traveldk.com

Far west of San Felipe, a road joins the coast to run along it through quiet fishing villages. Seaward, there are endless, often empty, Gulf Coast beaches, while on the landward side is a lagoon full of birds. Telchac is a fishing harbor with fine beaches and a few low-key restaurants and cheap hotels. At Uaymitún there is a free observation tower for bird-watching in the lagoon (see Uaymitún).

Cozumel’s greatest glory is its 20-plus coral reefs, an awe-inspiring undersea world of caves, canyons, and coral “forests” teeming with life – from sea cucumbers and brilliantly luminous angelfish to graceful rays and the occasional shark. The water boasts almost perfect clarity, and Chankanaab and Paraíso reefs are close inshore, so can be appreciated even by inexperienced divers and snorkelers (see Cozumel).

The name comes from the Mayan tsimin , a kind of demon, which was also used to describe the Spaniards when they first appeared on horseback. Today it’s the capital of Yucatán’s “cattle country,” between Valladolid and Río Lagartos. The pleasant twin plazas in the center are divided by two huge monasteries, which give Tizimín a distinctly Mediterranean appearance.

All the region’s eco-parks are family-friendly, but Tres Ríos goes a bit further with a special Kids’ Club, where parents can leave small children to play and join in group activities in the forest and park (see Cancún and the North).

A huge area around a natural inlet and cenote rock pools on the coast has been made into an eco-park, with dense jungle, mangrove lagoons, reefs, and a delicious white beach all within it. Visitors can explore on foot, bicycle, horseback, or by kayak along well-marked paths and jungle streams. Other activities include snorkeling, diving, a Kids’ Club for small children, and “sensorama”, a guided walk using blindfolds, so as to experience the forest by touch and smell alone.

Thick forest, cenotes, jungle streams, mangrove lagoons, beaches, and reefs are all found within this big eco-park north of Playa del Carmen. Bikes and kayaks are included in the ticket; optional extras include horse riding, snorkeling, reef-runner tours, scuba diving, a kids’ club, paintball, and “sensorama” blind-folded walk to allow you to experience the forest through touch and smell (see Cancún and the North).

The epitome of a tropical paradise: palm-shaded cabins only a few steps from a vividly colored sea, and with just candlelight and the sound of waves at night. The bargain cabañas at the north end of the beach are slightly noisier, so head south for pure tranquility.