Overview

The Riviera Maya offers much that makes Mexico's Caribbean so special. You and your family can swim and snorkel in cenotes, sinkholes formed by underground rivers; splash at eco-adventure parks; explore magnificent Maya ruins and sun on white-sand beaches.

The Riviera Maya, less densely developed than Cancun's Hotel Zone, 30 minutes to the north, also offers a range of resorts, from moderately priced lodging to luxury properties, plus a range of all-inclusive family-friendly resorts.

Most of Cancun's 28,000 guest rooms crowd together in the densely developed 15-mile hotel zone, whereas the Riviera Maya's 37,200 guest rooms are spread over 86 miles, allowing for more greenery.

Officially, the Riviera Maya stretches along Mexico's Caribbean coast for 86 miles, from just south of Puerto Morelos to Punta Allen. However, some maps include Puerto Morelos as part of the Riviera Maya.

Written by Candyce H. Stapen