Here’s our monthly gallery showcasing some of the region’s many natural and historical attractions. How many have you visited?  Which ones would you like to explore on future visits to Cancun and the Riviera Maya?

Puerto Morelos

Spend a morning in Puerto Morelos on the beach, snorkeling or diving the reefs in the national park or head into the jungle for cenote and zip lining adventures on the Ruta de Cenotes. Back in the waterfront town, snack on fresh seafood at one of the beachside restaurants, order a gelato and find a seat on the boardwalk to enjoy the ocean breeze. You can even stock up on beach reads at Alma Libre, Puerto Morelos’ iconic bookstore.

Izamal

Discover one of the Yucatan’s colonial jewels and Pueblos Mágicos, Izamal, the golden city, so named for the striking yellow and white paintwork that adorns the facades of buildings clustered around Convento de San Antonio de Padua, a Franciscan monastery that dates from the 16^th century. It is also known as the city of the hills, not due to any natural uplands on the plain, but for the ancient temple mounds that surround the town. It has been a holy site since pre-Hispanic times, when it was the birthplace of Itzamna or Zamna, father of the gods, inventor of writing, medicine and agriculture. The Maya sun god, Kinich Kakmo was also venerated here, and the pyramid erected in his honor still dominates the skyline. Standing 35 meters high, it is the third largest building in Mesoamerica in terms of volume. The Spaniards built their sprawling mission on top of the Pap-Hol-Chac temple pyramid. It is home to a statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, the patron saint of the Yucatán since 1648.

You can watch local artisans at work during a walking tour of neighborhoods in different parts of town. Some weave hammocks or embroider traditional huipil dresses or blouses, others make papier mâché butterflies and birds or silver jewelry from the woody tips of henequen leaves.

Bacalar

Twenty-six miles of shimmering water in seven shades of turquoise, aquamarine, azure and indigo, Bacalar Lagoon is one of Quintana Roo’s natural treasures. Set amidst the emerald-green jungle and winding south through the wetlands and mangrove forests, this lake in southern Quintana Roo is worth a visit. There are boutique hotels and cabañas on the shoreline and boat trips and kayaks for charter in Bacalar village, which is one of Mexico’s Pueblo Mágicos for its natural beauty, Maya heritage (Ichkabal archaeological site is set to open in 2024) and its colonial fort. Built in 1729 to protect the village from marauding pirates, San Felipe Fort now houses a Pirate Museum. Cenote Azul, one of the deepest sinkholes in the Maya World, also lies in the forest on the shores of Bacalar.

Punta Sur, Cozumel

When visiting Cozumel, take a break from snorkeling and diving the breathtaking coral reefs by going on a trip around the island. Nature lovers and bird watchers will want to head to Punta Sur nature reserve on the southern tip of the island for a glimpse of water birds such as herons, roseate spoonbills, ibis and even flamingos that feed in the coastal lagoons and mangrove forest. There are Maya temples in the reserve too, testimony to the island’s importance in ancient times as the shrine of the Maya moon and fertility goddess Ixchel, and as a trade enclave.

Explore the Yucatan with Thomas More Travel

Thomas More Travel can help you arrange trips to these spots and to all the natural and historical wonders in the Mexican Caribbean and Yucatan.