- The 10 main tourist places in Quintana Roo
- 1- Playa del Carmen
- 2- Cozumel
- 3- Isla Mujeres
- 4- Xcaret
- 5- Xel-Há Park
- 6- Tulum
- 7- Chetumal
- 8- Sian Kaan Biosphere
- 9- Bacalar
- 10- Cancun
- References
The sights of Quintana Roo include beautiful beaches and ancient ruins. It offers more than 15,000 square miles of jungles, white sand beaches, archaeological sites and a wide variety of marine life.
This state is part of the Yucatan peninsula and has a coastline along the Caribbean Sea.
The most popular tourist places are divided into these destinations: Cancun, the Riviera Maya, the Mayan Zone and the Gran Costa Maya.
The Riviera is a corridor that goes from Puerto Morelos to Tulum; his heart is Playa del Carmen.
The Mayan Zone includes some small cities and the Greater Costa Maya is made up of Chetumal, Bacalar and Mahuahual.
The 10 main tourist places in Quintana Roo
1- Playa del Carmen
It is one of the most popular vacation destinations, especially during the summer. It is located in the heart of the Riviera Maya, it has white sand and blue-green beaches.
It is located one hour from Cancun. In this place was the ancient city of Xaman Ha. On its main avenue, Fifth Avenue, there are a variety of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. It is also known for its brilliant nightlife.
Playa del Carmen offers the use of kayaks, jet skis, windsurfing and diving in the Mayan barrier reef.
Every year there are concerts by Mexican musicians and jazz festivals, such as the famous Riviera Maya Jazz Festival.
2- Cozumel
It is a small island off the coast of the Riviera Maya. This island has increased in popularity as a tourist attraction in the last 5 years, although it is usually calmer than Playa del Carmen.
In Cozumel you can explore the small town on the island. It is also possible to observe the Mayan sites and relax on its white sand beaches.
One of the most popular activities is diving in the Great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which stretches from Cozumel to Central America.
Oceanographer Jacques Cousteau proclaimed it the best place to dive; its barrier reef offers 30 different places to dive along the east coast.
Other top attractions include Chankanaab Park, where you can go diving and snorkeling.
They also highlight the Punta Sur park, with exotic animals; and the Cozumel Country Club with a great golf course.
To get to Cozumel you must take a 45-minute ferry from Playa del Carmen.
3- Isla Mujeres
It is located right in the center of the beaches of Cancun. Despite being small, this fishing island contains all the popular elements of the Riviera Maya: beaches, Mayan archaeological sites and an infrastructure designed for tourism.
It is only 7 kilometers long and less than 1,000 meters wide. Initially it was a sanctuary for the goddess Ixchel, but today its archaeological sites are among the most popular in all of Quintana Roo.
The main attractions of this place include the El Farito reef, the Isla Contoy National Park, the underwater sculptures near the Manchones reef, cycling and swimming with whale sharks and dolphins, among others.
4- Xcaret
This ecological park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Riviera Maya. Here are the remains of reconstructed Mayan pyramids. You can also see dolphins, butterflies and beautiful beaches.
In Xcaret you can enjoy various cultural activities and ecotourism; it is even possible to dive into an underground river.
Xcaret was very important to the Mayan trade and was still inhabited when the Spanish arrived on the peninsula.
The defensive wall located in the cove served to protect the dry soil of the swamp areas and to protect from the settlement of the sea and possible invaders.
5- Xel-Há Park
It is the largest natural aquarium in the world. Xel-Há's biggest attraction is its large cove, where sea water meets fresh water.
The giant aquarium in this park is home to 70 different species of aquatic fauna. Additionally, this place offers activities such as swimming, snorkeling and diving.
6- Tulum
It was declared a UNESCO Cultural Heritage. One of the most important sites in Tulum are its Mayan ruins located on a cliff above the Caribbean Sea. The Tulum ruins are the only archaeological site located on a coast.
Beneath this cliff is Paraíso beach, considered one of the best beaches in the Riviera Maya.
The most outstanding Mayan ruins are the Archaeological Site of Coba and the Archaeological Zone of Tulum. These sites are located a few kilometers from the city.
Another main attraction is the Cenote Dos Ojos, one of many found in the Riviera Maya.
Cenotes are only found in this part of the world, and they are a combination of geographical events: it is a cave with an underground crystalline river. The cenotes are interconnected through passages that measure more than 300 miles.
Tulum is characterized by its many beach cabins.
7- Chetumal
Chetumal is the capital of Quintana Roo. It has its border with Belize and is the political and administrative center of the state.
Like most things in this region, this city has its roots in the Mayan culture. Carnivals and events of great tourist interest take place here.
It is also home to the Modern Museum of the Mayas. This region is a mix between the ocean, the jungle and the mangroves.
8- Sian Kaan Biosphere
It means "place where the sky is born" and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.
It is of great importance due to its great diversity: there are more than 1048 native plant species in the Gulf of Mexico, 103 species of mammals, 339 species of birds, 90 species of native bees, 318 species of butterflies and 86 types of barrier reef.
It also contains some endangered species, such as the ocelot, puma, jaguar, and a local pheasant.
Additionally, you can practice kayaking in Punta Allen or fishing in Boca Paila, both located within the ecological reserve.
9- Bacalar
It is a city with picturesque fishermen's houses where the Uchben Kah Ecotourism Park is located. In this park you can swim, go boating, and go snorkelling and diving.
It is home to the famous Lake of the Seven Colors; In addition to its great beauty, it is a place that contains some of the oldest organisms on the planet.
10- Cancun
It is the most important tourist center. This area is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and crystalline blue beaches.
Mayan culture can be seen on every corner. The archaeological zone El Rey and the Temple of the Alacrán stand out.
The Rio Secreto offers a glimpse into the "xibalbá" or Mayan underworld. Cancun is home to the most important eco-archaeological parks in Mexico
From here you can take boats to the nearby islands, swim with sharks, visit the many underground cenotes and adventure parks, among other activities.
References
- Cancun. Recovered from visitmexico.com
- Cenote dos ojos. Recovered from cenotedosojos.com
- Carmen beach. Recovered from visitmexico.com
- Chetumal. Recovered from lonelyplanet.com
- Top 10 things to do in cancun (2016). Recovered from wanderingtrader.com
- Tulum. Recovered from visitmexico.com
- Attractions of Quintana Roo. Recovered from explorandomexico.com
- The best towns in quintana roo (2016). Recovered from theboldbrunette.com
- Quintana Roo. Recovered from wikitravel.org
- Women Island. Recovered from visitmexico.com
- Top 10 things to do and see in Quintana Roo State (2017). Recovered from theculturetrip.com