Best Activities in Cancun and the Riviera Maya

If you have visited the beaches of the Caribbean Sea in Mexico before, you already know how these beautiful landscapes impact the humans' eyes and make you wanna come back. In this post, we want to tell you about the best activities to do in Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

Which is better, Cancun or the Riviera Maya?

The truth is that you can't miss either one of them!

Both are beautiful places that you have to visit at least once in your lifetime; both have fantastic beaches, roads full of nature, and typical food stands that you will love.

Both Cancun and Riviera Maya are very different places. In Cancun, you can find a city that reflects an atmosphere of parties and beach fun from early to late. You can also visit the most beautiful squares of the city, such as La Isla and Puerto Cancun Marina Town Center, where you will surely find more than one of your favorite stores. 

Meanwhile, the Riviera Maya has a more relaxed atmosphere, where you can camp by the moonlight in front of the sea in one of the camping houses. Alternatively, you can stay in the most eco-friendly hotels that exist here (if you are a nature and sunset lover, this will be the ideal place for you).

When you arrive in Cancun, you can get a Cancun Airport Transporation. It will help you to get to your lodging place, favorite attraction, or place inside or outside the city (you should consult prices according to your trip).

Visit the Water Parks

The best parks to visit in Cancun and the Riviera Maya are undoubtedly the following:

Xcaret

You will love this theme park and best of all, the show they present during the afternoons and evenings. If you want to live an incredible experience, you can't miss the life and death festival from October 31st to November 2nd. You will learn much more about one of the most important cultural heritage of humanity, the beliefs, and customs of the Mayas regarding the underworld.

Xel Há

An eco-park created especially to respect and admire the nature around you. You can't miss this place! We recommend that you include visiting Xel Há in your itinerary because it was recently recognized as one of the most beautiful and impressive theme parks in the world; there are more than 20 attractions inside, and it is ideal for the whole family.

Ventura Park

If you're looking for a fun park nearby in Cancun's hotel zone, you shouldn't rule out Ventura Park, one of the best and most complete theme parks with a dolphin swim, slides, and a wave pool. In Ventura park, you can find flying chairs, a carousel, and not a very big but fun roller coaster; you can also get on the bumper boats, where you'll have fun all day long as well as a slow artificial current river ideal for the little ones.

Xplor

If we were looking for a word to define Xplor, it is Intensity! Well, in all activities, both day and night (in Xplor Fuego), you will have the experience of doing extreme activities surrounded by stalactites and nature, a real adventure!

Garrafon Natural Park

This park is located 25 minutes from the Cancun pier in Isla Mujeres. And you will be able to enjoy impressive zip lines of up to 120 meters long, boat rides, and an incredible day of relaxation in the park's pools, and the impressive infinity pool with a great view of the beautiful Caribbean Sea!

Relax on the best beaches in the Caribbean

The beaches of Cancun and the Riviera Maya are undoubtedly some of the best in the Caribbean. And here we will recommend the best that exists in the area, plus some tips depending on the place where the beach's located.

Isla Mujeres

Just a short ferry ride from Cancun, Isla Mujeres offers a tranquil escape with its stunning beaches and vibrant street life. A must-visit attraction on the island is Garrafon Natural Reef Park, renowned for its beautiful reef and panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea. The park provides an array of activities that make it a perfect spot for adventure seekers and nature lovers alike. Visitors can snorkel in the clear waters, zip-line over the ocean, or simply relax in hammocks by the sea. With its lush landscapes and inviting waters, Garrafon Park captures the essence of tropical paradise, making it an ideal inclusion in any Cancun itinerary.

Playa Paraíso

The first one on the list, located in Tulum, is one of the best beaches of the Riviera Maya, with an impressive blue sea view that you will not want to miss and of which you will surely take hundreds of pictures!

One of the best recommendations we can make about this beach is visiting it during the week when there is less tourist influx in the site. We recommend not taking any food or bottled drink; they sell food nearby that you can taste in the restaurants without endangering the fauna of the place.

Playa Norte

As a recommendation: before you travel, arrange your transfer to and from the island. Getting to know this beach will be one of the most exceptional experiences you can have since the view you have in this place will not compare in any way to another one you have visited before.

Mamitas Beach

Located in Playa del Carmen, Mamita's beach, has one of the most famous beach clubs in the world, in this place you can not miss the party. If you want to know a little more, you can visit one of the coolest attractions in Playa del Carmen, like the Fifth Avenue.

For this, you can acquire the service of Transportation from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen which will make it more comfortable to get around between the attractions and beaches of the city or from one city to another in the Riviera Maya and surroundings.

Sian Ka'an

Known as one of the most important reserves in the world, the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve has a wonderful treasure within its waters that you must surely experience!

Other places to visit in Cancun and the Riviera Maya

Between Cancun and the Riviera Maya, you can also visit cenotes, better known as the most beautiful natural freshwater ponds in the world. In places like these, you can hire a private tour where you will learn a lot about the Mayan culture and the sacred use they gave to the cenotes.

A city that you cannot miss in the Riviera Maya is Tulum since it has an irreplaceable historical value that you have to know. Within the Zama zone, you will be able to visit the castle, a pyramid used as a fort against pirate invasions built on the edge of a cliff to a beautiful beach by the Mayans.