Mexico - Caribbean Coast Holidays

Mexico’s Caribbean Coast gives holidaymakers exactly what they want. Along the Yucatan Peninsula, purpose-built resorts edge tropical beaches, jungle tours and diving opportunities are easy to come by, and watersports are out in force.

In terms of places to stay, Cancun is the frontrunner. The decision to turn this former fishing village into a tourist resort back in the Seventies saw the creation of the Hotel Zone – an 18-kilometre-long island with the Caribbean Sea on one side and a lagoon on the other. These days, this lively strip spoils visitors with shopping malls, casinos, golf courses, and the best nightlife for miles around.

An hour or so down the coast, Playa del Carmen is a compact version of Cancun. Most of the town’s shops, restaurants and bars are strung along Fifth Avenue, which runs parallel to a long ribbon of white sand. If you want to escape the crowds, head south to sophisticated Playacar or the undeveloped shores of the Riviera Maya.

Wherever you stay, reminders of Mexico’s past are never more than a daytrip away. Stand in the shadow of the colossal pyramid at Chichen Itza, navigate the remains of temples at Tulum, or take a swim in an ancient cenote.