By now you might have heard about the sargassum that has been coming to shore in parts of the Caribbean and Riviera Maya, but the beautiful beaches in Cozumel are pristine, great for swim and free of the seaweed. Situated off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, just a quick ferry ride from downtown Playa del Carmen, Cozumel is home to one of the world’s top cruise ship ports and is a major beach and diving destination, offering easy access to everything the magical Riviera Maya has to offer.

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is home to many natural wonders, including countless freshwater cenotes, which are pristine underground caves and sinkholes where you can swim, snorkel and dive, entering a subterranean world in the limestone bedrock that is both surreal and incredibly beautiful. Pronounced “say-note-tays,” many Riviera Maya cenotes are well-known and already quite popular among tourists, but there are also quite a few others waiting to be discovered just off the beaten path.

Here are three of our favorite lesser-known cenotes about 45 minutes away near Tulum in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, all situated close to one another and just ten minutes from the ancient Mayan ruins of Coba!

The Riviera Maya is one of the world’s top vacation destinations, stretching more than 80 miles south of Cancun along Mexico’s Caribbean coast, where travelers enjoy gorgeous white sand beaches and an incredible array of activities that simply can’t be found anywhere else in the world. With so much to choose from the options can feel a bit overwhelming, so here are five non-touristy things to do in Playa del Carmen that will make your next Mexico vacation a truly unforgettable experience and create memories to last a lifetime.

No visit to Cancun or the Riviera Maya region of Mexico is complete without exploring the ancient Mayan culture of the Yucatan Peninsula and Caribbean coast, which is home to a wide variety of ancient ruins and where many indigenous communities still thrive to this day. But if you’re looking for an exciting new adventure that will take you even deeper into the magical world of the Maya people, Maya Ka’an offers visitors a sustainable, back-to-nature cultural experience that is unlike anything else in the world.

Situated about 25 minutes south of the Cancun International Airport and only 35 minutes north of downtown Playa del Carmen, the onetime sleepy fishing village of Puerto Morelos has retained its small-town charm despite its growing popularity as a vacation destination for international beach bums. Today, Puerto Morelos offers a more laid-back, boutique vacation experience than what you will find in the Riviera Maya’s larger neighboring towns along the Mexican Caribbean coast.

Although the Riviera Maya region just south of Cancun is perhaps best known for having the best beaches in the world, Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is also home to thousands of beautiful freshwater cenotes (pronounced say-note-tays) that offer fantastic places to swim, snorkel or - for more adventurous travelers - experience cave diving in the world’s most stunning underwater caverns. Considered to be sacred by the ancient Mayans, these natural sinkholes are still an important water source for the Yucatan Peninsula and also represent one of the Riviera Maya’s most exciting tourism offerings. 

Here are four of our favorite cenotes in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, offering incredible photo ops and a fun way to support both the local Mayan culture and indigenous businesses! 

For some travelers, nothing beats a day at the beach and Mexico is home to some of the best beaches in the world! Here’s a roundup of the top five trending beach vacation destinations in Mexico for this year, along with some insider tips on the best times to travel, where to stay and what to do. 

The new list of 2019-2020 Blue Flag Beach Certifications makes it easier than ever to find the best beaches in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, with 20 white-sand beaches in the Mexican Caribbean making the coveted list this year! About half of the Blue Flag Beaches in Mexico’s Riviera Maya are located in Cancun, with the others located nearby in Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos. 

Situated in the heart of Mexico’s Riviera Maya just south of Cancun on the Caribbean Sea, downtown Playa del Carmen is a growing, vibrant city with a distinct international feel that serves as a hub of activity in the region. Travelers can choose from a seemingly endless array of exciting tours and activities, including a variety of eco-friendly excursions designed to bring you closer to nature and help all travelers develop a deeper understanding of the fragile natural beauty that has made the Riviera Maya coastline one of the world’s top vacation destinations.

They say “necessity is the mother of all Invention,” and that is certainly proving to be true when it comes to how beaches in Mexico’s Riviera Maya are combatting the sargassum seaweed problem, with the celebrated local fishing village of Puerto Morelos leading the charge. The Mexican Federal Government is also busy working out a course of action and has assigned massive resources to remove sargassum from the beaches of the Riviera Maya and throughout the state of Quintana Roo.

If a Mexico beach vacation is on your travel bucket list but you’re stuck in the planning phase, Expedia has you covered with the inside scoop on the best time to visit Mexico and how to find the best deals on hotels, flights and more! According to the travel booking website, late summer or early fall is the best time to visit Mexico if you’re looking for a great deal, as revealed by its virtual treasure trove of vacation booking information, which offers helpful money saving advice and helps pinpoint current travel trends.

Sometimes we all need a moment to recharge and this mesmerizing aerial video of the Tulum jungle by architect and photographer Dimitar Karanikolov is a great way to refresh your spirit and soak up the ancient energy of Mexico’s magical Riviera Maya region! This ultra soothing must-see video of Tulum is part of a larger series titled Mexico From Above, which shows a unique take on some of the country’s most interesting destinations and out of the way gems that are sure to delight the latent traveler in all of us. 

A brand-new luxury water park concept is coming to the Vidanta Riviera Maya resort in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, this summer. Set to open June 22, 2019, Jungala will feature the longest lazy river in Latin America and promises to offer a more glamorous, boutique take on the typical water park adventure.  

The Puerto Aventuras marina offers easy access to many delicious restaurants, local shops, boat tours and a wide variety of other exciting activities, including sport fishing charters, snorkeling and diving excursions, to name only a few. Situated in the heart of this exclusive gated beach, marina and golf community, the docks are easy to reach on foot or via golf cart from any of the various resorts, private condos, villas and other vacation home rentals in Puerto Aventuras, which is popular among locals, international travelers and expats alike for its safety, walkability and the diverse array of activities available at your fingertips.