Riviera Maya holidays

Best hotels in Riviera Maya

Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Playa Mujeres, Playacar – they’re some of the most famous resorts on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. And you’ll find them all on the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo state. Riviera Maya holidays are around an 11-hour flight from the UK, with winter sun and All Inclusive resort hotels waiting at the other end. Cancun combines big beaches and late nights, Playa Mujeres turns the volume down, while Playa del Carmen has both beach days and a town you’ll want to get out and see. Find more inspiration with our Mexico holidays.

Why choose the Riviera Maya for your holiday?

One Riviera Maya holiday can feel very different to another. Stay nearer Cancun for busier beaches and nightlife, or travel south towards Tulum for quieter days by the sea. All Inclusive resorts are found right along the coast, with meals and drinks covered upfront to help you keep an eye on your spending. Plus, days out go beyond the beach – swim in a cenote, see the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza or catch a boat across to Isla Mujeres. Direct flights from the UK to Cancun take around 10 to 11 hours, and depending on your departure time you'll usually land the same day. Flight times and arrival days vary by airport, route and whether your flight is direct.

Where to stay in the Riviera Maya

Cancun

Cancun is the Riviera Maya’s most-visited area, with its Hotel Zone stretching between the Caribbean Sea and Nichupté Lagoon. Hotels line the strip, with beach clubs, restaurants and bars nearby. Families can go big on All Inclusive, and couples and groups have lots happening after dark. Get to know the Hotel Zone with our Cancun holidays.

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is the one to pick if you want a town outside your hotel. Pedestrianised Quinta Avenida runs through the centre, lined with boutiques, taco spots, restaurants and bars, with side streets leading towards the sea. It’s a natural fit for couples, friends and families who like to spend part of the day away from their resort. Find your base with our Playa del Carmen holidays.

Playa Mujeres

Playa Mujeres sits north of Cancun, with upmarket resorts and a quieter setting away from the Hotel Zone. You’ll see more adults-only hotels here, and days can be spent between the pool, beach and everything your resort has on offer. It makes sense for couples who want their hotel to do most of the work. Take a closer look at our Playa Mujeres holidays.

Playacar

Playacar is a gated community on the southern side of Playa del Carmen, where larger resort hotels sit among residential streets and its own golf course. All Inclusive hotels make family days by the pool and beach simple, with activities and entertainment on site. And you’re on the edge of Playa del Carmen when you’re ready to head out. See why families choose our Playacar holidays.

Best hotels across the Riviera Maya

The Riviera Maya has family resorts, adults-only hotels and stays with dedicated spaces for grown-ups and younger guests.

Moon Palace Cancun
Close to Cancun Airport, with a FlowRider, golf course and more than a dozen restaurants for families who like a lot on the agenda.

Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya Resort & Spa, Akumal
The lazy river is a highlight, with watersports off the beach and a snorkelling inlet near the hotel’s Mayan ruins.

Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Puerto Aventuras
A hotel with two sides: Hacienda brings the family vibes, while Heaven is an adults-only retreat with its own mood.

Royalton Riviera Cancun, Puerto Morelos
Stay near the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, with activities for all ages plus Hideaway, a separate adults-only area.

Excellence Playa Mujeres
An adults-only stay on a private peninsula, with more than 10 places to eat and enough on site to fill a slow day.

All Inclusive, adults-only & family Riviera Maya holidays

All Inclusive Riviera Maya holidays are easy to come by, typically covering breakfast, lunch and dinner, local drinks and selected activities or entertainment. But the type of holiday you can expect changes as you move around the region. You’ll see more adults-only hotels in Playa Mujeres and parts of Cancun. Playacar has more of a family focus, so it’s a useful place to start when travelling with children. Couples don’t have to go adults-only either – hotels across the Riviera Maya welcome guests of all ages without feeling centred on families.

Best time to visit the Riviera Maya

There’s a reason the Riviera Maya is so popular for winter sun holidays – it’s drier and less humid between December and April than the rest of the year. Summer brings more heat, with September typically the wettest month. The Caribbean hurricane season runs from June to November, so it’s sensible to check the latest FCDO travel advice and weather forecast before you go. There’s no single month you need to aim for, though. It comes down to the weather you prefer.

Explore more of Mexico

Mexico

Mexico spans three very different coastlines. In the south-east, Quintana Roo has the Caribbean Sea, with powder-soft sand and calm, turquoise water made for beach days, while the Gulf of Mexico lies just to the north. Over in the west, the Pacific coast offers a wilder alternative, with rolling waves and long stretches of sand. Find your side with our Mexico holidays.

Puerto Vallarta

Over on Mexico’s west coast, Puerto Vallarta gives you a city to explore outside your hotel, including its Malecón and cobbled Old Town. It's a destination well worth adding to your Mexico wishlist.

More Travel Guides

We also have travel guides available for destinations, including Cancun | Playacar | Playa del Carmen | Playa Mujeres | Puerto Vallarta

Our Riviera Maya holidays guide was last revised and updated in October 2026.

23°C to 26°C

This region subtropical temperatures throughout the year, with a short rainy season in September.

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10 hours

It takes approximately ten hours to fly here from the UK.

Map of Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya is best for...

Beach lovers: Your Riviera Maya holiday will introduce you to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Strewn with white, powder-soft sands, fringed by lush palms, and lapped by clear blue waters, every beach in the region is something special. However, it’s worth taking the time to visit Maroma Beach, which is widely considered to be the cream of the crop. Paradiso Beach, Akumal Beach, Xu-Ha Beach and Manitas Beach are also well worth a visit, with great facilities and plenty of room to stretch out and relax.

Nature Lovers: A holiday to Riviera Maya wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Xel-Ha ecological park. From daredevil high-dives, to safe and supervised snorkelling activities for young children, the Xel-Ha park offers you the chance to discover new activities and challenge yourself.

Adventurers: Let loose your inner Indiana Jones or unleash the Lara Croft within, with a visit to some of the ancient ruins that the Riviera Maya has tucked away in its dense rainforests. One of the easiest to get to and most impressive is the clifftop fortress of Tulum. Built in the 13th century, it overlooks a stunning beach so if the midday sun gets a little too much, you can refresh yourself with a dip in the warm, blue sea.

Getting around Riviera Maya

By Car: Hire a car and explore the area at your own pace. Rental companies can be found at the resort and the airport. Roads are well maintained and well signposted.

By Bus: Bus services are dependable and efficient. Most buses are air conditioned, making this a very cool way to travel. Tickets can be bought from the local bus stations.

By Colectivo: Colectivos are vans, which operate as shared taxis. They don’t have designated stops, so it’s a case of hailing one down, hopping on, telling the driver where you want to go, and paying your fare. Cheaper and quicker than buses, colectivos are the better option for longer journeys to neighbouring resorts, such as Cancun.

Fast facts for Riviera Maya

Language: The primary language spoken here is Spanish, but you’ll find that the locals also have a good command of basic English.

Currency: The currency used is the Mexican Peso, although some establishments will accept US Dollars.

Local Time: Riviera Maya is 5 hours behind GMT/UK time.

Fly To: Cancun International Airport. Transfers to Riviera Maya take 1–2 hours.

Flight time from the UK: The flight time to Riviera Maya is 10.5 hours.

Tourist information: Further tourist information can be found here.

Visa / Health: Before your holiday to Riviera Maya, visit here for recommendations and advice on visas and health.

Holiday destinations related to Riviera Maya:

Events in Riviera Maya

BPM: For ten days in January, Playa del Carmen gives itself over to the annual BPM Festival. Thousands of clubbers come to see leading lights from the world of electronic music, as DJs from every corner of the globe play pumping sets and get the crowd whipped up to dance all night long. You’ll find outstanding gigs at nightclubs, on the beaches, and even in the spectacular cenote caves. A truly world-class event for those who like it loud!

Carnival: Take your Riviera Maya holidays in February if you want to enjoy the biggest and brightest spectacle on the local calendar. Carnival is definitely Mexico’s answer to the Brazilian Mardi Gras, and you can expect live music, fabulous floats, stilt-walking giants, street food, and a party atmosphere like no other!

Jazz Festival: While this region has plenty to offer clubbers and techno-heads, it’s also home to one of the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals. Book your break in November and you’ll find the beaches brimming with jazz fans, listening to laid-back tunes played by some of the biggest names and jazz bands. Pack a picnic, choose your spot, and relax in the sunshine.

Riviera Maya weather

If you’re taking a holiday to Riviera Maya in search of some much-needed sunshine, then book your break between June and August. June is the hottest month, with the mercury hovering around 26°C on average, with highs of around 32°C. August sees the most hours of sunshine per day, and is the best month if you want to enjoy the sea, with the ocean heating up to around 29°C. September is the wettest month and January the coldest, although temperatures only fall to around 23°C, which is perfect if you want a Riviera Maya holiday but want to avoid the crowds.

More hotels in Riviera Maya

Places similar to Riviera Maya to visit

Playa del CarmenPlaya del Carmen holidays start in a proper Mexican beach town, in Quintana Roo on Mexico's Riviera Maya stretch of Caribbean coastline. You’re about an hour south of Cancun airport, with calmer beaches than the Hotel Zone and 5-star All Inclusive resorts by the sea.

CancunFancy swapping grey UK skies for turquoise Caribbean waters? In around 10 hours, you could be on the white sands of Cancun, enjoying an All Inclusive escape on Mexico’s sun-soaked Yucatán Peninsula. Cancun’s Hotel Zone follows a narrow strip of Quintana Roo coastline, with the Caribbean on one side and Nichupté Lagoon on the other.

Playa MujeresWhile Cancun might be famous for its heady nightlife and kicking club scene, holidays to Playa Mujeres offer a stunning, exclusive, and tranquil retreat from the banging beats. Cancun might only be a bay away, but our Playa Mujeres holidays offer beautiful beaches, superb restaurants, plenty of space, and lots of peace and quiet.

PlayacarPlayacar holidays Ideal for couples or families who want to treat their loved ones to peace, tranquillity, and a slice of the high-life. Playacar might only be a five-minute drive from the buzzing centre of Playa del Carmen, but its location means that the parties, clubs, and bars are far enough away that you’d never know they were there.

FAQs

Is the Riviera Maya good for families, or just couples?

Riviera Maya Mexico holidays cover family stays, couples’ breaks and trips with bigger groups. Some larger resorts have separate areas for adults and families, which is handy for multi-generation trips where everyone wants something different. Look at the facilities and location when deciding where to stay.

Is the Riviera Maya an All Inclusive destination?

Yes. What’s included on All Inclusive Riviera Maya holidays varies between hotels, so check the details before booking. Some include more restaurants, activities or extras, giving you more to enjoy without leaving the resort. And if All Inclusive isn't for you, many hotels offer other board options too.

What’s the difference between Cancun and Playa del Carmen?

Cancun is built around its long Hotel Zone, so resort hotels play a bigger part in the holiday. Playa del Carmen has a town centre beyond the hotels, with shops, restaurants and bars packed into a smaller area. Your choice comes down to how much time you plan to spend outside your resort.

Which area is best for nightlife?

For nightlife, Cancun has the greatest concentration of clubs and bars, especially in the Hotel Zone. You can still stay out late without choosing Cancun, though. For example, Playa del Carmen has restaurants, bars and live music around Quinta Avenida.

How long is the flight to the Riviera Maya?

Flying to the Riviera Maya from the UK takes around 10 to 11 hours, with flights arriving at Cancun Airport. Transfers to Riviera Maya resorts typically take one to two hours, so factor in some extra travelling time before you reach your hotel.

Do you need a visa for Mexico?

British citizens visiting Mexico as tourists don’t need a visa. Your passport must be valid for your stay, and visitors to the Riviera Maya also need to pay Quintana Roo’s state entry tax. Check the latest FCDO entry requirements before you travel, as rules can change.