The numbers tell of an unstoppable love affair with all things Mexican. At the time of writing TripAdvisor has 625,527 reviews for properties in the Riviera Maya alone, and the first quarter of 2014 saw 84,400 UK residents make their way to Mexico. It’s obvious that we’re heading out to Mexico in our droves, so there must be something that has captured our imaginations – the Riviera Maya in particular. So what’s it all about? And how can you best enjoy everything it has to offer? Herein we have collected some Riviera Maya highlights, none of which require a superstar budget.
A little background
The Riviera Maya is a region on the Caribbean Coast of the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, stretching from Puerto Morelos all the way down to Tulum. It’s famed for booming tourism, and is home to Blue Bay favourites Excellence Riviera Cancun, Dreams Tulum, and Occidental Grand Xcaret. Best of all, it’s a region full of golden holiday nuggets if you know where to look. So, let’s go looking.
Puerto Morelos
14 miles from Cancun you’ll find the small fishing village of Puerto Morelos. Government ecology preservation policies protect the reef, mangrove, and village itself from industrialisation, so it’s a great place to people watch and experience everyday Mexican living. Local hotels like Now Jade Resort & Spa and Now Sapphire Resort & Spa offer bicycle torus of Puerto Morelos, or you can rent a bike independently from places like DiversPoint, La Bici Roja, or Puerto Morelos Green Bikes. This is the ideal way to see the wildlife, beaches, seascapes, and towns for only a handful of dollars, and the local people a very welcoming and laid-back.
Just outside of Puerto Morelos you can visit the Jardin Botanico, the largest botanical garden in Mexico spanning 65 acres. As well as a trove of exotic plantlife indigenous to the coridoor between Tulum and Cancun, you might be lucky enough to see spider monkeys or a rabbit-like agouti. The gardens also contain a Mayan Ruin called The Alter that dates back to 1400 AD. With around 2 miles of marked trails this is a great place to see the natural and historical influences that have shaped the modern Riviera Maya.
The Sian Ka’an Biosphere
The Sian Ka’an Biosphere is a fantastic window into the exotic jungle origins of the Riviera Maya. In the ancient Mayan tongue “Sian Ka’an” means “Origin of the Sky”, and it’s easy to see why this region was held with such reverence. The sheer diversity of wildlife makes exploring the area on your own steam exceptionally rewarding.
The reserve encompasses a wide range of tropical forests and mangroves, as well as large aquatic region that extends towards the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site makes Sian Ka’an the largest protected space in the Mexican Caribbean, and the calm waters of the barrier reef system create a safe environment for amazing aquatic adventures. If you fancy doing a little more than wander, try snorkelling, kayaking, hiking or river tours. You can even discover the heritage of chewing gum.
Ancient archaeology
The first inhabitants of the Riviera Maya were the were the Mayans, a civilisation that culturally flourished around 250 AD. Their advanced architecture and powerful religious beliefs produced some of the most stunning monuments and monoliths from the ancient world, some of which endure to this day. The Rivera Maya is a hotbed for these fascinating relics, and there are plenty of opportunities to get a unique taste of the ancient world.
You might be familiar with some of the higher profile archaeological attractions, at least by reputation. Xcaret Park and Xel-Ha collect together some of the most famous ecological and historical curiosities in the region, such as snorkelling, cave diving, jaguar encounters, zip-lining, and off-road adventures. But however incredible these parks are (and trust me, there’re pretty incredible), their prominence often overshadows some the region’s most fascinating features.
The Xel-Ha Ruins are a prime example. They’re inadvertently overlooked by many travellers, for they’re not part of the theme park that shares its name. The jungle settlement of Xel-Ha was the seaport gateway to the island of Cozumel, an essential Mayan pilgrimage destination for fertility rituals prior to marriage. This spiritual significance of Xel-Ha in turn produced unique architecture, the highlights of which are the Pintura Murals. The murals of Xel-Ha are a colourful celebration of the avian and feminine symbolism that meant so much to the Mayan people, and represent some of the best relics of Mayan art. Because it’s off the beaten track you can often enjoy the area at your leisure without having to jostle for personal space. Likewise, the stunning ocean vistas and coastal ruins of Tulum provide amazing opportunities to wander back in time.
Mexican miscellany
The Rivera Maya offers way too much to cover in a single blow, but here are some other low-budget travel options to tuck into your arsenal:
• Check out a cenote. A cenote is a cave with an underwater river, providing unique opportunities for snorkelling, diving, and exploring.
• Try the Playa del Carmen nightlife. We recommend you cruise the bars (not the clubs) because they usually have free admission.
• Go for a walk. Simple as that. The beaches and towns of the Riviera Maya are wonderfully vibrant, so just hoof out and look around.
The Riviera Maya is full of options for a leisurely, low-cost holiday. If you’d like to see even more adventure options you can download a super useful travel guide from the official Meixco Tourism website right here.
If you’ve got any questions about Mexico, the Riviera Maya, or anything even vaguely travel related just ask away in the comments below. Now, go forth and discover the bounties of Mexico, fellow travellers.
All images used in this blog are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
