Riviera Maya or Cancun?

There are so many beautiful places to visit in Mexico.

Cancun and Riviera Maya are often thought of as interchangeable, but they present quite different experiences.

Is Riviera Maya or Cancun Better?

We’re often asked this question and the answer truly depends on you! Your personality, likes, dislikes, dreams, and desires.

While there are many similarities between the two, it’s critical to understand their differences when planning your next vacation.

You may even decide to visit both places on your next trip!

Riviera Maya

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Playa De Carmen is the largest city in Rivera Maya with around 250,000 residents and home to one of the world’s top diving destinations. 

Often overlooked by the likes of Galapagos and Cayman Islands, Playa de Carmen is a diver’s paradise.

Tulum, the second-largest city with 100,000 residing, has a vast array of yoga retreats.

Similar to Bali, ex-pats have migrated to acquaint themselves with the peace that Rivera Maya retain.

The hotels in the area are surrounded by mangroves, so you may get the chance to run into a tropical animal!

If you are looking for a tour, a popular place to visit is one of the seven wonders of the world. The Chechen Itza ruins is about 2.5 hours out, but worth the day trip. 

Although the beaches are pretty, they tend to be a little more exotic with the coral in the water. 

The beaches here do tend to be smaller than Cancun and you may even want to wear water shoes as it can be a bit rocky.

Riviera Maya is the perfect mix between the beach and a tropical jungle for your next vacation.

Cancun

Cancun is a large metropolitan city with over 1 million residents. In addition to the locals, the tourists make this city no stranger to the hustle and bustle that generally comes with a large city.

While many people just think of Cancun as a spring break destination, it has so much more to offer.

Though Cancun has so much more to offer, like any large city, there are shopping malls and many adult-only resorts to visit.

Don’t let the large city deter you as many guest completely forget it’s right outside.

Walking into many of the resorts the atmosphere and ambiance are so opposite of a large city that guests often choose to never leave their resort.

If miles of beautiful beaches and crystal blue waters Cancun may be the right fit for you.

Cancun also differs from Riviera Maya as you can experience not only a beautiful beach sunrise, but a gorgeous sunset over the lagoon.

Is Cancun and Rivera Maya the same thing?

No, as you can see Cancun and Rivera Maya are not the same.

While you will fly into the Cancun airport for both destinations, you can expect completely different vacation experiences.

Ready to start planning your dream vacation? Schedule a call now!