrass beds; “Akumal” means “place of the turtles” in Mayan.
• Yal-Kú Lagoon – A lagoon north of Akumal where fresh and sea water meet, calm and rich in fish, ideal for beginners and families snorkeling.
• Xel-Há Park – An all-inclusive water park built at the mouth of a natural bay, with snorkeling, river floating, cenotes and buffet dining all included in…
• Xplor Park – A jungle adventure park with more than a dozen high-altitude zip lines, amphibious vehicles, underground river swimming and rafting, all in…
• Xenses Park – A fun sensory park themed around optical illusions and sensory experiences, featuring an upside-down town, a pitch-dark sensory passage, mu…
• Río Secreto – Guided walks into an underground river cave full of stalactites, alternating between wading and swimming, to experience a half-submerged un…
• Cenote Azul (Puerto Aventuras) – A roadside open-air cenote with connected pools of brilliant, clear blue water, where you can swim, snorkel and jump from rocks.
• Cenote Jardín del Edén – A large open-air cenote surrounded by jungle, with deep clear water, fish all around, jumping platforms and a cave-diving entrance.
• Puerto Aventuras – A marina resort town between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, with restaurants lining the docks, and a base for deep-sea fishing and dolphin int…
• Xcacel-Xcacelito Beach – An undeveloped turtle-protection beach where white sand meets native jungle, with a natural cenote at the north end of the beach.
• Casa Cenote – A river-like cenote ringed by mangroves, connected to the sea through an underground passage. Where fresh and salt water meet, it's ideal f…
• Cenote Calavera (Temple of Doom) – An underground cenote whose three surface openings resemble the eyes and nose of a skull. Jumping straight into the water from the ground o…
• Cenote Car Wash (Aktun Ha) – An open-air cenote along the road from Tulum to Cobá, with water lilies floating on the surface and fish and shrimp abundant. It is also a…
• Tulum Beach & Hotel Zone – A strip of boutique hotels stretching along the white-sand coast south of the ruins, lined with jungle eco-hotels, beach clubs and trendy r…
• Playa Paraíso, Tulum – A white-sand, palm-lined beach right next to the Tulum ruins, which has repeatedly been ranked among the world's most beautiful beaches.
• Laguna Kaan Luum – A pale green lagoon hides a deep blue cenote at its center. The striking color contrast, plus the wooden boardwalk and water swings, makes…
• Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve – A World Heritage-level tropical wetland reserve where boat trips through mangroves and ancient Maya canals offer sightings of dolphins, sea…
• Muyil Archaeological Site – An ancient Maya site hidden in the jungle, with pyramids among the trees. A boardwalk leads to a lagoon viewing tower, and the site connect…
• Cobá Cenotes (Tamcach-Ha, Choo-Ha, Multum-Ha) – Three underground cenotes about 6 km south of the Cobá ruins. Descend stairs into the caves, swim beneath stalactites, or jump from high pl…
• Punta Laguna Spider Monkey Reserve – A jungle reserve protected by a Maya community. Follow local guides to spot spider monkeys and howler monkeys in the treetops, and go boati…
• Chankanaab Park, Cozumel – A seaside park on Cozumel's west coast where you can snorkel coral reefs straight from the shore. The park has a lagoon connected to the se…

Where to eat

• El Fogón Taqueria (Playa del Carmen) – The best-known budget taco stand in Playa del Carmen, famous for its carved al pastor tacos.
• Hartwood – A landmark restaurant on Tulum's beach hotel strip, cooking entirely over wood fire and clay ovens, with a menu that ch…
• Cetli Mole Restaurant – Recommended by the Michelin Bib Gourmand. The chef grinds her moles by hand on a stone mill, serving classic Mexican fi…
• Honorio Taquería – A family taqueria that started as a roadside stall and is the top choice in central Tulum for Yucatecan achiote-marinat…
• Axiote Cocina de México – Recommended by the Michelin Bib Gourmand, serving modern takes on Yucatecan home cooking in a palm-thatched dining room.
• Mestixa Asian-Mexican Fusion – Recommended by the Michelin Bib Gourmand. It blends Asian street food with Mexican flavours, and its birria ramen is th…

Itineraries

• Riviera Maya Islands & Ruins – Stay in Playa and Tulum to connect Cozumel, Akumal, seaside ruins, and jungle pyramids.
• Classic Yucatán Road Trip Loop – Pick up and drop off your car in Cancún, covering Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza, Merida, and Uxmal in one week.
• Grand Yucatán Peninsula Loop – A complete road trip starting and ending in Cancún, looping through three states from white cities and fortified towns…
• Yucatan to Belize Overland & Sea Crossing – Travel from Tulum and Bacalar to Belize by boat, exploring the islands before heading inland to Maya caves.