DK Travel : Cancún and the Yucatán

Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has a special atmosphere and an immense variety of attractions, including some of the world’s best beaches and diving areas. The modern, glittering resorts of the east coast’s “Mayan Riviera” lie alongside charming old Spanish Colonial towns, sleepy Mayan villages, and the awesome remains of ancient civilizations.

Fly, Playa del Carmen

A spectacular chrome-and-glass bar that wouldn’t be out of place in New York or Miami Beach. Luminous house cocktails are the cool specialty.
Forum by the Sea, Cancún

Shopping highlights here are perfume and jewelry stores and fashion labels like Levi’s and Diesel. It also has a huge Hard Rock at its centre, a food court, and clubs alongside.
Golf

Golfers on the Riviera have a choice of two championship-level courses at Cancún, one in Playacar and one at Puerto Aventuras. Hotels can book greens for you. There is also a private club north of Mérida, which can be booked through hotels.
Gran Cenote

The loveliest of several cenotes open to swimmers along the road from Tulum to Cobá. Gran Cenote has a placid, clear pool, and snorkelers can make their way through a massive, arched cavern and down along a tunnel.
Gran Cenote

The Cobá road north from Tulum is one of the best places to find swimmable cenotes, and this is one of the most beautiful, a crystal-clear pool that’s a must for swimmers and snorkelers.
Gran Oasis, Cancún

A “mere” 290 rooms, but everything else about this hotel-resort is on a grand scale. Three giant pyramids make up the main buildings; there are eight restaurants, 13 bars, the Up & Down nightclub, and the pool is one of the biggest in Latin America. A big range of watersports and theme parties complete the picture.
Gringo Dave’s, Tulum

Despite the name, this fun beach-barbecue is Mexican-run. Its food is mainly Mexican too – specialties are good-value platters of flame-grilled fresh fish, seafood, or meats.
Guayaberas

Light, elegant shirt-jackets, accepted as tropical formal wear, that give men (of a certain age) instant dignity.
Guayaberas Jack, Mérida

The guayabera shirt-jacket is the smartest thing for gentlemen to wear in tropical Mérida. This long-established shop sells only guayaberas , and can make them to measure.
Hacienda Chichén, Chichén Itzá

Set in an old colonial hacienda next to the ruins of Chichén Itzá. Most of the airy rooms are in bungalows used by archeologists in the 1920s and have a faded charm.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under $5
- $5-$10
- $10-$20
- $20–$35
- over 35
Hotel price categories

For a standard, double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes and extra charges.
- under US$20
- US$20-$45
- US$45-$80
- US$80-$130
- over US$130