Quintana Roo

Wildlife-rich jungles and coral reefs. Mysterious underwater cave systems. Sugar-sand Caribbean beaches. If all that sounds glorious, it most certainly is, and yet Quintana Roo finds itself caught between preserving its precious natural resources and managing a development boom that doesn't seem to be slowing down. It makes for a complicated balancing act fraught with environmental and cultural consequences, as tourism remains the driving force of the economy. With more than 400km of white-sand beaches hugging the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, it's easy to understand why so many tourists flock to the Yucatán each year. Quintana Roo also boasts some of the world's best snorkeling and diving, intriguing Maya culture and laid-back islands where people get around on golf carts. From mega-resort Cancún to 'eco-chic' Riviera Maya and all the way down to the less-visited Southern Caribbean Coast, this little corner of Mexico was made for vacationing.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Tulum Ruins
Tulum
Tulum is one of the most visited archaeological zones in Mexico and for good reason: it’s sublime. The ruins sit on seaside cliffs, high above turquoise…
Parque Nacional Isla Contoy
Cancún
A white sand beach with manta rays gliding through the shimmering turquoise waters. No hotels. No nightclubs. No roads or cars of any kind. It’s hard to…
SFER IK
Tulum
Wandering barefoot through the contemporary art museum at Azulik hotel, you feel like you’re in a giant cocoon. Nature surrounds you, inside and out:…
Museo Maya de Cancún
Cancún
Surrounded by dense tropical forest, the contemporary Museo Maya de Cancún is a welcome respite from the beach and buffet lines of the neighboring high…
Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka'an
Tulum
While floating down a canal that Mayans dug by hand centuries ago, you see tall grasses on either side and colorful birds flying overhead. You hear the…
Cobá Ruins
Cobá
Cobá's ruins include the tallest pyramid in Quintana Roo (the second tallest in all the Yucatán) and the thick jungle setting makes you feel like you’re…
Isla Blanca
Cancún
Driving down a narrow sand road, the turquoise Caribbean on one side, the glimmering Laguna Chacmuchuch on the other, you feel like you’re a thousand…
Tankah Tres
Tulum
At the end of a sand road is the hamlet of Tankah Tres (aka Tankah Bay), a seaside community of vacation homes and small hotels in Mexico, all facing a…