DK Travel : Cancún and the Yucatán : Places of interest

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Punta Bete

A well-rutted track off the main Highway just north of Playa del Carmen leads in three bumpy kilometers (2 miles) to superb, curving beaches of dazzling white sand and a perfect turquoise sea. Some resort hotels have opened up here, but there are still clusters of laid-back beach cabañas (see Cabañas Ana y José, Tulum) among the palms.
Punta Laguna

Getting to see local wildlife in the natural habitat, rather than in zoos or nature parks, can take a lot of time and effort, but at this small reserve north of Cobá you can see spider monkeys jumping through the trees after just a little exciting exploration. Village guides lead the way – deer, wild boar, and lots of birds will probably be around, too.
Río Lagartos

This quiet village on the remote north coast is at the head of over 20 km (12 miles) of man-grove lagoon and mud flats, with the Yucatán’s largest colonies of flamingos and a dazzling variety of other birds. Local boatmen provide good-value tours (see also Río Lagartos, Río Lagartos and San Felipe).
Río Lagartos and San Felipe

Celebrated for the spectacular flocks of flamingos in the lagoon to their east (see Río Lagartos), these villages delight visitors with their unhurried, easy-going style. Great seafood restaurants too, as well as some pleasant small hotels, and, from San Felipe, wonderful sunsets (see Río Lagartos, San Felipe).
San Bernardino Sisal, Valladolid

This massive, fortress-like church and cloister was begun in 1552, and is the oldest permanent church in the Yucatán. Like others built around that time, it was designed by the Franciscan order’s own architect, Friar Juan de Mérida. It looks very medieval, with an unusual, beautifully shady gallery of graceful arches along the façade and a cloister of giant, squat stone columns around an exuberantly overgrown garden. Church and cloister have a delightful tranquility, and inside there are rare 18th-century Baroque altars and altarpieces.
San Felipe

West of Río Lagartos, this village is smaller and has a superb, usually near-empty beach on the sandbar across the lagoon, facing the opal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Village boatmen will ferry you to and from the beach, and also offer flamingo tours. From the village there are fabulous sunsets (see also Río Lagartos, Río Lagartos and San Felipe).
San Gervasio, Cozumel

The ruins of the Mayan capital of Cozumel, conquered by Cortés and his Spanish soldiers in 1519, are in the middle of the island. Its buildings are small compared to the great Mayan cities, but there are many of them – and discovering them, through woods full of scents, flowers, and birds, involves a lovely walk (see Cozumel).
Sayil

Of all the Puuc Cities, Sayil is the one that gives the strong-est sense of the wealth of its ancient inhabitants. Its hub is the magnificent Palacio, an opulent complex sweeping up through three levels and over 90 chambers, with an architectural refinement that recalls the buildings of Ancient Greece. It housed over 350 people, from lords to servants, and had its own exclusive water supply.
Sian Ka’an

Mexico’s largest wetland nature reserve, Sian Ka’an brings the Riviera to an end just south of Tulum. Its vast area of nearly-untouched mangroves, jungle, and beaches contains an extraordinary range of birds and wild-life, and the one-day tours run by local organizations give a glimpse of the intricate, constantly surprising interplay of nature in this rare environment. The few inhabited spots along the coast are wonderful for fishing, and have a feel of tranquil isolation (see Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve).
Teabo

With an air of tranquility, this remote town clusters around its grand and lofty Franciscan church, built in 1650–95. In the sacristy are rare murals of saints, discovered by accident in the 1980s. Teabo is also known for its fine embroidery.