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Mexican Caribbean
Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya

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Riviera Maya

Adventure, nature, culture and rest on one coast.

The Riviera Maya links Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Tulum: white sand beaches, cenotes and underground rivers, nature and theme parks and archaeological sites.

It has hotels of every kind, from resorts set among jungle and lagoons to boutique hotels in its town centers; federal highway 307 and the Maya Train run the whole coast.

Right now
24°Clear
Best for
Resorts, cenotes and archaeological sites
When to come
All year round; the most pleasant weather from December to April
Three destinations
Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Tulum

Getting here

Airports

Concourse of a terminal at Cancun International Airport, with shops and passengers

Airports

Cancun and Tulum

Two airports serve the coast: Cancun to the north and Tulum to the south, about seventy-five miles apart.

  • Choose by destination: Cancun is closer to Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen; Tulum, to Akumal and Tulum.
  • Private shuttle: Transfers cover the whole coast from both terminals.
  • Car rental: Federal highway 307 links the two airports and every destination on the Riviera.

Maya Train

Maya Train running along the track through vegetation

Maya Train

Four stations

Four stations serve the coast: Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Tulum Airport.

  • From the train to your hotel: Every station sits outside the center; local transport waits at the exit.

Bus

Intercity bus parked beside the sea, its door marked Entrance

Bus

Three terminals

The terminals at Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Tulum serve the three stretches of the coast.

  • Between destinations: Buses run often between the three, under an hour for each stretch.
  • From the airport: Buses from Cancun International Airport reach Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

By road

Federal highway 307 from the air, between the jungle and the town, with roadworks along one stretch

By road

Federal highway 307

Federal highway 307 runs the coast from north to south and links every destination.

  • By car: The full run, from Puerto Morelos to Tulum, takes a little over an hour.
  • By bus: Frequent buses connect each destination's terminal.

The beaches

Playa Paraíso, Xpu-Há, Akumal and Xcacel-Xcacelito

Between the three destinations run open beaches of white sand and palms: Playa Paraíso in Tulum, Xpu-Há and Paamul south of Playa del Carmen, Akumal Bay, where you swim with turtles from May to September, and Xcacel-Xcacelito, a sea turtle sanctuary. Many have beach clubs and calm water thanks to the reef.

Aerial view of a white sand beach in the Riviera Maya

Where to stay

Resorts in the jungle and boutique hotels in the towns

The big resorts, European plan or all-inclusive, family or adults-only, sit outside the town centers, among lagoons, beaches and jungle, with spas, golf courses and water parks. Downtown Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Tulum have boutique hotels and small hostels, and along the coast there are treetop hotels, bubble hotels and glamping.

Pool at a beachfront hotel in the Riviera Maya

Food

The contemporary flavors of Mexican cuisine

The coast brings together Yucatecan cooking, the catch of the day and chef-led kitchens, in beach restaurants, in the towns and in the hotels; several culinary festivals take place through the year.

Beachfront restaurant on the Riviera Maya

Maya culture and cenotes

Tulum, Cobá and the cenotes of the coast

Tulum, the walled city on the cliff, was once called Zama, dawn in Maya; Cobá sits between two lagoons in the jungle, with the Nohoch Mul pyramid. Beneath the whole coast runs a network of cenotes and underground rivers, such as Dos Ojos, Gran Cenote, Jardín del Edén and Cenote Azul, and around them are Maya communities that keep their traditions.

Tulum archaeological site on the cliff above the sea

More about Riviera Maya

Cobá archaeological site

September 29, 2024

Archaeological Sites of the Riviera Maya

Tulum, Cobá, Muyil and Xel-Há: the archaeological sites of the Riviera Maya, with what to see at each one and tips for your visit.

Read the article
Playa Maroma beach in the Riviera Maya

September 29, 2024

Award-Winning Hotels in the Riviera Maya

Seven award-winning hotels in the Riviera Maya, from Forbes Five-Star resorts to MICHELIN Key boutique stays, for a luxury trip to the Mexican Caribbean.

Read the article
White-sand beach with a driftwood tree and turquoise water in the Riviera Maya

September 29, 2024

10 Things to Do in the Riviera Maya

10 things to do in the Riviera Maya: Tulum and Cobá, cenotes, the Mesoamerican Reef, Xcaret, Cozumel and swimming with sea turtles in Akumal.

Read the article

Riviera Maya

24°Clear
91%6 km/h
Climate month by month
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