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This will hardly be a surprise to most, but the Mexican Caribbean has been officially declared the number one beach destination in all of Mexico, beating the trendy Los Cabos and the nightlife capital of Puerto Vallarta to the top spot.
Home to the Caribbean metropolis of Cancun, the small, safe historical town of Tulum, and several smaller, paradisaical islands that offer guests an escape from the bustle of the mainland, the Mexican Caribbean continues to assert its dominance and lead booking trends well into late 2023.
In fact, as the Cancun Sun has reported, it hosts more than a third of tourist arrivals for the entire country – so what makes it so hugely popular, you might ask?
Looking For Those Tropical Vibes? This Is Where You’ll Find It.
If you’ve been dreaming of an idyllic sunny getaway, and the image of a glitzy hotel, bounded on one side by the jungle and the other by the ocean is ingrained in your mind, you should know the so-called Mayan Riviera is your best bet at finding those sweeping Caribbean views.
The region’s tropical atmosphere is one of the reasons why tourists can’t seem to get enough of it, as regardless of where they are based, be it the much larger Cancun or the smaller beach towns of Puerto Morelos or Playa Del Carmen, they will never be too far from some breathtaking nature.
Cancun’s resort district itself straddles one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, where thin, immaculate-white sands are hugged by the teal-colored sea, with several resorts in the strip offering guests private access to the stretch.
As for the wider Riviera, it is dotted with both open-air and underwater cenotes, forested zones, and gorgeous blue lagoons, such as Lake Bacalar, an increasingly trendy vacation hotspot known for its indigenous reserves and Mayan authenticity.
World-Class Hospitality
In recent years, the Mexican Caribbean has made a name for itself in the hospitality industry, owing it to an incredibly well-equipped resort scene, well-trained staff who are able to cater to a visitor’s every need while guests in the property, and, of course, the luxurious amenities.
If you’re planning on vacationing in this part of Mexico, you are likely expecting to check in at a five-star enclave where you’ll get the royalty treatment, sipping mimosas by the poolside, going for early evening dips in the warm ocean, gorging on the expansive buffet, and attending spa treatments.
There is truly nowhere quite like Cancun and its adjacent beach towns in terms of luxury and all-inclusive stays, as local hoteliers and other hospitality authorities continue to ensure tourists feel welcome and, most importantly, in a state of utter relaxation.
The Mexican Caribbean Is Perfectly Safe For Visiting
Safety is another important factor for Americans traveling abroad, especially in Mexico, that often gets portrayed negatively in the U.S. media.
Last year, over 30 million tourists, a majority of those hailing from the States, chose the Mexican Caribbean as their primary destination.
We’re not sure about you, but we have not come across a single news story involving tourists being victims of violence while staying in Cancun’s resort strip or any of the surrounding provinces. Yes, crime can occur in Mexico, including here, but the occurrence rates are minimal.
Earlier this year, news broke out that American visitors were kidnapped, and tragically killed during an armed assault that took place near the U.S. border, immediately raising safety concerns, and bringing to light a series of unsolved incidents that have haunted border regions for years.
This is miles away from Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean, however, and to fear you will find yourself in the midst of gang conflicts or kidnapped while sojourning in a luxurious resort on the tropical coast is irrational, to say the very least.
In a way, it’s like worrying you might be affected by rising crime rates in Detroit while you’re a tourist in New York.
In fact, the Mexican Caribbean is one of the safest beach zones in the entire Caribbean, being heavily fortified and surveilled by Mexico’s National Guard.
Unique Mix Of Ancient And New
Tourists also love the area’s unique blend of ancient and modern. In the unlikely case you were not aware, the Mexican Caribbean is a lot more than a mere resort destination.
It is a one-of-a-kind cultural hotspot, filled with Mayan structures dating back thousands of years, and holy pre-Columbian sites nestled deep in the dense jungle.
The Mayan civilization was perhaps the most sophisticated and best-developed of the Americas until it met its demise following the arrival of European settlers.
At their peak, the Mayans were active city-builders, masters of the sciences, and fierce warriors laying claim to vast swathes of the Central American and Yucatanese territories, the latter of which now falls behind the Mexican border line.
Some of the most impressive Mayan cities of yestertime can still be seen, with various degrees of preservation, in the Mexican Caribbean, including Chichen Itza, famous for its monumental step pyramid, the ruins of Tulum, where a historic castle sits perched on a cliff edge overlooking the bright-blue sea, and the complex underworld of cenotes in the Northern Riviera.
Other than lounging by the poolside and sunbathing on Caribbean beaches, tourists have the opportunity to go on cultural excursions and immerse themselves in this lost civilization.
Great Infrastructure
Additionally, the Mexican Caribbean is about to become one of the most tourist-friendly spots in the wider subcontinent with the launch of its long-anticipated Maya Train, reportedly among the safest transportation modes in the world.
It will help visitors get from point A to B without getting scammed by taxi drivers or having to hire private tour guides to take them to those hidden, untouristy Mayan ruins public buses don’t reach – which, by the way, are probably the best ones.
Learn more about the Maya Train and how it will revolutionize travel in the Yucatan Peninsula here.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com