Mexican Caribbean is one of the best beach destinations in Mexico, as it has many attractive features: warm weather, white sand beaches with pristine waters, exotic wildlife and well-developed lodging and entertainment options that fit any budget. There are lots of places to visit in Cancun that will thrill you.
Another great thing about Cancun is its proximity to most North American major cities -especially in the east coast, being less than 4 hours ways by plane-, all of them with regular or seasonal flights.
Travel to Cancun is an amazing experience that you must experience at least once in a lifetime. And we have the ultimate guide to make you feel at home while exploring the Mayan Riviera.
The main question many international tourists make is obvious “Is it safe to travel to Cancun right now?” the answer is a big yes, since the Mayan Riviera has pulled massive efforts to provide the safest experience for its visitors.
Arriving to Cancun
There are 2 main airports in the area: Cancun and Cozumel, both with international connections with major North American cities. Choosing the best taxi service in Cancun airport can be a difficult task, with so many options to choose from. By booking your rides through Elife, you get direct access to the most popular airport transportation services in Cancun, provided by experienced local drivers.
The best thing to do -especially when you’re going during peak season- is to book everything you will need in advance: lodging, activities and transportation. That way you will avoid lines and down times so you can enjoy the journey from the moment your flight arrives. Among the Cancun airport shuttle options, you can just visit one site, select your date, time and party size, and you will be good to go.
Exploring the Mayan Riviera
Cancun is just a small glimpse of everything the Mayan Riviera and the Yucatan peninsula has to offer. Let’s explore some of the best Mexico destinations near Cancun.
Cancun
The epicenter of the Mayan Riviera, Cancun is the 6th most visited international destination in the world and is arguably the most important beach destination in the western hemisphere. There are tons of things to do in Cancun Mexico, with the largest array of lodging, shopping and dining options in the region, being the biggest city in the Mayan Riviera.
Cancun airport is one of the of the best-connected airports in Latin America, so you won’t have any problem booking a flight. There are plenty Cancun Airport transportation alternatives, so many that it could be easy to get lost among them. The good thing is that you can directly connect with a local experienced driver.
You can’t leave Cancun without:
- Take a long walk to visit Cancun’s lighthouse
- Have a unique dive at Cancun’s underwater museum
- Experience the Mexican charm at Xoximilco, one of Xcaret Group parks
- Go to a local shopping adventure at Mercado 28
Playa del Carmen
A lively, fun town 45 miles south of Cancun. Home of the renowned Xcaret park, Playa del Carmen is famous for its beach clubs, awesome water activities and amazing nightlife, that you experience in places like Coco Bongo Playa del Carmen. Take a hike along the Quinta Avenida, Playa del Carmen’s main street and celebrate your stay with some bar and club crawling, where live music mix with the local electronic music scene.
It’s not only about party in “Playa”, that alsohas some of the best cenotes in the region, and a wide selection of water sports. Besides it’s the best place to take the ferry to travel to Cozumel. A 40-minute ride from Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen is all you need to get to this great destination for party goers. If you’re looking for a quieter experience, Puerto Morelos is a small fishermen village halfway between Playa del Carmen and Cancun where you can live a more local experience.
You can’t leave Playa del Carmen without:
- Visiting Xcaret Park and its amazing underground rivers
- Exploring the incredible Chikin Ha cenote
- Going on a bar crawling adventure at the Quinta Avenida
- Spending the day at Kool Beach Club
Cozumel
The third biggest and second most populated island in Mexico, Cozumel is a great place to mix the most local experience with the commodities of a world-class beach destination. Located 20 miles off the coast of Playa del Carmen, taking a 1-hour ferry is the best option to get to this laidback, relaxing destination.
Take one of the many scuba tours and discover the amazing sea life that lies within the second largest coral reef in the world. Visit one of its mazing beaches such as El Cielo (The heaven) and you will quickly discover why you took a great decision in visiting this beautiful island.
You can’t leave Cozumel without:
- Go do some snorkeling at Palancar or Colombia beaches.
- Exploring Cozumel’s jungle in an ATV or quadbike tour.
- Spending a great family day at Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park
- Taking dozens of pictures at El Cielo beach
Tulum
The rising star in the Mayan Riviera, Tulum was once a quiet fishermen village and has quickly become into one of the trendiest destinations in the region. If you want to arrive in style, a limo from Cancun to Tulum is a fun, exclusive option to give your trip a twist you won’t forget.
Famous for its sea castle, one of the best Mayan heritage sites in the region, there are plety of places to visit in Tulum with a unique mix of laidback vibes, mysticism and party mood for the young (whether by age or by heart). You can book a private Cancun airport to Tulum shuttle in just a few clicks with Elife.
You can’t leave Tulum without:
- Visiting the Tulum archaeological site.
- Exploring the jungle at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
- Taking an architecture tour around town, where Mayan heritage takes a minimalistic twist.
- Swimming at Playa Paraíso and spend the day at its beach club.
Chichen Itza
Recognized as one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, visiting Chichen Itza is arguably one of the best places to get in touch with the Mayan culture splendor. Located 120 miles southeast of Cancun in the state of Yucatan, if you’re looking on how to get to Chichen Itza from Cancun Airport, you can book a ride for any size of group through us, and even hire an Elife limo cab service.
As one of the largest cities during the peak of the Mayan empire, Chichen Itza is full of monuments and temples which tell us the story of the rise and peak of Mayan culture (between 750-900 AD) and it offers magnificent views of well-preserved buildings of what it once was the greatest empire in Latin America.
You can’t leave Chichen Itza without:
- Taking the best pictures of the Kukulkan temple, the most iconic building in the site
- Exploring the cenotes surrounding the site
- Buy some local souvenirs made by Mayan people
- Visiting the neighbor city of Valladolid, a beautiful historical city where you can see the mix of cultures between Mayans and Spaniards.
Lodging in Cancun
The Mayan Riviera has many different options that fit any budget and plan:
- Best All-inclusive hotels in Cancun: Moon Palace, Krystal, Paradisus and Nyx.
- Best hotel for kids in Cancun: Nickelodeon Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Ritz-Carlton Cancun and Hyatt Ziva.
- Best beach hotels in Cancun: Xcaret Resort, Secrets the Vine Cancun, Crown Paradise Cancun and Panama Jack Resort.
You will also find plenty of big, boutique and bed & breakfast options around the Riviera, as well as hundreds of guest houses.
