Restaurante Río Nizuc

Boulevard Punta Nizuc - Cancun Km 22.5, Nizuc, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico

With just a few plastic tables beneath some palapas, this hidden gem on Cancún’s more natural southern side has an incredible location right at the mouth of the river that connects the Nichupté Lagoon to the Caribbean. The tikin xic (pronounced tee-keen sheek) is a must if you want to try the region’s most iconic seafood—this local Mayan dish is typically prepared with grouper split in half, then marinated in red achiote paste, wrapped in a banana leaf, and baked in a pit. The river here has clear, calm waters suitable for swimming, even if the path down is a bit rocky.

Sign Up for Daily Wander
Join over a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.
More From AFAR