Akumal

Akumal (the place of the turtle) is a tropical paradise nestled between the Yucatan jungle and the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean.  Akumal is a place where you can experience a relaxing, casual vacation and enjoy warm tropical breezes, soft sandy beaches, a natural coral reef and cool evenings.

The coast of Akumal is beautiful and uncrowded.  The beaches are sheltered and therefore are a place where experienced and inexperienced swimmers find their place in the wonderfully warm Caribbean.

For those who want to experience more of the marine world Akumal and the surrounding area offers day or night reef diving or cave, cenote and cavern diving.  Most dive sights are 10 to 30 minutes from the dive shops.  The Mayan ruins of Tulum are only minutes away.  These unique and beautiful ruins are perched on cliffs overlooking a magnificent view of the Caribbean coast.  Enjoy the exquisite view, explore the caves and tranquil beaches and bask and swim in the place where the ancient Maya lived!  

Come and see the natural beauty of one of Mexico's best kept secrets - Akumal!

 Playa del Carmen

Only 35 miles south of Cancun International Airport and across the water from Cozumel lies the quaint town of Playa del Carmen.  Endless white san beaches and the dazzling blue waters of the Caribbean combine here with the charm of a traditional Mexican fishing village.  

Situated in the middle of the Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen is ideally situated for vacation enjoyment.  Brightly colored boats dot the beach, nets dry in the sun and the streets are lined with traditional Mexican market with everything from from fresh produce to handicrafts.  Playa del Carmen's 5th Avenue is a pedestrian walkway a block away from the beach.  It is filled with people of different nationalities and cultures who give this town its unique culture.

Besides the sea and sand there are a number of fine hotels and resorts, all the usual watersports, dozens of varied restaurants, lively bars and a tranquil and serene atmosphere and attitude that you won't find in the tourist Mecca's like Cancun and Cozumel.  

Playacar

Playacar, directly south of Playa del Carmen, has miles of white talc beaches and lush tropical jungle.  It's a landscape of hibiscus, citrus and bougainvillea.  It's a resort community of rare beauty and tantalizing natural assets.  Few places in the Caribbean are as naturally beautiful.

But its not just scenic beauty.  In Playacar you can enjoy an afternoon on an 18-hole championship golf course, play tennis, swim, dive, fish, snorkel or go horseback riding.  The grounds are studded with many parks, pools, and ancient Maya temple and even a bird sanctuary.

The resort has luxury hotels, condominiums and private villas.

The ancient Maya worshiped nature - Playacar does its best to carry on the tradition.

Puerto Aventuras

Puerto Aventuras was the first resort town built south of Cancun.  Today it is still a very discreet, exclusive and beautiful tourist development and a favorite of people who want to relax in comfort and tranquility.  The center of town is the marina, a lovely inlet full of boats surrounded by restaurants, coffee shops, handicraft stores, bakeries, a small bookstore and some interesting bars.  There is also the CEDAM  museum featuring artifacts from many of the shipwrecks which have occurred along this section of the Caribbean coast.

These packages include 3 nights accommodations, airport transfers (except where noted) and hotel taxes.  Presented are variety priced accommodations. All package prices are per person, based on double occupancy.  Other hotels, extended stays, single and triple rates and local tours and activities are all available.

No matter what your ultimate destination along the Riviera Maya there are sure to be all the watersports that you would expect in any Caribbean resort.  So, whether your choice is snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, sport fishing or just swimming you are sure to have those activities at your door.  But there are many more attractions and activities that you need to know about.  Here are some of the best!

The Great Maya Reef - The Principle Attraction of the Riviera Maya - A coral reef of unrivaled beauty stretching from Cancun to the Bay Islands of Honduras, this is a snorkelers, divers and anglers paradise.  All along the coast and at all the major resorts there are dive shops and fishing outfitters that can get you to the reef and into the action.

• Xcaret - The most spectacular eco-archaeological amusement park on the coast offers a wide array of activities, from floating in underground rivers to swimming with dolphins; from snorkeling to folkloric ballet; from ancient Maya ball games to "seawalking" (underwater helmet dives); from horseback riding to fine dining; from diving and snorkeling to a butterfly farm; from archaeological sites to the Papantla Flyers (ancient aerial ceremony); from a Maya village to a botanical garden and, above all,  family fun.  Xcaret has it all!

• Tulum - One of the few Mayan sites to still be occupied when the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, Tulum is famed for its remarkable position on the shores of the Caribbean Sea and its wall paintings (similar to those found in Mayan codices), Tulum was an important city and port in the century before the Spanish conquest. The only walled city the Maya ever built, it is also unique in that it is the only major Maya site built on the Caribbean Coast.  This site offers some of the finest examples of monumental paintings and strictly religious architecture in the Mayan world.

• Xel Ha - Millions of years ago the Maya gods created one of the most beautiful of their world - they called it Xel-Ha.  The Mayan term "Xel-Ha" means "where the waters are born".  This description is entirely appropriate at Xel-Ha.  The waters here are a combination of freshwater from the region's underground rivers and the saltwater of the Caribbean.  Home to thousands of tropical fish and protected from the surf and currents of the sea, this is an incredible ecosystem and one of the premier snorkeling spots in the entire Caribbean.  Surrounded by a thick jungle, and ancient ruins, there are also the caves and jungle paths; the bicycle paths and the dolphin encounter; the tubing and the pure serenity of it all.  The gods, surely, are pleased with their efforts.

• Playacar Golf Course - Designed by Robert Von Hagge, this 18-hole, 7,200 yard layout was carved out of the jungle.  Facilities include a putting green, driving range, pro shop and clubhouse.  This exceptional golf facility is open to the public.

• Dolphin Discovery - A number of places offer "diving with dolphins" experiences, but the original, Dolphin Discovery, offers this opportunity as a reserved one hour session with professional videos of your dive available.  Reservations are required and the minimum age of 12 should be noted.  Children 8 to 11 can participate, but only with an adult.

• Cenote, Cave and Cavern Diving - Cenotes are sink holes created millions of years ago when pieces of land above subterranean rivers collapsed.  These cenotes, filled with crystal-clear, fresh water, were considered by the Maya.  They vary tremendously in size, depth and shape, are usually surrounded by exuberant jungle and are a great place for swimming and snorkeling.  The entrances and exits of the underground rivers of the cenotes often lead to caverns, underground worlds which often look like an immense cathedral  or tunnel.  They are often filled with stalactites an stalagmites, some less than a foot - others well over 60 feet in length.  Anyone who enters this incredible world will feel as though they are flying through space.  The current is almost imperceptible, there is no movement or noise and no sensation of weight, gravity or resistance.  Unlike diving in the ocean, the visibility seems endless.  The water is crystal clear and with the light from the cenote entrance, the surroundings acquire an intense blue hue. There are many specialized dive shops along the coast, all offering courses for all levels of expertise , that regularly dive the cenotes, caves and caverns of the Riviera Maya.

• Chichen Itza -  Only a short drive (or flight) from the Riviera Maya, Chichen-Itza is undoubtedly the best-know of the Maya cities.  Chichen-Itza belongs to the Late Classis and Early Preclassic periods.  Among its best-known structures are the 70-foot tall Kukulcan (El Castillo), the Temple of the Warriors and the Maya world's largest ball court.

Coba - This virtually unexplored archaeological region covers and area of 9 square miles. Between the 7th and 10 centuries Coba was the most important city in the northeast Yucatan.  This is evidenced by the many steles and the impressive network of raised causeways, between 1 and 8 feet above the ground and about 14 feet wide,  leading to the city.

Tres Rios - This amazing tropical reserve showcases the region's dense mangrove jungle.  The site takes its name from the three rivers that flow from large cenotes wells, eventually empting into a Caribbean estuary.  You can explore the site by canoe, kayak, horseback, mountain bike or be swimming in the crystalline rivers and sinkholes.  There are several group excursions with expert guides, a sandy beach and a palapa-style oceanfront restaurant.

• Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve - Located 5 miles south of Tulum is the entrance to Sian Ka'an, a 1.3 million acre ecological park of forests, lagoons, wetlands, ruins and exotic marine habitats.  In addition to all the many ecosystems, there is an abundance of animals such as the jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, jaguarundi, howler monkeys, crocodiles and over 350 species of birds.  The area has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.  Sian Ka'an is accessed via a rugged but scenic coastal road.

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