Home, A1 Vacations, Mexico, Yucatan / Mayan Riviera Vacation Rentals

Search for vacation rental homes in Yucatan / Mayan Riviera

The Caribbean Coast: Mexico's Beauty by the Sea!

Nestled along the Caribbean Coast of Mexico are a string of beach communities that offer visitors varying degrees of activity levels. If you want some fun in the sun in a frenetic, fast paced tourist Mecca, look no further than Cancun. If you want a relaxed, easy going day at the beach, you need not venture past Playa del Carmen or Akumal. A vacation along this stretch of the Yucatan peninsula can be as active or as relaxed as you choose. A day's itinerary can include snorkeling, water skiing, swimming, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, bargain hunting, or visiting one of the many historical Mayan sites in the region.

Cancun is the unrivaled favorite destination of tourists to Mexico. The area is a mixture of breathtaking natural beauty, historical sites dating back 1000 years, and mega resorts that draw European vacationers, spring breakers, and sun worshippers in droves. Cancun is actually an island separated from mainland Mexico by two bridges. This separation only adds to the mystical allure of this island getaway. Cancun is famous for the gorgeous beaches that line the shores along the Caribbean. Most of the sand is cared for by the hotel it fronts. All of the beaches in Mexico are public, so if you wish to visit a beach associated with a hotel, just walk through the lobby and you are on your way. Some of the designated public beaches along the strand are Playa Tortuga (Turtle Beach), Playa Langosta (Lobster Beach), Playa Linda (Pretty Beach), and Playa Las Perlas (Beach of the Pearls). All of these beaches are great places to parasail, windsurf, jet ski, and catch some Caribbean rays. For calmer waters, head to the end of the island with waters facing the Bahia de Mujeres (Bay of Women). Here the calmer water provides excellent swimming and snorkeling opportunities.

Scuba divers have come to call Cancun one of the best place for beginning divers in the world. The shallow reef, clear water, and plentiful ocean life make for exciting dive excursions. Punta Nizuc is the northern tip of the Great Meso-American Reef, the largest reef in the western hemisphere, and one of the largest reefs in the world. Drift divers visit various points along the reef like the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks. More advanced divers may want to look inland to a series of a well springs and caverns, known as cenotes.

Isla Mujeres (Island of Women), just 10 miles off the coast, is another great spot for snorkeling or soaking up some prime sunshine. On one end of the island is the El Garrafon National Underwater Park. At the other end is the island's best beach, Playa Norte. This wide beach has fine white sand and calm turquoise blue waters. Water sport rentals are available at the kiosks that line the beach. For an out-of-the-ordinary experience, head to Treasure Island, on the side of Isla Mujeres that faces Cancun, and swim with some bottlenose dolphins. Isla Mujeres is also home to a prominent turtle sanctuary, located near the southern end of Laguna Makax. The shelter houses various species of sea turtles and informs visitors about how the turtles almost became extinct on the island a few years ago.

Playa del Carmen,south of Cancun, is quickly becoming the worst kept secret on the Caribbean coast. Located in the middle of the Costa Turquesa (Turquoise Coast), "Playa" as it is referred to by the locals, may be the best spot in the area for a simple, beach loving vacation. Until the early 1990s, Playa del Carmen was a sleepy fishing village that served as a gateway to Cozumel and Cancun. No more. Recently, savvy Europeans discovered the gorgeous white sand beaches, the crystal clear turquoise water, and the laid back atmosphere, and adopted Playa del Carmen as a Caribbean getaway.

Although tourism is becoming more popular, the citizens of Playa del Carmen have eschewed any temptation to become a glitzed out, loudly decorated city. They have instead adopted a more subtle, native approach to adorning their town. Tropical plants line the city's walkways. Clapboard walls and thatched roofs are an intricate part of new architecture. The town is toned-down, rather than dressed up. The atmosphere is a wonderful blend of Mexican civility and European panache. The pace is busy along 5th Avenue, and the street is filled with little cafes, restaurants, and locally owned shops offering everything from Guatemalan clothing to Cuban cigars.

Playa del Carmen is about relaxing. Why rush? The beaches are plentiful, the Caribbean sun is ever present, and the waves sing a relaxing tune as they gently brush the shore. If you must feel active, the reef that resides offshore makes for a great snorkeling and scuba diving playground. There are numerous dive shops that offer packages to popular sites.

Cozumel, located just 12 miles off the coast, gained fame in the 1950s when famed undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau called attention to Cozumel's Palancar Reef, the second largest worldwide. Cozumel is a diving and snorkeling paradise, and is another great place to get away from it all and spend time on a beautiful beach. Visitors who want to leave the sun for a while may want to stop in the Museo de la Isla de Cozumel. The small, but excellent museum has exhibits showcasing the region's endangered species, the origins of the island, and its present-day topography and plant life. There are also artifacts such as Colonial-era swords, cannons, and ship paraphernalia.

Cozumel is Mexico's premier dive destination. The Santa Rosa Reef is famous for its relatively shallow depth, sea life, coral, and sponges. The San Francisco Reef, off the coast of the beach of the same name, has a huge drop-off wall, but still is in shallow water.

South of Playa del Carmen sits the ecologically oriented community of Akumal. This resort town was built around the beautiful lagoon for which it is named. Like the rest of the Caribbean Coast of Mexico, Akumal is a scuba diving and snorkeling haven. Not far off shore, the water yields wrecks of 16th and 17th century ships that faltered on the reefs.

Golfers visiting the Caribbean Coast of Mexico will love the course at Playacar Golf Club, in Playa del Carmen. Designed by Robert Von Hagge, this course is carved through the lush Mayan jungle, and also offers stunning views of the Caribbean. True golfing zealots will want to head north to Cancun and battle the links at Pok Ta Pok, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The course incorporates Mayan ruins as a backdrop and uses the ocean on a number of holes as a hazard.

A visit to the Caribbean Coast of Mexico is like stepping into a dream. Beautiful beaches line the shores. Friendly guides are waiting to take you deep-sea fishing, or show you some of the Mayan historical sites. Take some time and discover your own hidden treasures, the nooks and crannies that rest unvisited and off the beaten path. However you spend your vacation, rest assured that by spending it on the Caribbean Coast of Mexico, you will take home dreamlike memories that will last a lifetime!