Akumal Riviera Maya

The Riviera Maya runs along the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula for about 72 miles. It starts just south of Cancun, and goes all the way past Tulum to a small fishing village, Punta Allen. Riviera Maya means "Birth of the sky", and Akumal is right in the heart of the Riviera Maya. Up until 1999, the Riviera Maya was called "The Cancun / Tulum corridor". It was renamed by a lawmaker in Mexico, and the start and end locations also changed. Cancun was no longer included, and the borders went past Tulum to Punta Allen.

Stating the obvious, the Mayan's used to live in this same location, hence the name and all the Mayan temples in the area. The Mayan's are widely considered to be an extremely smart civilization and way ahead of their time. This is just one reason why seeing their caves and temples is such an amazing experience.

The entire Riviera Maya is filled with white sand, crystal clear ocean water and amazingly vast forests. There are cenotes everywhere, and you can even visit and explore the old Mayan ruins and caves at Aktun Chen. The Belize Barrier Reef also runs the entire length if the Riviera Maya.

It is a huge tourist attraction, and the second largest reef in the world. Other tourist attractions that draw people to the Riviera Maya area include jungle tours, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming with dolphins and archeology. You can do things like snorkel and scuba dive anywhere, but you should do them in the Riviera Maya because of all the amazing fish and wild life you see here.

There is something for almost everyone here. Even though the Riviera Maya doesn't include Cancun, you can still have a great time at clubs and bars in Playa del Carmen which is probably the most populated, and popular cities in the Riviera Maya. For dads, if you want to spend a day golfing there are plenty of well maintained courses, and golfing in a different country is quite the experience. For moms, there are spas everywhere, and the best time to pamper yourself is while you're on vacation so go wild! And kids in Mexico can always find something entertaining.

The Riviera Maya is also known for its all-inclusive resorts. There are at least 5 all-inclusives in Akumal alone, and close to 50 throughout the Riviera Maya. All inclusive means you don't have to do anything but spend money. Once you pay the fee when you arrive, drinks, food and activities are all "free". This is the way to spend your time in the Riviera Maya, assuming you can afford all-inclusive prices.

If you want to spend a week in paradise, the Riviera Maya is definitely the place to do it. They have things for every member of your family vacation, and price ranges that everybody can afford. I, of course, like visiting Akumal the most. I know a lot of people there and everybody is so friendly it's hard not to fall in love with it. But paradise is paradise, and that's what the Riviera Maya gives you!