10 Things to Do Off the Beaten Track in Riviera Maya
Interesting Places in Riviera Maya Only Locals Know
Getting off the beaten track in Riviera Maya lets you explore tonnes of wondrous locales, from ancient Mayan ruins to natural limestone swimming holes and outdoor adventure galore. You can explore national parks and biosphere reserves. You can go swimming and snorkelling in cenotes above ground and underground. You can explore important cities dating back to the ancient Mayan empire and so much more. Whether you’re here for history, romance, excitement, or outdoor adventure, Riviera Maya offers all of it.
Explore some of the lesser-known sites and activities in Riviera Maya that will take your holiday to the next level. Many of these hidden gems are only known by locals and will provide amazing experiences for your trip.
1. Ruta de los Cenotes
See natural pit, cylinder, basin, and cave pools
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Ruta de los Cenotes is exactly what it sounds like, a route you can travel to explore dozens of different cenotes of every variety: pit, cylinder, basin, and cave. Here you can go swimming, spelunking, and snorkelling to explore some of nature’s most mysterious wonders: natural swimming holes created by limestone sinkholes over millions of years while surrounded by lush, undisturbed jungle canopies.
The Ruta de los Cenotes offers hiking, swimming, biking, outdoor exploration, and adventure of all types. Many resorts and hotels can make arrangements for you, you can take a tour, or you can just rent a car and drive yourself. It’s in Puerto Morelos and is about 30 minutes inland from central Riviera Maya.
Localização: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Ruta de los Cenotes
2. Bacalar Lagoon
Take a day trip to a sparkling natural inland beach
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Bacalar Lagoon, or Laguna de los Siete Colores, is a vast expanse of soft white sand and shallow waters that sparkles due to the presence of crystals. Due to the lack of surf and clear, shallow waters, many lagoon areas here are ideal for swimming, kayaking, and a wide range of water sports. This is the place to come if you want to be surrounded by the staggering beauty of nature, and escape from the hustle, bustle, and noise of the crowds at other local beaches or human-made attractions.
Bacalar is part of a 35-mile expanse of lagoons fed by rivers, estuaries, and the Chetumal Bay. It’s a day trip, about 3 hours south of central Riviera Maya.
Localização: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Bacalar Lagoon
3. Reserva de la Biósfera Sian Ka’an
Float down an ancient Mayan canal
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Reserva de al Biósefera Sian Ka’an is a nature reserve that dates to the Mayan civilisation with unspoiled natural surroundings, wildlife viewing, and stunning landscapes. Here you can hear and possibly see howler monkeys swinging through the trees and possibly get the chance to see many endangered species of animals. It’s among the largest protected areas on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Most intriguing of all, you can float down a canal that was hand-dug by the Mayans without any of the technology we use today, but which is still there.
This locale offers an escape from nightclubs and resorts to see the natural beauty of the Yucatan. It’s a 2-hour day trip south of central Riviera Maya. Leia mais
Localização: Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R.
Telefone: +52 984 145 6696
Reserva de la Biósfera Sian Ka'an
4. Cenote Siete Bocas
Go swimming and scuba diving in a natural pool
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Cenote Siete Bocas is a natural pool created by a sinkhole underground, which offers 7 different entrances offering natural light from above. You can access the cenote by taking a ladder down into the cavern or performing a cliff dive. The waters are a stunning dark blue with astounding rock formations all around. Facilities here include bathrooms on-site as well as parking and life jackets. Bring your own snacks because this isn’t a place where you’ll find restaurants or shops. Avoid sunblock in the cenote because the ecology here is very delicate, and the lotion can harm it.
The cenote is a destination for diving, snorkelling, swimming, and social media photographs. It’s about an hour north of central Riviera Maya.
Localização: 77584 Quintana Roo, Mexico
Cenote Siete Bocas
5. Laguna Chunyaxché
Relax among an unspoiled natural paradise
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Laguna Chunyaxché is a hidden paradise to the south of Quintana Roo, offering unspoiled natural beauty and crystal clear waters backed by ancient Mayan ruins. You can explore a local community, go swimming, diving, or kayaking in the waters, and learn all about Mayan culture in a tranquil and peaceful surrounding that’s full of history and legacy. You can see an underground cenote with stalactites and stalagmites and rare flowers and animals. Onsite amenities include bathrooms, a car park, and a restaurant to grab a bite to eat.
Please respect the history of this area and don’t leave trash behind. Bring cash, as some local expenses don’t accept plastic. It’s about an hour south of Riviera Maya. Leia mais
Localização: 77134 Quintana Roo, Mexico
Laguna Chunyaxché
6. Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
Go snorkelling along the Great Mayan Reef
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park offers the chance to go snorkelling and diving along the second largest reef in the world with vast biodiversity of flora and fauna. This reef is known as the Great Western Atlantic reef and the Great Mayan Reef. Here you can see hawksbill, loggerhead, white and green turtles, hedgehogs, starfish, toadfish, and other land and sea creatures. If you’re lucky, you might, during December through March, encounter a giant manta ray, which is a magnificent sight you’ll never forget.
This is a place for hiking, exploration, outdoor adventure, and underwater adventures galore. Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park is on an island just over 2 hours from Riviera Maya.
Localização: 5 Av. Nte. 5 A, Centro, 77710 Playa del Carmen, Q.R., Mexico
Telefone: +52 664 153 2418
Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
7. Coba Ruins
See a hidden gem of ancient Mayan culture
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, História, Viagens alternativas
Coba Ruins are an ancient Mayan site offering a chance to see a vast, ancient step pyramid in the heart of the Yucatan jungle that’s largely devoid of crowds. Because it’s less well-known than some of the other Mayan ruins in the area, it’s less touristy, and you can even climb on some of the structures to get an entirely different perspective on the area. It’s perhaps best known for the vast network of stone causeways known as sacbeob, or white roads. You can explore 16 of these roads connecting clusters of houses to the pyramid and local small lakes.
Entering the ruins carries a nominal fee. They can be found about 1.5 hours inland from central Riviera Maya.
Localização: Carretera Federal Tulum 307, 77793 Cobá, Q.R., Mexico
Abre: Daily from 9 am to 5 pm
Telefone: +52 984 206 7166
Coba Ruins
8. Puerto Morelos
Visit a quaint fishing village with outdoor adventures
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Puerto Morelos is an authentic and traditional fishing village offering a bohemian and relaxed atmosphere that lets you connect to a simpler way of life with tonnes of natural attractions. Here you can explore thick mangrove forests, swim in natural cenotes, and lose yourself in lush, verdant jungle surroundings. The town also has a scenic beach with white sand and clear, turquoise waters with gentle waves due to the proximity of a picturesque reef just offshore. Not far away, exclusive resorts offer full pampering treatments.
Puerto Morelos is a full-featured adventure paradise along the Caribbean shores. It’s just an easy 43-minute drive north of central Riviera Maya.
Localização: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Puerto Morelos
9. Cenote Manatee
See the cenote where the manatees once lived
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, Aventura, Viagens alternativas
Cenote Manatee, also called Casa Cenote, is in Tankah Bay and offers a chance to swim or snorkel in crystal clear water surrounded by mangrove trees. Here you can see saltwater and freshwater fish, go kayaking and paddleboarding, snorkelling, diving, and swimming, or head just across the road to grab a bite to eat at a delicious restaurant. The shoreline for the Caribbean Sea with endless white-sand beaches is just minutes away. The Cenote is named for the fact that manatees used to live here. The manatees may be gone, but the pure tropical paradise remains.
Cenote Manatee is a tropical escape in the heart of paradise. It’s just an hour and 15 minutes north of central Riviera Maya.
Localização: Quintana Roo, Mexico
Cenote Manatee
10. Faro de Punta Molas
Capture a photo from a historic lighthouse
Ideal para: Casais, Famílias, História, Viagens alternativas
Faro de Punta Molas, or Northern Point Lighthouse, is a historic landmark at the extreme northern end of Cozumel, offering a peaceful spot to capture astounding land and sea vistas. It’s a trendy spot for campers and bird watchers. Beachcombers love the rocky shores here, as do those looking for the ultimate photograph for their Instagram feed. The surf and rocks along the shore are ragged and rough, making swimming dangerous, but the nearby ruins of Castillo Real make for intriguing historical exploration.
Faro de Punta Molas offers history, nature, and relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of crowds all in one place. It’s just a couple of hours offshore of central Riviera Maya.
Localização: 77683 Quintana Roo, Mexico
Faro de Punta Molas
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