Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya is an tourist area located along the Caribbean Sea in the State of the Quintana Roo at the Mexico. Geographically it extends along the littoral at a distance from 130 km going from the locality from Puerto Morelos in North to the locality from Punta Allen in the South.

Origin

Created in 1998 under the impulse of the public authorities (State of the Quintana Roo, Canton of Solidaridad) and of the professional organizations of tourism present in the zone, Riviera Maya became (with Cancún) the tourist destination most important of the Mexico and one of most attended with the international scales.

Geography

The relief along the flat east coast (except exception as to the archeological site of Tulum) and covered either with a tropical semi forest dries (tropophilous Forêt), or of Mangrove low. The littoral offers superb sand beaches clearly intersected by coral rocks. The water of the Caribbean Sea is transparent and turquoise and one can see there fish of all the colors.

The area is formed geologically by an immense plate Calcaire. This rock having the characteristic to be permeable, of many networks of caves and underground galleries were created with the wire of time. The Ground water being raised enough, the caves filled of water to form what one calls with the Mexico “cenotes” (Cénote S). Some are accessible to the public either to practice there a simple bathe, or there to practice the Plongée free (apnea) or Plongée speleological.

Climate

The average temperature of the area varies between 25°C and 30°C and the hottest months go from June to August and most cold from November at January. The temperature of sea water oscillates between 26°C and 29°C and the temperature of water in the Cénote S is constantly with 24°C. The climate is semi tropical at dry season, that means that the year is divided into two great periods. One dry season beginning in November and finishing in May and a wet season from June to October. If the rains are indeed sporadic during the dry season, on the other hand the wet season is especially called thus for the very high water content during this period. The wet season is also called season of the hurricanes. Indeed it happens that certain tropical depressions are transformed into hurricane during this period (mainly in September - October).

Demography

Maya Riviera corresponds, within its limits, with the territory of the canton (municipio) of Solidaridad. The population there was of 67.000 inhabitants in 2000 and passed to meadows of 160.000 in 2006. Annual growth rate is highest of the Mexico with meadows of 20%. The Maya ethnos group is still strongly established there in the rural areas with a population of meadows of 10.000 listed people. The Maya Langue yucatèque is usually practiced there (by the ethnos groups Maya) but the dominant language is Mexican Spanish. The international character of the zone makes that English is also spoken by many people. The economic attraction of Riviera Maya also attracted many foreigners who came to invest or work with Tulum or Playa del Carmen or in one of the many hotels. The majority are of origin American, Canadian, Spanish and Italian. But one also finds of French, German, English, Argentinian, Belgian, Dutch…

Lodging

51 hotels of international class 5 stars offering 18.040 rooms of which 11 offer a Palace high quality service are established on Riviera Maya. The majority are “Spring All Inclusive”, which means that the price of the stay in the hotel included all consumption (food and drinks) and the access to the activities of the hotel (Jacuzzi, aquagym, Aérobic, room of gym, ground of Tennis, ground of volleyball, Billard, discotheque…). Nevertheless certain activities remain paying like the Plongée underwater, the scooter of the seas, the Golf, the horsemanship or the care suggested in the spa S, that depends on each establishment. Riviera Maya counts also 39 hotels 4 stars offering 3979 rooms and 98 Hotels 3 stars or less offering 2239 rooms.

Activities

Riviera Maya offers all the activities awaited by the international tourist customers. The main activities are those of seaside: bathe, bath of sun, Board with veil, walk in boat, Plunged free (apnea). One can also practice the upward Parachute, the scooter of the seas (Jetski), the veil, the Pêche with the large, the horsemanship, the Tennis, the Golf and even ULM among others…

Golf

One can practice there the golf in one of the five grounds drawn by the largest professionals (Greg Norman, P.B. Dye, Nicklaus Design, Robert Von Hagge or Thomas Leman). Other golfs are currently in construction.

Deep-sea diving

The Caribbean Sea with offered to Riviera Maya of superb turquoise and transparent water and sumptuous coral barriers. Most known is with Akumal where one can also plunge in bay of Yalku. A multitude of shops offer initiations to the diving, hirings of equipment and exits at sea to observe the multicoloured Corail and fish species. The guides are always patented and trained to frame plungers. It is completely possible (and recommended) to make Plongée free in (apnea), with palms, mask and tuba, for all those which do not wish to be initiated with the diving or which do not have the certificates necessary for this practice. For the informed amateurs and having the capacities, it is also practiced in Riviera Maya of the Plongée speleological in the caves and galleries of the Cénote S.

Spa

60 hotels of Riviera Maya offer a service of spa where one can slacken and take care of his body: Massage S, treatments with plants, Maya steam bath (Temazcal) or Sauna, Eastern therapies… Outside the hotels there exist some establishments offering the services of spa.

Visits and excursions

Many agencies offer an infinity of visits and excursions making it possible to leave to discovered the Jungle the area, to better know the culture Maya, to go to swim with Dauphin S or to see marine tortoises, to have fun on a quad (quat' - wheels) or fixed on a tyrolienne or to see the area during a flight in the light plane. They also organize the visits of the archeological sites (Tulum, Cobá) or of watery and cultural parks (Xcaret, XelHa).

Marriage and Honeymoon

Many couples come in Honeymoon on Riviera Maya attracted by its beaches and its decoration enchanters. It is also very easy to organize its Mariage civil or religious in many hotels of Riviera. A ceremony of marriage on a paradisiac beach is an unforgettable memory. The legalization of the marriage in the country of origin is rather simple.

Shops

Riviera Maya cannot equalize Cozumel yet and especially Cancún concerning the number and the variety of shops, especially of luxury, but one finds with Playa del Carmen all types of trade and certain shops belonging to international famous brands. Projects of shopping malls are under development.

Restaurants

One counts primarily 30 restaurants of international standing (without counting the restaurants belonging to the hotels) primarily located at Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras and Tulum. But there exists a multitude of restaurants of all kinds, energy of the simple small salesman of Tacos or Hot dog at the edge of the road to the restaurant of high gastronomy. All savors are present with Mexican Cuisine traditional (kitchen Pibíl also) but also Italian, Spanish, Argentinian, French, Japanese or Chinese and without forgetting inevitable the pizzeria and fast-food.

Night life

Riviera Maya offers various bars, clubs or discotheques almost all located at Playa del Carmen. The majority of the hotels “All Inclusive” have also their own bars and discotheques. To leave during the night in the center the city does not present more danger than in any town of Europe or the Canada.

Groups and Congress

Riviera Maya does not have public equipment yet to receive Congrès or conventions but the majority of the large hotels offer this service type as well as the park of Xcaret.

Destinations

Playa del Carmen

This animated locality offers an ideal atmosphere for the holidays. Environment is slackened there with its multiples small shops, coffees and restaurants. It has the landing stage making it possible to go on the island of Cozumel located just opposite its beaches.

Akumal

Still little developed, the small village of Akumal, for a long time known by the amateurs of Plunged underwater, tends to develop. Its sand beach white and its Cocotier S border a bay in which come to shelter turtles. The reef of Corail is to a few hundred meters of the shore and offers a marvellous spectacle to the plungers with or without bottles. Luxurious villas were established on the sea front, like some hotels and clubs. But the site preserves a very natural aspect.

Tulum

Tulum offers a marvellous archeological site in edge of sea but also a pleasant small village and a hotel zone arranged and managed in a spirit of conservation of the natural heritage (Sustainable development). The hotels and restaurants bordering the splendid beach of Tulum are built among the Palmier S and the Mangrove. The environment which reign will enchant there the partisans of the respect and protection of nature.

See too

Internal bonds

Playa del Carmen
Tulum
Akumal
Solidaridad
Xcaret
XelHa
Cancún

External bonds

Official site of Riviera Maya (English-Spanish)
Riviera Maya paradise balénaire of the peninsula of Yucatán in the State of Quintana Roo
Tourist site of the Caribbean Mexican (Spanish-English)

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