Granted, you can go to the Mayan Riviera just to do nothing but lying on the beach and relaxing like a lizzard. But that is just a part of the many things you can do is the Yucatan Peninsula. Here are some of my recommendations if you are the hectic type of traveler:
1)Know more beaches. Yours is surely great (as all of them) but some beach variety is highly advisable. The white sands of Cancún are ok, but you may like to explore the deserted and virgin beaches in the Sian Kahn Reserve (south of Tulum, on the Tulum-Boca Paila beach road). The Tulum beaches are less crowded and with small coves. The Soliman Bay beach is like a pool, the best for snorkeling on the continent side. Akumal beaches and the lagoon are also great for snorkeling. The Playa del Carmen northern beaches (like Mamita´s) are the euro-chic beach spots. Continue reading »
La Vita e Bella is one of the top options for sleeping in Tulúm. The rooms/bungalows have private bathroom (I no longer do -if I ever did- share bathroom) and nice tiled floors. They are very clean and cozy. This Italian-run hotel has an excellent restaurant for pizzas (wood-fired oven). The beach is very nice and is not crowded. Reservations can be made at 871 3501 or at www.lavitaebella-tulum.com. Tariffs vary $120-$150-$180-$250-$275 depending on the season. The highest tariffs are for the X-mas/New Year and Easter weeks. They are located on the km 1 of the Tulum-Boca Paila road. From Tulum, take the road that leads to the beach, at the end of the road turn left, and then drive a 2-3 kms to get to La Vita e Bella.
The Glass Bar is my favourite restaurant in Playa del Carmen, and is one of the best in the whole Mayan Riviera/Cancún/Yucatán Peninsula area. Napolitan run and owned (both Nicola and his partner came from Napoli), offers top italian food. The wine list is impressive as they also own a wine import business. I loved the La Massa, a sangiovese-merlot from Tuscany, to marriage an excellent lamb ossobuco. The rissottos are also outstanding.
The place is nicely decorated (lot of Italian furniture) and is always lively with above-average tourists (not the loud drunk guys in t-shirts) and locals. It has an ample terrace. It is on 10th Street, between 1st and 5th Avenues. Reservations: 984 803 1676.
These 3 spots at the Yucatan Peninsula share the preferences of travelers from around the world, but all the three of them offer different things and cater to different public.
Cancún, the most known of them, and the closest to the airport, caters mostly to US “traditional” tourists, who prefer huge all-inclusive 5-star resorts. Nightlife has plenty of options, mostly dance clubs where it is frequent to spot “girls gone wild” scenes. Beaches are just perfect, and restaurant offer is diverse and meets the highest standards. The main disadvantage is that there is no “village & beach life”, to mingle with other tourists and locals you have no other option but to drive to a shopping mall or a dance club. Beach social life is also secluded to the private beach of your hotel. I personally do not like big hotels and the Cancún “tourism lifestyle”, though the beaches and the restaurants are probably slightly better than those of Playa del Carmen and Tulúm. My top restaurant pick in Cancún is Restaurante Puerto Madero, and classy Argentine-beef-plus-seafood place by a marina. It has a beatiful terrace overlooking the marina and the Cancún lagoon.
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The list of good restaurants in Tulum is growing every season, from just a few local food spots 10 years ago to many Italian and other international cuisine restaurants now. Zamas is one of my favorite places in Tulum. It is nested on a key spot, where the sea almost touches the coastal road Tulum-Boca Paila. The fish and the shrimp are good, but the place is best known for its pizzas and the live music. Music ranges from bossa nova to latin and jazz. This is good place to meet people and socialize when the other restaurants and bars in town are still empty (like in low season). To get to Zamas from the town, take the road that connects it to the beach, and when you get to the beach (at the crossroad) take right some 1000 meters. It has a parking lot across the road. Restaurant Zamas’ phone is 98712067 and the site is www.zamas.com.
