Best things to do in Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean: a travel guide with everything you need to know

Paradisiacal beaches, delicious gastronomy and living Mayan culture are the main ingredients that make the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean one of the most popular and sought-after tourist destinations in Mexico.

In this guide we try to show you everything to see and do in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean with specific itineraries for one, two or three weeks with practical suggestions, where to stay and even where to eat so you can make the most of your trip.

Basic facts for traveling to Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

Currency: MXN ($) Mexican Peso (1$ equals 20$ MXN approx.). Check the updated exchange rate here

Official Language: Spanish

Population: The state of Quintana Roo has 1,858,000 inhabitants (in 2020).

When to visit: you can go all year round although the ideal time to go is during the dry season (from November to April); you can also go during the rainy season (from May to October) since it doesn’t rain every day or all day but you have to take into account that there is a higher probability of hurricanes between June and November. We detail more about when to visit the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean in this section of the guide.

How long to stay: In our opinion the minimum would be one week (and that is not enough time for everything), and the ideal amount of time to visit all the places included in this guide would be 3 weeks. In this section we share specific itineraries for the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean to help you organize your trip.

How to get there: There are many direct international flights to Cancun so we recommend you use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price. More details in this section of the guide.

Visa: With a US, Canadian, European or UK passport it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days. Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Where to stay: depending on your itinerary and number of days, you can choose between a single base (Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun…) or several bases. More details in the Where to stay in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean section of the guide.

What to bring: A good travel insurance (in this link we give you a 5% discount on the one we always carry) and here is the list of what you must have in your backpack for this trip

Getting around: The best option is to rent a car to move around freely, although you also have other options such as ADO buses, colectivos, cabs or tours. More info on how to get around the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean in this section of the guide.

How much it costs: From 90$/day per person (approx.) depending on the type of accommodation, meals and how much you want to explore the area. More budget information in this section of the guide.

Internet connection: If you are visiting for a few days, your phone supports eSIM and you don’t want to complicate things, we recommend Holafly eSIM (unlimited data, 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP) or Airalo eSIM (limited data, but cheaper, 15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15). Otherwise, the cheapest way is to get a local SIM (we recommend Telcel). More info here

Vaccines: there are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

Time zone: UTC -5

Where are they and what are the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean?

There is a lot of confusion about what the Riviera Maya is and what it encompasses, and how it differs from Cancun, the Mexican Caribbean, the Grand Costa Maya, Quintana Roo, Yucatan…

In general, Riviera Maya is commonly used to refer to all this area of Mexico bathed by the Caribbean, and even well known destinations further inland such as Valladolid or the Wonder of the World Chichen Itza.

But in reality, the Riviera Maya comprises only a stretch of the Mexican Caribbean coast from Puerto Morelos through Playa del Carmen to Tulum/Punta Allen, according to the official Mexican Caribbean Tourism website.

Below we try to differentiate the concepts to ensure that we call each thing by its name, and below we include maps detailing the boundaries of each place.

• Riviera Maya: is the coastal strip between Puerto Morelos and Tulum / Punta Allen, including Playa del Carmen, in part of the Mexican Caribbean, within the state of Quintana Roo. It is the main tourist destination in all of Mexico.
• Cancun: is a coastal city north of the Riviera Maya and the third most important tourist destination in Mexico, behind the Riviera Maya and Mexico City (CDMX).
• Costa Mujeres: the area comprising the coastal strip north of Cancun.
• Grand Costa Maya: is another zone located south of the Riviera Maya that includes the tourist destinations of Bacalar, Chetumal and Mahahual.
• Mexican Caribbean: is the entire tourist area of Mexico on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, including all of the above (Cancun, Riviera Maya, Grand Costa Maya, Costa Mujeres) as well as the islands (Isla Mujeres, Isla Contoy, Cozumel) and Holbox.
• Quintana Roo: is the state in which all of the above zones are located.
• Yucatan: Yucatan is the state to the left of Quintana Roo, which borders the states of Quintana Roo and Campeche. The state of Yucatan is home to the cities of Valladolid and Merida, as well as the Wonder of the World Chichen Itza and many other Mayan archaeological sites.
• Yucatan Peninsula: is the name given to the southeastern area of Mexico that divides the Caribbean from the Gulf of Mexico, and is formed by the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Campeche.

Below you can see two maps of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and the 3 states that form it: Campeche (green), Yucatan (blue) and Quintana Roo (yellow):

And in this other map you can see the Mexican Caribbean (in gray, within the state of Quintana Roo) and its different sub-zones such as the Riviera Maya (blue), Cancun (turquoise), Costa Mujeres (green), Gran Costa Maya (yellow, to which Bacalar and Mahahual belong) and Maya Ka’an (in black, which is located between the Riviera Maya and the Gran Costa Maya and to which, for example, the Sian Ka’an Reserve belongs):

When to visit the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

Undoubtedly the best time to visit the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean is during the winter months, between November and February. To choose the best time of the year you have to take into account 3 main factors: weather, tourist demand and sargassum. Here we detail when to visit the Mexican Caribbean based on them.

Weather in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

The weather in the Mexican Caribbean is mainly divided into two seasons:

• Dry season (November to April): less chance of rain, milder temperatures (it is still hot). The winter months (December to March) usually have the best weather, although depending on the year this may vary, and during December and January it is common for “nortes” to arrive with somewhat cooler winds and sporadic rains that can sometimes even cause port closures for boats, affecting tours.
• Rainy season (May to October): it rains more, it is warmer and there is a higher probability of hurricanes (the official hurricane season is from June to November).

The ideal time to visit the Mexican Caribbean is during the dry season, to have a better chance of good weather and less hurricanes, from December to April.

Here is a summary table of the weather in the 3 main destinations of the Mexican Caribbean (Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum) to get an idea of what you can expect:

Cancun weather chart, with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Amount of sargassum	Rainy days
January	20º	27º	26º	Low	6
February	20º	28º	26º	Low	5
March	21º	28º	26º	Medium	4
April	23º	30º	27º	High	4
May	24º	31º	27º	High	7
June	25º	31º	28º	High	11
July	25º	32º	29º	High	10
August	24º	32º	29º	Medium	11
September	24º	31º	29º	Medium	14
October	23º	30º	28º	Low	13
November	21º	29º	27º	Low	8
December	20º	28º	27º	Low	6
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Amount of sargassum	Rainy days

Playa del Carmen weather chart, with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Amount of sargassum	Rainy days
January	18º	28º	27º	Low	6
February	18º	28º	26º	Low	5
March	19º	30º	26º	Medium	5
April	20º	31º	27º	High	5
May	22º	32º	28º	High	8
June	23º	32º	28º	High	12
July	22º	32º	29º	High	12
August	22º	32º	29º	Medium	13
September	22º	31º	29º	Medium	16
October	22º	30º	29º	Low	14
November	20º	29º	28º	Low	8
December	19º	28º	27º	Low	6
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Amount of sargassum	Rainy days

Tulum weather chart, with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Risk of sargassum	Rainy days
January	17º	28º	27º	Low	6
February	17º	29º	26º	Low	5
March	18º	31º	27º	Medium	5
April	19º	32º	27º	High	4
May	21º	33º	28º	High	9
June	21º	32º	29º	High	13
July	21º	32º	29º	High	13
August	21º	32º	29º	Medium	14
September	21º	31º	29º	Medium	17
October	20º	30º	29º	Low	15
November	19º	29º	28º	Low	8
December	17º	28º	27º	Low	6
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Risk of sargassum	Rainy days

Sargassum in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

Another problem that affects several areas of the Mexican Caribbean is the famous sargassum that invades the shore of the beaches and changes the landscape from a postcard beach to a less appetizing one. Sargassum usually appears between April and October, although like everything else, it depends on the year.

Sargassum is a floating macroalgae that moves with the currents. It has its important function in the ocean (for example, it produces oxygen through photosynthesis and is a habitat for different species). On the other hand, an excessive amount of sargassum can generate problems in the ocean itself (for example, if it sinks it can suffocate corals).

In theory it has always existed in the Gulf of Mexico, but since 2011 it began to increase its area, and from then on large quantities of sargassum began to arrive on the shores of the Caribbean beaches, disfiguring them and producing a nauseating odor.

The amount of sargassum that arrives and the months during which it appears varies from year to year, being very difficult to predict: normally the sargassum season goes from April to August, but for example in 2023 it started to appear already in February.

The Mexican government and businesses/hotels have several initiatives to try to mitigate the effects of sargassum, such as cleaning the beaches or even installing anti-sargassum nets/barriers in the sea, but they are not 100% effective so the ideal is to avoid the months with more risk of sargassum if your goal is to travel to the Mexican Caribbean to enjoy its beaches.

If you want to check the updated status of the different beaches of the Mexican Caribbean, there is the Facebook page Red de Monitoreo del Sargazo de Quintana Roo, which frequently updates the data (although not always), in Viajefest or in Sargassum Monitoring. We also recommend searching for Instagram stories by location to see “real time” images of the beaches you plan to visit.

Tourism demand in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

The times of highest tourist demand (and therefore, when we will find more people, more lines, more expensive prices and more complications to go to the most famous restaurants or places) are:

• Summer (June to October): in addition to being school vacation time in many countries and increasing demand (and prices), it is the rainy and hurricane season.
• Easter Week (March/April)
• National Holidays (November, December)
• Christmas and New Year’s Eve

So we recommend you to avoid those dates if you want to enjoy the city more calmly and with better accommodation prices.

Summary: best months to visit the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

Based on the above, if you are looking to visit the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean with less people, good weather and reasonable prices, the best months are November, December, January and February, being that March to May is also a good time although very hot and with a higher probability of sargassum.

How to get to the Mayan Riviera and the Mexican Caribbean

There are plenty of direct international flights to Cancun so we recommend you use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price.

The state of Quintana Roo also has international airports on the island of Cozumel, in Chetumal and, since 2023, in Tulum.

How to get from Cancun airport to your accommodation in the Riviera Maya or the Mexican Caribbean?

Being the most common option to arrive at Cancun’s international airport, you have several options to move from the airport to other points of the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean. Here we detail the most common ones, but we recommend you to visit the guide of each destination for more detailed information:

• By Bus: The ADO bus company connects the airport to Cancun with several points such as Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun, etc. ADO leaves from all airport terminals. In case there is no direct ADO from the airport to your destination, it is possible that there is a connection from the ADO terminal in Cancun downtown. You can check schedules and buy tickets online here
• By Taxi/Uber: only official cabs can be used at the airport, Uber is not allowed. Prices vary according to the destination: to Cancun hotel zone it costs between 600 and 800 MXN, to Playa del Carmen between 800 and 1000 MXN…
• Private transfer: if you prefer, you can hire a private transfer from the airport to your accommodation in the Riviera Maya, so that someone will be waiting for you when you arrive at the airport. We hired this service upon our arrival in Cancun to get to Puerto Morelos, and it worked perfectly. For example, the 6-seater vehicle from Cancun airport to Playa del Carmen costs about 1300 MXN, so it can be an economical option if you travel with several people.
• By rental car: if you are going to visit several places in the Riviera Maya or the Yucatan Peninsula, rentint a car is an excellent option, so you don’t depend on transportation and have total freedom. Driving around the Yucatan Peninsula is generally easy and safe, although you should carefully read the rental conditions because in Mexico there is a lot of confusion with the different types of insurance and you may get a surprise when you arrive to pick up the car. At Randomtrip we rented a car and picked it up directly at the Cancun airport and everything went great, we tell you about it in the Transportation section.

Do I need a visa to travel to Mexico?

For people with USA, Canada, UK and European passports it is not necessary to obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Mexico, it will be enough to show your valid passport, and depending on your departure date, you will be given up to a maximum of 180 days.

Although Mexico does not require a passport with at least 6 months validity, some airlines do, so it’s better to comply.

Are there any mandatory vaccinations for travel to Mexico?

There are some recommended vaccines if you travel to Mexico, you can check them here

How many days to stay in the Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean

In our opinion, you will need a minimum of 7 days, although that will not be enough to see all the places in this guide. The ideal amount of time to visit the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean is 21 days (3 weeks).

In this section we share specific itineraries of the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean to help you organize your trip.

Things to see and do in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

To make it easier for you to plan your trip to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean, we have divided the places into three zones: the Riviera Maya itself, Valladolid and Chichen Itza (in the interior of the Yucatan Peninsula), and the rest of the Mexican Caribbean.

Map of the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

As we told you, we have divided the places into three zones (Riviera Maya, Valladolid+Chichen Itzá, Rest of Mexican Caribbean) and we have assigned each zone a different color to make it easier for you to identify them. It’s all on a Google Maps map that you can take with you on your smartphone to use during your trip:

Brief introduction to the Riviera Maya

In general, there tends to be a lot of confusion about what we mean when we talk about the Riviera Maya. As we mentioned in the section “Where are and what are the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean“, the Riviera Maya comprises just a part of the Mexican Caribbean between Tulum and Puerto Morelos but those who visit it seek to know other nearby, touristic and attractive areas that technically are no longer part of it, such as Cancun, Costa Mujeres, Gran Costa Mayan (Bacalar and Mahahual), Maya Ka’an (the Sian Ka’an Reserve next to Tulum), Chichen Itza, Valladolid or the paradisiacal islands of the Mexican Caribbean such as Isla Mujeres, Isla Contoy, Cozumel or the beautiful island in the Gulf of Mexico, Holbox.

Of the three states that make up the Yucatan Peninsula (Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo), the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean both belong to the state of Quintana Roo, to which most of the places we will talk about in this guide belong, except for places we include that belong to the state of Yucatan (such as Chichen Itza and Valladolid) or the state of Campeche (such as the city of Campeche or Calakmul).

But then why is it called Riviera Maya?

The concept of “Riviera Maya” actually emerged in the 1990s as a marketing strategy to attract more tourism to what was then known as the “Cancun-Tulum Tourist Corridor” (until then tourism was concentrated only in Cancun and they wanted to expand it), seeking to unite the glamorous concept that inspires the word “Riviera” in the collective imagination (following the European Italian and French Rivieras) to the historical and cultural Mayan legacy of the region.

Originally inhabited by Mayan peoples since 200 BC, the entire area known as the “Riviera Maya” was an important commercial and religious center in the Mesoamerican Classic period. And although the cities of this coastal zone did not achieve the political importance and the magnitude of constructions of other cities of the peninsula such as Chichen Itzá (belonging to the state of Yucatán) or Calakmul (belonging to the state of Campeche), it is certain that their villages and towns supplied the great city-states of the interior of the Yucatán peninsula through commercial routes with resources of the Caribbean Sea such as shells or corals, very used in rituals.

Later, in the Postclassic period, after the fall of the League of Mayapán (the alliance of the Maya states of Chichen Itzá, Uxmal and Mayapán) in 1441, the region was divided into territories whose ways of life were predominantly tribal (the Ekab, Uaymil and Chactemal territories) where Cozumel stood out as it was an important point of Maya pilgrimage (as we tell in our complete guide to the island of Cozumel). By 1547, Spanish colonization had already conquered the entire region, and the effect of colonization is visible today in various aspects of life in Yucatán (and in Mexico, in general). We could say that only the type of settlers and the contours of colonization have changed.

Riviera Maya or “Riviera Mala” (Bad Riviera in spanish)

Unfortunately, much of the Riviera Maya (especially its most touristy spots) has a less friendly side which, at Randomtrip, we have called the Riviera Mala (Bad Riviera in spanish) where classism, privatization and animal abuse are the really common and which has little or nothing from the Mayan culture.

It is very sad to see how much of the biodiverse and paradisiacal Mexican Caribbean has joined a trend that reflects much of what we believe is wrong with the way tourism is done: mass tourism and fast consumption that uses and abuses natural resources, leaving very little in return to the place visited and its local population. A tourist trend where multinational chains take precedence over small, authentic and genuine local businesses; where happy hours of margaritas (of dubious quality) take precedence over a rich, slow and unhurried drink; where a photo for social networks involving animal abuse practices takes precedence over respect for animals, their welfare and even their survival.

An unfortunate trend where infrastructure does not accompany the abrupt acceleration of tourism and is having a disastrous impact on the area and its local population (from traffic, accommodation and even sewage problems to the absurd inflation of prices and the impossibility, in places like Tulum for example, to enjoy the same environment, due to the privatization of access to the beaches).

Throughout a trip to the Riviera Maya, it is essential to approach its past, contemplating the Mayan constructions in which mathematical bases and high level of precision, arts and engineering were used in several archaeological sites (such as Coba or Tulum). It is equally important to be aware, in the present, that the Mayas whose culture we admire so much, the descendants of the original peoples, are still present here today, most of them subjected to precarious conditions and often forced to move from their territory.

The beauty of the beaches of the Riviera Maya, the richness of its culture, the explosion of flavors of its cuisine and the friendliness of its people is a fact and there were several places that we liked, surprised us, and ended up becoming our favorites (we reveal them in this section of the guide). But the truth is that, even with adjusted expectations (being aware that we were arriving to a very well known and touristic destination), most of our days in the Riviera Maya were a bit of a disappointment due to all of the above. Depending on the time of year you go, you may have better luck (less tourists, better prices, less sargassum, etc…) but the future of the Riviera Maya and its population is something we should be concerned about.

As travelers, it is up to us to choose where to travel and, above all, how to travel, remembering that we are in an area of living, wise and ancestral Mayan culture, present in the people, gastronomy, traditions and customs, which we should approach with curiosity and respect.

We hope this brief introduction has helped you become more aware of our footprint in the Riviera Maya and the impact of every decision we make throughout our trip.

Things to see and do in the Riviera Maya

The exact area that is called Riviera Maya (from Puerto Morelos to Tulum) is full of resorts that have taken over the beaches all along the coast, and has 3 main towns or bases to explore the area: Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Puerto Morelos.

Playa del Carmen

How many days in Playa del Carmen? At Randomtrip we spent 7 days in the area, although part of them we were working. To get to know Playa del Carmen and its surroundings we think that 1 or 2 days are enough. Due to its location, you can also use Playa del Carmen as a base to get to know the Riviera Maya and nearby places.

Playa del Carmen (or just “Playa” when you gain confidence) was not one of our favorite destinations in the Riviera Maya by far due to the type of tourism it is oriented to (and the amount of tourists it receives) but it has two advantages that make it attractive: beautiful beaches that can be accessed free of charge (something that is becoming increasingly scarce in the Riviera Maya) and that it is a good base (due to the gastronomic, nightlife and lodging offer) to visit places in the area such as the island of Cozumel, Tulum, Cancun or one of the 7 Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza. As a bonus, it invites you to explore some of the most impressive cenotes of Yucatan, not only swimming but also diving, a unique experience that this part of the world offers you.

Things to see and do in Playa del Carmen

Here are the top things to see and do in Playa del Carmen, you can see more in our complete guide to Playa del Carmen:

• Walk along Fifth Avenue, a pedestrian avenue, a couple of kilometers long, where much of the commercial and leisure offer for tourism is concentrated and is the reference point to locate us in the center of the city.
• Visit the Parque de los Fundadores, the heart of the city. Located between Fifth Avenue and the Caribbean Sea (more specifically, Fundadores Beach), this plaza is home to the famous sculpture of the Mayan Portal, the most emblematic of the city that has become an icon of the Riviera Maya.
• Enjoy the public beaches of Playa del Carmen, such as Playa Fundadores, Playa Mamitas, Playa 38, Playa Pelicanos, Playa Punta Esmeralda…
• Appreciate the street art: another of the plans you can do in Playa del Carmen is to get lost in its streets in search of street art, to take pictures or simply to appreciate these works of art.
• Frida Kahlo Museum Riviera Maya: in the middle of Quinta Avenida in Playa del Carmen you will find the Frida Kahlo Museum Riviera Maya, a small museum with several interactive pieces where you can learn about the life and work of this iconic artist. Buy your ticket to the Frida Khalo Museum in Playa del Carmen here.
• Diving: if you like diving, this is an ideal destination as you will be able to do some unique dives in the world such as diving in a cenote!

Best things to do in Playa del Carmen (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Puerto Morelos

How many days in Puerto Morelos? At Randomtrip we stayed 5 days to Puerto Morelos (2 at the beginning of the trip, 3 at the end). We believe that 1 or 2 days are enough to get to know Puerto Morelos and surroundings, but it can also be an excellent base to explore the area, quieter than Playa del Carmen and cheaper than Cancun.

Puerto Morelos is a small fishing village that, despite its proximity to Cancun or Playa del Carmen, maintains a certain essence and is not yet very crowded. In addition, its beaches are free, and the reef is included in a National Park (and therefore protected), so it is an ideal place for snorkeling and to see turtles, eagle rays, fish, etc..

Things to see and do in Puerto Morelos

Here are the main things to see and do in Puerto Morelos:

• Take a snorkeling tour at the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park, where you can see turtles, eagle rays and other marine fauna.
• You can also snorkel on your own (outside the National Park), we recommend you to do it in the area of the “Ojo de Agua”, a hole through which fresh water emerges, it is more or less around here. Don’t forget to bring your own snorkeling gear for this trip.
• Enjoy the public beaches with crystal clear waters.
• Take a picture with the Leaning Lighthouse of Puerto Morelos, a symbol for the town since during an intense hurricane in 1967 that destroyed houses, the lighthouse only leaned, being today a symbol of resistance.
• Visit the main garden and its little craft stalls in the evenings (in the surroundings you also have other small stores selling crafts and souvenirs of the area).
• Visit one of the cenotes in “la ruta de los cenotes (the route of the cenotes)“.

Tulum

How many days in Tulum? In Randomtrip we stayed 7 days in Tulum, although part of them we were working. To visit Tulum and surroundings we believe that 2 or 3 days are necessary.

In addition to boasting one of the most visited archaeological sites in the country, Tulum offers other attractions that invite travelers to stay a few days longer. After contemplating the famous Mayan Ruins on the shores of the Caribbean, there is a succession of fine white sand beaches lined with palm trees and a turquoise sea that make up the idea we have of a Caribbean paradise. Although, as we tell you in our guide, enjoying this paradise comes at a price (sometimes too high).

Things to see and do in Tulum

Here are the top things to see and do in Tulum, you can see more in our complete guide to Tulum:

• Visit the famous Mayan ruins of Tulum, on the shores of the Caribbean.
• Enjoy the beaches of Tulum: you have those of the Jaguar National Park (within which the ruins are located) and those of the Hotel Zone, which you can practically only enjoy upon payment at a beach club or accommodation at very inflated prices.
• Visit Tulum town center
• Take a walk through the hotel zone and the different works of art that you will find there.
• Visit some of the cenotes near Tulum, such as Cenote Calavera, Gran Cenote, Cenote Corazón…
• Visit the Kaam Luum Lagoon

Best things to do in Tulum (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Cobá (Archaeological Zone and Cenotes)

How many days in Coba? In Randomtrip we dedicated 1 day to Cobá, driving from Tulum, and taking advantage of the trip to visit some cenotes, and we think it is enough.

The Coba Archaeological Zone, located only about 50 minutes from downtown Tulum, is an excellent half-day excursion to learn more about Mayan history.

Things to see and do in Coba

The main points to visit are the Nohoch Mul Pyramid (the highest at 42m), the Mayan roads (Sacbé), the ball game field and the church.

Some interesting notes about Coba:

• The Archaeological Zone kept its original name (Cobá) although our guide Nicolás told us that it used to be something like “Coc Há” or “Cop Há”.
• The area is surrounded by 5 lakes, so it is believed that the name meant “choppy water”, “water agitated by the wind” or “muddy water” in relation to them. In the lakes there are crocodiles.
• In the archaeological zone there are 5 temples, although at the moment only 3 can be visited.
• Several Mayan roads (sacbé) can be seen: the area has 45 roads (35 local, 8 zonal and 2 regional). These roads are elevated, and some are still hidden underground/vegetation. Sacbé 1 is about 100km to Yaxnah, and another 20km to Chichén Itzá and Ek Balam. Every 2km or so there is a ramp: they carried the goods on their backs, and at those points there was another person to relieve the previous person.
• Coba is said to have had about 55,000 inhabitants.
• You can see that most of the constructions are squared: the Maya did not build round, because the Maya calendar is circular and sacred. The round columns that can be seen arrived with the Toltecs (for the Toltecs, the round represents the god of the wind – kukulkan, feathered serpent). The square for the Maya represents the 4 cardinal points.
• There are two ball courts. In one of them a stone representation of a human skull was found (which is believed to indicate that human sacrifices were performed there) and also a stone representing a decapitated jaguar.
• The tallest building, Nohoch Mul (meaning big mound), is a solid temple (there is nothing inside), and since the pandemic it is not allowed to be climbed.

Xcacel Beach

How much time in Playa Xcacel? At Randomtrip we dedicate half a day to visit this incredible beach, and that’s enough unless you want to repeat.

Arriving at Xcacel Beach was an incredible surprise! It is located about 15 minutes north of Tulum, and is a complete paradise: fine white sand, turquoise waters protected by the coral reef, no vendors or services, and at least for the moment, not many people.

We owe this paradise to the local people, who came together to protect the area when it was sold, like so many other coastal areas in the Riviera Maya, for the construction of hotels (which privatize the beach and do not allow access to the beach unless you stay at their hotel).

The importance of this beach also lies in the fact that it is one of the nesting areas for sea turtles (of the 7 species that exist in the world, all in danger of extinction, 6 are present here on the Mexican coast). For this reason, the beach is currently part of a Natural Protected Area and is a Turtle Sanctuary, so the turtles are prioritized and areas of the beach are closed according to the season to protect the turtle eggs.

You can get more information about Xcacel here

Akumal Beach

How long in Akumal Beach? At Randomtrip we did not go to Akumal because despite the regulation, there is animal abuse towards turtles. If you still go, half a day is enough

Akumal is synonymous with turtles, as there is a very popular tour to go to its beach and have the chance to snorkel with turtles. Unfortunately, the tour became so popular that they had to limit the amount of people, the areas where you can and cannot access and put several rules, also making it a more expensive experience, and even then the rules are not respected and we consider that the activity does not meet the standards and can be considered animal abuse. If you want to know more about it, we recommend you to read this post. In this post they mention a scientific article that contains evidence that touching turtles not only produces psychological stress but also ulcers and even cancer as a result of physical stress and the transfer of harmful chemicals and bacteria.

In general, all the information we received about Akumal goes against what we consider responsible tourism and with the type of tourism we like (more relaxed, with less crowds, etc.), so we decided not to go so as not to be part of this type of tourism that promotes animal abuse, and we recommend the same to you.

Rio Secreto

How long in Rio Secreto? At Randomtrip we didn’t get to go to Rio Secreto, but half a day is enough if you want to see it.

If you like cenotes and caves, Rio Secreto is a place to include in your route through the Riviera Maya. It can only be visited by tour (you can go on your own to the entrance but to access it you must hire one of the tours), where you can visit the interior of this subway river full of stalactites and stalagmites. You can book the entrance to Rio Secreto here

Things to see and do in Valladolid and Chichen Itzá

Although Valladolid and Chichen Itza, one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, are not in the Riviera Maya or the Mexican Caribbean (they are in the state of Yucatan), the proximity to the Riviera Maya makes them to be included in virtually every trip to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean.

Most people visit both places on a tour from their base in Cancun or the Riviera Maya (you can book the tour here, it includes visiting Valladolid, a Cenote and Chichen Itza, and pick up in several areas of the Riviera Maya), although if you have some time, we recommend doing it on your own and spending at least one night in Valladolid.

Valladolid

How many days in Valladolid? In Randomtrip we stayed 7 days in Valladolid, although part of them working. In our opinion, 2 or 3 days are necessary to visit Valladolid and its surroundings.

Returning to Valladolid after a month between the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean was a breath of authenticity. Something like returning to a more authentic and genuine Mexico. Between its pastel-colored streets, its museums and colonial neighborhoods and the best cochinita pibil we tasted in all of Mexico, Valladolid is worth a stop, at least for a day. But be warned, Valladolid is captivating and you will want to stay some more. It was one of our favorite stops on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Things to see and do in Valladolid

Here are the main things to see and do in Valladolid:

• Visit the Francisco Cantón Rosado Main Park and its famous Yucatecan chairs.
• Get to know the Temple of San Servacio
• Take a dip in the Zaci cenote in the heart of Valladolid.
• Stroll through the Calzada de los Frailes
• Visit the Convent of San Bernardino of Siena
• Visit the MUREM: Museum of Ethnic Clothing of Mexico
• Try the best cochinita pibil tacos (Yucatan’s specialty) at El Tigrillo street stand

Chichen Itza

How much time for Chichen Itza? At Randomtrip we spend about 5 hours (entering first thing in the morning), to tour the archaeological site calmly and, part of the time, with a guide. If you go on a tour, most people spend between 1 and 2 hours at the site.

Being one of the 7 Wonders of the World, almost everyone who visits the Mexican Caribbean includes the archaeological site of Chichen Itza in their itinerary, either with a tour or on their own. In our opinion, the ideal is to stay at least one night in Valladolid and visit the ruins of Chichen Itza on your own, to be able to visit them well and calmly, and try to avoid the busiest times of the day.

In our guide to Chichen Itza, which we will publish shortly, we will tell you everything you need to know to enjoy this wonder of the world.

Ekbalam and Cenote X’Canché

How much time for Ekbalam? In Randomtrip we spent 1h30 (with a guide), and 1h more in the cenote X’Canché which is very close.

Although Chichen Itza is one of the most visited Mayan archaeological sites in all of Mexico, it is not the only one, nor is it the most incredible one. In fact, very close to Valladolid you also have the archaeological site of Ekbalam, which we highly recommend, with much fewer people visiting it. Ekbalam is from the pre-classic period, much older than Tulum and Chichen Itzá (and contemporary to Palenque in Chiapas), and among other things it stands out for its incredibly decorated and well-preserved stucco facade.

Also, take advantage of the visit to go to the cenote X’Canché, when we went there were hardly any people and we were able to enjoy this cenote almost in solitude.

Cenotes near Valladolid

How much time for the cenotes? At Randomtrip we visit a couple of cenotes, for a few hours. It will depend on how long you want to enjoy them and how many you want to visit.

Near Valladolid there are many cenotes, so it is worth visiting some of them. If you visit Valladolid and Chichen Itza on a tour, your visit will include going to a cenote, but as the tours all go to the same cenotes and at similar times, they lose a lot of charm due to the amount of people. If you go on your own you can choose other cenotes or go to the most popular ones but at other times, with much less people.

Here are some of the most popular ones:

• Suytun Cenote
• Hacienda Cenote Oxman
• Zazil Cenote
• Palomitas Cenote
• Cenote Ik-kil

How to choose which cenote to go to?

Depending on the time you have, who accompanies you and even the weather, take into account variables such as:

• Distance from the point where you are , taking into account return travel time
• Accessibility of the cenote: there are cenotes with ideal infrastructures for children or people with functional diversity and other cenotes where access alone is a real adventure.
• Cenote services: some cenotes (the more touristy ones) have restrooms, dressing rooms, vest rental, or dining options, and others are more rustic.
• Type of cenote: for example, subway cenote, ideal for rainy days, or open/semi-open, perfect to visit on sunny days and enjoy the reflection of the sun on the crystal clear waters.

Also, when you go to a cenote, remember to be a responsible tourist:

• Do not use sunscreen or mosquito repellent before entering the cenote to best preserve it (the cenote and the life that lives in it).
• Do not leave garbage (and if you find any, pick it up), especially if you bring something to eat, in the cenotes where eating is allowed.
• Visit the cenote during the week and early or late in the day (if possible) to avoid crowds of people that have a negative impact on the site. The largest influx of people in the cenotes is usually on weekends (especially on Sunday) and between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
• Bring your own snorkeling equipment (although in most cases you can rent it there) and a waterproof camera to record your adventures in the cenotes (at Randomtrip we carry a Gopro Hero 12 Black).

Things to see and do in the Rest of the Mexican Caribbean

The rest of the Mexican Caribbean, excluding the Riviera Maya, includes Cancun, the islands (Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Contoy), Holbox, the Grand Costa Maya area (Bacalar, Mahahual and Chetumal) and the Sian Ka’an reserve. Here is some information about each place:

Cancun

How many days in Cancun? In Randomtrip we stayed 6 days in Cancun (4 at the beginning of the trip and 2 at the end), although part of them working. In our opinion, to get to know Cancun and surroundings you will need 2 or 3 days.

Being one of the main tourist destinations in the Mexican Caribbean and its most populated city, Cancun offers several possibilities to those who choose it as a vacation destination: days of sun and beach, days of exploring the Mayan culture and the most biodiverse nature in its surroundings or a mix of both.

The truth is that despite the amount of buildings and resorts in its hotel zone and the succession of restaurants and multinational chain stores that sometimes make us doubt if we are in Mexico, the cleanliness, color, quality and free beaches of Cancun surprised us for the better (especially considering the privatization of the beaches that is taking place in several parts of the Riviera Maya).

Things to see and do in Cancun

Here are the top things to see and do in Cancun (see more in our complete guide to Cancun):

• Visit the incredible beaches of Cancun, such as Playa Forum, Playa Marlín, Playa Delfines, Playa Caracol, Playa Tortugas…
• Visit the Mayan Museum of Cancun and the Archaeological Zone of San Miguelito, and the Archaeological Zone of El Rey.
• Enjoying Nichupté Lagoon
• Visit downtown Cancun: Palapas Park, Market 23, Market 28, the Ceviche Roundabout…

Best things to do in Cancun (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Isla Mujeres

How many days in Isla Mujeres? At Randomtrip we stayed 3 days in Isla Mujeres and we believe that 2-3 days is the ideal amount of time.

Just 20 minutes away from Cancun by ferry, Isla Mujeres boasts of being the island where the first rays of sunshine in Mexico are born, a sunrise you can enjoy in the south of the island, next to the statue of the goddess Ixchel to whom the island owes its name. The north of the island boasts what is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mexican Caribbean, the homonymous Playa Norte, which in addition to its phosphorescent blue waters, will give you a beautiful sunset. In one day you will be able to do both plans quietly in addition to swimming among fish and turtles, traveling the 7 km long Isla Mujeres, but you will probably want to stay at least a couple of days more.

Its proximity to one of the major tourist epicenters of the Mexican Caribbean means that Isla Mujeres is not really an island paradise where you can enjoy quiet days at the beach. It is, rather, a small paradise that has been, like so many others in the Mexican Caribbean, partly privatized and exploited to the maximum for the large influx of tourists it receives every day. Even so, it is possible to enjoy its attractions and incredible beaches escaping from the crowds and without suffering too much economic prejudice, if you know how and where.

If you are short of time, you can book a 1 day tour to Isla Mujeres from Cancun here, and you should also know that the tours to Isla Contoy from Cancun include a few hours stop in Isla Mujeres.

Things to see and do in Isla Mujeres

Here are the top things to see and do in Isla Mujeres, you can see more in our complete guide to Isla Mujeres:

• Enjoy the famous Playa Norte, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico.
• Appreciate the views from the El Acantilado lookout point.
• Enjoying La Guadalupana Beach almost in solitude
• Marvel at the beautiful Lancheros Beach, surrounded by palm trees.
• Snorkel at El Garrafon Reef
• Go to Punta Sur and, if you get up early, see the first rays of the Mexican sun.
• Snorkel or dive at MUSA, Underwater Museum of Isla Mujeres
• Whale shark sighting and swimming (between May and September)

Best things to do in Isla Mujeres (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know to visit this island from Cancun

Contoy Island

How long in Isla Contoy? Because it is located in a protected area and it is only possible to go on a tour, you can only spend a couple of hours on Isla Contoy.

Isla Contoy is a small island north of Isla Mujeres, included in the Isla Contoy National Park, created to protect the island and its surroundings. The island is not inhabited, and the only way to visit it is on a tour from Cancun or Isla Mujeres, which in high season can be sold out because there is a maximum daily quota of 200 people who can visit the island (if you are interested, you can read here the management program of the park).

Most people visit Isla Contoy on a tour from Cancun that also takes you through Isla Mujeres (only a couple of hours, dropping you off at Playa Norte), so if you include Isla Mujeres in your itinerary and want to visit Isla Contoy from there, you can hire the tour on the island itself, in most agencies you will find in the northern area.

Tour prices are usually around 100-120$, including food and snorkeling equipment.

In our case we went to Isla Contoy with Kaankun Tours and we highly recommend them as they not only complied with the park rules at all times, they also gave us an excellent briefing of the different stages of the tour, unlimited drinks on board and delicious food in Isla Contoy. Also, we would like to highlight the kindness of the whole team on board.

Here is our complete guide to visit Isla Contoy:

How to get to Isla Contoy (Mexico) from Cancun: a guide to visit the last paradise in the Mexican Caribbean

Cozumel

How many days in Cozumel? At Randomtrip we stayed 5 days in Cozumel, although we believe that 2 or 3 days are enough.

As soon as we set foot on the island of Cozumel after the short ferry ride from Playa del Carmen, we had a glimpse of what our days on the island would be like. On the one hand, the intense blue of a sea full of life promised us some of the best diving and snorkeling in the Riviera Maya. On the other hand, the abrupt and constant sale of tours, the many crappy souvenir stores and the various multinational chain restaurants reminded us that we had just arrived on an island that lives by and for cruise ships and a certain type of express tourism.

On the island of Cozumel we dived in the second largest barrier reef in the world among underwater caves covered with a thousand colors, we watched huge starfishes next to elegant eagle rays and turtles (from a distance and without touching), we swam in beaches of fine sand and turquoise waters (although in most cases after paying at a beach club), we saw crocodiles and flamingos in an area of the island that bears little resemblance to the shock we felt upon arrival.

It is true that in touristy Cozumel, transparency is only reflected in its waters. Outside them, the constant is that the simple task of booking a lodging, restaurant or tour can become a desperate task between shady prices or that you don’t get what you paid for. It is possible, though not easy, to escape this unfortunate trend that Cozumel has embraced.

Things to see and do in Cozumel

Here are the top things to see and do in Cozumel, see more in our complete guide to Cozumel:

• Visit the Punta Sur Eco Beach Park, where you can take a boat ride on the Colombia Lagoon, climb and appreciate the views from the Celarain Lighthouse, enjoy its paradisiacal beaches and spot wildlife such as crocodiles and flamingos.
• Take a snorkeling tour to El Cielo, Cielito and Palancar to see starfish, eagle rays, turtles and many fish and marine fauna.
• Enjoy (or be forced to pay for one to go to the beach) one of its beach clubs.
• Visit the less crowded and wilder beaches on the east coast, such as Chen Rio or San Martin.
• Visit the San Gervasio Archaeological Site
• Tour the main town, San Miguel de Cozumel
• Dive: Cozumel is one of the best places to dive in the Mexican Caribbean.

Best things to do in Cozumel (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know to visit this Caribbean island

Holbox

How many days in Holbox? At Randomtrip we stayed 3 days in Holbox, and we believe this is the ideal amount of time.

With some of the most beautiful beaches we enjoyed in the Yucatan Peninsula, waters that glow at night thanks to their bioluminescence and the possibility of meeting the world’s largest fish in the wild, the whale shark, the small island of Holbox has plenty of reasons to attract more and more tourists. It invites you to stroll along the fine sand, among waves and mangroves, and let sunsets turn into sunrises in one of its beach bars.

Unfortunately Holbox also has a less friendly face where it is evident that its infrastructure did not accompany the abrupt acceleration of its fame and tourism and the disastrous impact in recent years both for the island and its local population. It is (also) in our hand to know how to limit our impact as travelers.

Things to see and do in Holbox

• Enjoy its main beach and take a picture with the Holbox lettering.
• Walk to Punta Mosquito and enjoy our favorite area of Holbox.
• Walk to Punta Cocos Beach
• See bioluminescence at night (on your own or on a kayak tour)
• Enjoy the sunset (e.g. at the Zomay)
• Appreciate street art in Holbox
• Take the 3 islands tour: Passion Island, Bird Island and Ojo de Agua Yalahau (book it here).
• Take the tour to Cabo Catoche(book it here)
• Whale shark sighting and swimming (between May and September)

Here is our complete guide to visit Holbox:

Best things to do in Holbox (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Bacalar

How many days in Bacalar? At Randomtrip we stayed 5 days in Bacalar, and we believe that between 2 and 4 days is the ideal amount of time.

Bacalar ended up becoming one of our favorite places in the Mexican Caribbean. Beyond the stunning freshwater lagoon that won over two sea lovers like us at RandomTrip, its slow-paced town where tourism has not yet stepped too hard caught our attention and made us want to extend our stay here during our two-month trip through the Yucatan Peninsula.

We explored the lagoon of the seven colors by sailboat, pontoon at sunset, kayak and swimming, getting to know its points of interest, its balnearios (free and paid) and, above all, enjoying its calm turquoise waters.

Things to see and do in Bacalar

Here are the main things to see and do in Bacalar, you can see more in our complete guide to visit Bacalar:

• Appreciating the views of the 7 Colors Lagoon
• Swimming in the lagoon from one of its balnearios (such as El Aserradero or Muelle Ecológico).
• Learning about and protecting stromatolites
• Sail around the lagoon, either by pontoon (we did it at sunset with Iselitas Tours), by sailboat (we did it with Bacalar Sailing), by kayak or SUP.
• Go to “Los Rápidos” of Bacalar by Kayak (the area, NOT the restaurant that does not take care of the stromatolites and has inflated prices for tourists).
• Visit Cenote Azul
• Tour the town of Bacalar and its Fort of San Felipe.
• Visit Xul-Ha Lagoon

Best things to do in Bacalar (México): a travel guide with everything you need to know

Mahahual

How many days in Mahahual? In Randomtrip we stayed 7 days in Mahahual (although part of it working), and we believe that 2 or 3 days is the ideal amount of time.

Mahahual became one of our favorite places in the Mexican Caribbean to relax and spend a few days: despite having a cruise port, it is a place that still does not have a lot of tourism, which has free beaches where you can snorkel and a super relaxed atmosphere if you are looking for a beach vacation or a destination where you can spend some time near the beach.

Things to see and do in Mahahual

Here are the main things to see and do in Mahahual:

• Enjoy its amazing free beaches and snorkel on them (don’t forget your own snorkeling equipment on this trip).
• Appreciate the Mahahual Lighthouse with views of the turquoise waters in the background.
• Go to Xahuayxol Beach
• Dive or snorkel at Banco Chinchorro, a coral reef barrier reef that is part of Mexico’s second largest reef reserve in the world.
• In general, relax and enjoy the sea

Our favorite destinations in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

We have to admit that the Riviera Maya (and especially its Riviera Mala side) and the Mexican Caribbean disappointed us a bit: the expectations we had were not very high, because it is a very well known and touristic destination, but it seems that since the pandemic it has been getting worse and in some places we just wanted to “run away”. In terms of destinations, during our 6 month trip through Mexico, we liked the states of Oaxaca and Baja California Sur much more.

Even so, there were several places that we did like, enjoy and were surprised by, that became our favorites and that are the places we would return to if we ever visit the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean again:

• Puerto Morelos: Far from the tourist hustle and bustle, massive hotel construction, night chaos and traffic of Cancun but close to Cancun’s international airport (and Playa del Carmen and several attractions). In Puerto Morelos we found a peaceful town with amazing beaches to access for free, where we saw turtles, ate delicious food and spent a lovely few days. Not only did we like the town itself for relaxing (we highly recommend it!) but we also found it an excellent base for exploring the surrounding areas such as the cenotes route and other spots in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean.

• Mahahual: despite having a cruise ship port, it is a place that still does not have a lot of tourism, which has free beaches where you can snorkel and a super relaxed atmosphere if you are looking for a beach vacation or a destination where you can spend some time near the beach.

• Bacalar: Bacalar ended up becoming one of our favorite places in the Mexican Caribbean. Beyond the stunning freshwater lagoon that won over two sea lovers like we are at Randomtrip, its slow-paced town where tourism hasn’t stepped too hard yet grabbed us and made us want to extend our stay here during our two-month trip through the Yucatan Peninsula. You can see our complete guide to Bacalar here.

• Xcacel Beach: something that horrifies us about the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean is that going to the beach is not always easy, because many hotels and restaurants have taken over the access to the beach, even though beaches are public by law in Mexico. That’s why we loved Xcacel. It is a paradise and we owe it to the local people, who came together to protect the area when it was sold, like so many other coastal areas in the Riviera Maya, for the construction of hotels (which privatize the beach and do not allow access unless you stay at their hotel). You can read more about Xcacel here

• Valladolid: after a month in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean, arriving in Valladolid was like “coming back to Mexico”, and for that reason it won us over. Its pastel-colored streets, the authenticity of its neighborhoods and the best cochinita pibil tacos we tasted in Yucatán made it one of our favorite cities in the Peninsula and an excellent base for exploring must-see spots such as Chichen Itzá, Ek Balam and several cenotes.

• And 3 places that are not in the Riviera Maya or the Mexican Caribbean but that we want to recommend:
  • Campeche: a nice surprise we had in the Yucatan Peninsula was this small city on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Campeche seemed to us, together with Valladolid, one of the most beautiful cities of the peninsula. It invites you to slow down, to stroll through its pastel-colored old town during the day, stroll along the malecon at sunset and let yourself be carried away in a sea of terraces at night, when the city takes on a special energy thanks to the friendliness of its people and the faint illumination of lanterns in the narrow streets. Campeche also has many great sites in the surrounding area, such as the archaeological site of Edzná.
  • Calakmul: Calakmul, in the state of Campeche, was one of our favorite Mayan archaeological sites, along with Palenque in Chiapas. The ruins are completely surrounded by jungle (a few kilometers away is Guatemala and the archaeological site of Tikal, Calakmul’s rival) and it is easy to spot (and especially to hear) howler monkeys, which together with the fact that it still has little tourism due to its long access, make the visit incredible.
  • El Cuyo: We didn’t get to go because we didn’t have enough days, but many people (tourists and locals) told us wonderful things about El Cuyo, both its atmosphere and its beaches. If you are looking for an uncrowded place, off the beaten path, to spend a few days at the beach, it can be an excellent option. Of course, it is in the Gulf of Mexico (like Holbox), so don’t expect turquoise waters where you can snorkel like in the Mexican Caribbean, but beaches like those of the famous island we talked about in the guide.

Get inspired by the Instagram stories of our visit to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean.

Here are the featured Instagram stories (not following us yet?) from our time in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean:

• Stories of Puerto Morelos
• Stories of Tulum, cenotes and Xcacel
• Stories of Valladolid, Chichen Itza and surroundings
• Stories of Cancun
• Stories of Isla Mujeres
• Stories of Isla Contoy
• Stories of Cozumel
• Stories of Holbox
• Stories of Bacalar
• Stories of Mahahual

Where to stay in Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean

Depending on your Riviera Maya/Mexican Caribbean itinerary and the number of days of your trip, you can choose to make a single base or move around and make several bases of a few days.

Here we leave you some suggestions and the best areas in each point where we made base, you can see more suggestions in each specific guide of each destination, which we will publish soon.

• Playa del Carmen: although it doesn’t have much to see beyond the beach, Playa del Carmen has good free beaches, plenty of lodging and restaurants and its location is close to most places of interest, which makes it an excellent base. The area we recommend you to stay in is between 30th avenue and the beach, and between 1st and 50th streets (except in the middle of Quinta Avenida which is noisy). At Randomtrip we stayed in a studio at Icono Playa and we highly recommend it. You can see more recommendations in our Playa del Carmen guide.
• Puerto Morelos: We loved Puerto Morelos as a base, much less touristic than the rest of the Riviera Maya, free beaches, good snorkeling, lunch and dinner options… We recommend staying in the area north of the main park (where the best beach area is). In our case we stayed twice in Puerto Morelos, the first time in Casa Sonoma and the second in Suites & Villas Valentina, both highly recommended.
• Tulum: the cheapest option is to stay in Tulum town (at Randomtrip we stayed at Artec Studios), although to stay on the beach you can also stay in the so-called Hotel Zone (in resorts and boutique hotels with beach access that are generally very expensive, although we have found more reasonable and, very importantly, more sustainable options that we recommend in our guide to Tulum). There is also the option of staying in a couple of intermediate areas, close to town (Aldea Zama and La Veleta) that are growing a lot due to the boom of Tulum, although in principle there you will have fewer transportation and gastronomic options (although there are cheaper accommodations, if you have a rented car it can be a good option). Another option if your visit is more focused on the archaeological zone, is to stay close to it.
• Valladolid: we recommend staying at least one night in Valladolid to visit Chichen Itza early in the morning and the surrounding area, the best area is in the center, as close as possible to the main park.
• Cancun: Ideally, you should stay in the hotel zone to go to the beach, although prices are cheaper in the city (but you will be farther away from the beach). You can also use Cancun as a base to visit/make excursions to different places in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean. At Randomtrip we stayed both times at the Selina in the Hotel Zone, well located and good value for money compared to other accommodations in the area. You can see more options in our Cancun guide.
• Isla Mujeres: many people visit Isla Mujeres for a few hours or at most one day, but we recommend staying there for at least a couple of nights. Ideally, you should stay in the northern part of the island where, besides being close to the famous North Beach (one of the most beautiful and sought-after beaches on the island), there is a wide range of accommodations and restaurants. You can see more options in our Isla Mujeres guide.
• Cozumel: as with Isla Mujeres, many people visit Cozumel only on a day tour, but we recommend staying there for at least a couple of nights. It is easiest to stay in San Miguel de Cozumel, where there are multiple lodging and dining options. At Randomtrip we indulged ourselves and stayed at Hotel Puerto Libre, in a room with sea view, right in the center, next to the port. If you have your own vehicle (or if you just want to relax and hire a tour to get to know the island) you have several resorts, some all-inclusive, along the west coast of the island. More options in our guide to Cozumel
• Holbox: If you are looking for relaxation, the ideal in Holbox is to stay in one of the beachfront accommodations (our favorites are the ones towards the left, such as La Puerta Azul Beachfront or Nomade Holbox, but they are expensive). The cheapest option is to stay in town, for example at the Golden Paradise Town or Isla Bonita. More options in our Holbox guide
• Bacalar: You will find the best value for money in the center of Bacalar but if you want something more special, stay at one of the accommodations with direct access to the lagoon (near the town or on the outskirts, although on the outskirts it would be better to have your own transportation). At Randomtrip we stayed at a family-run lodge, Casa Poblana, and we recommend it. You have more options in our guide to Bacalar.
• Mahahual: if you are looking for a quiet place to spend a few days relaxing, snorkeling and free beach, Mahahual is perfect. At Randomtrip we stayed at Blue Mahahual, an impeccable accommodation a few minutes from the beach, and we recommend it. Any option close to the beach and a restaurant is good.

Where to eat and what to eat in the Mayan Riviera and the Mexican Caribbean

One of the star dishes in the area are the cochinita pibil tacos, originally from the state of Yucatán (in fact the best ones we ate were at a street stall in Valladolid), although you have other tacos to try as well, fish and seafood, and international gastronomy. Keep in mind that being a tourist area, in many places the prices are very inflated compared to any local area in Mexico, and the food is adapted to the foreign tourist.

Here are some restaurants that we liked in each place included in this guide, you can see more in the specific guide of each destination:

• Playa del Carmen:
  • La Cochi Loka: cheap and good place with cochinita pibil in all its variations (tacos, panuchos, tortas, quesadillas…).
  • Romeo Trattoria Pizzeria: excellent Italian restaurant where we went several times because of its good food and excellent service.
  • Osteria de Roma: another Italian restaurant that we loved. We tried the lasagna and spaghetti carbonara and both were delicious. We highlight the live music at night by an adorable older couple and the house pet, a very friendly Labrador.
  • Ay Taco: excellent local food place with classic tacos, excellent tacos al pastor.
  • ALUX: we didn’t get to go but many people recommended it, restaurant inside a subway cenote-like cave. It has more international food and high prices, oriented to tourism.
  • La Cueva del Chango: we did not get to go, but it is a nice and highly recommended Mexican food restaurant.
  • Tierra Verde: an excellent option if you are looking for vegan food.
• Puerto Morelos:
  • Peninsula Cocina del Sureste: we loved it. We tried the ceviche and the grilled fish. All delicious and impeccable service.
  • Belleville: for breakfast, delicious croissants and other French bakery delights such as pain au chocolat.
  • Local: good healthy breakfast options, excellent espresso (the best we tried in Puerto Morelos) and very nice place with a pleasant terrace.
  • La Choza del Puerto: we tried the guacamole, tacos al pastor and tasty margaritas, of course.
  • Unico Beach: beach club for drinks and delicious food. We tried the tacos gobernador, fish tacos and stuffed avocado with our feet in the sand and the turquoise sea just a few steps away. They have several food and cocktail options. 200 pesos to rent lounge chairs/hammocks for the whole day (not included in the price). One ugly detail: when charging, they said that the minimum service charge (tip) was 15% or 20%, which is illegal in Mexico.
  • Portside PM: hotel terrace where you can enjoy the sunset. We tried flatbread in a wood-fired oven overlooking the sea, cocktails and coconut shrimp, all very tasty.
  • The Burger Underground: if you are in the mood for a burger, this is the place. There are delicious homemade vegan burgers.
  • Lauro’s: live music
• Tulum:
  • Taqueria Honorio: undoubtedly one of the most famous restaurants in Tulum, both for locals and foreigners, this restaurant specializing in cochinita pibil tacos is always full. It is open only in the morning (until 3:00 pm) and the service is friendly, fast and efficient. The most famous tacos, apart from the cochinita pibil ones (which they say is cooked for 12 hours underground), are the lechón and carne asada ones. They also have tortas, quesadillas and very tasty fruit juices (in Mexico they are called aguas de fruta). It was featured in a Netflix series, Taco Chronicles.
  • Tropitacos: next to the previous one, but this one is open until 1:00 am. Slightly cheaper and the tacos are tasty too. We paid 240 pesos for 3 tacos, 2 quesadillas and 2 beers.
  • Acqua & Farina: if you have a craving for Italian, here is a small authentic restaurant. We liked it so much that we repeated. The pastas are very good (we tried the Carbonara – with guanciale, pecorino and egg, without cream obviously -, the Arrabbiata, the Fruti di mare and the Amatriciana) and the tiramisu for dessert as well. We paid 750 pesos for 2 pastas, 1 glass of wine, 1 beer and 1 tiramisu.
  • La Barracuda: restaurant where many local people go to eat fresh fish. the guide from the Tulum archaeological zone recommended it to us and we loved it. We paid 470 pesos for shrimp tacos, a grilled fish fillet and 2 beers.
  • Alfonsina: for something more European for breakfast, they have a pack of a hamd and cheese sandwich, hot drink and cold drink for 145 pesos.
  • Antojitos La Chiapaneca: recommended to us for local and cheap food (tacos, tortas, gringas…), although in the end we did not go.
  • El Dorado: also recommended by our guide in the archaeological zone for fish and seafood, although we did not go.
• Valladolid:
  • La Joyita cantina: we passed by several times and always with a local atmosphere, to go for a drink.
  • El Patrón Taqueria: near our lodging, wonderful asada and carnitas tacos and excellent service. They open at 6 pm. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
  • El Tigrillo: known as the best cochinita pibil tacos in Valladolid, and we can attest that they are spectacular. Every day except Tuesdays. They close at 5 pm.
  • Rebels Coffee Club: if, as in Randomtrip, you need an espresso, Rebels is excellent.
  • Wabi gelato: small ice cream shop with excellent homemade ice cream.
  • Nena Nena: Vegetarian options. We tried the canasta tacos (lomitos, typical of Valladolid), bean and potato tacos and also the enchiladas. They gave us a set with shots of agua de jamaica with tequila to liven up the wait. Very nice.
• Cancun:
  • Tacos Rigo: a good option for tacos in the hotel zone.
  • Hanaichi: it is rare that we recommend a Japanese restaurant in Cancun but, given the craving we had, we tried it and it was a great surprise. Impeccable sushi and some of the best gyozas we have tasted outside Japan.
  • Mextreme: typical Mexican food. It is touristy but not bad.
  • Casa Rolandi: we did not go but this Italian restaurant was recommended to us.
  • La Tia Juana: in the hotel zone where it is very difficult to eat and drink without being a guest at a resort, we found these tacos near Marlín beach (across the street) quite tasty and at decent prices (compared to the area).
  • El Fish Fritanga: we didn’t get to go but it was recommended for fish and seafood tacos.
  • Pescaditos: in downtown Cancun, known for its fish dishes such as ceviche.
  • Qué Gorditas: good, nice and cheap, here you will find, as the name suggests, gorditas, quesadilllas and burritos with different fillings.
  • BaoVegan: a vegan and local restaurant with delicious dishes and good prices, in downtown Cancun.
• Isla Mujeres:
  • Tacos de Humo: Very tasty tacos and on such a touristy island here we liked, above all, the service. The people who work there are charming. The prices are expensive but like everywhere else on Isla Mujeres and at Tacos de Humo, at least we know that the tacos are delicious and made with quality ingredients.
  • Mahaché: Wonderful! We ordered shrimp mahaché and rice a la tumbada and still think of the sauce on the shrimp mahaché to this day. With that coconut rice. Delicious. Undoubtedly the best place we dined on the island. We also loved the cocktail bar, we tried the palomas and the carajillos, and repeated. We went on New Year’s Eve and there was live music but apparently they do it often. The service was also excellent, friendly and fast.
  • Café Mogagua: good breakfasts, we went after watching the sunrise on the first day of the year.
• Cozumel:
  • Vegan Barrio in Callejón de la Diez: surprisingly in Cozumel we found one of the best vegan restaurants of the trip. It is inside Callejón de la Diez, a place with several food, drink and dessert stands. We paid 340 pesos for 10 tacos (5 tacos de canasta and 5 tacos dorados) and 2 beers (about 18 euros).
  • La Cuisine: another delicious option with several vegetarian and vegan options.
  • Crazy King Burrito: famous for the burritos, we ordered 2 to go and a coke and paid 335 pesos (about 18€)
  • Burritos Gorditos: the day we were going back to Playa del Carmen we wanted some burritos to go, the Crazy King Burrito was closed and we went to this one next door, they are also very good! We paid 250 pesos for a burrito and a quesadilla to go (about 14€).
  • Jolly Cafe: we went for breakfast on Chris’s birthday, the girls who served us were very nice and helped organize a little surprise for Chris (a brownie with a candle to blow out), which they didn’t want to charge for! The breakfasts are tasty, although a bit expensive, but of good quality. We paid 600 pesos for 2 breakfasts, 2 coffees and an orange juice (about 32€).
  • Guido’s: guiri Italian restaurant (most of the clientele when we went was American) and somewhat expensive, but of excellent quality, the lasagna especially was amazing. We paid 1000 pesos (about 54€) for a garlic bread, a pasta with garlic and shrimps, a lasagna and 2 beers. Not cheap, no, but we still think about that lasagna to this day.
  • Fonda Don José: we didn’t get to go but it was recommended to us for local and cheap food.
  • Taqueria Molina: we didn’t go either, but it was recommended to us for cheap tacos, in the market (only open in the morning until 13:00h).
• Holbox:
  • Tacos de Barbacoa: if you eat meat, this street taco stand is located right in the center of Holbox, in the plaza, and at an unbeatable price (especially for the prices practiced on the island): 3 tacos for 75 pesos. More specifically, 25 pesos for a single taco and 35 pesos for a quesabirria. These rich and inexpensive tacos are one of the best options to dine locally in Holbox with super friendly and efficient service.
  • Marquesitas Holbox: to try the famous marquesitas, a specialty of the Yucatan peninsula. Marquesitas are something like the encounter between a waffle and a crepe (a crepe as they say in Mexico), a very light dough filled with whatever you want. There are savory ones (with cheese and ham for example) and sweet ones (with strawberries and nutella, one of the most popular).
  • Casa de Asadores: known as one of the best restaurants on the island, we did not get to try it but its specialty is grilled meats and fish.
  • Arte sano: vegan and vegetarian restaurant with varied and delicious options. We tried tacos and quesadillas of “picadillo”, “chorizo”, “carne asada”. We paid 500 pesos for an order of tacos, another of quesadillas and a 1 liter jug of watermelon juice.
  • Painapol: another vegetarian, one of the most famous on the island. Everything looked good but unfortunately we couldn’t go because we couldn’t get a seat. We were left with the desire.
  • Roots: of the nights we spent in Holbox this place always had a queue and, besides, the reviews were excellent, so one day we decided to go at 19:00h to try our luck, since after that time the queue starts to form, and we got a table. Apparently, the specialty is the lobster pizza in season (about 700 pesos) but in our case we tried two other pizzas (the Yucatecan and the Oaxacan) and they were delicious but not to die for (or perhaps the endless lines created more expectations). We left satisfied but without understanding why it is such a famous place. The place is nice, the service is excellent, there is a good atmosphere and a trampoline for the kids. We paid 735 pesos for two pizzas and two beers.
  • Edelyn: speaking of lobster pizzas, Edelyn’s are mythical. We did not get to try them but those who know them say they are one of the best to try one of the island’s gastronomic specialties.
  • Basico Holbox: a restaurant that caught our attention for its decoration and ambiance but we did not get to try the menu although it looked good (although expensive). Mostly if you are looking for a place with a special ambience.
  • Zomay: we went to enjoy the sunset on the terrace of Zomay twice and the truth is that it is one of the best beach bars from where to say goodbye to the sun on the island, with a clear view. The service is excellent, the guys who work there are charming. The only “but”: the prices. In addition, on our second visit they had imposed a minimum consumption of 400 pesos to enjoy the terrace, which did not happen the first time, so we do not know if it has become common practice. The place also has accommodation, the Zomay Beachfront Holbox (from 137€/night) where you can stay if you want to stay in one of the coolest spots on the island. We paid 515 pesos for 4 beers and a guacamole.
  • D’Mary: we had breakfast here for a couple of days and liked it. The fruit with yogurt comes with a generous dose and the baguettes were delicious. Also, the prices were not as inflated as in general on the island (we paid 260 pesos for 2 coffees, yogurt with fruit and granola and a French omelet with cheese).
  • Clandestino Coffee Roasters: excellent espresso and breakfasts although at higher prices. We paid 500 pesos for an avocado toast, a bowl of fruit with granola and two espressos. Impeccable service and a large terrace for breakfast.
  • The Hot Corner: one of the best known places to go for a drink at night. It also serves food.
  • Café del Mar: the truth is that it was a disastrous experience. We sat down because of the location, we wanted to eat on the beach. It took them about 20 minutes to come to take our order and once we ordered the two grilled fish dishes (one with garlic sauce and the other with mango sauce) we waited more than 1 hour for the food to arrive. When the food finally arrived, already hungry, we saw that it was a ridiculous amount for what it cost. Almost 300 pesos per plate that looked more like a children’s menu. In total we paid 720 pesos for two beers and two fish dishes with a ridiculous amount of food and more than an hour of waiting. However, “at least” they let you use the hammocks with your drinks without paying anything extra, something for which their neighbors on the shore charge up to 400 pesos (22€) regardless of whether you had eaten at their restaurant.
  • Las Panchas: we did not try it, but it was recommended to us for fish and seafood.
  • Big Fish: we did not try it, but it was recommended for fish and seafood.
  • Empanadas La Conquista: very tasty and cheap empanadas (20 pesos each empanada), we ordered 4 to take away for the trip to our next stop (Valladolid).
  • Alma Bar: rooftop that was recommended to enjoy the sunset, but in the end we didn’t get to go.
• Bacalar:
  • Albahaca: excellent breakfasts at a good price, and excellent service by Nano, who also gave us several tips about the area.
  • Mango y Chile: burgers and hot dogs, all plant-based, a great option for vegans. It also has views of the lagoon. There is a downside: the lemonade was served in a single-use biodegradable plastic cup (and with a straw!) erm…. It seems that veganism is limited to the diet in this establishment. In any case, very tasty food.
  • Tacos el Socio: for local tacos at a good price.
  • Mr. Taco: great variety of tacos and nice space, very crowded.
  • Café Tito: place to have good espresso coffee (coffee from Veracruz) and delicious cakes (such as carrot cake). Also, very good and pleasant service.
  • La Trattoria del 46: very busy Italian restaurant with good food if you have a craving for pizza or pasta, although the price is a bit higher than its neighbors.
  • Enamora Bacalar: another great place for breakfast, we went a couple of times.
  • Sweet Child Of Wine: place to taste wines (expensive, small production) and some tapas.
  • Marquesitas Eriksson: super typical of the area, in the evenings they set up marquesitas stands in the zocalo, and Eriksson’s stand always has a line. We tried a salty marquesita (ham and cheese) and a sweet one (nutella with strawberries), both delicious. 60 pesos one and 50 pesos the other.
  • ITZÁ: we did not get to try it, but the place looked very good (in front of the lagoon, behind the Municipal Spa El Aserradero).
  • Christian’s Tacos: we didn’t go but it was recommended for tacos.
• Mahahual:
  • Nohoch Kay: recommended fresh fish and seafood restaurant
  • Quesabirrias and quesadillas at La Pancha’s stand in El Cactus Food Park (in Las Casitas, where our Blue Mahahual accommodation was).
  • Dulce Sabor: great place to eat local and cheap. Juices, smoothies, tacos dorados, empanadas, sandwiches and crepes.
  • Aqua Star: very friendly staff, you can stay on the sun loungers in front of the sea with a beer, no minimum consumption.
  • Pizza Papi: pizzeria that was recommended to us at Las Casitas although we did not get to try it.
  • La Tartaleta: bakery where you can buy bread, croissants, cakes and delicious espresso coffee.

Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean Itineraries

Things to see and do in Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean in 7 days (one week)

If your trip to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean is for a week, you will have to discard places and choose well those you want to visit, or visit more places in a more superficial way. You will also have to choose whether to base yourself in one place or split your stay in several places.

Here is a suggested itinerary for a week, based in Playa del Carmen, and designed to see as much as possible (therefore, you will not stop much and will have to get up early several days):

7-day Riviera Maya Itinerary (based in Playa del Carmen)

• Day 1: Arrival in Playa del Carmen, visit Playa del Carmen and its beaches.
• Day 2: tour or on your own to Chichen Itzá, Valladolid and Cenote (you can book the tour here)
• Day 3: visit Puerto Morelos and snorkel in its reef(here you can hire the tour).
• Day 4: tour or on your own to Bacalar(you can book the tour here)
• Day 5: spend the day in Cozumel (you can go on your own by ferry or tour)
• Day 6: take the tour to Isla Contoy (which also makes a short stop at Isla Mujeres).
• Day 7: depending on the time of return, see if there is still time to take advantage of the beach in Playa del Carmen or even Cancun.

Things to see and do in Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean in 15 days (two weeks)

With 2 weeks you can choose to visit most of the places in this guide in a more superficial way, or discard some to get to know the others better.

Here is a 2-week itinerary designed to try to see as many places as possible, without spending enough time in some of them as there is not enough time for everything (if you prefer a more relaxed plan, remove some of the places and add days to the others). Although there is public transportation available to move between these places, as it is an ambitious itinerary we recommend you to rent a car for the whole trip to not depend on anyone and make the best use of the time.

• Days 1 to 2: Arrival, Cancun and its beaches
• Day 3: Isla Mujeres
• Days 4 to 5: Holbox
• Day 7: Playa del Carmen
• Day 8: Cozumel
• Day 9: Bacalar
• Day 10: Mahahual
• Days 11 to 12: Tulum + Cobá
• Day 13: Valladolid and Chichen Itza
• Days 14 and 15: Puerto Morelos and back

Things to see and do in Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean in 3 weeks

In our opinion, 21 days (3 weeks) is the ideal amount of time to get to know the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean well. Here is a 3-week itinerary with most of the places included in this guide. You can do most of the trips by public transportation (ADO or combi), although we recommend renting a car in some places (Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, in Tulum to go to Cobá, in Valladolid to go to Chichen Itzá), or renting a car for the whole trip and not depend on anyone and take better advantage of the time:

• Days 1 to 2: Arrival, Cancun and its beaches
• Days 3 to 4: Isla Mujeres
• Days 5 to 7: Holbox
• Day 8: Playa del Carmen
• Days 9 to 10: Cozumel
• Days 11 to 12: Bacalar
• Days 13 to 14: Mahahual
• Days 15 to 17: Tulum + Cobá
• Days 18 to 19: Valladolid and Chichen Itzá
• Days 20 and 21: Puerto Morelos and back

Transportation: How to get around the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

The ideal thing to do, in our opinion, is to rent a car, especially if you want to make the most of your time and not depend on public transportation schedules. Driving in the Yucatan Peninsula is generally easy and safe, although you should carefully read the rental conditions because in Mexico there is a lot of hassle with the different types of insurance and you may get a surprise when you arrive to pick up the car. Also, on an economic level, depending on the itinerary and the amount of trips, the rented car may be worth it compared to the ADOs, especially if several people are traveling.

In case you do not want or cannot rent a car, it is easy to move between the main places by ADO bus (tickets in advance are usually cheaper on the official website) or combi (small vans that make fixed routes and work as local transportation), and in some cases you may need to use other means such as taxi/Uber, local buses or tours.

On the islands (Cozumel and Isla Mujeres) it is convenient to have a vehicle to move around, since public transportation options are not always the best (especially if you want to take advantage of the time) and cabs are very expensive. In our case we rented a scooter on both islands (old and expensive and ones, of course, since the prices are completely oriented to US tourists).

How to have internet in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

To always have internet on your smartphone, the easiest and most convenient way (if your phone supports eSIM) is to buy an eSIM from Holafly, which has unlimited data (you get a 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP), or to buy an eSIM from Airalo, cheaper but with limited data (15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15)

The other option, cheaper but more cumbersome, is to buy a local SIM, which we recommend is from Telcel (the main telecom company in Mexico, with more coverage).

Safety: Is it safe to travel to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean?

Being one of the most touristic areas of Mexico, it is a fairly safe area, always taking the typical precautions when traveling abroad and being well informed about the current situation.

We were told that for example in Tulum, due to the party scene of the hotel zone, the consumption of drugs has increased and therefore, the increase of violence related to drug trafficking. But in our case we did not observe or feel any kind of insecurity at any time.

In any case, we always have our Iati travel insurance (which also covers our belongings) as in all our trips and gives us more peace of mind. If you contract your travel insurance in this Randomtrip link, you will get it with a 5% discount.

Money in Mexico: cards to save commissions

To pay and withdraw money in Mexico while minimizing fees, we recommend the 2 cards we use in our case:

• Revolut: with the standard version up to 1000$ without commission on card payments (remember to always pay in local currency – Mexican pesos). Up to 400$ of withdrawals at ATMs without commission, from then on commission of 1%.
• N26: with the free version you can pay with your card without commissions in an unlimited way. For ATM withdrawals, you pay 1.7% commission, which you can eliminate by paying for the monthly plans You (the one we use) or Metal.

It is important to keep in mind that although your card does not charge a fee for ATM withdrawals, ATMs in Mexico do charge a fee for their use. The ones that charge the least are Banamex (31 pesos, 1.7$), Banco Santander (34 pesos, 1.8$) or Banco Azteca (34 pesos, 1.8$), so when withdrawing money try to withdraw as much as possible to save money.

Another important issue when withdrawing money at an ATM in Mexico: many times the ATM will ask you if you want the transaction to be done in local currency (Mexican pesos) or in your own currency (in our case, it was euros): always choose the local currency option, otherwise, it will apply an unfavorable exchange rate and you will be overpaying (as a hidden commission).

The above also applies to card payments (although the option almost never appears, on several occasions also when paying with a card in establishments we were shown an amount in euros instead of pesos). In our case it almost always happened to us with the orange CLIP terminals. If this happens to you, ask the person to charge you in Mexican pesos.

A bad practice in Mexico is that in any business where you want to pay with a card, they have the habit of asking you for your card and do the whole process themselves, passing you the terminal only to enter the PIN (in Mexico they call it “firma” or NIP). This means that sometimes, depending on the type of terminal, you do not see the amount and/or you are charged in the original currency of your card instead of in Mexican pesos – making you lose money because an unfavorable conversion is applied. Always ask nicely to be allowed to see the process to make sure you are charged the correct amount and in local currency.

Finally, some establishments charge an extra commission for payment by card (the times it happened to us, it was 5%), they always tell you before and if you do not see it when confirming the amount. In those cases, it is better to pay with cash.

Tipping: The tipping culture is very well established in Mexico, and although it is not and cannot be obligatory by law, it is in practice, since it is frowned upon not to leave a tip. It is recommended to leave a minimum of 10% (usually you will be asked at the time of payment, and if you pay by credit card, the terminal usually gives you the option of adding 10, 15 or 20% as a tip).

How much does a trip to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean cost?

Making a budget is complex as it depends greatly on your travelling style: how many plans you want to include in your trip, if you are going to go to restaurants or cook to save money, the type of accommodation you are going to use… In any case, so you can get an idea, we leave below the average prices and what we consider as average price per day (we reiterate that these are ORIENTATIVE prices and may vary at any time):

• Flights/transportation within Mexico: from 1200 pesos (60$) for a round-trip domestic flight from other areas of Mexico. Use flight comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi to find the best price.
• Transportation: car rental from 400 pesos/day (20$), ADO bus fares depend on the route. It is convenient to simulate the routes because sometimes it is cheaper to rent a car than ADOs, especially if at least 2 people are traveling.
• Accommodation: from 45$/night for a room with private bathroom or small apartment with kitchen, although it depends on the area (the hotel zones of Cancun, Tulum, etc, are much more expensive). Find accommodation of all types and prices on Booking, with up to 15% discount.
• Restaurants: a multitude of options between 100 and 1000 pesos (between 5 and 50$) per person, for all tastes.
• Entrance fees and tours: some places require an entrance fee (e.g. Chichen Itza is 619 pesos – 30$) and some places should be visited by tour (e.g. Isla Contoy can only be visited by tour, from 1700 MXN, about 85$).

In total, a two-week trip to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean can cost you between 90$ and 120$ per person per day, with the cheapest accommodation options, eating out in cheap restaurants, visiting some of the paying sites and getting around by ADO or other forms of public transportation.

Useful Apps to get around the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

• Google Maps (Android / iOS): is the one we use to save/classify all the places we want to go/ have gone and as a GPS to orient ourselves on foot or if we rent a car. It also includes public transport information if there is any. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, telephone numbers to contact them, etc. You can also open our map with all the places included in this guide.
• Maps.me (Android / iOS): application similar to Google Maps but works offline (although Google Maps can also work offline, it works better) and in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have.
• Uber: app to order taxi/VTC.
• Windy (Android / iOS / Web): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously the forecasts are not 100% reliable.

Tips for traveling to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean as a responsible tourist

• Be responsible when visiting a place: a large influx of people to a certain site can have a negative impact so respect the rules, do not climb the tree/monument you are visiting, do not paint on the walls, avoid touching and, out of respect for the rest of the people visiting the place, do not make noise or “monopolize” the place with your photos.
• Take care of natural and archaeological monuments and respect existing rules.
• If you rent a car, respect the speed limits on highways.
• Avoid the use of single use plastic and do not throw garbage away
• Don’t be an accomplice to animal abuse: avoid any attraction where animals are in captivity and/or used for human entertainment.
• Respect other people: don’t play your music loud, pick up your garbage; don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the place better than you found it.
• Always travel with travel insurance: medical expenses, theft or problems with your flight on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so the ideal thing is to buy travel insurance. At Randomtrip we always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount.

Checklist: what to pack in your backpack/suitcase for the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean

Here is a list of must-haves to take with you on your trip to the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean.

• International plug adapter such as these as they use type A plugs (those with two flat parallel pins).
• A  reusable water bottle like one of these to carry water with you all the time and void single-use plastic.
• Water Shoes as these ideal to carry always with you to avoid hurting your feet when entering the water or not touching the ground.
• Snorkel kit (mask and snorkel) like this, a must to bring on this trip and contemplate the seabed. Besides being more hygienic because you do not share your snorkel with anyone, in several places they do not rent the equipment and, even if they do rent, with a couple of times you already amortize the price of your own kit.
• Water proof dry bag like this one, very useful to keep your photographic equipment, cell phone and wallet safe from getting wet on the boat (whales sometimes blow near the boat or even hit the water with their fin or tail near the boat, and water can reach the boat).
• UV protection T-shirt like this because in some parts of the Mexican Caribbean it is forbidden or not recommended to use sunscreen / sunblock because its composition damages the marine ecosystem.
• Quick-drying towel such as one of these, which, in addition, does not take up much space in the backpack/suitcase.
• A hat or a cap (like this one) and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun
• A good camera to register your adventures. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony ZV-E10 and a Gopro Hero12 Black (for underwater pictures)
• A Power bank: taking so many pictures will drain your batteries, so it’s always a good idea to carry a good powerbank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Anker 20000 mAh and  Anker 10000 mAh), which allow us to charge both our phones and our cameras.
• Sun screen: the sun is strong in Riviera Maya and Mexican Caribbean so it is a must to take care of your skin. Always look for a Coral Friendly Sunscreen, i.e. one that protects your skin without harming marine ecosystems by avoiding ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are harmful to corals. Nor that it has been tested on animals.
• Mosquito repellent: like this one, it should have at least 15% deet
• First aid kit: In our first-aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication (and a probiotic to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics
• Travel insurance: always travel with travel insurance. We collaborate with different travel insurance companies so that you can get a discount with some of them:

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Hopefully this guide has been useful in helping you decide where to go (and where not to go) in the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Caribbean, according to your preferences. If you have any questions or if you have already been to the area and want to tell us something, we are all ears (and eyes) in the comments. Bon Voyage, Randomtripper!