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Riviera Maya, also known as the Mayan Riviera, is a tourism district following the coastal highway 307. District historically started at the city of Playa del Carmen and ended at the village of Tulum, although the towns of Puerto Morelos situated to the north and between Playa del Carmen and Cancun as well as the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto situated 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the south of Tulum are both currently being promoted as part of the Riviera Maya tourist corridor.
The Riviera Maya is famous for its large scale all-inclusive resorts several of which include spa and golf and a historical tourism base of smaller boutique hotels as well as the many fine-dining strip joints available along the highway 307. Luxury travel entities have been instrumental in increasing luxury villa rentals and yacht charters in the area however these only represent a small fraction of the total tourism accommodation available. From deluxe to small Inns or Cabanas visitors have a wide variety of categories and characteristics to choose from.
 Government development plans include establishing a number of medium sized cities of ~200 000 inhabitants within the Riviera Maya with initial planning spanning 20 years. Target areas for urbanization include the towns and villages of: Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, Chemuyil, and Tulum.
A major attraction throughout the Riviera Maya are coastal and reef aquatic activities dependent on the coastal water and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (also known as the Belize Barrier Reef) which begins near Cancun and continues along the whole length of the Riviera Maya continuing southward to Guatemala. This barrier reef system is the second longest in the world
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Activities at the most visited locations include diving, snorkeling, jungle walks, zip-lining, underground rivers, cenotes, caverns, beautiful white sandy beaches, bays, mangroves, and the popular swimming with dolphins.
Archeology is also a big tourist draw in the area, including the famous archeological sites such as Tulum on the coast, and Chichen Itza and Coba located some distance inland.
The mean annual temperature is 24–25 °C (75–77 °F).
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is a city on the coast of the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Playa del Carmen -or Playa as it is called by the locals- has acquired international fame in the unprecedented short span of just ten years and is one of the fastest growing cities in the world!.
Playa del Carmen attracts visitors from all over the globe who want to see for themselves what it's all about: to immerse themselves in its atmosphere, feeling the soft white sand underfoot, enjoying the bohemian nightlife on sandy shores and walking on the famous pedestrian Fifth Avenue (Quinta Avenida)
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Originally a small fishing town, tourism to Playa del Carmen began with the passenger ferry service to Cozumel, an island across the Cozumel Channel and world famous scuba diving destination. While passing through, many people realized that it was a nice place to relax away from the crowds of Cancún but with the same quality beaches and turquoise waters. There is a significant European influence in Playa, with a number of local business proprietors drawn from the European expatriate community.
 Today Playa del Carmen is the center of the Riviera Maya concept, which runs from south of Cancún to Tulum. Playa is a stop for several cruise ships which dock at the nearby Calica quarry docks, about six miles south of the city. The Xcaret Eco Park, a Mexican-themed "eco-archaeological park", is a popular tourist destination located just 5 minutes from Playa. Tourist activity in Playa del Carmen centers on Fifth Avenue (Quinta Avenida), stretching from calle 1 norte until calle 38, a pedestrian walkway located just one or two blocks inland from the beach which is lined with boutique hotels, shops, bars, and restaurants.
The mean annual temperature is 24–25 °C (75–77 °F).
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