Honeymooners
Many resorts offer private settings and wedding/honeymoon packages.

Golfers
Play a round at the Playacar Spa and Golf Club or Moon Spa and Golf Club.

Beach Lovers
Find endless stretches of white-sand beach, gentle surf, and coral reefs.

Transfers
Roundtrip transfers between the Cancún International Airport and hotels are included with your air and hotel or land-only vacation package. Cancún International Airport is located nine miles southwest of Cancún and approximately 40 miles from the Riviera Maya.

Car
Alamo car rentals are available as an optional add-on with your vacation package.

Taxi
The fare from the Cancún International Airport to the Riviera Maya is approximately $65 - $85 one way. Taxis are available from the lobby of any hotel. To avoid misunderstandings, passengers should settle on a price with the driver before departing.

Bus
Public buses run between the Riviera Maya and Cancún from 6am to midnight daily and are very affordable.

All-inclusive resorts offer several dining options and many offer on-site discos as well. Playa del Carmen offers numerous restaurants and nearly every restaurant is located directly on 5th Avenue or a block or two away. Choose from Italian, French, Thai, Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, American, and Mexican. Many restaurants seamlessly transform into nightclubs in the evening after the dinner hour has passed.

• Babe’s Noodles and Bar
  Great Thai food, including spring rolls with veggies and peanut sauce, and sesame noodles, made with chicken or pork, veggies, lime, green curry, and ginger. The mojitos are great, too. Playa del Carmen.
• La Cueva del Chango
  A lovely little spot to have breakfast, just off the main thoroughfare in Playa del Carmen.
• The Glass Bar
  Located on the corner of 5th Avenue and 12th Street and serving up outstanding Italian cuisine and superb people watching. One of the top restaurants in town. Playa del Carmen.
• Palapa Hemingway
  Delicious grilled shrimp, fish, and steaks, as well as fresh salads, pastas, and chicken dishes. Located at the quiet north end of 5th Avenue and a great place to sit, enjoy a cocktail, and people watch. Playa del Carmen.
• Turtle Bay Café & Bakery
  Inexpensive and delicious. Enjoy smoothies and baked goods as you sit in a beautiful garden. Akumal.
• Yaxche
  One of Playa del Carmen’s best restaurants serving authentic Mayan food. Try the superb halach winic, chicken in a spicy four-pepper sauce. Playa del Carmen.
• Zamas
  A festive, social place in a neat cove at Kilometer 5 where you can relax and enjoy delicious fresh seafood.

In the Riviera Maya, you will find a variety of shopping options. Browse the outdoor markets packed with traditional Mexican crafts and shop the interesting boutiques along the main avenues. Expect to bargain at the markets; stores, however, usually have fixed prices. Shopping hours are generally weekdays 10am - 2pm and 4pm - 7pm, but many stores choose to stay open during the siesta hours from 2pm - 4pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, many shops are only open in the mornings. Good finds in the Riviera Maya include Mayan pottery reproductions, baskets, woven blankets, hammocks, and silver. When shopping for silver, check for the .925 stamp to ensure the product is indeed sterling silver.

• Akumal
  Here you’ll find small boutiques that offer attractive clothing for women and interesting shops that have native Mexican crafts from around the country.
• Colonial Shopping Town
  Approximately five stories high and filled with small boutiques, bars, and restaurants. Take an escalator to the top and then wind your way down past all the stores.
• Puerto Aventura’s Marina
  For very upscale shopping, visit Puerto Aventura's Marina where you will find several stylish boutiques and art shops.
• Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue)
  One of the largest shopping areas in the Riviera Maya is on 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen. This pedestrian street feels more like a boardwalk where you can find quaint shops, restaurants, and cafés.
• Tulum
  At the entrance to the ruins, you will find a large market. However, better deals can be found in the town of Tulum along the main avenues.

Carnaval
February/March. A week long celebration before Lent with outlandish parades, floats, dance contests, fireworks, and outdoor dances. Known for its flamboyant parades.

Cinco de Mayo
May. Celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French in 1862 with parades, fireworks, and more.

Independence Day
September. The year’s biggest celebration. Two days of festivities include fireworks, traditional food, a parade, and more. Every village and city throughout Mexico re-enacts the famous historic speech, known as the grito. At midnight people gather to ring the bell of freedom and shout "Viva Mexico" over and over.

Day of the Dead
November. A festive celebration honoring deceased relatives and friends.

International Caribbean Cultural Festival
November. The state of Quintana Roo hosts this cultural festival when the Riviera Maya and other regional cities sponsor a series of events. Performers come from all over the Caribbean to participate in this annual event of poetry, dance, and song. The main attraction is the variety of salsa music from all major salsa groups.

Golf
Customize your vacation with discounted greens fees and gain access to hotel-affiliated golf courses with a stay at select hotels.

Hotel-Affiliated Courses

• The Moon Palace Spa and Golf Club
  Takes you through native Mayan vegetation, as well as numerous wetlands and strategically placed bunkers. Designed by Jack Nicklaus — Signature Design.
• The Playacar Spa and Golf Club
  Carved through dense Mayan jungles. Requires an accurate tee shot to reach the greens in regulation. Designed by Robert von Hagge.
  
  One round daily golf is included at these courses when the Golf Option is purchased at the following hotels:
  • Aventura Spa Palace
  • Beach Palace
  • Le Blanc Spa Resort
  • Cancún Palace
  • Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort
  • Sun Palace
  • Xpu-Ha Palace
  • Playacar Palace

Sportfishing
Sport fishing is one of the biggest attractions in the area and the waters off the coast of the Riviera Maya are famous worldwide as one of the best hotspots for sailfish and marlin. Peak fishing season runs from early March through early July when sailfish and marlin are migrating through the deep-water channel between the Yucatan Coast and the island of Cozumel. Mackerel and amberjacks can be found during the beginning months of the year; dolphin, wahoo, and bonito are generally found from February to September; and blue and white marlin are abundant from May to September. Year-round fishing includes barracuda, snapper, grouper, and even shark.

Snorkeling + Scuba Diving
Bordered by the second largest reef in the world, and home to more than 500 species of fish and many turtles, the Riviera Maya’s Great Maya Reef offers some of the most spectacular reef diving in the Western Hemisphere. Its 13 marked dive sites beckon novice and experienced divers alike. The Riviera Maya’s underground rivers are accessed by cenotes and span more than 250 miles, showcasing impressive rock formations and plant and fish life. Cenotes are unique to the Riviera Maya; 52 of more than 100 have been identified as good for diving and snorkeling, including Gran Cenote, Taj Mahal, Choc Mool, and Dos Ojos. Other popular snorkeling spots include the small bay and beach of Paamul, with its easy access to the reef; Xpu-ha, a large beautiful bay and beach with calm waters and spectacular underwater visibility; and Kantenah, a secluded palm-fringed beach. Akumal, known as "the place of turtles" is also a favored site, as is the soft, white-sand beach of Soliman Bay. More remote locations include Tulum and Punta Allen, located on a small peninsula within the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.

Money-Saving Golf
Golf balls can be expensive in Mexico, so pack some of your own, since they are typically less expensive in the U.S. and pack easily. You may also want to plan on playing in the afternoon and taking advantage of discounted twilight rates.

Golf Clubs
Be sure to verify with your air carrier as to their policy regarding checking golf clubs (e.g. insurance, weight, number of bags allowed, etc.).

Taxis
There are two rates with taxis — one rate, the more expensive one, is for taxis hired at the door of your hotel and the second, less expensive rate is for taxis flagged down along the street.

Limes
Not only does lime juice taste great on chicken, in salsa, and with other Mexican food, it also helps keep any bacteria in balance. So, when a lime is served with your food, squeeze it on!

Driving
While you don’t necessarily need a car while staying at an all-inclusive resort in the Riviera Maya, the main road south of the airport is a modern, 4-lane highway that is easily driven. However, watch for vehicles passing on your left and move over for them, onto the shoulder if necessary. Also, be aware that most turning lanes are on the right-hand side of the road, not the left.

Authentic Mexican Food
In Playa del Carmen, on 30th Avenue between 2nd Street and 14th Street, you’ll find many casual eateries with inexpensive tacos, seafood, and more.

Use Your American Currency
Typically, Mexicans love the U.S. dollar. Before leaving on your vacation, stock up on plenty of $1 and $5 bills. Spread them out into different pockets and use this as a bartering tool at the markets. If the vendor is asking 100 pesos (about $10 USD) for something, pull your cash from the pocket that only has $6 USD in it then promptly say, “this is all I have.” You will be amazed how low a vendor will go to make the sale. When using American currency, always be aware of the exchange rate and by using small U.S. dollars, you can keep from getting pesos in return.

Good to Know: