Take a beach-by-beach tour of Mexico's Riviera Maya (CONTINUED)

03:16 PM CST on Sunday, November 8, 2009
By DAVID SWANSON / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Secret strands

Southbound traffic thins out after you pass Playa, and six miles beyond the aquatic theme park Xcaret (ISH-ka-ret) lies Xpu-Há. The Riviera Maya's beaches don't get any dreamier than this. The sand is bright white and uncrowded. A couple of all-inclusive resorts anchor each end of the beach. But to access the choicest, broadest slice of silica, watch for the sign for Al Cielo restaurant, where the Mediterranean menu is strong on delicious seafood.

Where to stay:One of Mexico's top hotels is 29-room Escencia, the 50-acre Xpu-Há estate of Rosa, Italian duchess of Ferrari. The elegant hotel delivers an intimate experience akin to a house party and includes a spa specializing in indigenous treatments. From $459, with breakfast ($545 high season). Contact: 1-877-528-3490; www.hotelesencia.com.


Turtle turf

The beach fronting Akumal, 53 miles south of the airport, isn't grand, yet it's beloved for snorkeling, often accompanied by sea turtles that frequent the reefs close to shore. In fact, Akumal translates to "place of the turtles," and nighttime nestings and hatchings on the beach are regular events June through September.

The north end of town is Half Moon Bay, the main turtle nesting area. It's lined with rental condos (many owned by American expats). Akumal Bay fronts the central business area; this small beach can be busy, but there are restaurants, bars and water-sports options. South of Akumal, the shore morphs into Jade Beach, with some rockier points of entry into the water. Then the sand improves at South Akumal. Rental condos line both areas.

Where to stay: Hotel Akumal Caribe, a 61-room resort, offers oversize garden bungalows and hotel rooms in a three-story building overlooking the sea. All have air conditioning and minifridges; it's a good spot for families. From $89 ($119 high season). Contact: 1-800-351-1622; www.hotelakumalcaribe.com.


Ruin with a view

Tulúm, one of Mexico's most important archaeological sites, lies 70 miles south of the Cancún airport. The only Mayan city built right on the sea, Tulúm also is home to fabulous beachfront and a dizzying array of small inns.


David Swanson/Special Contributor
Small coves are tucked into the rocks below El Castillo, a Mayan ruin on a rocky bluff at Tulum.
View larger Photography Photo store Although it's coping with a decade's worth of poorly regulated development, Tulúm still boasts off-the-grid chic that lures a young and international crowd for simpler cabana comforts that mingle with Buddha Bar aesthetics.

The ruin itself is on a rocky bluff. A couple of fine small coves are tucked into the rocks immediately below El Castillo. Arrive early or come late, and you may have these little pockets of sand to yourself.

A milelong stretch of excellent beach extends south to another series of bluffs directly in line with the town, a mile inland. This stretch draws locals, and the ambience can be festive. Follow the coastal road just beyond the popular restaurant Zamas Que Fresco, and then the sand continues unbroken and unnamed for miles. Most beach access is from the paved road and in many areas requires walking through one of the many small hotels.

Development ends at 1.5-million-acre Sian Ka'an Biosphere, a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the park is focused on jungle walks, mangrove lagoons and unexcavated ruins, the 22-mile Boca Paila peninsula is fronted by a ribbon of fine white sand that will indulge your most escapist Robinson Crusoe fantasies.

Where to stay: Accommodations in Tulúm range from high-style roughing it to dank hovels. Expect little in the way of air conditioning, phones or TVs, and be prepared for occasional mosquito invasions. Charming Piedra Escondida is an eight-room inn of two-story palapas overlooking a placid cove raked clean each morning. Hammocks sway on the porches; a small restaurant serves inexpensive meals. From $105, including tax and breakfast ($165 high season). Contact: 011-52-984-100-1512; piedraescondida.com.

David Swanson is a freelance writer in California.


WHEN YOU GO Beach access

•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. Beach-strollers will find guards preventing nonguests from using hotel palapas and loungers.

•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.

Getting around

•A car is the best way to visit hideaway beaches. Rent one at the Cancún airport or from your hotel front desk.

•The main highway is easy to navigate and well-maintained.

•Shared-van service runs regularly from the airport to points south. Budget $28 per person to Playa del Carmen and Playacar (compared with $112 for a private taxi for up to four), $47 for Akumal and Tulúm (compared with $175 for private taxi). Contact: www.cancunsharedshuttle .com.

Resources

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

•Riviera Maya tourism: www.rivieramaya.com.