Things to see and to do at Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen - the centre of the Riviera Maya – is a new and perspective resort. This small, but very pretty town is located not far from Cancun. Playa del Carmen is in the immediate proximity to a true ecological heaven with incredibly beautiful spots such as Xcaret and Xel-Ha, not to say a word about the famous Maya pyramid – Tulum.

Riviera Maya is actually the Caribbean territory from Cancun (in the north) to Tulum pyramids in the south. Of course, Maya used another name for this spot. The name was Xaman Ha, which meant the Northern Waters. Nowadays Riviera Maya has everything a tourist needs: from hammocks to luxurious five-star hotels. Moreover, thanks to a great amount of reefs and the clean Caribbean sea divers and snorkelers will always find something to do at the Riviera. 30 kilometers from Cancun there is a quiet fishing village called Puerto Morelos. This place isn't very popular with tourists, so everyone who seeks for solitude should head for it. Other attractions to observe at the Riviera Maya are the Palancar Aquarium, Crococun Zoo and Botanic Garden.

The largest city at Riviera Maya is Playa del Carmen, it lies 60 kms from Cancun. Playa used to be a fishing village as well – however, it turned out to be more lucky than Puerto Morelos. It is from here that steamboats to Cozumel depart, and it is here that in the 1990s a resort appeared that still preserves its homelike atmosphere. Most tourists who come to Playa del Carmen are attracted by its excellent beaches. They settle at small hotels which look like thatched-roofed houses, called cabanas. As for the multi-storied hotel complexes, most of them are situated south of port. Tres Rios River Ranch is another park south of Playa del Carmen. The park's name indicates its choice of entertainment – canoeing, bathing and horse-riding are the most popular ones. Another five kilometers southwards there is another eco park. Its an archaeological theme park famous for Maya ruins located within its territory. Those who are ready to sacrifice some dollars can even enjoy swimming with bottlenose dolphins. Another entertainment option is to go to Puerto Aventuras and its famous pier, hire a yacht and head for another eco-park - Xpuha , with traditional choice of things to do.

Tulum was a Mayan city, its ruins can be found two hours drive from Cancun. When the Spaniards entered this city in 1518, Tulum was no less big than Seville. An excursion around Tulum is usually combined with a visit to Xel-Ha. Its lagoon is one of the largest natural “aquariums” in the world. The park is younger than Xcaret, that is why there are much more places to discover and to swim at.

Riviera Maya offers some 20 hotels which are capable of accommodating 13 thousand people. In contrast to American-style Cancun, Riviera Maya has a European face. There are several Spanish chains represented here. Moreover, its a kind of an oasis of club hotels, which strive to win the title of the most hospitable ones. Thanks to its beautiful nature, snowy-white beaches and charming exotics many tourists prefer Playa to other Mexican resorts.

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