Mexico
Cancun and the Riviera Maya stretch from resort beaches to jungle cenotes and Mayan ruins, all within a couple hours of each other.
Beaches
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| Playa Xpu-Ha | quiet · turquoise water | A local favorite away from the hotel zone crowds, with calm Caribbean water and beachside spots for fresh fish tacos. |
| Akumal | must-do · sea turtles | Known as the place of turtles. Snorkel just offshore and you'll likely swim alongside sea turtles in the shallows. |
| Playa Chac Mool | family-friendly · Cancun hotel zone | A quieter stretch in the hotel zone with gentle waves and tide pools, a good alternative to the busier party beaches. |
| Isla Mujeres | day trip · short ferry ride | A short ferry from Cancun leads to this small island with calmer beaches and a laid-back, golf-cart pace worth a full day. |
Cenotes & Tulum
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| Gran Cenote | must-do · snorkeling | One of the most beautiful cenotes near Tulum, with water so clear you can spot fish and turtles without a mask. |
| Cenotes Dos Ojos | diving & snorkeling | A pair of connected underwater caves and one of the best-known cenote systems in the area, popular with divers. |
| Tulum Ruins | must-do · Mayan history | Cliffside Mayan ruins overlooking the Caribbean. Go at opening time to beat both the heat and the tour buses. |
Food
| Name | Info | Details |
|---|
| Los Aguachiles | $ · Playa del Carmen · seafood | A casual spot off Quinta Avenida known for seafood tostadas and aguachiles, the Mexican answer to ceviche. |
| La Habichuela | $$ · Cancun · Mayan-Caribbean | One of Cancun's oldest restaurants, serving Mayan-inspired dishes in a garden setting strung with lights. |