Riviera Maya

Welcome to our first travel story!

Out of all the trips we have to share, we started with this one because it was recent, took months of planning, and everything turned out as expected—and even better.
We knew it was an incredible destination and a must-visit, as everyone we know who has been to the Riviera Maya came back amazed.
After an initial assessment, we knew we couldn't stay for less than 12 days.
Considering that hotels are reasonably priced and we had extra vacation time, we chose to book tickets for a 15–16 day stay between February and March 2018.

Our Initial Planning Included

Must-See Spots

• Chichen Itza
• Tulum and Coba
• Isla Mujeres
• Xel-Ha, Xcaret, Xenses, and Xplor Parks
• Akumal (the place of the sea turtles)
• Playa del Carmen
• A 2-day All-Inclusive resort to unwind mid-trip
• Closed, open, and semi-open cenotes

After the trip, even more highlights were added (such as Cozumel).
In the map below, you can see the location of all the places and attractions we visited, which we cover in detail further on.

Trip Duration: 15–16 Days

We knew we needed at least 12 days.
We traveled as a party of 4: two adults and two kids (aged 11 and 19).
We got around in a rental car, which cost us about the same (fuel included) as booking round-trip transfers for four people to all four parks.

Day by Day (Full details here)

To stay close to the attractions, we stayed at different hotels near each site.
We prefer traveling this way because it saves unnecessary drive times, reduces the risk of being stuck in a bad hotel, and lets us explore different towns and local cultures.

Here are the hotel locations shown on the map above:

• A – Cancun
• B – Tulum
• C – Akumal
• D – Puerto Aventuras (All Inclusive)
• E – Playa del Carmen
• F – Cancun

Check out this link to see our full day-by-day itinerary with photos, details, and travel tips.

Tours & Excursions

If detailed planning isn't your thing, or you prefer not to manage all the logistics yourself, check out these options: