The Riviera Maya region caught my attention when I learned about the Coba ruins. It looks like such an interesting and beautiful place! As I started researching what a trip to Coba would look like, I learned more about the Riveria Maya region in general and became very excited about a trip there. From numerous Mayan ruins to beaches, cenotes, and underwater wildlife, this region really has a lot of activities to offer. I haven’t been yet, but my husband and I are considering a potential trip to the Riviera Maya this winter. (Our other contender for a trip this winter is one-week in Iceland — the two vacations couldn’t be more different!)
[UPDATE in 2017: We have now been to BOTH the Riviera Maya and Iceland, and I loved each place! Check out the very detailed 10-Day Riviera Maya Itinerary I put together after our trip. It’s full of helpful details and tips.]
In an ideal scenario, we’d have two weeks to explore more of the region and travel more slowly, but we only have one week to spend on a winter vacation this time. How do you plan a one-week itinerary to the Riveria Maya when there is so much to see and do there?
Ultimately, we had to narrow in on what activities interest us the most, and then decide which towns will make the best home bases for these activities. We enjoy beautiful beaches, animals, learning about other cultures, and history (I especially enjoy historical architecture). After some research, the things that interest us the most are:
- Coba — Just 45 minutes from Tulum, Coba is the site of an ancient Mayan city. Visitors can climb to the top of the 137-foot pyramid, Nohoch Mul, and see a fantastic view of the land and lagoons below.
- Chichén Itzá — Chichén Itzá is another ancient Mayan city and is larger and better preserved than Coba. The pyramid at Chichén Itzá is one of the seven wonders of the modern world. The downside is the distance though — Chichén Itzá is about a 2-hour drive from most cities on the Carribbean coast.
- Valladolid — A beautiful, colorful, colonial town on the route to Chichén Itzá.
- Isla Mujeres — Isla Mujeres is home to the stunning beach of Playa Norte, and is a less crowded destination than some other places in the region.
- Tulum — Tulum features cliffside Mayan ruins overlooking turquoise waters below. While the ruins are not as impressive as Chichén Itzá or Coba, this still looks like a beautiful area worth visiting.
- Akumal — The beach at Akumal is home to a large population of sea turtles, and you can snorkel with the turtles there!
- Centoes — A cenote is an underground pool of water created when the roof of a cave collapses. The Riviera Maya region has many cenotes scattered about that you can swim and snorkel in.
- Xcaret Park — Xcaret is a theme park near Playa del Carmen that offers cultural performances, wildlife, underground rivers, snorkeling with marine life (including dolphins, sharks, stingrays), and more. While this does look pretty touristy, it still looks like it would be a fun way to spend a day.
Keeping those places in mind, here is the one-week Riviera Maya itinerary I’ve come up with. It’s definitely packed with activities and will keep us on the move, but we’d like to see and do as much as we can on this trip. In the future, we can spend more time in the places that turn out to be our favorites.
DAY 1: SATURDAY
- Fly to Cancun and arrive by early afternoon.
- Travel to Playa del Carmen, get settled in, and explore the city.
- Overnight in Playa del Carmen.
DAY 2: SUNDAY
- Take a day trip from Playa del Carmen to Chichén Itzá and Valladolid.
- Overnight in Playa del Carmen.
DAY 3: MONDAY
- Spend the day at Xcaret Park.
- Overnight in Playa del Carmen.
DAY 4: TUESDAY
- Travel from Playa del Carmen to Tulum.
- Explore the Tulum Ruins and relax at the beach.
- Overnight in Tulum.
DAY 5: WEDNESDAY
- Take a day trip to Coba. Climb the Nohoch Mul pyramid and rent bikes to explore the grounds at Coba.
- Overnight in Tulum.
DAY 6: THURSDAY
- Visit Akumal and swim with the turtles in the bay.
- Back in Tulum, explore either Cenotes Dos Ojos or Grand Cenote.
- Overnight in Tulum.
DAY 7: FRIDAY
- Travel from Tulum to Cancun to take the ferry to Isla Mujeres.
- Relax at Playa Norte beach.
- Overnight in Isla Mujeres.
DAY 8: SATURDAY
- Spend more time exploring Isla Mujeres. Rent a golf cart and drive around the island. (Read here about things to do and places to eat in Isla Mujeres.)
- Overnight in Isla Mujeres.
DAY 9: SUNDAY
- Take the ferry back to Cancun and fly home.
Have you been to the Riviera Maya? What are your favorite places? What was worth it and what wasn’t? I’d love to hear from you!
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I did most of what you suggested on this post…with the exeption of Isla Mujeres, Coba, and akumal. The only dissapointment was Xcaret as it was very touristY(the extras were roughly $100 per person). But…my husband and i are more outdoorsy and should have known better. We cant wait to go back to the area and we will definitly do the rest of what you suggested.
I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip, Tania! The Riviera Maya region is so beautiful and there’s so much to do there, especially if you are outdoorsy! Xcaret is definitely a touristy place, and I can understand why it might not be for everyone, even though I enjoyed it myself. If you get back to the region, I think you’d definitely like Coba (it’s fun to bike around and explore the various ruin sites), and also Akumal for the snorkeling. Have fun!
Swimming with the turtles is awsume! The ruins in Tulum is ok. Get a guided tour if you go.xcaret is not bad but probably a little steep on price. It used to be free if you stayed at the hotel there. I’m headed there in about 5 weeks. I m hoping to do Zel- Ha and some cenotes . We’re staying at the Grand Sirenis
That’s awesome that you’ll be heading there in a few weeks, Rick! I hope you have a great time. I agree with you that the ruins in Tulum aren’t as exciting as some of the other ruins in the region (like Coba or Chichen Itza), but the ocean views from the Tulum ruins are pretty sweet. I would love to visit Xel-Ha the next time I’m in the Riviera Maya. It looks like fun. Let me know how you like it! And enjoy your trip!
So nice! I will travel alone in June for 2 weeks to Cancun. Tanks for the tips.
Did you rent a car? How can I be transported to those location?
Thank you again 🙂
Hi Carolina, A two-week trip to Cancun will be wonderful! I hope you have a great time. We didn’t rent a car, but instead relied on a combination of public buses (called the ADO bus), taxis, and pre-arranged drivers. We used a tour company for visiting Chichen Itza since it’s about 2.5 hours away, which makes a long day trip. Check out my new 10-day Riviera Maya itinerary for more details about the different types of transportation we used and the costs.