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The 6-Day Best of Cancún and the Riviera Maya
By Liza Prado and Gary Chandler, authors of Moon Yucatán Peninsula
There’s a lot to do in Cancún, Cozumel, and the Riviera Maya, so this itinerary packs a lot into a little time. You’ll hit the beach, go diving and snorkeling, explore Maya ruins, take in a museum, discover out-of-the way places, nosh on local food, go to a nightclub or two, and still be back in time to catch your flight home. Ready, set, go!
Arrive in Cancún. If you’re staying in the Zona Hotelera, head straight to the sand after you check in—the beautiful beach will be a welcome sight after hours on a plane. If you’re staying downtown, you can either hop on a bus to the beach or stroll around Parque Las Palapas. In the evening, head to dinner at one of Cancún’s fabulous open-air eateries.
Day 2
Spend the morning on the beach or by the pool. In the Zona Hotelera, you’re just steps away from either. Those staying downtown can take a bus to one of the public beaches—Playa Delfines has a bus stop right in front, and El Rey, a Maya ruin, is across the boulevard when you need a change of scenery. In the evening, head to one of Cancún’s iconic nightclubs—CocoBongo and Grand Mambocafé are always hopping. For something mellower, join local hipsters at Amarula Con Acento Tropical for creative cocktails in a unique patio setting.
Spend a day exploring the Riviera Maya. A rental car makes life easier, but it’s certainly doable by bus or taxi. Playa del Carmen’s Quinta Avenida is good for window-shopping and people-watching, while Xpu-Há and X’cacel’s strands make for excellent beach days. If you like snorkeling, consider going to Puerto Morelos or Laguna Yal-Ku.
Day 4
Leave bright and early to get to the Maya ruins of Chichén Itzá before the crowds do. Spend the morning there, followed by lunch in the colonial city of Valladolid. From there, go swimming in nearby cenotes or visit Ek’ Balam, a much smaller ruin. Both Valladolid and Ek’ Balam have good lodging options if you want to stay overnight.
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Day 5
Spend this day on either Isla Mujeres or Isla Cozumel, both easy to reach by ferry. Divers can enjoy a tank or two, especially at Cozumel. If you prefer snorkeling, trips can be booked at dive shops or on the ferry pier of either island. Or just chill out on the beach—Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres is a sure bet, and the windswept eastern side of Cozumel is a great option for beachcombing. Either way, definitely think about renting a car or golf cart, which allow you time and flexibility to explore either island beyond their central areas.
Back in Cancún, this is your last full day. If you’re up for it, book a snorkeling tour or visit the Museo Maya de Cancún, an excellent archaeological museum at the southern end of the Zona Hotelera. Otherwise, sit back, relax, and enjoy the pool and beach—it’s been a busy week!
Liza Prado was working as a corporate attorney when she took her love of travel and photography (and a leap of faith) to try travel journalism instead. Twenty years later, she has become an Americas expert, authoring almost 60 guidebooks plus countless articles and photographs to destinations in Latin America, the Caribbean, USA, and Canada.
Covering the Yucatán Peninsula was one of Liza’s first assignments and it remains one of her favorite places in the world. For this book, she dived through coral reefs and swam in crystalline cenotes, listened to howler monkeys and watched flamingos in flight; she also explored colonial cities and Maya ruins, ate countless salbutes and even walked in a two-mile-long Day of the Dead procession. A graduate of Brown University and Stanford Law School, Liza lives in Denver, Colorado with her frequent coauthor Gary Chandler and their children, Eva and Leo.
Gary Chandler grew up in a small ski town south of Lake Tahoe, California. He earned his bachelor's degree at UC Berkeley, including a year abroad in Mexico City and Oaxaca. After graduation, Gary backpacked through much of Mexico and Central America, and later Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. His first guidebook assignment was covering the highlands of Guatemala, followed by assignments in El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere.
Gary has contributed to almost 40 guidebooks, many coauthored with wife and fellow travel writer/photographer Liza Prado. Between assignments, Gary earned a master's degree in journalism at Columbia University, worked as a news reporter and criminal investigator, and published numerous articles and blogs about travel in Latin America. He and Liza have two children and live in Colorado.
Gary Chandler grew up in a small ski town south of Lake Tahoe, California. He earned his bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley, and also studied abroad in Mexico City and Oaxaca. After graduation, Gary backpacked through much of Mexico and Central America, and later Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. His first guidebook assignment was covering the highlands of Guatemala, which was followed by assignments in El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere.
Gary has contributed to almost 30 guidebooks, many coauthored with wife and fellow travel writer/photographer Liza Prado. Between assignments, Gary earned a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University, worked as a news reporter and criminal investigator, and published numerous articles and blogs about travel in Latin America. He and Liza have two children and live in Colorado.
Liza Prado was working as a corporate attorney in San Francisco when she decided to take a leap of faith and try travel writing and photography. Ten years later, she has coauthored 20 guidebooks and written dozens of feature articles and travel blogs to destinations throughout the Americas. Her photographs have been published by Moon Travel Guides and websites like Gogobot and Away.com.
Since her first visit to the region in the early 2000s, the Riviera Maya has remained one of Liza’s favorite places to travel. For this assignment, she dived on coral reefs and snorkeled through cenotes, climbed Maya ruins and toured monkey reserves, explored beach towns and fishing villages, caught a few local bands and listened to rock-star DJs – all with two kids in tow (well, at least part of the time).
A graduate of Brown University and Stanford Law School, Liza lives in Denver, Colorado, with husband and coauthor Gary Chandler and their children, Eva and Leo.
