The Mayan Palace Resort, Riviera Maya, on the Yucatan peninsula, is a Wyndham Alliance Resort perfectly situated between Cancun and Cozumel island: both are no more than 20 minutes away and can easily be visited during your stay at the exclusive Riviera Maya. As a Mexican resort destination, it has no equal; as a Mexican golf destination, well… there are better choice, but this resort does own a Jack Nicklaus-designed Executive par 3 golf course that, I think, make it an attractive destination. No, you won’t play a lot of golf, but that can often be an advantage, especially if you have the rest of the family with you. So, all-in-all, The Mayan Palace Resort is one of my top choices for a Mexican getaway.
Considered one of the most beautiful locations in Mexico, the Mayan Palace is surrounded by refreshing flowers, warm waters, and an ocean-mist breeze. The rooms are spacious with marble styled bathrooms and a colorful tone that gives off a gracious, colorful setting.
There’s plenty to do in and around the Mayan Palace Wyndham Riviera Maya Resort the whole family will have plenty to enjoy: Golf (The Mayan Palace has access to a championship, Jack Nicklaus signature course), fishing, scuba diving - Mexico offers some of the best scuba diving in the world with corals and a vast array of colorful marine life - snorkeling, parasailing and windsurfing are just a few ways to keep busy and entertained. Add some fine dining prepared by chefs from around the world, a little shopping, and some extended sightseeing to the Mayan ruins, and you have a memorable vacation in the making.
The Verdict: As Mexican vacation resorts on the Mayan Riviera go, the Mayan Palace Wyndham Resort has to rate very high, even though the opportunities for golf are somewhat limiuted. There are, of course, many other options but this is one of those I can personally recommend.
How to Get There:
The nearest international airport to Riviera Maya is the Cancún International Airport (IATA: CUN, ICAO: MMUN) which is the second busiest airport in Mexico. Receives international flyers from most U.S., Canadian. Asian and European Countries.
Look for the best airline and car rental deals with these two aggregators, which provide travelers with an up-to-date search tool to compare prices on airfares and car rentals of all ratings:
Getting Around:
By car
The major cities, such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen offer many car rental agencies. North American drivers will feel at home on the road here, despite some drivers' quirks. For example, on the main two-lane highway along the Riviera, it is common courtesy for slower drivers to pull over onto the shoulder to let faster drivers pass.
Rent a car at the Cancun airport. Playa del Carmen is roughly 45 minutes from the airport. Tulum is another 45 minutes. After passing through Playa del Carmen, the main highway (Rte 307) turns from a modern 4-lane highway into a "two and a half" lane highway. There are two regular lanes and an extra-wide shoulder to allow slower vehicles to pull over to let faster vehicles pass.
From the city of Tulum, the Boca Paiala road provides access to the beach-side hotels and areas further south, such as Punta Allen. This dirt road, if not freshly resurfaced, has massive potholes (commonly wider than a car). It is passable with a VW bug or a scooter, but the trip will be much more arduous than if traveled with a Jeep or other SUV/truck.
By Van
Many collectivo vans run between the major cities and offer cheap transportation for local workers and budget-minded tourists.
Look for the best airline and car rental deals with these two aggregators, which provide travelers with an up-to-date search tool to compare prices on airfares and car rentals of all ratings:
Contact:
Mayan Palace Riviera MayaKm 48 Carretera Federal
Cancún - Playa del Carmen
Riviera Maya Quintana Roo. 77710 México
Phone: 52 (984) 206 – 4002
Fax: 52 (984) 206 - 4050
