DK Travel : Cancún and the Yucatán : Outdoor

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Tulum

This is the Riviera’s biggest center for cave-diving(see Cenotes and Caves), but dive operators also take snorkelers and divers to the reefs nearby, in a deliciously clear sea.
Turtles

Now endangered, sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs on sandy beaches along the southern Riviera.
Uaymitún

For easy bird-watching in the lagoons along the northern Yucatán coast, there is this free viewing tower, by the coast road east of Progreso, where even binoculars are provided. The top offers spectacular views over the wetlands to the south, and you can see flamingos, ducks, egrets, and, in winter, endless migratory birds from North America.
Valladolid Craft Market and Bazaar

Valladolid’s semi-official handi-crafts market has some very fine embroidery, as well as more production-line goods. The nearby bazaar is a quirky collection of shops around a food court (see Places to Eat).
Valladolid’s Main Plaza

Mayan women from the surrounding villages display their beautifully bright huípiles (traditional dresses) and other embroidery on the railings of the Parque Principal.
Xcaret

The largest of the Riviera’s eco-parks, just south of Playa del Carmen, provides a wonderful introduction to the tropical environment of the Yucatán and a full day’s worth of things to do – from snorkeling and swimming with dolphins to eye-popping animal and butterfly collections (see Playa del Carmen: Xcaret).

Xcaret Mayan Village
Xel-Ha

One of the most luxuriant coral inlets on the coast has been made a “snorkel park” that’s one of the Riviera’s most popular attractions – experienced divers may find it tame, but it’s great for easy snorkeling, especially for families. Around it there’s a forest park and a beach. Just outside the park and across the Highway are the Mayan ruins of Xel-Ha (see Xel-Ha Ruins).
Xpu-Ha

Seven bays with some of the coolest, whitest sand, most graceful palms, and most colorful coral on the Riviera. Several are occupied by resorts, but X-4 and X-7, signposted on the Highway, are open to anyone.
Xpu-Ha

The superb reefs offshore here are a favorite destination for Playa del Carmen dive operators. Angelfish, triggerfish and parrot fish are abundant, along with a luxuriant range of coral (see Cozumel and the South).
Xpu-Ha

Along these seven gracefully sweeping bays, 3 km (2 miles) south of Puerto Aventuras, are some of the Riviera’s most idyllic beaches, with exuberantly alive reefs and some of the most exquisite turquoise waters. Several are now occupied by resort complexes (the Xpu-Ha Palace, the Copacabana, Robinson Club). However, two (signposted X-4 and X-7 from the Highway), are still open to anyone, and at X-7 there are some small cabañas , a camping site, and a dive shop.