Riviera Maya: Cities and Regions

Cancun One of Mexico’s most successful resort developments is a solid line of big hotels on a spit of silky sand. Known for its active nightlife and shopping malls, it’s also popular for business meetings. Steer clear during spring break, when college kids flock like lemmings for wild tequila-drenched nights, and plan your visit between May and August, when fewer crowds and great deals on luxury hotels can be found. See our guide to Cancun

Playa del Carmen This once-small fishing village is now one of the fastest growing cities in the world, full of shops, bars and restaurants. Playa has its own resorts and chic boutique hotels, but it’s also a hub for surrounding resorts, many of which run shuttles into town.

Tulum The coastline south of the Mayan ruins at Tulum is more low-key and has less dense development than the stretch between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It’s the last taste of what the coast was before it became Maya Riviera.

Isla Mujeres This island off Cancun is another backwater getting a swift makeover as more boutique upscale resorts open. Still idyllic, it’s the polar opposite of Cancun.

Isla de Holbox An hour and a half northwest of Cancun, Holbox (pronounced Hol-bosh) is still largely untouched. Take this side trip and see flocks of vivid flamingos (up to 40,000 in the summer), kayak through estuaries harboring crocodiles, and swim with the massive whale sharks from June through September.

Merida Once one of the world’s richest cities — thanks to its sisal haciendas — the capital of the state of Yucatàn is a beautiful colonial city worth a side trip. From here you can explore the stunning ruins at Uxmal, visit churches constructed from Mayan temples, or stay in elegant boutique hotels in former haciendas.