A beachfront resort in the middle of nowhere can be great, but maybe just for a few days. After that, Riviera Maya starts calling you, with all of its cultural richness and adventurous activities. Choosing the right hotel, close to it all, can therefore completely change your Mexican holiday.
Why location matters
Riviera Maya is not one town, but a strip that runs from roughly Puerto Morelos all the way down to Punta Allen. The largest nearby city is Cancun (and the nearest big airport), whereas Playa del Carmen and Tulum are the two most well-known resort towns within the strip. However, beyond the resorts, Riviera Maya is home to a range of amazing attractions:
Cenotes
The region houses uniquely beautiful cenotes, which are natural limestone sinkholes with crystal-clear freshwater pools. Over the years, divers have mapped connected cave systems underground, stretching for huge distances, finding the ones that are easy to visit for tourists with the right infrastructure in place.
Near Tulum, alone, there are dozens of cenotes you may visit, including the Gran Cenote, Mayan Blue, Calavera, Caracol and Santa Cruz Tulum just to name a few. Each of these has clear, turquoise water, while some also have fish and turtles, and most don’t require wetsuits.
Mayan ruins
For those interested in history, the ruins in Riviera Maya are truly fascinating. At the Parque Nacional Tulum, you will find one of the most photogenic archeological sites anywhere, with ancient ruins sitting on a cliff over the Caribbean.
Continuing north towards Ciudad Chemuyil, you’ll also reach the Archaeological Site of Xel-Há, featuring a former Maya port, ruins, temples and 2 freshwater pools. The park is also filled with exotic wildlife, such as iguanas and native birds.
If you’re willing to drive a bit further in-land, then the Mayan city of Coba is your go-to. Visit the pyramid ruins, where you can climb Nohoch Mul, the area’s highest pyramid. After which, you can relax at one of the two large lakes: Laguna Coba or Laguna Macanxoc.
Activities
Beyond nature and historic attractions, Riviera Maya will pleasantly surprise you with the sheer amount of activities. For families, the Xplor Park jungle adventure park near Playa del Carmen is the perfect fun-filled day out. You can explore the underground rivers, try your hand at rafting and amphibious vehicles, and get an adrenaline rush on the zip lines and waterslides.
If you want to explore the water world, Cancun is the place to be, with the Aquaworld adventure sports centre, Interactive Aquarium and Dolphin Connection Mx. Besides, there are endless options for water sports along the coastline, including snorkelling, speedboats, scuba driving, jet skiing and surfing.
Picking a well-located hotel
So, with all of that dotted along the strip, how do you choose the right location for a hotel? There are plenty of hotels and resorts in Playa del Carmen or Tulum, placing you close to the towns’ attractions and nightlife, but it’s also some of the busiest places in the region. Meanwhile, staying too far away from everything will make the day trips much longer.
The best strategy is to look at hotels near Riviera Maya, ideally in an area with a good selection of amenities, but still giving you that relaxed holiday experience. For example, the town of Puerto Morelos sits at an excellent coastal location, in between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It’s much less busy than the larger towns and has its own local restaurants and beaches. Properties like Ocean Coral & Turquesa, Ocean Maya Royale and Oceans Riviera Paradise are well positioned in this stretch, offering all-inclusive packages that make it easy to balance resort comfort with day trips across the region.
It’s also worth checking whether a hotel runs excursions to the major attractions, like Coba or Gran Cenote. While you can book tours separately, having a hotel provide you with trusted and pre-planned options takes the worry out of your holiday.
Smarter holiday decisions
Many people tend to book their hotels based on the photos and hope to figure out the least once they land. But, that often means spending a lot more of their holiday time stuck in the hotel or in a tour van. So, look at the location first and only then pick the prettiest pool and best facilities.
