ALONG THE RIVIERA MAYA

From elegant hideaway resorts to wallet-conscious all-inclusives -- Riviera Maya delivers. But since the region's developed areas have sprung up in recent months, you are excused for not knowing the difference between Xpu-Ha and Esencia, Maroma and Mayakoba.

By DAVID SWANSON, Special to the Star Tribune

Last update: December 5, 2009 - 6:06 PM

Mexico's beaches belong to the government and are theoretically open to all. However, many all-inclusive resorts limit access to the sand from the highway; anyone strolling the beach will find guards preventing non-guests from using their palapas and loungers (wristbands identify which all-inclusive resort you belong to). But watch for dirt roads leading off the northbound side of the highway -- usually unmarked, they sometimes lead to unheralded patches of sand. Aqua shoes are helpful for access along rocky areas.

A rental car is the best way to visit hideaway beaches; the main highway is easy to navigate and is well maintained. Shared-van service runs regularly from the airport to points south: Budget $28 per person to Playa del Carmen and Playacar (vs. $112 for a private taxi for up to four), $47 for Akumal and Tulúm (vs. $175 for private); cancunsharedshuttle.com.

The best tourist maps of the area are sold by Can-Do Travel Guides, which contain plentiful dining recommendations, as well. An update of the Riviera Maya map will be released in January 2010; cancunmap.com.

In the early 1980s, the pristine, beach-girdled Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula was marked by little more than a few fishing villages. There was a hotel here and a hammock there, but not much of an effort to identify their position, nor much infrastructure to support them.

But just as it did for Cancún in the early 1970s, Mexico's government tourism development agency decided to put a name to this beautiful face, and the Riviera Maya was born. And soon enough, a highway was built parallel to the coast, linking these sun-drenched towns and villages to the Cancún airport.

Sure, the name rings of romanticized marketing conceit, but Riviera Maya is indeed an ideal description of the magic carpet of sand that unrolls virtually unbroken for 81 miles south of Cancún.

Better still is the breadth of vacation options: From elegant hideaway resorts to wallet-conscious all-inclusives, from lively beach bars to candlelit gourmet repasts -- Riviera Maya delivers. But since the region's developed areas have sprung up in recent months, you are excused for not knowing the difference between Xpu-Ha and Esencia, Maroma and Mayakoba.

In fact, many travelers assume the Riviera Maya is merely an extension of Cancún (probably in part because they share an airport). It's not. With more than 37,000 hotel rooms of its own -- a number projected to double by 2025 -- and almost 3 million visitors annually, Riviera Maya is a fierce competitor to its more famous neighbor. But whereas Cancún is a busy resort city, down south the visitors are spread out over a much larger area and resorts tend to be more intimate.

So, pack up your rental car at the airport and head south along Hwy. 307.

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