Top Reasons to Go

Visiting the only Mayan site that overlooks the Caribbean: The ruins at Tulum, only an hour south of Playa del Carmen, are a dramatic remnant of a sophisticated pre-Columbian people.

Casting for bonefish: These elusive shallows-dwellers, off the Chinchorro Reef near the Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka'an, can match wits with even the most seasoned fly-fisher.

Indulging in a decadent massage or body treatment: The Riviera Maya is flush with luxurious spa resorts that will make you ooh and aah.

Diving or snorkeling with parrot fish and spotted eagle rays: The Puerto Morelos Maritime National Park, a marine preserve, is just off the Yucatán's east coast, so you get that classic Caribbean aquamarine water with a bevy of sea creatures.

Exploring the inland jungle: South of Rio Bec, the forests grow thick, and you might glimpse howler monkeys, coatimundi, and Yucatán parrots.