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This was a relatively small Mayan city, but its layout, including a clearly visible “main street”, makes it easy to imagine people coming and going, buying and selling.

The ruins of an important Mayan city, probably founded in about AD 300. On its palaces and squat main pyramid are impressive carvings of animals and monsters.

Ceramics, fine jade and coral jewelry, carvings, and household objects from sites around Quintana Roo state, in engaging, well-labelled displays.

With an interactive dolphin pool, snorkeling with (harmless) stingrays and sharks, as well as a Wet’n’Wild water park, this is the Riviera’s biggest fun park.

The little passenger (Puerto Juárez) and car (Punta Sam) ferry ports for Isla Mujeres are older than any other part of Cancún.

One of the largest and most lavishly equipped of the Riviera’s all-inclusive resort complexes, in its own area of jungle to the south of Cancún.

A secluded spot to get away from just about everything, set at the end of the bumpy beach road north from Puerto Morelos. There’s a small cabaña hotel and a camping site.

Naturally crocodiles are the big attraction here, but you can also meet monkeys, parrots, and deer, as well as stranger elements of the local wildlife.

Among the spectacular palm-fringed bays at Punta Maroma are several reserved exclusively for guests at the luxurious tropical retreat of Maroma (see Maroma, Punta Maroma).

The plusher side of Playa del Carmen, with a fascinating jungle aviary in the midst of landscaped avenues lined with big resort hotels and private villas (see also Air Tours).