The Yucatan Peninsula is covered with the limestone remains of ruined Mayan cities once connected by an intricate system of stone roads called sacbes. Armchair anthropologists with a rental car, a map and a few days to explore can easily visit dozens of sites within a few hours of Cancun. Tulum, one of the most important Mayan centers of its time, sits on low cliffs above the Caribbean in the heart of the Mayan Riviera. Nearby Coba is often overlooked by tourists because this jungle site is less restored than others, but don't be fooled by the minimal excavation. Coba is surrounded by gorgeous jungle hardwoods and lakes on every side. Rent a mountain bike and spend the day exploring by pedal. Chichen Itza, further inland, is the most famous, well-manicured and heavily visited Mayan site in Mexico. Go early in the day to beat the crowds.
More than 10,000 cenotes, giant sinkholes opening to the extensive waterway beneath the Yucatan's soft limestone shelf, cover the peninsula. Cool off with a quick dip or hire a certified guide to scuba dive deep into the region's subterranean rivers and caves.
Think Disneyland meets the Maya Ruins. Xel Ha and Xcaret are coastal water parks situated around archaeological sites. Both make for easy family fun compete with restaurants, snack bars, locker rooms, wading pools, beaches, snorkeling, scuba and swimming with the dolphins. Xcaret also has a Vegas-style Mexican Fiesta show and Mayan Pole Flyers performing throughout the day.
The 1.3 million-acre Sian Ka'an Biosphere covers about a 1/3 of Mexico's Caribbean coast. Bird watch, hike, kayak or hire a local fisherman for a tour of the area's coves and reefs. Sian Ka'an, Mayan for "where the sky is born," is home to
hundreds of species of birds and animals and 23 archeological sites with relics dating back 2,300 years.
