The average temperature is 27° C (80° F) with more than 240 days of sunshine, and rain is rare. In summer the temperature goes higher, but an onshore breeze makes the climate enjoyable throughout the day.
Miles of untouched powdery white sand as far as the eye can see beckons vacationers in search of quiet and relaxation… These are the unspoiled beaches of the Riviera Maya. Known and treasured by locals, but still virtually undiscovered, these serene strands of beach, as plentiful as the region’s sunny days, will make even the most seasoned traveler feel as if they are on their own deserted island.
What To See In Riviera Maya
The Riviera Maya's principal quality is its diversity. Here one can choose everything from adventure sports, golf and tennis to jungle tours on foot or horseback, water and nautical sports, and touring the indescribable cultural and archaeological treasures of the Maya world. One of the favorite activities for visitors is scuba diving on the Great Maya Reef, the second-largest in the world, located along the Riviera Maya's coastline and experiencing cavern diving in the region´s ubderground rivers. The spectacular tropical marine life here is unique and unforgettable.
The Best Beach
Pristine, uncrowded beaches, caressed by calm, turquoise waters and bathed by gentle breezes. Stretches of white sand fringed with palm trees and protected by a chain of coral reefs. Miles of untouched powdery white sand as far as the eye can see beckons vacationers in search of quiet and relaxation… These are the unspoiled beaches of the Riviera Maya. Known and treasured by locals, but still virtually undiscovered, these serene strands of beach, as plentiful as the region’s sunny days, will make even the most seasoned traveler feel as if they are on their own deserted island.
The Mexican Caribbean is catalogued as world class for its transparent waters and extensive marine life as well as its wonderful sand that has the singular characteristic of being as white as talcum powder.
Towns & Regions
The Riviera Maya is a 180-kilometer stretch located along the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The region offers a diversity of attractions from solitary beaches to modern architectural complexes, including hotels, marinas, sports facilities and restaurants. Playa del Carmen, the main town in the Riviera Maya, for example, which used to be a small fishermen's village, is now the site of prestigious international hotels, numerous restaurants and shopping. Nearby is the area's principal ecological reserve, Sian Ka'an.
The Riviera Maya's principal quality is its diversity. Here one can choose everything from adventure sports, golf and tennis to jungle tours on foot or horseback, water and nautical sports, and touring the indescribable cultural and archaeological treasures of the Maya world. One of the favorite activities for visitors is scuba diving on the Great Maya Reef, the second-largest in the world, located along the Riviera Maya's coastline and experiencing cavern diving in the region´s ubderground rivers. The spectacular tropical marine life here is unique and unforgettable.
Few places are as perfect as the Riviera Maya for enjoying water sports. Naturally, there's the unique and captivating fascination of the Mexican Caribbean itself, which in the Riviera Maya is paired with the subterranean world of Maya territory. Here underground rivers wind gently beneath the surface creating thousands of "cenotes" (Sinkholes) in which visitors can explore the region's unique cavern systems.
Archaeological Sites
Even though the Maya culture remains present in the Riviera Maya, through the many indigenous communities still found here which preserve the traditions, religion and social structure of the maya people, the splendor of ancient Maya civilization is most evident in the numerous archaeological sites in this area. It is through the pyramids, "pelota" playing fields, sculpted stone pillars, plazas and temples that some of the mysteries still surrounding one of America's most important cultures have been partially deciphered.
Ece Parks & Natural Reserves
The Riviera Maya is one of the regions of Mexico - and the world- which offers the richest variety of landscapes and archaeological treasures. It is also a place where the world's biological diversity seems to have been concentrated, so that a visit to one of its many parks - veritable habitats for many of the world's unique species of plants and animals - is almost obligatory. Outstanding among these is the Sian Ka'an reserve, an extensive area that provides an enormous geographical and climatic diversity, with an abundance of wild birds, reptiles, mammals and marine wildlife.
What To DO In Riviera Maya
The Riviera Maya offers visitors an elaborate and varied selection of sports and recreational activities tailored to the tastes and desires of each visitor. From contemplating the vast and diverse Maya culture, which is present in its architecture and paintings on view in the many archaeological sites throughout the region, to the enjoyment of different water sports such as diving and fishing, and tennis or golf.
Caribbean Diving
There's a fantastic world beneath the mexican Caribbean's transparent waters. This is known as the Great Maya Reef, the second-largest in the world, where different species of corals, multicolored tropical fish and marine flora and fauna of incomparable beauty make their home. That's why diving off the coast of the Riviera Maya is an experience that frequently becomes habit-forming.
Cave Diving
The Riviera Maya is known for its many subterranean rivers and "cenotes", formed by the filtering of rain water through the limestone, the earth's main component in this region, making this zone ideal for that unique and exciting type of diving known as cave diving.
Snorkeling
Beyond a doubt, snorkeling is the best way to see underwater life in the Riviera Maya, with the least possible amount of equipment: a pair of fins, a snorkel and a visor. From the surface, you can admire the sea stars, the multicolored fish and the rock formations covered with moss, and get a clear picture of everything to be found in the depths of the "cenotes" and the Caribbean sea.
Golf In The Riviera Maya
Specialized magazines say that golf plays a starring role in this paradise, as a large percentage of the people who visit come specifically to play and many international golfing events take place here, in one of the most splendid locations on the planet, where spectacular natural bounty and contemporary infrastructure come together.
The magical scenery permits the creators of golf courses to give the environment curves, mounds, fairways, and greens, creating a perfect combination of natural scenery and modern design. Mayan culture is present everywhere and some courses have been built near ancient vestiges of one of the most enigmatic civilizations that have ever existed on this Earth.
The courses of the Mexican Caribbean offer; practice areas, putting greens, golf-cart rental, golf clubs for men or women, special shoes, and tips from on-site pros.
Golf courses owe their success and prestige to the designer or group that prints its signature, some of them internationally renowned with a presence in, of course, the Mexican Caribbean.
Shopping On Fifth Avenue
It's the main street where the visitors gather in a typical Mexican atmosphere. During a walk down this pedestrian street here automobiles are not permitted, you will find a variety of restaurants with all kinds of Mexican and international menus to satisfy any palate. You will find a wonderful variety of stores and boutiques to do your shopping, and a great variety of services offered to visitors. When you come to Playa del Carmen, invite your group to visit the Fifth Avenue, it's a must. If you haven't been on this unusual street with its atmosphere of joy, security, and harmony, then you haven't experienced Playa del Carmen!
Night Life
Riviera Maya nights can be peaceful, quiet, romantic evenings or wild and exciting parties. It all depends on your personal preference.
Most all-inclusive resorts organize theme parties with live entertainment and feature disco bars where you can dance the nights away
For a night out, Playa del Carmen is the place to go. Almost all activity take place arounds Playa's 5th Avenue a pedestrian walk way filled with restaurants, sidewalk cafes, bars, handicraft stores where people from all over world get together giving this town it's cosmopolitan atmosphere.
The options are exceptional from bars with lounge music, soft music, classic jazz, mexican music, or discotheques with salsa and merengue rhythm.
Tours In Riviera Maya
Still relatively unknown in the U.S., the seventy-five mile stretch of beaches, bays and inlets, known as the Riviera Maya is situated in the Mexican Caribbean on the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Beginning eighteen miles south of the Cancun International Airport in Playa del Secreto and extending to Punta Allen in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, the Riviera Maya beckons vacationers looking for a new vacation experience.
Featuring the tranquility of uncrowded beaches, a vast network of underground rivers, over 100 cenotes (sacred pools of clear, calm water), the action of eco-adventure sports, including cave diving, kayaking, mountain biking, scuba diving, snorkeling in cenotes and on the reef, trekking, bird watching, and deep sea fishing, proximity to many of Mexico's most significant Mayan archeological sites and the varied activities of the eco-archeological parks, the Riviera Maya offers endless possibilities for exploration and relaxation. All of this, in addition to shopping, golfing, dining and a range of hotels to suit every lifestyle and budget, will keep visitors to the Riviera Maya returning again.