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Riviera Maya

Includes  Why Go? ...... 99 The , a tourist corridor of white-sand beaches, Punta Bete...... 103 scenic ruins and fun-filled (limestone sinkholes), ...... 103 was made for road-tripping. Yes, it’s growing fast, too fast Punta Venado...... 109 some will say, but despite all the development, you can still find that small fishing town or head inland to catch a Paamul...... 109 glimpse of the that tourism forgot. Xpu-Há...... 110 If it’s partying you want, you’ll find serious hedonism ...... 110 in boomtown Playa del Carmen. Playa still trumps fast-­ Xcacel-Xcacelito...... 111 growing as the Riviera’s wildest city, but it’s got Parque Dos Ojos...... 112 nothing on Tulum’s spectacular Maya ruins perched high above the beach. Bahías de Punta Whether traveling by car or bus, getting from one town Solimán...... 112 to the next is a breeze – after all, the Riviera is basically Tankah...... 113 135km of coastline that stretches south from Puerto Morelos Tulum...... 113 to Tulum. Everything’s so close that you can go diving in Around Tulum...... 120 Puerto Morelos by day and still have time for a candlelit dinner in Tulum.

Best Places When to Go to Eat ¨¨The Riviera Maya Film Festival in April screens local and international films on the beaches of Playa del ¨¨Posada Margherita (p118) Carmen; several weeks thereafter the fest tours to nearby ¨¨Taquería Honorio (p118) Tulum, Puerto Morelos, and Cancún. ¨¨Al Chimichurri (p102) ¨¨Playa del Carmen hosts a wild Halloween street bash, ¨¨Los Aguachiles (p107) then you can stick around for colorful Day of the Dead festivities in and around the Riviera Maya. ¨¨The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival in Playa del Carmen Best Beaches features beachside performances from Mexico and abroad. The annual event is usually held in November, so ¨¨ (p124) good hotel deals can be found. ¨¨Puerto Morelos (p99) ¨¨Tulum (p113) ¨¨Xcacel (p111) ¨¨Playa del Carmen (p103) s o el m n r k o s a a o l e c t cú i 0 s n r í n n I 5 n e M r a j a c u

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