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MASA
Riviera Maya Mexico old town, The Riviera Maya
north america

The Riviera MayaTravel Guide

Mexico4 stories

Mexico's Caribbean coast: Mayan ruins above turquoise water, freshwater cenotes, world-class reef diving, and beach towns from backpacker to ultra-luxe.

Is The Riviera Maya right for you?

When to come

November to April (dry season)

Around 33°C by day in August, 28°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

No hour-by-hour route here yet — the guides below cover it by subject instead.

Our editors pick it for a trip with children.

The Riviera Maya is inWarm in JanuaryGood with children
When to go
January: around 28 degrees by day, 18 at night, 61 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
February: around 29 degrees by day, 18 at night, 51 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
March: around 30 degrees by day, 19 at night, 28 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
April: around 31 degrees by day, 21 at night, 51 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
May: around 32 degrees by day, 23 at night, 78 millimetres of rain, some rain.
June: around 32 degrees by day, 24 at night, 153 millimetres of rain, very wet.
July: around 33 degrees by day, 24 at night, 126 millimetres of rain, wet.
August: around 33 degrees by day, 23 at night, 126 millimetres of rain, wet.
September: around 33 degrees by day, 23 at night, 169 millimetres of rain, very wet.
October: around 31 degrees by day, 22 at night, 284 millimetres of rain, very wet.
November: around 29 degrees by day, 19 at night, 130 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
December: around 29 degrees by day, 18 at night, 73 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

November to April (dry season)

Average daily highs, recorded at Playa del Carmen, 1951-2010.

Where this comes from

Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Mexico) — The Riviera Maya is a coastal strip; Playa del Carmen is its principal town and the station used. Nearby Cancún (1991-2020) runs roughly 1-2 °C warmer.

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Havana, Cuba560 km

    half a day's travel · both good in January, February, March · a different price level (budget)

Plan itWhere to stay in The Riviera Mayaad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding The Riviera Maya

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading The Riviera Maya

A small Maya stone temple standing on the limestone cliff above the turquoise Caribbean at Tulum, waves breaking on the rocks below and palm fronds framing the right of the frame
01
The List

Ruins, reefs and cenotes: the essential Riviera Maya bucket list, ranked

The Yucatán coast compresses ancient cities, sinkhole swims and world-class reefs into one strip of Caribbean shore. Here is the definitive order to take them in.

Mexico · 2 min
A wide curve of pale sand and calm, shallow turquoise water at Playa del Carmen, thatched palapas and coconut palms lining the shore under towering white clouds
02
Itineraries

The Riviera Maya with kids: a beach-and-ruins day that actually works

Ruins at opening, a cenote before noon, and the sea once the sun relents — a Riviera Maya day with children built around shade, short drives and water, with the cenotes worth choosing between and the months that ruin it.

Mexico · 11 min
A cushioned daybed set out on the white sand between coconut palms on Tulum's hotel beach, the Caribbean shading from turquoise shallows to deep blue beyond the surf.
03
Stays

Barefoot boutique or grand resort: where to stay on the Riviera Maya

Mayakoba's lagoon palaces, Tulum's designer beach shacks or the all-inclusive giants — the coast's zones explained, with the famous names in each.

Mexico · 2 min
The stepped pyramid of El Castillo at Chichén Itzá under a blue sky, with a carved stone serpent head in the foreground
04
The List

The Riviera Maya, Ranked: 8 Experiences You Can't Miss

From clifftop Mayan ruins to swimming in crystal cenotes, we rank the essential experiences along Mexico's Caribbean coast.

Mexico · 2 min
In pictures

The Riviera Maya, framed

A swimmer floating on her back in the luminous turquoise water of a cenote near Tulum, under a low overhang of rust-coloured limestone.
Photo: Roberto Nickson / Unsplash
The Caribbean shore of the Riviera Maya, dark rocks in the surf and agave along the low cliff
Photo: Marco Murakami / Unsplash
Playa del Carmen, The Riviera Maya
Photo: Peregrine Photography / Unsplash
Playa del Carmen, The Riviera Maya
Photo: Kseniia Lobko / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in The Riviera Maya

See and do

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for Mexico

Money

Mexican peso (MXN)

Language

Spanish; English is common in Mexico City's tourist districts and the Riviera Maya, much less so around Oaxaca

Power

Type A/B, 127V 60Hz

Getting around

Long-distance coaches such as ADO cover the distances between regions; in Mexico City the Metro, Metrobus, Tren Ligero and Cablebus run on the Movilidad Integrada card, and the Metro turnstiles now also accept contactless bank cards.

Tipping

10–15% is expected in restaurants — check the bill first, because some tourist restaurants now add a service charge, which is not legally mandatory.

Tap water

Tap water is not safe to drink — use bottled or filtered water, including for brushing your teeth.

Driving

Right-hand side; a photocard licence from home is accepted for a short visit, with no International Driving Permit required.

Emergency

911

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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