In this blog I'll be taking a look back a holiday region I visited in June 2009 and again in June 2010. If it's the sun, sea and sand you're after, you can't go too far wrong with Mexico's beautiful Mayan Riviera, located on the Yucatan Peninsular. The area referred to as the Mayan Riviera stretches from Cancun down to Tulum.
Both times I have visited I have given Cancun a bit of a wide birth and headed instead for Playa Del Carmen. Still touristy but on a much smaller scale and with a more intimate ambience, this resort lies on the Carribean Coast about an hour South of Cancun. The main strip is La Quinta Avenida, or 5th Avenue, which runs the length of the resort and is set a block back from the coast. It's all about restaurants, bars and hotels here. There are some mini-mart style convenience stores and there is a big supermarket in town (called the Mega) set a few blocks back from the beach, in case you are in self contained accommodation and need to pick up a few groceries. You can get hassled a lot by local merchants as you walk up and down 5th Ave. As with most touristy destinations, everyone wants you to come and check their goods out or eat in their restaurant and drink in their bar. I found it best just to take this as part of the experience, otherwise you could end up a little frustrated by the end of your holiday!
The 'must do' night club in town is the Blue Parrot - a very funky club set right on the beach. Wear your flip flops because the floor is sand! They often do special promotion nights here where ladies drink for free and it's definitely worth going to see the fire show which the locals put on at 11pm nightly. It's pretty spectacular. Then the live DJs crank up the tunes and fill up the dance floor. I have to say it's a pretty memorable experience partying right on the ocean! |
| Chilling at the Blue Parrot |
Although 5th Ave is definitely where all the action is come night time, it's worth venturing off the beaten track and checking out some of the restaurants along the less visited 10th Ave. You can find a perfectly respectable meal for quite a bit less money.
The beach at Playa is very nice - white sand and turquoise water can never be bad ;) We found the beach to the Northern end of Playa to be prettier and slightly less crowded than to the South. But in the midst of Summer you are going to have crowds wherever you go. Various beach clubs set their lounge chairs up along the sand and you can hire these for the day. There are plenty of waiters who will be only too happy to fetch food and drinks for you all day long (at a price of course!!) There are also plenty of places where you can just find a patch of sand to lay your beach towel on.
But don't spend your whole time in Playa, as there are so many great things to do along the rest of the Riviera. By far my favourite beach is Akumal. About half an hour south of Playa, down the coastal Highway (307) this gorgeous small beach is dotted with palm trees. The shallows are perfect for little ones to splash about in, and older kids and adults should definitely bring their snorkelling gear. Loggerhead and Green turtles nest here and you don't have to swim very far out to see them. The sea floor is covered in sea grass and you will spy plenty of them munching happily away just a few meters below you. There are coral reefs here as well with the usual myriad of beautiful tropical fish swimming in and around them. There are plenty of barracuda too, so remember to take off any shiny jewellery you may be wearing. The first time I swam here I also saw a Nurse shark! It was so exciting! She was very frightened of me though and took off into the blue beyond at a break-neck pace. But I was just chuffed to have seen my first shark in the wild! (I'm a bit of a shark nut). There are a couple of dive shops here, if you do need to hire any equipment, and a restaurant as well. When you're in Playa you will hear a lot about the snorkelling at Cozumel, but I rate Akumal above it.
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| Akumal |
Very near to Akumal is Yal Ku, a gorgeous natural lagoon where you will, again, see plently of wild life including turltes and rays.
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| Yal Ku |
A tip for getting up and down Highway 307 (much cheaper than hiring cars and taxis) is to take the local mini bus service, or the colllectivos, as the locals call them. These will pick you up anywhere along the highway. Just flag one down and it will stop for you (unless it's full). The loose change in your pocket should just about cover the fare.
The temple ruins at Tulum (although not as grand as those at Chichen Itza), are definitely worth a visit. They are set on a cliff overlooking an absolutely stunning beach which you can access via a flight of steep stairs. Take your bathers because after traipsing around the ruins, you will definitely want to cool off in this gorgeous water.
Back up the Northern end of the Riviera, it is definitely worth doing a day trip over to Isla Mujeres (Women Island). Ferries depart daily from Cancun and it's about a 40 minute journey over to the island, where yet more bars, restaurants and absolutely stunning beaches await!
I have so many great holiday memories from my trips to this beautiful part of the world and I hope to make it back there again some day.
Until next blog,
Sarah.
