Exploring Riviera Maya

Today we got in some morning pool time, then headed to the charming, boutique resort town of Tulum. It was about an hour drive.… But, oh so worth it! 

Tulum Mayan Ruins. Our first stop. This is the best preserved coastal Mayan Ruins site and the second most visited of all the ruins in Mexico. Here’s why… this ancient city is situated on top of magnificent cliffs and right along the beautiful coastline of the Caribbean waters. It was hot, but the breeze from the ocean 40 ft below, kept us cool. Parking is a little tricky, but there are lots of locals willing to offer you a spot for a small fee or there is public parking but its farther away. On your way back, make sure to visit all of the local craft booths and little shops for a souvenir or cool drink. You could even grab a quick lunch here.

Gran Cenote. From there, we drove 5 miles to try to get a quick swim in at Gran Cenote …. arrived there too late. They close the gates 45 minutes earlier than it states online. Make a note of that. There are several cenotes in this area that you could explore.

Town of Tulum. Head to the popular Tulum Beach Road South. This is the zen zone, with vegan restaurants, yoga studios and boutique hotels along the very, very long stretch of beach called Tulum Beach Road South. This is the trendy new spot for young tourists, and since we consider ourselves “young” we had to go. A lot of people were riding bikes, which would have been a wonderful way to explore all the shops along the main road if you decided to stay a few nights in Tulum. The restaurants, shops, and boutique hotels are all on this main road. Make sure to enjoy dinner here…

Nomade. This restaurant was our #1 choice for dinner. A recommendation from another blogger. Honestly, the food was out of this world!! And since Tulum doesn’t get busy till later and we were eating an early dinner, we had the place to ourselves. Afterwards, we walked along the beach before heading back to the resort for a good night’s sleep.

Tip #2: Nomade. This restaurant is fantastic.

Isla Mujeres. A quick ferry ride from Cancún afforded us the opportunity to explore the small island of Isla Mujeres. It is only 8 miles long but boasts some of the most beautiful beaches and turquoise water in the Caribbean. We rented a golf cart and enjoyed a bumpy drive around the entire island exploring Playa Norte, Tortugranja, the island’s turtle sanctuary, Garrafon de Castillo to snorkel, and Punta Sur.

Tip: A golf cart is a fun way to explore the island

If you do an excursion, it will probably take most of your day, so you’ll need to decide about that right away and schedule it with a company as soon as you get off the ferry. We decided to explore the island on our own. If you decide this route, you can follow the details below:

As soon as you get off the ferry, you can turn to your left and walk north along a strip of road with many shops to find the most popular beach area called Playa Norte. Swim, relax, and snorkel. Get ice cream and eat lunch before you head out to explore. When you are ready to explore the island, head back the way you came and rent a golf cart at one of the many vendors. Drive south to Tortugranja , the turtle sanctuary, then head to a nice secret local recommendation for swimming and snorkeling – Garrafon de Castillo. You can rent snorkel gear when you get there. After that, continue to the southern most tip of the island, Punta Sur. Many say this is the most beautiful part of the island. Definitely worth a visit! Then, ride back up along the island’s eastern side where you’ll see a rocky coastline that is unswimmable because of the powerful waves crashing against the rugged coast. The water is a deeper blue along this side. We made it back in time to grab another bite to eat and catch the ferry back to our Cancun. 

Other activities  to consider:

Snorkel at MUSA – the Underwater Art Museum Reservation. Tour operators offer snorkeling, catamaran and scuba diving options. Ticket combinations and pricing found here.

Swim with dolphins at the Dolphin Discovery. 

Garrafon Natural Reef Park – this reef park offers snorkeling, kayaking, zip-line, a mayan sauna temazcal, panoramic pool, lounge chairs and hammocks.