Discover the must-sees of this wonderful area of Mexico
If there is any place in Mexico that stands out for tourism, we can certainly talk about Cancun and the Riviera Maya. How many times have we seen advertisements for cheap flights to Cancun, flight offers plus all-inclusive resort on the beach? And perhaps many people do not like to associate these places to be all day on the beach enjoying the drinks and meals of the chosen hotel ... But there is much more 🙂
But today I want to talk about places to know and activities that can be done in the area, in the case you are a more active traveler and you like to move and explore.
CANCUN AND ITS SURROUNDINGS
For me in Cancun there are two cities: The hotel zone, and the city itself. If you want to be in an all-inclusive, you can go to one of the many resorts on the beach.There are so many, in the terms of the category and the location, the most economical than those of Laguna Nichupté, and not on the beach.
Regardless of the location of your hotel, the beaches you should know, because they are very beautiful, are Playa Delfines (where the famous letters of Cancun are located) and there is a spectacular viewpoint, Playa Tortugas and Playa Chac Mool. It is also highly recommended to take a boat in the lagoon. The views are really beautiful.
As for the city properly talking, the market 28, the market 23, are more local, and the park of the palapas, to taste the rich food of the area, and end with a dessert, the famous marquesitas :)
North of Cancun, (but very close) there is also a long and wonderful virgin beach, which is very interesting called Isla Blanca.
Another place to visit near Cancun is Isla Mujeres, an island about 7 km from the coast of Cancun, very quiet, being an excellent place to enjoy the Caribbean. And on the ferry route between Cancun and Isla Mujeres, you can visit the MUSA (Underwater Art Museum), the largest in America, which mixes art with underwater nature.
PLAYA DEL CARMEN AND SURROUNDINGS
Playa del Carmen is a city that has grown rapidly (it is the city that has grown more throughout Mexico in the last 10 years), and it is located in the middle of the Mayan Riviera (which includes the entire coast that descends from Cancun to Tulum) . A city with a lot of commercial, tourist and partying movement.
Right in the middle between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, you will find a fishing village called Puerto Morelos, a very quiet village where you can relax, taste fresh fish, and practice scuba diving and / or snorkeling, since in this place the reef is very close to the coast. From Puerto Morelos you can also find a route where you can find "La ruta de los cenotes", most of them in the middle of the jungle, and they are wonderful.
In the city itself, you can enjoy the famous Fifth Avenue, full of shops, restaurants and hotels, admire the Mayan arch in the Parque Fundadores and the beach, where you can enjoy the Mayan shows, and see the Papantla flyers.
Being in Playa del Carmen, it is very close Cozumel, where there are some Mayan archaeological sites, and some of the best places to enjoy the entire seabed of the area, as is the case of "El Cielo", where It is necessary to know, since you will find starfish at your feet. IMPORTANT !!! Do not remove or touch the starfish, please respect them
And if you want to get away from the city, to enjoy beautiful beaches, the best of all the Mexican Caribbean from my point of view, you can go to Xcalacoco, Punta Maroma, Paamul, Xpu-ha or Akumal (the last one is recommended for swimming with turtles 😉)
TULUM AND SURROUNDINGS
Tulum is a town with hippy air located at the end of the word Riviera Maya, which is worth knowing. Its hotel zone is very different from the hotel zone of Cancun, with eco-chic hotels. The beaches are also beautiful.
In the same direction you can find the Mayan archaeological zone on the Caribbean Sea, including the one with a private beach where you can bathe while you enjoy the history.
Through Tulum you can reach the Sian Ka'an Nature Reserve, on the road that goes to Boca Paila. At the end of the reserve there is the town called Punta Allen, an incredible place to spend the night.
Being in the area, if you have time, the archaeological zone of Cobá is an hour away, and there you can climb the highest Maya pyramid in the north of the Yucatan peninsula.
It is worth mentioning that the distance between Cancun and Tulum is approximately 150km, and over the whole road you will find numerous cenotes that you will need to know and swim in :)
Also on the road are the parks of the Xcaret group, such as Xcaret itself, Xel-ha, Xoximilco .... That delights adults and children.
And all this coast runs through the reef 🙂 Of the best places to practice diving around the world!
And everything I wanted to tell has stayed longer than I originally imagined, and I still have many things left that I have not named, since they are a little further away and it is worth going up there and even spend a few days, and to name a few can be Chichén Itzá, Valladolid, Mérida, Las Coloradas, Holbox, Isla Contoy, Bacalar or Mahahual .... There are tours from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum, but as I mentioned, if you have time, it is worth spending a few days exploring those areas.
If you want to know more about these places, I'm here to help you 🙂
