They don’t call it the Maya Riviera for nothing. Seven hundred years before all-inclusive beach resorts and ice-cold mojitos, the Maya built a city with a stunning ocean view. There are many Maya civilization sites on the Yucatan Peninsula, but none has a more beautiful location than Tulum, not far from Cancun.
Cenote X’kekén, near Valladolid, is one of the prettiest of the 3,000 or so underground cenotes scattered across Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. These days it’s used as a swimming hole and makes for a fun, refreshing place to visit to escape the Yucatan heat.
You’d never know it today, but Coba, on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, was once an important and powerful Mayan city.
Zihuatanejo is a small fishing village on Mexico’s Pacific coast that’s just bursting with local flavor. From the beautiful scenery, laid-back and welcoming locals, and ultra-fresh seafood, it’s a great place to be.
It might not be for the vertigo-challenged, but getting to the top of the Acropolis at Ek Balam is definitely worth the effort. It is, quite literally, a view fit for a king.
There’s much to love about Zihuatanejo on Mexico’s Pacific coast, and the beach fish market is one of the town’s gems.
Valladolid is a charming colonial town in the heart of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. It’s a relaxed place with 16th century Spanish colonial cathedrals, some good restaurants, and a generally laid-back lifestyle. And if you’re lucky enough to be there for one of the seemingly endless stream of Maya celebrations, you’ll be in for a treat. With it’s also a great base for exploring the nearby Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza and Ek’Balam, especially if you want to get the morning jump on the tourist buses rolling in from Cancun and Playa del Carmen.
Chichen Itza is one of the most famous, most impressive, and most visited of the Mayan ruins sites on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
