Destination overview

The Yucatán Peninsula, which contains the picturesque city of Cancún and the famed Riviera Maya is a one-of-a-kind holiday destination that welcomes more visitors than any other part of Mexico. It’s a place where ancient Mayan ruins, high-end retail districts and gorgeous resorts blend seamlessly with soft, white sandy beaches and lush jungles teeming with flora and fauna. That’s why when you visit this extraordinary region you’ll find everything you’re looking for in a tropical holiday right at your fingertips. Get ready to swim, play, relax, explore and shop!

The primary draw of the Yucatán Peninsula is its long Caribbean coast - the band of shoreline from Cancún south to Tulum is the Riviera Maya. Cancún’s endless array of water sports is sure to attract many holiday-makers, regardless of age. Scuba-diving, snorkelling and sport-fishing — it’s all here. You can even charter a sailboat for a day on the sea or a romantic sunset cruise. Be sure to visit Xel-Ha, considered one of the largest natural aquariums in the world. This major attraction is a premier site for snorkelling, swimming with the dolphins, taking Scuba lessons and even walking underwater! The Great Mayan Reef, just off the coasts of Cancún and the Riviera Maya, stretches more than 620 miles from Cabo Catoche at the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula south along Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. This stunning sub-marine jewel offers many interesting diving opportunities with locations like Cozumel Island and the Palancar Reef flush with fish, crabs, lobster, mollusks, sea cucumbers and starfish.

After exploring the broad depths of the ocean — from splashing on the shallow shores to deep-water dives, spend some time interacting with Mexican culture at Xcaret, one of the most spectacular theme parks in the world. Xcaret Is a majestic archaeological area with stage shows acting out Mexican history, a coral reef aquarium, butterfly pavillion and underground rivers, beaches and natural pools. If you’re looking for adventure, Cancún offers some of the longest zip lines in Latin America. You can also go mountain biking or drive through the jungle in open-top Jeeps.

For a slower pace of activity, try the golf. Renowned championship golf courses dot the Yucatán Peninsula, beckoning golfers of all handicaps. Enjoy swinging your clubs in some of the most beautiful natural settings imaginable on courses that meet the highest standards set by professional golf tournaments and expert golfers.

Cancún is also one of the premier spa destinations in the world, with more than 30 stunning spa resorts waiting to transport your mind, body and spirit to a nirvana of pure bliss. Treat yourself to a day spa treatment that combines native herbs and plants with ancient Mayan healing rituals and the latest stress-reducing innovations. Try a traditional Temazcal steam bath or a full-body massage on the beach overlooking the turquoise blue waters. Indulge in a thalassotherapy treatment and relax as expert therapists provide natural body wraps made with local plants and flowers. Your ultimate spa experience in Mexico, however, has to include a traditional Mayan massage. This massage is designed to balance you fully, enormously benefiting your immune system and circulation.

Cancún’s Mayan culture is considered by many as its crowning glory. The aura of mystery and majesty still lingers around the Mayan archaeological sites and pre-Hispanic ruins, including Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Tulum. Within the state of Yucatán, the northern portion of the peninsula and Campeche, the landscape is covered with crumbling haciendas and the stark ruins of ancient cities. This is the world of the present-day Maya, where life moves slowly in simple villages bordered by rock walls and cornfields. Elsewhere on the peninsula, the Gulf Coast state of Tabasco was once home to the Olmec, the mother culture of Mesoamerica.

At Villahermosa's Parque-Museo La Venta, you can see the impressive 40-ton carved rock heads the Olmec left behind. In Chiapas, San Cristóbal de las Casas is more in the mould of a provincial colonial town, surrounded by villages home to a variety of craftspeople. In the eastern lowland jungles of Chiapas lie the classic Maya ruins of Palenque, while deeper in are the ruins of Yaxchilán and Bonampak.

As one of the world’s premier tourist destinations, Cancún boasts an impressive selection of retail opportunities. You’ll find everything from ultra-chic designer stores and brand-name retailers to flea markets and souvenir shops selling local handcrafts. Plus, shopping in Cancún is duty-free, so you can grab some real bargains on items like cosmetics and jewellery.

La Isla Village in the Hotel Zone features more than 150 shops under a giant canopy with a series of canals and small bridges designed to create a Venetian look. Kukulcan Plaza and Luxury Avenue, also in the Hotel Zone, boast more than 250 shops and boutiques in exclusive, luxurious surroundings. There are many specialty restaurants, bars and cafés here, as well as a bowling alley. Mercado 28, meanwhile, is a huge flea market in the heart of downtown Cancún. It’s the perfect place to find souvenirs, Mexican handcrafts and silver.

For those interested in archaeology, the small El Rey ruins are right in town and are a peaceful haven for hundreds of friendly iguanas. The pyramids at Chicén Itzá, Uxmal and Tulum ruins are further away, but are a spectacular example of Mayan architecture. Almost half the visitors to Mexico find their way to the delights of Cancún. And a huge percentage of them come back again and again.

Palm trees, incredible clear aquamarine water in an ocean so warm and welcoming you’ll still be swimming at sunset, and 14 miles (22.5 kilometres) of beautiful beach await you in this island paradise. A pulsating nightlife, more restaurants and bars than you can imagine, and a city centre that still retains a traditional Mexican feel are what make this place one that will appeal to everyone.

For fun and adventure, travelling back in time while enjoying rich, contemporary comforts, or just relaxing in a tropical paradise, Cancún and the Riviera Maya just cannot be beaten.