My husband and I are trying to figure out which location will be best for one week at the end of June. We don't want a big built up area like Cancun. Want as close as we can get to an authentic Mexican experience. Looking for beautiful beach, without rough surf, snorkeling and a town that we can walk to, ideally. Want to be able to get to ruins and prefer not an all-inclusive. Any recommendations? Thanks.

Tulum and Akumal. Plenty of options.

Playa del Carmen is the town you can walk to in that area. Tulum and Akumal are good choices for people who want to be secluded and away from it all as there is nothing much around. There are several boutique type hotels in and around 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen. Check out www.locogringo.com for accomendations. Be mindful of the hotel's location as some are not beachfront and require a 2 - 3 block walk to get to the beach. If you don't mind not having a phone or TV in your room, the Mahekal Beach Resort is a good option.

If you want authentic and not touristy, look into Merida. It's a city but quite reasonably authentic, especially when compared to the touristy beach towns of Cancun and Playacar. (Even Akumal has gone touristy.) The only downside is Merida is no where near a beach, although many ruins (beyond Chichen Itza) are a lot easier to reach.

We have been to Playa del Carmen, Akumal, Tulum, and Puerto Morelos, and love them all. However they are all different. Tulum is the most scenic, with miles of wide sand beach, but the surf can be rough. Playa has a great calm beach, but it's a small, very busy city (but no high rises allowed). Puerto Morelos has a nice beach and is the most authentic 'Mexican' village. There is usally some sea grass in the water however. Akumal has a calm bay (great for snorkeling), is quiet, but not much in the way of culture. I suspect you would enjoy any of there places. Having a car is a great asset in Akumal and Tulum. Go to locogringo.com for tons of info on this whole area.

The surf in Akumal and Tulum we experienced was very, very gentle.

Playa del Carmen is Cancun Lite--lower rise, but still sprawling and far from authentic.

Puerto Morelos is a nice little village that somehow has escaped Cancunization so far.

In general, authentic/not built up and "near the beach" are competing considerations. Where there's beach, there's money. Where there's money to be made, there are people looking to make it and affluent foreigners willing to spend it.

Akumal and Tulum sound like what you describe. but areas around Playa del Carmen would work too.

Another vote for Akumal or Tulum, you might also look into Isla Mujeres (headed there tomorrow for four nights followed by 6 at Half Moon Bay in Akumal). Have a great trip.

I think Isla is a great suggestion but it would be a bit harder getting to the ruins (since you're on an island).

Here is my travel report from my last trip to the riviera maya.

http://www.fodors.com/community/mexi...vel-report.cfm

Hope it is helpful!!