Things to do in Quintana Roo
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Restaurante Natura
Styled after the successful 100% Natural chain, this little bistro offers up a good mix of natural and vegetarian Mexican cuisine.
reviewed
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Xcaret
Xcaret is 10km south of Playa del Carmen. It has Disney-esque activities, high price tags and questionable environmental records that include allegedly importing the beach and using explosives to clear debris when creating Xcaret.
reviewed
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Aluxes Coffee House
Aluxes serves bagels with cream cheese, sandwiches, muffins, and hot and iced coffee. Between Guerrero and Hidalgo.
reviewed
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Chichen Itza Day Trip from Cancun
12 hours (Departs Cancun, Mexico)
by Viator
Spectacular Chichen Itza holds both mystery and magic. Explore the most important archaeological zone and ancient capital of the Mayan Empire on a full day guid…
Not LP reviewed
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El Cedral
This Mayan ruin, which functioned as a jail in the 19th century, is the oldest on the island, dating way, way back to AD 800. It's not obviously alluring, but it is the most accessible of Cozumel's ruins. The ancient structure is the size of a small house, so keep your eyes peeled. El Cedral is thought to have been an important ceremonial site. Today a small stucco church sits next to the ruin.
reviewed
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Playa Delfines
Delfines is about the only beach with a public car park; unfortunately, its sand is coarser and darker than the exquisite fine sand of the more northerly beaches. On the upside, the beach has great views, there are some nearby Maya Ruins to check out and, as the last beach along the boulevard, it is rarely crowded. Heed the signs regarding swimming conditions as undertows are common here.
reviewed
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Mama’s Bakery
At Mama’s try the kiwi-raisin muffins, great carrot cake or the signature sticky buns. Yum! It also offers egg dishes and wonderful smoothies. This intimate, friendly place is a bit hard to find, but don’t give up. Heading north along Gómez, go about four blocks and look on your left for the bamboo wind chimes under the palapa. The small sign is easy to overlook.
reviewed
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Pizza Rolandi
Below the Hotel Belmar, between Abasolo and Madero, it bakes very good thin-crust pizzas and calzones in a wood-fired oven. The menu also includes pasta, fresh salads, fish, good coffee and some Italian specialties – definitely don’t come here looking for Mexican.
reviewed
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Irori
Enjoy the show as the chef slices and dices the night away at this Japanese-run restaurant serving sushi and many other Japanese favorites in an intimate and nicely decorated setting. There’s even a kids menu if you’ve got sushi-scoffing rugrats in tow.
reviewed
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K Sadillas del Jalisco
For a cheap lunch on this side of town, head over to the palapa-shaded K Sadillas, where the friendly owner, Javier, serves up super-cheap lunches and, you guessed it…quesadillas.
reviewed
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Alux
About three blocks west of Hwy 307, the Alux is an amazing must-visit. It’s a restaurant-lounge situated in a cavern: stalactites, stalagmites, pools and all.
reviewed
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Boca del Puma
For chilling cenote action, check out the ‘ecopark’ Boca del Puma, 16km west of Puerto Morelos, near the village of Vallarta.
reviewed
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Siete Bocas
For chilling cenote action, check out the Siete Bocas, 13km west of Puerto Morelos.
reviewed
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Park Las Palapas
Park Las Palapas is quiet and safe, a great place for an afternoon picnic or an evening stroll.
reviewed
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Los Pelícanos
This friendly eatery is lauded by locals as the best restaurant in town.
reviewed
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Grupo Nohoch Mul
In the northeast you will reach a ball court on the right side of the path. Look at the ground in the center of the court to spot a carved stone skull (the winner or the loser of the ball game?) and the carved relief of a jaguar.
More weathered stelae lie at the north end. After the ball court, the track bends between piles of stones - a ruined temple - and you reach a junction of sorts. Turn right (east) and head to the structure called Xaibé. This is a tidy, semicircular stepped building, almost fully restored. Its name means 'the Crossroads,' as it marks the juncture of four separate sacbeob.
Going north from here takes you past Templo 10 and Stela 20. The exquisitely …
reviewed
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Isla Mujeres Tortugranja
Although they are endangered, sea turtles are still killed throughout Latin America for their eggs and meat, which is considered a delicacy. Three species of sea turtle lay eggs in the sand along the island's calm western shore, and they are now being protected - one tortugita (little turtle) at a time.
In the 1980s, efforts by a local fisherman led to the founding of the Isla Mujeres Tortugranja, 5km south of town, which protects the turtles' breeding grounds and places wire cages around their eggs to protect against predators. Hatchlings live in three large pools for up to a year, then are tagged for monitoring and released. Because most turtles in the wild die within t…
reviewed
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Kohunlich archaeological site
The Kohunlich archaeological site sits on a carpeted green. The most accessible of the corridor's ruins has nearly 200 mounds still covered in vegetation. The surrounding jungle was a thick tangle of half-felled trees at last pass.
The ruins, dating from both the late pre-Classic (AD 100-200) and the early Classic (AD 300-600) periods, are famous for the great Templo de los Mascarones (Temple of the Masks), a pyramid-like structure with a central stairway flanked by huge, 3m-high stucco masks of the sun god. The thick lips and prominent features are reminiscent of Olmec sculpture. Of the eight original masks, only two are relatively intact following the ravages of archaeo…
reviewed
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Grupo de las Pinturas
You can reach the Grupo de las Pinturas (Paintings Group) by heading 200m toward the Grupo Macanxoc and turning left. If you're on a bike, you'll have to park it here and return to it (this is the case at a few other spots as well). The temple here bears traces of glyphs and frescoes above its door and remnants of richly colored plaster inside.
You approach the temple from the southeast. Leave by the trail at the northwest (opposite the temple steps) to see two stelae. The first of these is 20m along, beneath a palapa. Here, a regal figure stands over two others, one of them kneeling with his hands bound behind him. Sacrificial captives lie beneath the feet of a ruler at …
reviewed
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Arrecife Palancar
The reefs are where it's at for prime scuba diving off this island. One of the best is the kilometres-long Arrecife Palancar (Palancar Reef), where stunning coral formations and a 'horseshoe' of coral heads offer some of the world's finest down-under - all at an amazing 70m (230ft) visibility. Underwater photographers should come ready to shoot like mad. The water around the reef is about 24m (80ft) deep, providing pros opportunities for fantastic deep-water diving.
The north end of the reef, called Palancar Gardens, is shallower but just as gorgeous. There are caverns and plenty of brightly coloured sea creatures.
The Palancar Reef areas are popular, so their much-lauded…
reviewed
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Explore Mexico & Guatemala
10 days (ex Cancun)
by Intrepid
Revel in the bold beach vibe of Cancun, Mexico, Explore incredible Mayan pyramids at Chichen Itza, Travel along Mexico's amazing Yucatan Peninsula, Experience t…Not LP reviewed
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Mayan Highlights
22 days (ex Cancun)
by Intrepid
Swim with sharks around Caye Caulker, Explore the forested hills of San Ignacio, Relax on the white sand coast of Belize, Haggle at Chichicastenango's colourful…Not LP reviewed
from USD$2,085 -
El Castillo Real
Down the same intimidating road that leads to Punta Molas, are the large Mayan ruins known as El Castillo Real (The Royal Castle). The archaeological site, as well as the Aguada Grande ruins a few kilometers' hike away, are both quite far gone, their significance having blown off into the breeze some time ago. Still, half the fun is in getting there, right?
Other ruins of interest include the temple at San Gervasio, which was erected by the Maya as a tribute to Ixchel, the moon goddess of fertility. Female pilgrims came here from all over the region to pay tribute. San Gervasio sits between San Miguel and the east coast, northeast of the Carretera Transversal.
reviewed
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Rancho Punta Venado
This delightful spot for horseback riding is about 5km south of Xcaret and 2km further east of the highway. The ranch sits on some 8 sq km of land, much of it virgin jungle, and has a cenote and a 3km-long stretch of isolated beach. In addition to guided horse tours (M$780 per person, maximum group size 20 people) you can also make arrangements to snorkel, kayak or (if you must) ATV. In the course of a ride you’re likely to see monkeys, deer, coatis and various other mammals, as well as crocodiles, snakes and lots of birds, including the occasional toucan. The horses are well cared for and the owners are very hospitable.
reviewed
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Museo de la Isla de Cozumel
Exhibits at the fine Museo de la Isla de Cozumel in San Miguel present a clear and detailed picture of the island’s flora, fauna, geography, geology and ancient Maya history. Thoughtful and detailed signs in English and Spanish accompany the exhibits. It’s a good place to learn about coral before hitting the water, and it’s one not to miss before you leave the island. A courtyard in the back contains a na (thatched Maya hut) with someone in attendance who will explain (in Spanish) the various elements that made up Maya domestic life: the toys, utensils, foodstuffs, a raised garden bed for kitchen herbs and more.
reviewed
