The idyllic Mayan Riviera lies on the east coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, bordering the Caribbean Sea. This dream holiday location has everything for the perfect holiday, including beautiful powder-white sandy beaches, crystal-clear blue waters, amazing coral reefs, not to be

Beach

missed Mayan archaeological and geological sites, tiny villages and holiday resorts. Named after the ancient Mayan civilisation, the Mayan Riviera is 100 miles of beautiful coastline stretching from Playa del Secreto to Punta Allen. All along the Mayan Riviera there are luxury hotels and smaller cheaper properties which all offer great hospitality and entertainment for the whole family on their holiday packages to Mexico. Cancun is a popular resort with hotels to suit all budgets, with the resorts of Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Morelos and Felipe Carrillo Puerto to the south also being popular with tourists.

What better way to unwind than to laze on the stunning white beaches before taking a swim in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. A variety of water sports are available including snorkelling, scuba diving, jet-skiing and windsurfing. Snorkelling and scuba diving are popular here due to the amazing Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System which is the second largest coral reef in the world.

Cenote

Cenote diving is also very popular here; when diving in these inland underwater caves you will need a local guide.

Away from the sun-kissed beaches there is so much to do and see. A jeep safari will take you into rainforests and mangrove swamps or you can take a boat trip to the island of Cozumel for snorkelling and scuba diving on the island’s spectacular coral reefs. With many coral reefs all along the Mayan Riviera it is no wonder the area is regarded as a snorkellers paradise, especially at Xel-Ha. The whole family will love a day out at the 1.3 million acre eco-tourism site at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. The site features tropical forests, lagoons and a colony of turtles. Other activities include hiking, cycling, horse-riding, paragliding and you can even swim with dolphins or visit a crocodile zoo. Before the Spanish conquest of Yucatan, the Maya civilisation dominated the region, hence the many Mayan archaeological sites in the area. These sites can be found at Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Tulum and Coba.

Mayan Ruins Tulum

Evenings can be spent enjoying the lively Mexican-style nightlife or by relaxing over some traditional Mexican cuisine of tortillas, tamales, enchiladas and re-fried beans. Sit back and enjoy a Tequila or two whilst watching the entertaining Mariachi bands in action.

Generally speaking the Mayan Riviera is the hottest part of Mexico although there are still seasons when it is best to visit the area. It has a sub-tropical climate and is hot and humid all year round, with the summer months seeing the highest levels of humidity. Temperatures reach the mid 30′s during the summer season which is also the rainy season. However, the coast usually just has short bursts of heavy rain in the afternoon which doesn’t stop visitors from getting a good tan during the morning sunshine. September and October see more wind and rain but the region still enjoys enough sunshine to keep families on the beach. Mayan Riviera nights see cooler weather but the days still enjoy high temperatures. Late deals to the Mayan Riviera are available at any time of the year, especially as spring approaches and the temperatures start to rise for the summer season.

With only around 30 days of the year when the temperature doesn’t reach 27C, Puerto Juarez is the perfect destination for your winter sun holidays. Located just outside Cancun on the Bahia de Mujeres, this quiet laid-back resort is close enough to enjoy all the hustle and bustle of

Puerto Juarez

Cancun but far enough away to just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet of the resorts beautiful soft white sandy beaches which are lapped by the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. The port itself is the departure point for trips to the Isla Mujeres which is situated a couple of miles off the eastern tip of Mexico.

The beautiful beaches around Puerto Juarez are perfect for snorkelling, scuba diving or just lazing under the clear blue sunny sky. Scuba divers can check out the shallow reefs, wrecks, underground caves, caverns and amazing marine life, maybe even coming face-to-face with the local whale sharks. The Great Mesoamerican Reef (Gran Acerife Maya) is one of the largest on the planet and will not fail to impress.

There is so much to do and see away from the amazing beaches that you will be spoilt for choice on your cheap holidays to Mexico. Take a drive through the Mexican jungle where you can explore ancient Mayan ruins, visit an interactive zoo where you can hold and feed many different

Chichen Itza

animals such as spider monkeys, spiders and even crocodiles, take lunch with the iguanas and take a cooling swim in the jungle cenotes. There are lots of Mayan archaeological sites to explore including Chichen Itza, Tulum and Coba. Isla Mujeres (the Island of Women) is located just offshore of Puerto Juarez and makes a great day out for the whole family to relax and recharge their batteries. Here on the island you will find beautiful beaches, underwater reefs and an amazing Mayan temple featuring carved female figures from which the island gets its name. The beautiful Caribbean Sea plays a big part in holidays to Puerto Juarez. Apart from offering perfect swimming and water sports, there are party cruises, pirate-ship dinner cruises and romantic sunset dinner cruises all on the Caribbean Sea here in Mexico.

Isla Mujeres

Eating out in Puerto Juarez is a sea-food and shellfish lovers heaven with everything on the menu caught locally, including the excellent lobster and shrimps. There are hundreds of restaurants and bistros in and around Puerto Juarez serving everything from fish and sea-food dishes to traditional Mayan cuisine. Try the cochinita pibil (suckling pig in banana leaves) or panuchos (tortillas with fried black beans, pickled onions and chicken) for a taste of Yucatan cuisine which combines Mayan and European ingredients.

The whole family will love a night out at Coco Bongo in Cancun which is a cross between the Cirque de Soleil, a concert and a stand-up gig. A mix of dancing, singing, acting, comedians and impersonators, this is an evening that will keep everyone entertained.

Puerto Juarez enjoys temperatures over 32C for more than four months of the year, with just 30 days of the year seeing temperatures below 27C. Last minute holiday deals to Puerto Juarez are great for beach holidays and plenty of water sports including snorkelling, scuba diving, windsurfing, surfing, kite boarding, jet-skiing, paragliding and sailing.