Mayan Riveria Offers Resorts, History & Ecotourism
When the Mexican government first designated the area around Cancun as the site for the development of modern tourism resorts in the early 1970s, it seemed to be an unlikely destination. The Yucatan Peninsula was a lightly settled region with few economic links to the rest of the country, virtually no infrastructure, and a mosquito coast. The struggling population consisted of indigenous peoples descended from the ancient Mayans and some descendants of their Spanish conquerors.
Decades later, more than 14 million people visit the State of Quintana Roo annually, and the focus of the tourism industry has shifted south of Cancun to the 80 miles of coastline known as the Mayan Riviera and to places like Playa del Carmen. International visitors, American families and spring breakers fly into Cancun Airport or arrive by cruise ship to stay in one of the 85,000 hotel rooms on the Mayan Riviera and enjoy the sun, historical sites and ecological attractions offered there.
Some of the most interesting sites to visit and things to do on the Mayan Riviera are:
Chichen Itza: Anyone with a casual interest in history or seeing some truly distinctive ruins should visit Chichen Itza. One of the most majestic cities of the ancient Maya, Chichen Itza flourished as a leading center of the Mayan world from the 5th century until the 12th century when it was conquered by rival Mayapan and then eventually abandoned for unknown reasons. Rediscovered in the jungle along with other Mayan cities by famous explorers John Stephens and Frederick Catherwood in 1840, the well-preserved city includes several dozen stone buildings with elaborate carvings.
When I first visited Chichen Itza in the 1980s, it was a full-day excursion, since the ruins could only be reached by a two-lane road that passed through small, dusty villages. Once you arrived, you could warily climb the 91 steep steps of the El Castillo pyramid to the pavilion on top and visualize an ancient priest conducting rituals to the gods, or walk through the 490-foot-long ball court where a form of ancient soccer was played and the losing team was sacrificed.
Chichen Itza was later named a World Heritage Site and honored as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Today, it is readily accessible by highway after a two-hour drive from Cancun or Playa del Carmen. It boasts an air-conditioned visitor center with an interesting movie, displays and Mayan relics to help orient visitors to the wonders of the site. Other notable attractions there include a deep cenote, which served as a holy well, a celestial observatory and the Temple of One Thousand Columns, which likely served as the city’s marketplace.
Xcaret: Located just a few miles south of Playa del Carmen, Xcaret is a unique ecological theme park with 250 acres of tranquil beaches, rivers, a Mayan village, a Spanish Hacienda, restaurants and stage shows with performances of Mayan traditions. The park also includes displays of many animals in their natural habitats, including jaguars, flamingos, butterflies, deer, wild boar and exotic birds. Some of the most enjoyable activities for adults and kids are to float with a life preserver through the resort on an underground river that meanders through dark caves and openings to the bright sky above, or ride on a raft through the jungle on an aboveground river. In addition to folk dances, the stage show features Mayan warriors known as flyers who dive from a revolving pole with a rope attached to their ankle. This attraction has enough variety to keep everyone interested for the day.
Tulum: Tulum is the third most popular archaeological ruin in Mexico. Tourists seeking a taste of Mayan ruins enjoy visiting it for a couple hours. Built during the later stages of Mayan rule around 1000 A.D., the castle, temples and other buildings at Tulum lack the architectural splendor of Chichen Itza and other classic Mayan cities. But the location and view is pleasing since Tulum is located on top of a cliff directly on the Caribbean. Many people bring a swimsuit and walk down to the beach after touring the site. Tulum is also considered historically significant because this walled city was one of the few Mayan sites that resisted occupation for 75 years after the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, and it later served as a military outpost in insurrections mounted against the Spanish and the Mexican government by local peoples.
Playa del Carmen Downtown: Once a quiet fishing village that tourists passed through on their way to the ferry to Cozumel, Playa del Carmen has developed into the hot spot on the Mayan Riviera. This city of 150,0000 residents is touted as one of the fastest-growing cities in Latin America and is known for its modern infrastructure and slightly European flair. Playa’s downtown district includes numerous Mexican restaurants and other cuisine and is considered to have the best shopping and nightlife in the region. Quinta Avienda and the cross streets have international stores, beachwear, textiles and Mexican boutique stores. People leave the comfort of their resorts and stroll the 1.5-mile pedestrian street for a relaxing late afternoon or evening experience.
Other sites: There are many other interesting places to see and things to do on the Mayan Riviera. Xel-Ha is a lagoon south of Playa del Carmen where you can snorkel or swim among the rocks along with thousands of fish of every color and shape. Coba is another large Mayan ruin located about 90 minutes inland from Playa del Carmen. It is still being explored and a bit more adventurous to visit than Chichen Itza. Located deep in the jungle near a series of small lakes, visitors particularly enjoy riding between sites on bicycles and climbing the pyramid there to see above the trees. Finally, there are dozens of cenotes that have been turned into swimming attractions like the Gran Cenote near Tulum and Chaak Tun near Playa del Carmen. Cenotes are underwater limestone sinkholes or natural caves filled with fresh water that once served as the sole source of water for villages and cities in the arid Yucatan.