eliware1

Maya Riviera to be exact? My husband expressed interest in the ruins, but does not want to give up great beaches. So how does the Yucatan shape up?

schmerl

It depends on where you go. Maroma Beach is one of the nicest beaches anywhere.

KeyGal

Because of the rockiness, Riviera Maya is not the greatest destination in Mexico for great stretches of sandy beach. It's better for snorkeling and sightseeing. We've been searching for a resort there that has all the features we want plus a great beach and so far we haven't come up with anything. I've heard that even the beach at Maroma is starting to get polluted with jetskiers and the like from new nearby resorts that don't respect the environment as much as they do. I was in Puerto Morelos about 10 years ago and the beach there was great, but I've heard it's changed a lot since the hurricanes.

ishkribbl

schmerl,
I have not been to Maroma but after reading your post I went to their website and looked at the location- is that on or near the site of the old Posada Capitan Lafitte? It looks very nice- I know they tore the Lafitte down to build something newer and nicer on that and surrounding property. Curious-

eliware1,
On the southern side of Playa del Carmen is a place called Shangri-La that seems nice- I have seen it but not stayed there- it is owned by the same people as the quaint little hotel I mentioned earlier that is gone now. They kept their property spotless so the beach was raked at dawn every morning and looked very clean although a bit rocky in places for sure. Have you considered Isla Mujeres then taking the ferry back over for a day trip to the ruins? It would be a long trip to Tulum but not so far to the place I can't spell that starts with an "I". I have seen reviews of places in Tulum that look interesting. I was in Puerto Moreles about 3 years ago and it was a quaint little fishing village but the water was churned up that day and there was a lot of dried seaweed on the beach so it was not so pretty on the beach- lots of kiteboarders in the water.

JeanH

I think the beaches around Tulum are stunning. Blinding white sand and beautiful blue water.

But, I haven't been to what are considered the best beach destinations in the Caribbean, not interested in flat islands where the main attaction is the beach.

Isla Mujeres has been having problems with beach erosion since Hurricane Wilma. There is still beach, but it's sort of moved from the north side to the west side of the island. I feel badly for the hotels on the north side.

KVR

It really depends on what Caribbean Islands your comparing the Mexican Rivieria to. We've been to the Mexican Rivieria area several times. The most recent was Cozumel in April and Playa del Carmen in Sept. We found the beaches and water in Cozumel still very nice. However, the beaches around 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen not that great. However, that area was just hit by Hurricane Dean about 2 weeks before we went. The water was not clear and quite choppy. Not real good for swimming. We did go on a tour that took us to the Tulum area and to "Jungle Beach". The beach was very nice. White sand and soft, but the water cloudy with seaweed and too rough to swim in. I feel Akumel and Tulum are way to far from 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen. We don't like being so isolated on vacation.

Personally, I don't feel the Mayan Rivieria beaches measure up to many of the Caribbean Islands. They have just had too much hurricane and tropical storm damage over the past 2 years. However, I wouldn't let that stop me for seeing and experiencing all the great sites that area has to offer.

kfusto

We are very recently back from the Riviera Maya and Cancun and were so disappointed in the beaches! They used to be gorgeous but now cannot hold a candle to Antigua, the Caymans, Jamaica, and more.

We have read that Tulum and Maroma are much better but I can't say from experience. We both love the beach and the ocean so it was quite a let down in that respect.

TravelFamily4

We traveled to Mayan Riviera last summer and found the beached near Playa del Carmen were not as great as they used to be, but Tulum is still beautiful! The white sand and turquoise water were definitely reminiscent of the Caribbean Islands we've been to. And the pyramids and culture are exceptional. If you stay in Tulum, be sure to visit Coba...it's a huge pyramid complex compared to Tulum and its still tucked away in the jungle nearby.

We were traveling with kids so we watched Travel With Kids Mexico: The Yucatan, the kids travel tips may not apply to you, but it will give you a good idea as to the beaches and pyramids before you go. You can get a copy at www.TravelWithKids.tv