The Real Riviera Maya by Julie Miller

Senor Frog’s is deserted tonight. So is Capitan Tutix, a beachfront bar usually swinging to its thatched rafters. Instead, we follow the action to the Dragon Bar, an open-air bar and dancefloor fronting the Blue Parrot Inn, the hippest and most happening hotel in the Mexican Caribbean town of Playa del Carmen.

This is obviously the place to be, with an MTV camera crew on hand to capture the outrageous antics. The longer the hand-held DVcam is pointed at the largely underaged crowd, the more rowdy it becomes. Pimply, Corona-toting youths bump and grind against their drunken female counterparts, who cavort in a provocative hoochie-mama boogie. As the night progresses, so skin-tight T-shirts will be soaked, breasts flashed, and couples formed for all-night make-out sessions on the balmy beach. There will be a lot of sore heads as the tequila sun rises over the impossibly blue Caribbean tomorrow morning.

Such are the joys of Spring Break on the Riviera Maya, the playground of teenage America. Thirty kilometres up the coast, the region’s premier city, Cancun - one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world - is overflowing with carousing college students making their annual pilgrimage in search of sun, sea, beer and sex. One hundred thousand American teenagers can’t be wrong – there is no greater place to celebrate annual college holidays and freedom from parents than this Mexican paradiso.

Thirty years ago, Cancun was a tiny village on the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula boasting just 120 Mayan fishermen. Selected by computer as the perfect location for a resort town, this pristine stretch of coastline was pumped with US funds and developed by large hotel corporations. Today, the 21-kilometre strip of beach hosts 5 million tourists annually in over 25,000 hotel rooms. It’s Vegas-on-the-Beach – modern and megalithic, a concrete jungle incongruously located on the purest, whitest sand in the world.

Despite being largely stripped of its simple Mexican soul, there is no denying that Cancun is blessed with the three essentials of the perfect beach holiday – endless sunshine, long sandy beaches, and the clearest, bluest water imaginable. Physically at least, it is a picture of perfection. Look beyond the interminable Hotel Zone and the garish nightclub strip, and you may well find just what you are looking for in a tropical holiday destination – incredible natural features, a fascinating history and a vibrant local culture, as well as the perfect beach setting.

Unless you desire a big night on the town, the best advice for independent travellers on the stretch of Mexican coastline coast known as the Riviera Maya is to avoid Cancun altogether. Fly in, rent a car or jump on board one of the efficient and affordable Mexican buses and get out of town as quickly as possible! The 140 kilometre coastline south of Cancun is scattered with charming towns, beautiful deserted beaches, a range of accommodation, countless bars and restaurants and a wealth of tourist activities – everything you need for a great vacation without the frenetic pace of the big city.

The general rule of thumb is the further from Cancun, the more relaxing the ambience. Tulum, two hours drive south, is, quite simply, idyllic – palm-fringed crystalline beaches lapped by warm turquoise waters; hammocks swaying gently in the salty breeze; and happy hour in beachside bars, with bottomless margaritas sipped to the soulful reggae beat of Bob Marley. It’s a laid-back, peaceful paradise – a place to unwind, relax and get a tan. In Tulum, laziness is a way of life – and no-one would have it any other way!

Accommodation along the gorgeous 10 kilometre beachfront ranges from low-key eco-resorts to rustic cabanas, beloved by backpackers and romantics alike. Whether you pay US$13 a night for a thatched, sand-floored shack with no bathroom facilities, or $200 for a luxury cabana with its own private deck and jacuzzi, the views are always to die for – those incredible blues and the blinding white sand is simply irresistible.

Modern tourists are not the first to appreciate the incredible natural charms of Tulum. 1500 years ago, Mayan seafarers built a city here, perched on a spectacular cliff overlooking the turquoise Caribbean. Although not the most important Mayan ruin in terms of scale, economic or spiritual significance, it is certainly the most picturesque on the Yucatan Peninsula, with its imposing stone ‘castillo’, fortified walls and frescoed temples set against an incredible ocean backdrop. As a consequence, Tulum is the most heavily visited archaeological site on the coast, a favoured excursion for camera-wielding daytrippers from Cancun.

For those with an unquenchable penchant for history and mystery, there are several other Mayan ruins within driving distance of Tulum. Coba, 50 kilometres northwest, features the tallest temple in the Mayan world; while Chichen Itza, 159 kilometres inland, is probably the most famous Mayan site of all, an impeccably-restored collection of pyramids, temples and ancient ball courts.

Just 13 kilometres north of Tulum is another popular tourist attraction – Xel-ha (pronounced “Shell-ha” - meaning “place where water is born”) a bizarre theme park claiming to be “the world’s largest natural aquarium”. It’s a stunningly beautiful place, built around a system of natural lagoons and inlets, offering unsurpassed snorkelling, tube rides and cave diving as well as fast-food outlets, kitsch train rides and marine animal encounters. With a US$29 entry fee, it is not the cheapest excursion, but that doesn’t seem to deter the thousands of tourists who flock through its gates on a daily basis.

One of the biggest attractions at Xel-ha is the opportunity to dive in one of its ‘cenotes’, or freshwater sinkholes. The entire Yucatan region has no above-ground rivers – instead, there is a network of underground rivers, caves and caverns that are fed by rainwater – amazing subterranean worlds with their own incredible marine life and coral formations. Little wonder that the ancient Maya considered these ‘cenotes’ the entrance into the spiritual underworld – they truly are places of discovery.

There are at least eight other ‘cenotes’ scattered around Tulum that are popular with experienced divers and curious snorkellers. Most of these are privately owned, and while perhaps not as visually spectacular, are considerably cheaper and certainly less crowded than Xel-ha.

Despite its scenic perfection and beachcomber ambience, civilisation is starting to encroach on Tulum. The ramshackle commercial strip – located a good 3 kilometres from the beach and hotel zone - is a veritable building site; footpaths are being constructed, the road upgraded and new supermarkets, banks and tourist facilities being built. On the beachfront, new construction of huge, ugly hotels indicates that the thoughtless planning of Cancun may be spreading to its southern neighbour. With the speed and scale of development in Tulum, one can only imagine what the town will look like in 20 years’ time.

That answer may well lie further up the coast. Located halfway between Tulum and Cancun, bustling Playa del Carmen holds the dubious honour of being the fastest growing town in the world – expanding at an incredible rate of 26 percent per annum. Once a dozy little fishing village, Playa (as it is commonly called) is now a funky, cosmopolitan and vibrant city, exploding with hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops and featuring possibly the best nightlife on the coast. Playa is a great base for exploring the Riviera Maya, particularly for those who are not into romantic interludes and quiet evenings. It at least warrants one big night on the town – the perfect place for bar-hopping and an authentic taste of the Mexican fiesta.

Most of the action takes place on the jam-packed beachfront or on the main shopping drag, 5th Avenue. This pedestrian walkway – unsurprisingly undergoing constant renovation and roadworks – is lined with a plethora of shops and galleries, offering everything from the sublime (exquisite local handicrafts) to the ridiculous (oversized sombreros). Strolling mariachis entertain diners in impressive Mayan-style thatched restaurants and sidewalk cafes, while those who prefer a more modern beat head to one of the town’s groovy modern bars. It’s a seductive mix of the seedy and the stylish - part tawdry border-town, part St Tropez ... with a uniquely Mexican feel.

Playa is also the jumping off point for Cozumel, a large offshore island which serves as a port for Caribbean cruise ships. Although overdeveloped well beyond its capacity, Cozumel is still considered one of the premier diving destinations in the Americas, with spectacular drop-offs into crystal-clear waters teeming with coral gardens and a diversity of marine life including eels, groupers, dolphins and turtles.

Although Cozumel has its share of stunningly beautiful beaches, you may have to compete for space with throngs of daytrippers from Playa and the thousands of cruise passengers who embark each week. For those who like their privacy, it’s advisable to stick to the mainland and seek out one of the many deserted beaches located just a stone’s throw from the pulsating hub of Playa del Carmen.

The coconut-palm studded coral sands of Playa Xcalacoco may be only 8 kilometres north of Playa, but its ‘Robinson Crusoe’ ambience feels like another world. This idyllic haven, accessed by a potholed, overgrown dirt track 2 kilometres off the highway, is the location of one of the loveliest hotels on the Riviera Maya, Ikal del Mar. Meaning ‘poetry of the sea’, this eco-resort incorporates world-class service with local Mayan traditions, creating the perfect atmosphere for honeymooners and couples in love.

A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Ikal del Mar consists of 30 thatched villas camouflaged within a beautifully-tended jungle garden. Each villa has its own private plunge pool, a cotton hammock for soaking up morning rays and a spacious courtyard, allowing guests to enjoy paradise in complete privacy. For those who do venture out into the ‘real’ world, Ikal’s sparkling pool fronts a dazzling white beach, scattered with thatched palapas (shelters) with towelling-covered lounges and deck chairs to create the ultimate beach fantasy.

True to its name, Ikal del Mar is about romance and silence. It’s one of those rare places where a whispered tone seems obligatory, as if a raised voice or loud noise would shatter the harmony created by nature – the wind through the palms, the gentle crashing of the ocean, the twittering of birds and the distant bubbling of an underground stream.

To complement this peaceful atmosphere, Ikal del Mar offers a holistic spa service, with rejuvenating treatments based around ancient Mayan traditions. Massage, body wraps, facials and steam treatments are all on offer, as well as daily yoga sessions and a purifying Mayan ritual called temezcalli, which takes place in a stone igloo-shaped structure next to the pool. Romantics can also take place in a “Good Wish Mayan Ceremony”, basically a reconfirmation of the wedding vows performed in the Mayan language on the beachfront.

These small reminders of ancient ways may be somewhat tokenistic, but it is a valiant attempt to retain a degree of cultural integrity on a coastline largely dominated by American accents.

Despite the Yankification, frenzied construction and the overwhelming scale of the city of Cancun, another welcome respite is close at hand – the lovely Isla Mujeres, located just 11 kilometres offshore. 8 kilometres in length and barely a kilometre in width, this tiny island surrounded by coral reef and intense blue water features just one main town, a smattering of hotels, and a single tarred road clinging to the coastline. It’s a laid-back getaway, retaining its mellow island charm and a casual pace established in the 1970s when it became a well-known haven for hippies and backpackers.

Today, tourists – many of them daytrippers from Cancun – potter around in hired golf carts or on mopeds; while cab drivers are more than willing to act as local guides for a negotiable price. The main sights are easily covered in a day or less, but the friendly ambience of the colourful town and the surrounding white beaches make it a delightful place to linger.

Isla Mujeres means ‘Island of Women’, referring to its former role as a place of worship for Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility and childbirth. Legend has it that when the Spanish conquistador, Hernandez de Cordoba, landed in 1517, he was astounded to find the place deserted except for a handful of women and hundreds of female-shaped clay idols in a tiny cliff-top temple. He thought he’d stumbled upon paradise, an ancient civilisation of beautiful women – it must have been quite a rude shock when the menfolk eventually returned from their fishing trip!

Life still revolves around the sea on Isla Mujeres. Beachcombing, snorkelling, diving and fishing are popular activities, with most visitors making a beeline for the Garrafon Marine Park, a tropical reef on the southern tip of the island. Unfortunately, these coral gardens, once the most spectacular in the Caribbean, are being loved to death – too many curious fingers and the anchors of tourist boats have left Garrafon a pale shadow of its former glory.

Thankfully unspoilt, and retaining an old-fashioned charm, are the lovely beaches of the island. North Beach is a safe, warm haven of shallow turquoise water and soft white sand; while the western beaches of Playas Lancheros and Paraiso are great spots for lunch and a Corona or two under shady coconut palms. Playa Tiburon is another curiosity, famed for its ‘pet’ sharks, poor gummy creatures forced to endure the indignity of photo opportunities, embraces and even kisses from delighted tourists.

Seafood is obviously a staple on Isla Mujeres, and there is no better place to sample Neptune’s bounty than at Casa Rolandi, a gourmet restaurant attached to another Small Luxury Hotels of the World property, Villa Rolandi. This understandably popular dining room serves an enticing mix of Mediterranean and local cuisine, including wood-fired seafood pizzas, black ravioli stuffed with lobster, a divine shrimp and rocket salad and the Caribbean favourite ceviche - raw fish ‘cooked’ to perfection in a spicy lime and chilli marinade.

Arguably the most memorable experience at this friendly hotel, however, occurs pre-dinner, as the sun begins its descent over the Mexican mainland. Margarita in hand, one can lie under the bougainvilleas by the gorgeous infinity pool and watch the sky’s mesmerising transformation from blue to silver to pink, a pastel cloak of satin reflected in the sparkling sea. As the starry black of night unfolds, so the distant lights of Cancun begin to twinkle, a gentle reminder of civilisation so close.... yet so far away.