There is an endless variety of fun outdoor activities along the Riviera Maya, from snorkelling in the transparent sea to exploring ancient Mayan ruins. The limestone in the ground creates amazing caverns to spelunk, and a handful of special activities like swimming with dolphins, watching spider monkeys zip around the trees and riding horses along the beach will keep you and the kids busy for days.

Aktun Chen
By all accounts Aktun Chen is one of the Yucatan’s best caverns open to touring. It is well maintained, with good lighting and nicely preserved geological features. The large chambers feature underground pools and other imaginative formations. The guided tour takes around an hour but it’s easy enough for anyone to manage. There’s even a small zoo on site featuring some of the local creatures.

Chinchorro Reef Underwater National Park
One of the greatest scuba diving and snorkelling sites in the region is in this impressive and diverse marine park that runs 38 kilometres along the Riviera Maya. At some points the reef is just one metre underwater, and in other places as deep as 900 metres. Besides the stunning coral reef and marine life, its main attraction are the 30 or so shipwrecks that litter the ocean floor, many with their cannons still lying on site.

CrocoCun
This interactive zoo is a real kid-pleaser. They raise their crocodiles from eggs, and keep a range of reptiles and other exotic creatures native to the Yucatán peninsula on display in their natural habitats. Giant tarantulas, boa constrictors and spider monkeys are all part of the 90-minute guided tour. 
Phone: +52 998 850 3719

Horseback Riding
A popular activity to do along the Riviera Maya is to ride horses on the beach or into the jungle. There are a dozen of so places that have horses, guides and their own trails, but many would say that Rancho Punta Venado is the best of the lot. They are located along a lovely stretch of quiet beach and the facilities are in top shape. 
Phone: +52 984 803 5224

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
The Riviera Maya’s Caribbean water is so clear it’s shocking. A number of wonderful coral reefs are scattered around the coastline, making this a real haven for fans of the underwater realm. The snorkelling is best in Tankah, the bay at Paamul, Akumal and the impressive Yal-ku Lagoon snorkelling park. Scuba divers can find plenty of scenery at Akumal, Half Moon Bay and Paamul.

Swimming with Dolphins
One of the highlights of the Riviera Maya is the opportunity to swim with a dolphin in its natural environment. Two nature parks in Xcaret and Xel-Ha have excellent facilities for this popular activity, which is always a winner with the kids. Glitzy Puerto Aventuras also has a dolphin pool called Dolphin Discovery, but it’s so popular you’ll probably need a reservation. 
Phone: +52 998 8494757; www.dolphindiscovery.com

The main cultural attraction around the Riviera Maya is its abundance of Mayan ruin sites. Some are famous and well-developed like Tulum, while others are still draped in jungle and waiting to unveil their treasures. You can get as adventurous or as controlled as you like, but don’t miss visiting at least one or two of these unique wonders. A great museum in Chetumal presents the culture of the Maya and Xcaret has a fascinating Mexican cultural performance each night.

Akumal
For a pleasant experience of how the locals mix with expat foreigners who have settled down along the Riviera Maya, spend a few days in the laidback town of Akumal. It has just enough amenities to keep you comfortable but little of the flash that pervades the bigger resorts. There is also a strong ecological focus here, so you can enjoy a relaxing blend of nature and fun.

Calakmul
One of the area’s largest Mayan archaeological zones contains at least 60 discovered sites dating from 100 BC to AD 900. More than 7,000 structures have been mapped out so far, lending strength to the theory that some 60,000 Maya lived here at its height. Calakmul has more stelae than any other Mayan site, and boasts the tallest pyramid in Yucatan at 54 metres.

Coba Ruins
Of the dozens of Mayan sites scattered around the Yucatan, few are more intriguing or expansive than Coba. This city-state was one of the most important in the Mayan civilisation at its height. Much of its 67-square kilometre site has yet to be excavated, but what has been is impressive. Its 100km sacbe (raised road) is the longest yet discovered, and pyramids like the Temple of the Church and El Castillo are wonderful examples of this extraordinary culture’s architecture.

Museo de la Cultura Maya (Museum of Mayan Culture)
This modern interactive museum in Chetumal provides the best look at the unique culture and history of the Maya. Most of the exhibits feature button-pushing highlights and some truly interesting topics like the Mayan concept of deforming and scarring the body to become beautiful. The displays are as exotic as they come, using real artefacts to present the mysterious traditions of the Maya. 
Phone: +52 983 832 6838

Xcaret
This popular park is known for its inspiring evening performance that celebrates Mexico’s heritage as a nation. With a cast of dozens and plenty of props, it begins with the Maya and their customs, moves on to the Spanish influence and ends with the evolution of modern Mexican culture. Traditional music, dance and dress make this a performance not to be missed.

Dining out along the Riviera Maya is about as casual an event as it gets. Most of the area’s resorts and hotels have their own restaurant or two, and there are always a handful of good eateries in towns like Akumal, Half Moon Bay, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Aventuras. Visitors with their own cars will have the most flexibility to move up and down the coastal road and sample the tasty little cafés that have sprouted up to cater to foreign tourists.

A number of places to eat can also be found right along the coastal road itself. The cuisine along the Riviera Maya is typical Mexican fare. You can find all your favourites at virtually every restaurant. Some lesser known, but very tasty, dishes include poc chuc (marinated and grilled pork) and tacos de Pierna (soft tacos with thin slices of pork shoulder). The unusual but refreshing agua de horchata (water infused with rice, vanilla, and roasted pumpkin seeds) is another local treat not to miss.

Shopping is not a priority for most visitors to the Riviera Maya. The handicrafts are not as impressive as those found in Cancún and other larger travel destinations around Mexico, and certainly more expensive. The Riviera Maya is essentially a big tourist resort region, so hardly anything is crafted locally. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to shop for.

For the best shopping experience just head north to the city of Cancún. It has several open-air markets along Avenida Tulum, as well as the massive Coral Negro market on Bulevar Kukulkan. Most locals prefer to shop in the malls along Bulevar Kukulkan, which are air-conditioned, slick and full of fancy shops. Along the Riviera Maya, Puerto Aventuras and Playa del Carmen are the best locations for shopping. The latter’s La Quinta Avenue is a dedicated pedestrian shopping and dining strip that is surprisingly well-equipped with interesting venues.