Riviera Maya

Picture 100 miles of beach a short drive south of Cancun with true Caribbean flavor. Both areas are open for development with the blessing of the State and Federal Governments. The Riviera Maya stretches from Cancun to Tulúm. It is pristine beaches, diving, fishing and cenotes in proximity to major attractions like the archaeological sites of Tulúm and Coba and the island of Cozumel offering its visitors world-class coral reefs.

· 100 miles of beach
· Magnificent reefs
· The archaeological sites of Tulúm and Coba
· Proximity to timeless Mayan communities
· The Sian Ka´an biosphere reserve
· 1,200 hectares of land available for Development on the Riviera Maya.

The Riviera Maya is packed with beaches, nature parks and resorts. The Great Maya Reef is just offshore and the land is a jumble of cenotes, caves, coves and ancient ruins.
Moving south from Cancun, the most important stops along the Riviera Maya are : Puerto Morelos, Punta Bete and Playa del Carmen, Xcaret, Puerto Aventuras, Xpu-Ha, Akumal, Xel-Ha and Tulúm. Each has its own attractions, ambience and market and there is something for everybody: solitude, luxury, ´´ back to the nature´´ and so on.

Endless Beaches

A chain of powder-white beaches and secluded palm-lined bays runs south down the coast from Cancun to Tulúm, parallel to Highway 307. Some are now the site of major hotels but those looking for something less developed can still find their own idyllic spot.

Playa del Carmen and Puerto Aventuras are the largest resort communities on the coast and both have fine beaches and a range of facilities. Other destinations are the bay front village of Akumal, Punta Bete, Puerto Morelos, Paamul, Xpu-Ha, Xcacel, Tankah and Tulúm.

Mayan Mariners

During the Maya Post-Classic period, a major trade route stretched south down the Riviera Maya coast. The shore-line is dotted with the vestiges of ports, temples and what are thought to be a storehouses and lighthouses.

The areas´ most important archaeological site is Tulúm, which has a spectacular cliff top location overlooking the Caribbean, and is surrounded on three sides by a stone wall. The principal buildings are El Castillo, the temple of Descending God , Temple of the Frescos and the House of the Columns.

Open archaeological sites open to the public on the Riviera Maya are Xel-Ha, Xcaret and Xaman-ha in Playa del Carmen.

The fascinating jungle site of Coba, once a original trade center is within easy traveling distance of Tulúm.

The Mesoamerican Reef

The reef marches south down the Riviera Maya shoreline, sometimes an impressive coral wall, at others a series of fringing reefs closer to the coast. Opportunities for divers are endless. The coral formations are healthy, marine life is varied and colorful and there are reefs for novices, intermediates and experts. There are dive-shops in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Xcaret, Puerto Aventuras, Tulúm and Akumal.

Creeks, caves and cenotes

The Riviera shoreline is interrupted by the occasional caleta or natural inlet. These channels or lagoons are a blend of fresh water from underground springs and brackish water from the surrounding mangroves and are rich in nutrients. Shoals of rainbow-colored fish from the offshore reefs swim up the creeks to feed, providing snorkelers with a spectacle of shimmering scales.
The most famous caleta on the Riviera Maya is Xel-ha, acclaimed by locals as the world´s largest natural aquarium, others are Yalku, Xpu-Ha and Tres Rios.
The limestone terrain of the Riviera Maya is pitted with cenotes and caves, the majority located in the jungle to the west of Highway 307. Many of the cenotes are easily accessible and some are safe for snorkeling. Other cenotes, however, are only suitable for specialist cave divers. Cenote diving is a popular activity in the Riviera Maya and several dive companies in Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal and Tulúm offer courses and qualified guides. The cave at Aktun Chen and Dos Ojos have also become popular tourist spots in recent years.

Ecotourism opportunities

The Riviera Maya Landscape is a mix of jungle and mangrove, teeming with wildlife. Many local travel agencies offer ecotourism trips into the forest and wetlands, and to the Sian Ka´an Biosphere Reserve. Visitors get also get an look at area wildlife in the Puerto Morelos Botanic garden, the Playacar Aviary and the nature theme parks of Xcaret and Xel-Ha.

Tourism Infrastructure

In December 1999, there were 12,653 rooms in the Riviera Maya, divided between 206 large resorts or small, exclusive hotels and tropical style beachfront cabanas (bungalow) . Many additional resort development have since been completed and yet more are set to open in the next few years. Around 67.8% of all hotels in the Riviera Maya operate as all-inclusive resorts. Last year the hotel occupation rate for the area as a whole was 78.4%.
Capital of the Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen has over 140 hotels, several malls and a variety of restaurants, bars, dive shops and other tourism-related companies. There is an 18.hole golf course in the Playacar resort community, a tennis club, gym and aviary. Passenger ferries to Cozumel embark from the town pier.

Puerto Morelos, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal and Tulúm have their own tourism infrastructure which runs from hotels, restaurants and dive shops to a golf course, tennis school, marina and nautical museum in the case of Puerto Aventuras.
The theme parks of Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Tres Rios offer an impressive range of activities and tourist facilities, tough no accommodation.

Just south of Playa del Carmen is Punta Venado, site of a cruise ship terminal. During 1999 704 liners anchored off Playa del Carmen and 310,509 passengers were ferried ashore. The same year 767,541 tourists visited the Riviera Maya, up from 595,050 in 1998. the average stay was 7.8 days.
Riviera Realty land is available for residential and small-scale, medium-range hotel projects.

Getting to the Riviera Maya

By Land
The Riviera Maya is accessible via Highway 307 and the back road to Coba and Tulúm from Nuevo Xan on the Cancun-Merida Highway ( 180 ).

By Air
Playa del Carmen has an airstrip for flights to Cozumel, Chetumal, Holbox, Chichen Itza, Merida and other destinations. There is also a landing strip in Tulúm but landing in Cancun international airport and driving south is the easiest way to get there.

By Sea
Apart from the previously mentioned passenger/car ferries and cruise ship terminal, the Riviera Maya also boasts facilities for nautical tourism. There is a large marina in Puerto Aventuras, yachts can also anchor in Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and the Bay at Akumal.

Infrastructure

Electricity lines exist throughout the Riviera Maya and Cozumel. State of the art fiber optic telephone lines have also been installed.
Highway 307 is currently being upgraded to a four-lane road and the access routes to land available from Riviera Realty are being improved.

Development areas

Maps of the Riviera Maya and Cozumel have been drawn up showing the geographical distribution of ecosystems along the shoreline and their health in different areas . The land available along the coast and on the island has been divided into units or lots, and development zones identified. Planners utilized National Ecology Institute regulations to map areas suitable for.

· Development
· Conservation, limited development Potential
· Protection, due to the immense value of their Ecosystems
· Restoration

A Riviera Maya Development Plan

Government officials are currently revising the Plan for Development for the Riviera Maya, in order to avoid the problems of uncontrolled growth. Depending on the location of a specific plot of land in the Riviera Maya, the density of hotel rooms permitted per hectare varies between 10 and 300 rooms.
Planning regulations for some environmentally sensitive stretches of the coast stipulate that tourism projects must be low impact and low density. This means small Hotels that blend into the natural setting and controlled development that doesn't place a strain on local resources.
A maximum of three stories is allowed per building; reforestation and landscaping is necessary after construction has taken place. Only native species can be planted in area gardens and certain varieties of plant as mangrove and chit palm are protected.
Any project, regardless of whether it is a new hotel or an extension to a dock, entails an environmental impact study which must be submitted to local or federal authorities, depending on the size and importance of the development. The project must be approved before any land clearance or building can take place.

Hotels

Hotels operating along the Riviera Maya range from resorts representing Mexican or international hotel chains from Europe and the United States, small, exclusive inns, budget pensions in Playa del Carmen and a variety of bungalows on the beach which range from the rustic to some complexes which are quite luxurious.
The largest establishments, especially those operating an all-inclusive plan, offer a range of services including water sports, gyms, spas, tennis courts, horse riding, theaters, shows, tour and activity programs.
Many of the smaller hotels operate according to the European accommodation plan.

Construction styles

Local planners prefer developers to utilize native building materials, for example , stone, tropical hardwoods, marble and thatch and architectural styles that blend into the environment. All projects must also have their own water and sewage treatment plants.
Resort developments on the Riviera Maya tend to favor the architectural styles of the tropics. There are thatched bungalows inspired by the timeless Mayan dwelling still seen in villages throughout the Yucatan, Mediterranean-style villas, Mexican colonial-style buildings with cupulas and arches painted in vibrant colors, and tropical palapas which could have been transported from the South Pacific.

Investment on the Mexican Caribbean

Riviera Realty has a dynamic sales plan for the Riviera Maya. Mexicans and foreigners alike are invited to invest in the area.
All the basic infrastructure is in place and the opportunities for investment are endless. Land is available for hotels, vacation homes and a variety of tourism related services such as restaurants, bars, shops, marinas, boat charters, dive and sport fishing companies, travel agencies and transport, among others.

The housing sector

The phenomenal growth of the Riviera Maya is reflected in rapidly expanding population. There is a great demand for housing in Playa del Carmen and other communities further south along the coast and the sector offers excellent investment opportunities.