A wonderful blend is offered to visitors arriving in the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo: relaxation, adventure, fun, unsuspected flavors and, above all, passion.

It’s all about that: a vehement desire to give free rein to enjoyment what actually draws people to any of the travel destinations contained –and praised for their excellence– in this strip of the Caribbean Basin. First there were Cancun, Islas Mujeres and Cozumel; then cane Riviera Maya with Playa del Carmen, Xcaret or Tulum. Today, any of those places is a must-see for anyone willing to go all the way into an unforgettable vacation experience in the majestic Mexican Caribbean. History Told Back to Front The so-called Riviera Maya embraces nearly 75 miles of the charming Mexican shoreline. Puerto Morelos and Punta Allen are the limits of this travel destination, the fastest-growing hotspot of the past ten years that today boasts as many as 40,000 guestrooms in all. Those involved in its development don’t think twice to say this is an out-of-the-way option for travelers longing for a quite, laidback location teeming with endless opportunities to splurge into nature and adventure tourism. For others seeking a cosmopolitan spot with superb nightlife, the search is over in Cancun. Anyway, the state of Quintana Roo delivers choices for everybody, and when it comes to accommodation, its 76,305 guestrooms make it the number-one destination in terms of hotel infrastructure. There are tourist allures galore all along the Riviera Maya. Its north border –Puerto Morelos, just 9 miles from the Cancun International Airport- features an offshore national park of coral reefs that makes it a perfect site for windsurfing, snorkeling and scuba diving. In addition, there’s a botanical garden, a small crocodile zoo, a polo ground and the so-called cenotes route. Then comes Playa del Carmen, the largest and most cosmopolitan city of the Riviera whose hotel zone –called Playacar– is home to a bird reserve, a golf course and a wharf where boats sail off to Cozumel –a genuine scuba divers’ paradise. Just a five-minute drive from Playa del Carmen, the Xcaret eco-archeological park is just another legit place of natural luxury in this portion of the Mexican Caribbean. Beaches, coves, underground rivers, caves, an aquarium, a turtle breeding ground, a butterfly haven, an apiary, an orchid greenhouse, the recreation of a Mayan town, a Mexican cemetery, abundant local wildlife –cougars, toucans, flamencos and large parrots– are some of the attractions Xcaret has to offer. There are also archeological ruins from the former Mayan city of Pole, a place that was said to be the departure point of aboriginals who used to go on a pilgrimage to Cancun to worship Ixchel, the goddess of the moon and fertility. Nonetheless, there’s no better place to take a closer look at this millenary culture than the Tulum archeological site. A former commercial area, this ancient Mayan walled city dazzles visitors with the peerless beauty of its surrounding marine environment and top-notch beach strip. Another spot too hard to pass up is the renowned Puerto Aventuras, an exclusive deluxe development and residential area shrouded by a genuine nautical atmosphere and home to the best outfitted marina of the Yucatan peninsula. Complementary Attractions Riviera Maya has found in golf and spas a couple of deluxe complements to an all-out tourist offer sought after by many people around the world for its excellence and comprehension, and features over a dozen well-equipped, state-of-the-art and challenging golf courses that hemmed in by the calm waters of the Mexican Caribbean, a condition that makes them highly attractive offers. However, experts from everywhere under the sun agree in praising the formidable virtues of two of them: El Camaleon (The Chameleon) –penciled in as a Greg Norman masterpiece located in the supreme deluxe The Fairmont Mayakoba resort– and the Mayan Resorts Golf Riviera Maya. On the other hand, the diversity and quality of innovative and autochthonous treatments –many of them are combined with natural products and techniques used by the ancestors– have turned the Riviera Maya into one of the most sought-after travel destinations as far as deluxe spas are concerned. Its vast catalog of methods is coupled with the unfathomable value of a quite and laidback natural environment that makes many of these facilities genuine safe havens of mental and corporal health and harmony. Each and every spa perched on this strip of the Mexican Caribbean has a distinctive touch of its own; there are holistic, ultramodern and minimalist facilities, yet all of them offer visitors a chance to share their natural secrets of rejuvenation, beautification and relaxation in the most adequate ambience that truly guarantee complete relaxation. Based on ancient Mayan techniques of purification, cleansing, reconstruction and beautification of the body and the mind, the treatments hinge on the possibility to make the most of the pre-Hispanic civilizations’ wisdom, the endemic flowers and fruits, all that much combined with cutting-edge healthcare technology. Cancun: The Snakes’ Nest… of Pleasure In Mayan tongue, Cancun means snakes’ nest or pot, though the place has very little or nothing at all to do with ophidians, offering instead zillions of leisure and pleasure opportunities in its 7-shape 18 miles of beaches bathed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Nichupte Lake. The former island of fishermen hedged by unspoiled jungle and unknown foreshores is now one of the world’s most recognized travel destinations, both for the superb quality of its pristine beaches and a solid hotel infrastructure of over 30,000 guestrooms. The 2009 edition of the World Travel Awards has just picked Cancun the leading travel destination of North America, Mexico and Central America. The truth is Cancun is a legitimate paradise for scuba diving buffs, snorkel enthusiasts and anglers from around the world, thanks to the Great Mesoamerican Coral Reef just a few yards off the coast. But it’s equally a fun-packed destination for those who crave for a cuisine adventure down the Kukulkan Boulevard, or just for those who prefer the easygoing and bustling nightlife too hard to find anywhere else aboveground. For the latter, Cancun features one of the most extravagant disco clubs of Latin America –Coco Bongo– in which a peculiar decoration is what actually makes it a standout. The dance floors and the setting are decked out like a typical Caribbean island surrounded by water, white sand and palm trees. Off-the-wall acrobatic shows, laser beams and guest stars are commonplace at the Coco Bongo, a nightspot that, like the rest of Cancun, reaches out for visitors to take a closer look.

Incentives and Business For either large or small groups, the Riviera Maya delivers lots of incentive trips, excellent infrastructure through a mesh of high-class hotels, all-inclusive resorts and lovely boutique lodgings sprawled across a breathtaking natural environment of beaches, lavish foliage and the enigma of the Mayan culture at its very best. Events are backed up by halls and facilities outfitted with cutting-edge technology, qualified technical assistance and values added that make every detail special in the widest sense of the word. Golf courses invite enthusiasts to vie for the winning hole… fascinating and crystal-clear cenotes, underground caves and rivers that beck at scuba diving buffs, water sports and adventure tourism, all that much combined with exciting pre- or post-event schedules that might also include a number of cultural and history-oriented optionals. All along the Riviera Maya, spectacular and monumental hotels, beaches of unfathomable beauty, nature-rich surroundings, the wonders of the Mayan civilization, the warmth and excellence of top-notch service give this travel destination the most precious incentive of all, even for the most demanding guests.

Plurality: The Key to Success in Riviera Maya Penciled in as one of the leading travel destinations in the Western Hemisphere, Mexico has in the Riviera Maya one of the most pluralistic scenarios for tourism development where the traditional sun-and-beach offer is blended with cultural and historical allures, exquisite cuisine, welfare and beautifying choices in exclusive spas, superb MICE infrastructure, nautical facilities, outdoor conveniences and over a dozen magnificent golf courses that generate large volumes of business and revenues. Golf is precisely one of the greatest stars of the tourist show along Mexico’s Caribbean coastline, both for its economic contribution and its effects on the decentralization and branching-out of the offers. As a matter of fact, most experts agree this is no doubt a modality that might turn out to be a key player in the promotion and marketing of the destination as an expression of world-class, high-end tourism.

Highly recommended hotels • Hacienda Tres Rios Resort Spa & Nature Park • Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso • Banyan Tree Mayakoba • The Royal Playa del Carmen • La Tortuga Hotel • Excellence Riviera Cancun • Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort Riviera Maya • Ceiba del Mar Spa Resort • The Royal Suites Yucatan by Palladium • Rosewood Mayakoba

Related Websites www.rivieramaya.com www.rivieramayaturismo.com/ www.cancun-online.com/Golf/ www.rosewoodmayakoba.com www.ceibadelmar.com www.fairmont.com/mayakoba www.tidesrivieramaya.com www.hotelesencia.com www.paradisusrivieracancun.travel www.palaceresorts.com www.paraisodelabonita.com www.orient-express.com www.mandarinoriental.com www.dobalneariolmas.info www.maya-balneario.com www.xcaret.com www.xelha.com www.reservamexico.com