Mexico is one of the most popular holiday destinations with beautiful beaches, spectacular Mayan temples and delicious food. Tourism initially grew at such a fast rate that some areas became a little over-commercialized.
So it’s heartening to discover an area of the coast that is totally unspoiled. Step forward Mayakoba, a collection of four eco-friendly luxury Riviera Maya resorts.
Biologists and geologists were consulted during the design to ensure that the resort meets the highest standards of conservation. We recently visited this innovative luxury retreat to see for ourselves how it works in practice.
Here are the best things to do and places to eat in this corner of paradise. Mayakoba is less than 40 minutes from Cancun International Airport yet close to Tulum, so an ideal location.
Mayakoba – Luxury Riviera Maya Resorts
Mayakoba has successfully integrated its four luxurious hotels into the landscape whilst enhancing the area’s natural charm. The mangroves have been preserved and guests can admire them when using the Mayakoba Connection Ferry Service, which links the hotels by electric boat.
There are also regular complimentary guided boat trips around the extensive grounds. A four and a half kilometer nature trail connects the hotels, golf course and El Pueblito village square and is a peaceful place to walk, run or cycle.
You’ll hopefully spot many birds as well as coati, which are members of the racoon family. See more photos of the abundant Riviera Maya wildlife in our separate article.
With four 5 star hotels, the only difficulty is choosing which one to stay in! There’s the Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya, Banyan Tree, Fairmont and Rosewood Mayakoba. Each one has a luxurious spa, gourmet restaurants and its own striking architecture.
We love the quirky murals created by internationally renowned Playa del Carmen artist, Senkoe. They really reflect the vibrancy of Mexican culture, don’t you think?
Oh, and did we mention the fantastic swimming pools?
Beautiful Riviera Maya Beaches
The soft white sand beach is uncrowded and the sea was a lovely temperature on our visit.
You can access each hotel by the beach and there’s a picturesque board walk at the far end near the Hotel Banyan Tree Mayakoba.
You could also opt to get around by bike as each hotel has its own set of bicycles that are available for guests to borrow. We loved the cool cruiser bikes at Andaz – you just need to remember to pedal backwards to brake 😉
Delicious Mexican Cooking at Mayakoba
All four hotels have a wide range of dining options and it’s easy to try them all out as each hotel will simply charge your room. There are a variety of fun ways to get from one property to another – by bike, electric boat, golf cart or a walk along the beach.
Mexico is famous for its cuisine and we loved the colourful food presentation. It’s also a lot healthier than we had anticipated.
You can enjoy tapas style Mexican specialties at Punta Bonita at Rosewood or fresh seafood at Sands at Banyan Tree. Dining at Mayakoba is a treat for the eyes as well as the taste buds.
Unique Mexican Vacation Experiences
Whether you prefer a relaxing spa treatment at one of the four hotels or a more energetic activity, there’s something for everyone at Mayakoba. We love Naum Wellness & Spa at Andaz, which has six treatment rooms and two hydrotherapy spaces.
Our couples’ massage took place in an individual pavilion with its own private outdoor space to unwind and enjoy the scenery.
Golfing at Mayakoba
If you’re a golf fan, you will love El Camaleón Golf Course. It hosts the only official PGA TOUR event in Mexico, the OHL Classic.
The 18 hole course was designed by legendary golfer Greg Norman to be a real challenge yet pleasurable for all levels. There’s also the Jim McLean Golf School, the only site in Mexico of the number one golf school in America.
As for the golf carts that transport guests to and from their rooms, they’re adorned with quotes by famous artists such as Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dali.
No trip to Mayakoba and the Riviera Maya would be complete without a visit El Pueblito, the Mexican Plaza at the heart of the resort. There are some lovely shops as well as cafés and restaurants, a cookery school and a weekly farmer’s market.
Over-The-Water Bungalows at Mayakoba
There are some lovely overwater bungalows at Rosewood Mayakoba. Banyan Tree Mayakoba has several overwater villas under construction, which should be open soon. Spread over two floors, they’ll be some of the best overwater bungalows in the Caribbean.
Final Thoughts on Mayakoba Luxury Riviera Maya Resorts
With its lush vegetation, expansive beaches, and luxury resorts, Mayakoba is the perfect Riviera Maya destination for a romantic getaway or luxurious family vacation.
From traditional beach activities to historic ruins, there’s something for everyone close by — so whether you’re a thrill-seeker or R&R aficionado, your Caribbean vacation destination could be Mayakoba.
And with an incredible range of entertainment and activities at each resort as well as nearby attractions in places like Xcaret Park, your experience promises to be a unique one. So if you’re looking for some unforgettable Caribbean adventure combined with luxury-level amenities, then make sure that this ecotourism destination is part of the equation!
And if you’re hungry for more Caribbean discoveries and travel ideas be sure to check out our other Caribbean articles.
What would your favorite activity be? Have you ever visited a luxury Riviera Maya resort or Mexico?
You might also enjoy:
- Family Vacations of a Lifetime
- Food and Drink in Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico
- Rio de Janeiro Things to Do
- Street Art in Tulum, Mexico
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I had a tour of that beautiful property many years ago. I need to get back for a pampered stay !
You definitely should, Tara, it’s probably changed a lot yet it’s all been done so elegantly
What a beautiful place and those white sandy beaches look so inviting! I loved the video you put together. The boat tour around the property looks like a lot of fun. Now I’m dying to escape winter and go somewhere warm 🙂
I’ll let my hubby know as he put the video together – we both had fun filming it though! It’s really chilly in London today and I wish I was back there right now
So dreamy! And I love that you made a video!!! Thanks for sharing :))
My pleasure, Kristen, glad that you enjoyed watching
This is incredible. Looks like you had a wonderful time with dreamy pools, luxurious hotel and scrumptious feast. Wow
It was a wonderful stay, I only wish we could have stayed longer 😉
My pleasure, Anda and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with this resort as they’ve got everything you could possibly hope for!
You should definitely try to visit, Lyn as the food was amazing – a lot of variety and all very tasty!
You must have been very close by, it’s a stunning area isn’t it. The boat trips were great and I couldn’t believe how many birds and turtles we saw!
Wow this looks absolutely stunning! I recently went to Argentina – not the same as Mexico, but still Spanish speaking – but there’s nothing like this there.
I hope you get to visit here one day, Sarah, it’s totally unique as you say
It was so handy to be able to visit all 4 hotels, really added some variety to our trip!
We are planning a trip to RM and your post have given us a possible destination idea. Photos are so amazing, our 50% decision is made because of them to visit Mayakoba.
It’s such an amazing place, I hope that you do get to experience it. I’ll be posting more about it next week so that might sway you!
Yes I had a great time on the flamingo – I couldn’t get on top of the swan despite a few attempts!
We absolutely loved the mural and by chance we got to meet the artist, Senkoe!
An absolutely luxurious stay. The views are just amazing. I think you had posted the pic of the beach on instagram and even there I was in awe of how lovely it looked.
Well spotted, Ami! The beach was very atmospheric – wish I was there now!
My pleasure, Carmen – I’m glad that you enjoyed the video and photos
And an added bonus is that we got to meet the creator of the mural, Senkoe! I’ll be writing more about that soon