Have you booked a flight to Cancún or Tulum? 

But now you’re realising that you can stay in Cancún itself, on Isla Mujeres, in Playa del Carmen, near Akumal, in Tulum or at one of the dozens of resorts in between.

And each place offers a completely different holiday experience.

I faced the same dilemma when planning my holiday in Mexico. And it took me more than two weeks. So many options, so many potential experiences...

The main thing I realised was thatjust because you’ve booked a flight to Cancún doesn’t mean you have to spend your holiday in Cancún.Quite the opposite, in fact – I’d say Cancún itself is the least appealing part of the whole Riviera Maya.

In this article, we’ll help you choose the right resort and the right number of bases.

We cover specific neighbourhoods, current prices and recommended hotels in more detail in our guide to where to stay on the Riviera Maya.

Compare resorts on the Riviera Maya – Booking.com

Where did we end up going?

If you’re looking for a single holiday destination where you can stay at a resort without a car, but with plenty of options for day trips, I’d choosePlaya del Carmen. It’s roughly in the middle of the coast, has direct buses from the airport, ferries to Cozumel and the best options for independent day trips.

If you’re mainly after an all-inclusive holiday, the beach and relaxation, we’d choose Costa Mujeres. It’s quieter than the Zona Hotelera in Cancún, and we personally liked it much better.

If you want to combine really lovely hotels by a beautiful beach with trips to cenotes and archaeological parks, Tulum is, in my opinion, the clear winner.

And if you’ve got, say, 14 days, as we did, I certainly wouldn’t spend the whole holiday in one place. Mexico’s Caribbean coast is surprisingly diverse and is definitely not just about beaches.

We, for example, organised our trip like this:

• 5 nights in Tulum
• 2 days’ trip by hire car into the Yucatán hinterland to Chichén Itzá and other attractions
• 3 nights on Isla Mujeres
• 5 nights in Cancún at Costa Mujeres

If I were planning a holiday for someone else, I’d give these quick recommendations.

You can view the range of hotels available via Booking.com by clicking on the city name:

• No car and plenty of day trips: Playa del Carmen or Tulum
• All-inclusive, peace and quiet, and the beach: Costa Mujeres
• A resort with trips to Tulum and the cenotes: Tulum or Akumal
• Swimming and a short island break: Isla Mujeres
• Stylish hotels, restaurants and nature: Tulum
• A small, quiet town near the airport: Puerto Morelos
• Nightlife: Cancún or Playa del Carmen
• Diving and snorkelling: Cozumel
• Alocal island with beaches: Holbox
• A lagoon and a road trip: Bacalar
• A combination of city life and beaches:Cancún

One resort, or several places?

This is a crucial decision that will shape the whole character of your holiday.

Staying in one place

Choose a single base if you have no more than 5 to 7 nights, don’t want to move around, or plan to spend most of your time at an all-inclusive resort.

For an active holiday without a car, Playa del Carmen is the most practical choice.

For a purely relaxing holiday, we’d choose between Costa Mujeres and the resorts near Akumal.

Two bases

For a stay of 7 to 10 nights, we would choose two different locations:

• Playa del Carmen or Tulum for excursions, restaurants and cenotes
• Costa Mujeres, Isla Mujeres or a resort near Akumal for the beach and relaxation

This will also save you a few long journeys.

A trip to Tulum from Costa Mujeres or a journey to Isla Contoy from the southern part of the Riviera Maya will unnecessarily take up a large part of the day.

Three or more bases

Three locations make sense for a stay of around 9 to 10 nights, provided one of them is a short stopover in Valladolid.

We would tend to add Holbox or Bacalar to the coastal itinerary only on longer trips of 11 nights or more.

Moving around too often tends to make a holiday more complicated for most people. The exception is a quick road trip in a hire car.

Check car hire prices in Cancún

How far will you be travelling from the airport?

These times are approximate from Cancún Airport, but there are usually no major traffic jams on the main motorway.

• Puerto Morelos: 20 to 35 minutes, ideally 2 to 5 nights
• Cancún, Hotel Zone: 25 to 40 minutes, ideally 2 to 5 nights
• Costa Mujeres: 35 to 60 minutes, ideally 3 to 7 nights
• Playa del Carmen: 1 to 1.5 hours, ideally 3 to 5 nights
• Puerto Aventuras and Akumal: 1.5 to 2 hours, ideally 3 to 7 nights
• Isla Mujeres: 1.5 to 2.5 hours including the ferry, ideally 2 to 3 nights
• Tulum: 2 to 2.5 hours, ideally 2 to 4 nights
• Holbox: 3 to 4 hours including the ferry, ideally 2 to 3 nights
• Bacalar: 4 to 5.5 hours, ideally 2 to 3 nights

Cancún: the easiest option, but not necessarily the best

Cancún makes sense if you want to get to your hotel as quickly as possible after arriving, or if you’re drawn to large resorts, a lively nightlife or trips to Isla Mujeres, Isla Contoy and the MUSA underwater museum.

The best-known area is the Zona Hotelera, a long strip of hotels between the sea and the lagoon.

The individual sections are quite far apart, so Cancún doesn’t feel like a compact resort that you could easily walk around in the evening.

Personally, we didn’t like the Zona Hotelera very much. Some of the beaches are beautiful, but the whole area feels rather artificial, and Cancún is unnecessarily far north for day trips to Tulum, Akumal or the cenotes.

Choose Cancún if:

• ✅ you want an easy transfer from the airport
• ✅ you’re looking for a wide choice of resorts and nightlife
• ✅ you’re mainly planning island and boat trips in the north
• ✅ you don’t want to change hotels during a short stay
• View the range of excursions from Cancún on GetYourGuide

Choose a different destination if:

• ❌ you want to visit the cenotes and explore the southern part of the Riviera Maya every day
• ❌ you’re looking for a smaller town with a pleasant town centre
• ❌ you want a peaceful holiday without traffic or large hotels

You can find details about the beaches, transport and the different parts of the city in our guide to Cancún.

View hotels in Cancún

Tulum: the most beautiful beaches and atmosphere

Tulum offers a mix of stunning beaches, stylish hotels, cenotes, top-quality restaurants, Mayan ruins and nature excursions.

At the same time, it is expensive, spread out and not particularly convenient in terms of transport.

The town centre, the Zona Hotelera and the beaches are several kilometres apart. Uber doesn’t operate here and taxis are very expensive. If you choose the wrong hotel, you could end up wasting time and money commuting every day.

Even so, we really loved Tulum.

We spent two nights at the Shibari Hotel, built around a natural cenote, and it was precisely this combination of an unusual hotel, restaurants, cenotes and the coast that made for one of the most memorable experiences of the whole trip.

Choose Tulum if:

• ✅ you want the accommodation itself to be part of the experience
• ✅ you’re drawn to cenotes, Sian Ka’an, ruins and nature
• ✅ you want good restaurants and a more stylish atmosphere
• ✅ you’re willing to pay for a good location or hire a car
• ✅ Are you looking for beautiful beaches?

Choose somewhere else if:

• ❌ you’re looking for a cheap and logistically straightforward holiday
• ❌ you want to walk to choose from dozens of ordinary restaurants every evening
• ❌ you’re expecting a classic, large all-inclusive resort

For a first visit, we’d recommend staying in Tulum for 2 to 5 nights. We’d only spend the whole holiday here if its atmosphere is the main reason for your trip.

Read our complete guide to Tulum and a detailed comparison of accommodation in Tulum.

Compare hotels in Tulum

Playa del Carmen: the best all-round base

We would recommend Playa del Carmen to most people visiting the Riviera Maya for the first time who don’t want to hire a car.

There are direct ADO buses from the airport.

In the town centre, you’ll find restaurants, bars, shops, two bus stations and the ferry terminal for Cozumel. Colectivos and organised tours will take you to the cenotes, Río Secreto, Akumal, Tulum or the Xcaret and Xplor theme parks.

The main drawback is the town’s beaches themselves. They tend to be narrower and busier, and in our opinion, they aren’t the main reason to choose Playa del Carmen. For better beaches and quieter resorts, take a look at neighbouring Playacar.

Choose Playa del Carmen if:

• ✅ you’re travelling without a car
• ✅ you want to combine day trips, swimming, restaurants and nightlife
• ✅ you’re planning a cruise to Cozumel
• ✅ you don’t want to be limited to the restaurants and facilities of a single resort

Choose a different place if:

• ❌ you want the most beautiful beach right outside your room
• ❌ You mind tourist centres, noise and crowds
• ❌ you plan to spend your entire stay at an all-inclusive resort

You can find detailed information in our guide to Playa del Carmen.

Compare hotels in Playa del Carmen

Costa Mujeres: our choice for all-inclusive holidays

Costa Mujeres lies north of Cancún and consists mainly of large, new resorts. It is not a traditional town.

Apart from the hotel, there’s practically nowhere to go on foot, and you’ll need to take a car or a taxi to get to restaurants or shops.

However, for a holiday focused purely on resort life, we would choose Costa Mujeres over the Zona Hotelera. It’s less busy, there’s more space, and it’s well-situated for trips to Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy.

We stayed at the Catalonia Grand Costa Mujeres and, compared to the huge Bahia Principe near Akumal, we found the hotel to be more modern and pleasant.

The downside is its distance from the south.

Tulum, Akumal, Río Secreto or Xcaret all involve a long day-trip. If these places are to be the main focus of your itinerary, you’d be better off staying around Playa del Carmen or Akumal.

Choose Costa Mujeres if:

• ✅ you want a good, modern all-inclusive resort
• ✅ you like quiet beaches
• ✅ you’re not planning to go on many excursions on your own

Choose somewhere else if:

• ❌ you’re planning an active holiday
• ❌ you’re looking for an authentic Mexican city

Compare resorts in Costa Mujeres

Isla Mujeres: best for 2 to 3 nights

Isla Mujeres offers a completely different experience to the mainland. Playa Norte has shallow, calm waters; in the centre you’ll find restaurants and shops; and at the southern end of the island there are peaceful resorts with sea views.

It’s easy to pop over here for a day trip by ferry from Cancún. However, if you want to enjoy the beach before the crowds arrive and after they’ve left, stay for at least 2 nights.

We stayed in the quiet south at the Impression Isla Mujeres resort. Its location on the west coast meant stunning sunsets and, during our stay, a clean beach free of sargassum.

In contrast, the area around Playa Norte and the harbour is considerably busier.

We would only spend our entire holiday on Isla Mujeres if the main attractions were to be the beaches, the resort and boat trips. Trips to the Mayan ruins or the cenotes are impractical due to the need to take the ferry.

Choose Isla Mujeres if:

• ✅ you want to relax on the beaches whilst enjoying a lively town
• ✅ you love islands with modern facilities yet plenty of peace and quiet
• ✅ you’re keen on boat trips

Choose somewhere else if:

• ❌ you’re planning an active holiday
• ❌ you’re looking for an authentic Mexican city
• ❌ you like large all-inclusive resorts
• ❌ you prefer larger cities and sightseeing

Read our complete guide to Isla Mujeres.

Compare hotels on Isla Mujeres

Akumal: the best compromise between a resort and day trips

The coastline between Playa del Carmen and Tulum is dotted with individual hotel resorts. Many include ‘Akumal’ or ‘Tulum’ in their names, even though they are situated several kilometres from both places.

We would choose this area for a classic seaside holiday with a few day trips.

Nearby are Akumal Bay with its turtles, the Dos Ojos cenotes, Aktun Chen, Xel-Há and the Mayan ruins at Tulum.

We spent three nights at the Bahia Principe Explore Akumal. The hotel ran smoothly and the sheltered bay was a great advantage during the heavy sargassum bloom. However, the resort is huge and you’ll find it practically impossible to get off the premises without a car or a pre-booked excursion.

Choose Akumal if:

• ✅ you prefer large all-inclusive resorts
• ✅ you’re planning to go on several organised excursions

Choose somewhere else if:

• ❌ you’re planning an active holiday on your own
• ❌ you’re looking for an authentic Mexican city
• ❌ you prefer larger cities and sightseeing

Compare hotels and resorts in Akumal

Cozumel, Holbox and Bacalar: when is it worth travelling further afield?

Cozumel can be visited as a day trip from Playa del Carmen, whilst Holbox and Bacalar, in our opinion, are worth at least two nights’ stay.

Cozumel

Choose Cozumel mainly for the diving and snorkelling. Ferries depart from Playa del Carmen, so it’s easy to fit in a visit to the island after staying in that town.

If you don’t dive and just want a short trip, a day trip is enough. The town of San Miguel itself isn’t a reason to spend a large part of your holiday on the island.

Holbox

Holbox is ideal for a laid-back island break, with its long, shallow beaches, mangroves and bioluminescence. However, from Cancún Airport, you’ll need to travel to Chiquilá and then take a ferry.

We wouldn’t undertake the long journey just for a day trip. Stay for 2 to 3 nights and don’t try to go on day trips to the Riviera Maya from Holbox.

We haven’t visited Holbox ourselves, so we don’t want to compare its atmosphere with that of Isla Mujeres based solely on other people’s photographs. You can find practical information in our Holbox guide.

Bacalar

Bacalar isn’t by the sea. The main reasons to visit are the Seven-Coloured Lagoon, boat trips, swimming and the more relaxed atmosphere of southern Mexico.

It is too far from Cancún for a day trip. Only include it as part of a trip lasting at least 10 to 12 nights, and stay for at least 2 nights.

A major advantage is that the lagoon is not affected by sargassum. Bacalar can therefore save part of your itinerary at a time when the Caribbean beaches are full of seaweed.

Puerto Morelos: a peaceful and underrated choice

Puerto Morelos lies between the airport and Playa del Carmen. It is smaller, quieter and still retains more of a local atmosphere than Cancún or Playa del Carmen.

The main attraction is the coral reef, which you can reach by boat directly from the town. The Ruta de los Cenotes also begins in the surrounding area, and the airport is relatively close by.

We would recommend Puerto Morelos to couples and solo travellers who are not looking for all-inclusive deals or nightlife, but who also do not want to be isolated in a remote hotel resort.

For action-packed trips without a car, Playa del Carmen is more practical. However, for a quieter stay with a few day trips, Puerto Morelos is one of the most interesting options.

You can find more information in our separate guide to Puerto Morelos.

View hotels in Puerto Morelos

How does the sargassum affect the choice?

From spring to autumn, seaweed can have a significant impact on the beaches in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Akumal and Tulum.

The amount varies from day to day depending on the wind and currents, so no resort can offer a 100 per cent guarantee of clear waters.

Generally speaking, north- and west-facing beaches on Isla Mujeres and certain sheltered stretches of Costa Mujeres tend to fare better.

Artificially sheltered hotel coves can also help. This was exactly the case during our May stay at Bahia Principe Akumal, where the open beach was full of seaweed, but the small cove remained clean.

Before booking:

• read the latest reviews of the specific hotel
• look for recent photos of the beach, not catalogue images
• choose a hotel with a good-quality swimming pool
• consider spending part of your stay on Isla Mujeres or by the Bacalar Lagoon
• Make sure to include cenotes and historical sites as alternative activities

You can find more information in the section on the weather in the Riviera Maya.

Do you need to hire a car?

No, not if you’re staying in Playa del Carmen, plan to go on organised excursions, or are simply travelling to a resort with a pre-booked transfer.

Yes, if you want to visit the cenotes, smaller beaches, Valladolid, Chichén Itzá and a few hotels.

We hired a car, and it saved us a lot of time travelling between Tulum, Akumal, Valladolid and the coast.

Compare car hire prices at Cancún Airport

On the other hand, we wouldn’t hire a car just for our stay in Cancún, Playa del Carmen or Isla Mujeres. In town centres, a car tends to get in the way, and parking can be expensive or limited.

We compare the various public transport options in detail in our guide to transport in the Riviera Maya.

If this is your first time hiring a car, do also read our general guide on how to hire a car abroad.

Our recommended combinations based on the length of your stay

We booked all our accommodation through Booking.com or Revolut Stays to collect RevPoints.

4 to 5 nights

Don’t move around – choose one base.

• An active holiday without a car: Playa del Carmen
• Beach and all-inclusive: Costa Mujeres or Akumal
• Atmosphere, restaurants and cenotes: Tulum
• Island and swimming: Isla Mujeres

7 nights

Split your stay between two destinations.

The most versatile combination:

• 4 nights in Playa del Carmen
• 3 nights on Isla Mujeres or Costa Mujeres

Resort and excursions in the south:

• 3 nights in Tulum
• 4 nights in Akumal or Puerto Aventuras

A relaxing holiday:

• 5 nights at the Costa Mujeres resort
• 2 nights on Isla Mujeres

10 nights

Add an inland or third coastal base.

Our choice for a first visit:

• 4 nights in Playa del Carmen or Tulum
• 2 nights in Valladolid to visit Chichén Itzá and the cenotes
• 4 nights in Isla Mujeres, Costa Mujeres or at a resort near Akumal

12 to 14 nights

Only then does it make sense to consider Bacalar or Holbox.

• 4 nights in Playa del Carmen or Tulum
• 2 nights in Valladolid
• 2 to 3 nights in Bacalar or Holbox
• 4 to 5 nights at a resort or on Isla Mujeres

Don’t try to cram Holbox, Isla Mujeres, Tulum and Bacalar into two weeks at all costs. A large part of your holiday would be spent travelling.