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.

The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, south of Cancun, was established in 1986 and is one of Mexico’s largest parks. Covering over one million acres of coastal jungle, the reserve became

Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme in 1986 and in 1987 became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Complete with wetlands, flooded savannas, dunes, mangroves and lagoons the reserve is ideal for not only nature lovers but also sports enthusiasts. The reserve also includes part of the the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the world’s second largest coastal barrier reef. Home to a huge range of animals and plants, it is also home to over 350 species of bird and is the nesting ground for two species of endangered sea turtle and for many different species of wading birds. Species of birds found here include white-fronted parrots,roseate spoonbills, belted kingfisher,egrets, blue and boat-billed herons, frigate birds and jabiru stork, along with more than 300 species of butterfly. Animals found here include puma, jaguar, ocelot, margay, jaguarondi, Caribbean manatee, spider and howler monkeys, Central American tapir, white-tailed deer, collared

Sian Ka'an ruin

 anteater, crocodiles and four species of turtle. The reserve has more than 20 known archeological sites where relics, human remains and ceramic pieces that are more than 2,000 years old have been found.

The reserve covers about a third of the Caribbean coast of Mexico and is home to more than 2,000 inhabitants, a mix of wealthy landowners and poor campesinos. Fishing and tourist boat trips to the reefs and lagoon system are the main industries of these inhabitants.

Sian Ka'an Reserve

Here at Sian Ka’an (Mayan for ‘where the sky is born’) you can observe the reserve from an observation tower, kayak in the wetlands, explore the jungle on foot and go snorkelling in the crystal clear waters of the Beh Ha cenote (a sinkhole with caves).

Many environmental groups are involved with research and the protection of the reserve including the World Wildlife Fund, the Ecotourism Society, the Smithsonian School and many more.

A visit to the Sian Ka’an Reserve provides a great experience on your last minute holidays to Mexico.

There are many holiday deals to Mexico on offer throughout the internet that can include a visit to this intriguing diverse reserve.