Riviera Maya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Riviera Maya" is a tourism district following the highway 307 of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It historically started at Playa del Carmen and ended at Tulum pueblo, though the towns of Puerto Morelos to the north of Playa del Carmen and Felipe Carrillo Puerto inland are both currently being promoted as part of the Riviera Maya tourist corridor.
It is famous for its all-inclusive resorts located along the highway, as Mayan Resorts, and smaller boutique hotels located in Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
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[edit] Geography
The terrain is flat, covered by low tropical jungle, and its coasts alongside the Caribbean provide many kilometers of powdery white sand beaches, inlets, bays, and mangrove swamps. As in all of the Yucatan Peninsula, there are no important above-ground rivers with the exception of the Rio Hondo, a navigable river on the border with Guatemala. The most important lagoons are Coba, North of Tulum, Bacalar to the Northeast of Chetumal, the State's capital, and Chichancanab, between Santa Rosa and Polyuc. Sweetwater "cenotes" are abundant in the region, and were the original water sources for the ancient population centers of the Maya culture.
[edit] Climate
The average annual temperature ranges from 77 °F (25 °C) to 86 °F (30 °C). Cenote water temperature for snorkeling or diving is around 76 °F (24 °C) year-round. Offshore water temperatures range from 78 °F (26 °C) in January to 84 °F (29 °C) in August. May through November is the rainy season.
[edit] Destinations
The main tourist destinations on the Mayan Riviera are (from north to south):
- Cancun
- Isla Mujeres (Island)
- Puerto Morelos
- Playa del Carmen
- Cozumel (Island)
- Puerto Aventuras
- Akumal
- Tulum
The Riviera is generally thought to stop at the Sian Ka'an Biosphere south of Tulum.
[edit] External links
- http://www.rivieramaya.com - The official site for promotion of the Riviera Maya
- http://www.yucatanliving.com - Expatriate inside info on living, working and playing in the Yucatan
- Gulch Budget Guide to the Riviera Maya