Cidade Turismo
Mexico
Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)

Quintana Roo · Mexico

Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)

The coast of Quintana Roo between Puerto Morelos and Tulum: Playa del Carmen’s Quinta Avenida, Cozumel’s reefs, Akumal’s turtles and cenotes along the roadside.

Caribe Mexicano (Cancún e Riviera Maya)

In the photo: Playa del Carmen beach

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Riviera Maya is the name given to the stretch of Quintana Roo’s coast south of Cancún, from Puerto Morelos to Tulum along federal highway 307. It encompasses over 100 km of white-sand beaches, turquoise sea and a coral barrier a few hundred meters offshore, part of the Mesoamerican Reef System—the second-largest coral reef in the world. Between the road and the sea there are towns, resorts, marinas and entrances to cenotes, the freshwater sinkholes that dot the peninsula.

Playa del Carmen is the region’s hub. Once a fishing village, it is now a city organized around Quinta Avenida, the pedestrian street parallel to the beach, and the pier where boats depart for Cozumel. The island, about 20 km away, is the largest in the Mexican Caribbean and one of the world’s best-known diving destinations, with national park reefs, the San Gervasio archaeological site and the Punta Sur park.

Closer to Cancún, Puerto Morelos retains a village feel, with its leaning lighthouse, the protected reef a few meters from the sand and a botanical garden. South of Playa del Carmen, Akumal is the bay of the green turtles, which often feed on seagrass near the shore, and Puerto Aventuras is a planned community built around a marina. The region also has popular private theme parks that charge separate entrance fees.

English is common in tourism, but Spanish is the local language. The climate is warm year-round, with rains from May to October and hurricane season from June to November.

This destination brings together 4 cities: Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Puerto Morelos, Akumal.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel) is
CozumelPlaya del CarmenAkumalPuerto Morelos

Limites: INEGI / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)

✈ Aeropuerto Internacional de Cancún (CUN), in Cancún · 55 km to Playa del Carmen

Confirm before booking. Flights land at Cancún (CUN), about 55 km from Playa del Carmen, with direct airport buses, transfers and car rentals. Tulum airport (TQO) is about 100 km away. Cozumel has its own airport (CZM) and ferries run from Playa del Carmen.

Suggested arrival point: Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen
Quintana Roo · Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel) Suggested arrival point

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is the largest town in the Riviera Maya, about 55 km from Cancún airport. Life revolves around Quinta Avenida, the pedestrian street parallel to the sea, and Parque de los Fundadores, next to the pier for boats to Cozumel, where the Portal Maya sculpture stands. To the north, Punta Esmeralda beach receives the water of a small cenote. It is the most commonly used base for Cozumel, Akumal, Tulum and the cenotes.
Cozumel
Quintana Roo · Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)

Cozumel

Cozumel is the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean, about 20 km from Playa del Carmen. The town of San Miguel, on the west coast, has the boat pier and the waterfront. The reefs of Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel, such as Palancar and Colombia, make the island one of the world's best-known diving destinations. Inland is San Gervasio, the Maya sanctuary of the goddess Ixchel, and on the southern tip the Punta Sur park, with the Celarain lighthouse and the Colombia lagoon.
Puerto Morelos
Quintana Roo · Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)

Puerto Morelos

Puerto Morelos is a fishing village between Cancún and Playa del Carmen, about 20 km from Cancún airport. It has a seaside square, the leaning lighthouse, toppled by a hurricane in 1967 and left as a reminder, and the reef protected as a national park a few hundred meters from the beach, good for snorkeling. On the roadside is the Jardín Botánico Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín. It’s the calmest village in the northern Riviera Maya.

The local experience

Things to do in Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)

Bahía de Akumal
Akumal · Quintana Roo · Beach

Bahía de Akumal

Akumal’s shallow bay, protected by the reef, where green turtles often feed on seagrass a few meters from the sand.

Parque Nacional Arrecife de Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos · Quintana Roo · National park

Parque Nacional Arrecife de Puerto Morelos

The coral reef in front of Puerto Morelos, a few hundred meters from the beach, protected as a national park and visited on guided snorkeling trips.

Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel
Cozumel · Quintana Roo · National park

Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel

The coral reefs off Cozumel's southwest coast, protected as a national park, with walls, caves and coral gardens known in the diving world.

Quinta Avenida
Playa del Carmen · Quintana Roo · Historic street

Quinta Avenida

Playa del Carmen's pedestrian street, parallel to the sea, with shops, galleries, restaurants and bars, from the pier for boats to Cozumel to the north of the town.

See 6 more places in Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)
Jardín Botánico Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín
Puerto Morelos · Quintana Roo · Botanical garden

Jardín Botánico Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín

Tropical rainforest botanical garden on the roadside in Puerto Morelos, with trails, a chicle harvesters' camp, a Maya house and remains of a small pre-Hispanic structure.

Laguna Yal-Ku
Akumal · Quintana Roo · Lagoon

Laguna Yal-Ku

A shallow cove north of Akumal where freshwater from underground rivers meets the sea, with colorful fish, rays and sculptures on the shore.

Parque de los Fundadores
Playa del Carmen · Quintana Roo · Square

Parque de los Fundadores

The seaside square of Playa del Carmen, next to the pier for boats to Cozumel, with the Portal Maya sculpture and, on some days, the Papantla flyers.

Zona Arqueológica de San Gervasio
Cozumel · Quintana Roo · Archaeological site

Zona Arqueológica de San Gervasio

The main Maya site on Cozumel, inland on the island, associated with the cult of Ixchel, the goddess of the moon and fertility, who received female pilgrims from across the peninsula.

Parque Punta Sur
Cozumel · Quintana Roo · Natural park

Parque Punta Sur

Reserve on the southern tip of Cozumel, featuring the Celarain lighthouse, the Colombia lagoon with crocodiles and birds, open-sea beaches and a small Mayan structure, El Caracol.

Playa Punta Esmeralda
Playa del Carmen · Quintana Roo · Beach

Playa Punta Esmeralda

Public beach in the north of Playa del Carmen where the water from a small cenote meets the sea, forming a shallow natural freshwater pool on the sand.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From December to April is usually the dry season, with clearer seas for diving; it’s high season. From May to October there is more rain. Hurricanes can occur from June to November, especially between August and October. Sargassum typically arrives between April and August, varying by beach. Akumal’s turtles are present in the bay year-round.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Five to seven days: two in Playa del Carmen enjoying the beach, one in Cozumel, one for Akumal and the cenotes, and one for Puerto Morelos. Divers often spend three or four days just in Cozumel. The region pairs well with Cancún, Tulum and Chichén Itzá on a 10–12 day trip.

Which city to stay in

In Playa del Carmen, near Quinta Avenida between streets 1 and 40 you can walk to the beach and the pier; to the north, near Playacar and the Punta Esmeralda area, it’s quieter. Resorts stretch along the coast between Puerto Morelos and Tulum. In Cozumel, stay in San Miguel’s center or on the west coast, facing the mainland with calmer waters. Puerto Morelos and Akumal offer small inns and rental homes in their villages.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Cozumel)

What is the Riviera Maya?

It is the tourist name for the coast of Quintana Roo south of Cancún, from Puerto Morelos to Tulum along highway 307. It includes Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Akumal, Puerto Aventuras and dozens of beaches and cenotes.

Which airport should I use to go to Playa del Carmen?

Cancún (CUN), about 55 km away, with direct buses to Playa del Carmen. Tulum airport (TQO) is about 100 km to the south. Cozumel has its own airport.

Do you need a car in the Riviera Maya?

It’s not mandatory. Public buses and colectivos run along highway 307 between Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Akumal and Tulum all day. A car gives more freedom to reach cenotes and more remote beaches.

Can you visit Cozumel on a day trip?

Yes. Ferries depart from Playa del Carmen’s pier several times a day and the crossing takes about 40 minutes. To dive at leisure, it’s worth staying overnight on the island.

Are theme parks attractions of the region?

They are private enterprises that charge separate admission. The region also has public natural and historic attractions—cenotes, reefs, beaches and ruins—that can be visited independently or with a guide.

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