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Its resorts are world-famous, but there’s much more to Mexico’s most popular beach town - Maya sites, gourmet restaurants, and activities form water sports to spa treaments

From laid-back beach towns to Maya sites, travelers are discovering all that the Grand Costa Maya offers

With Hawaii leading the charge, many destinations are moving to ban reef-damaging sunscreens. Here’s the why, where, and what of the matter—plus some handy tips for picking your own eco-friendly sunscreen.

Safety is key for scuba divers—and cave diving is scuba without an easy escape route. What, then, is driving so many people to dive deeper in Belize?

Immerse yourself in Mexico’s Mayan side by exploring ancient sites beyond Tulum, seeking out adventures in Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, and sampling traditional recipes.

To really understand how this city comes together, don’t travel underground. Head to the top deck.

These food-focused retreats in Tulum are leading the way to the region’s best bites.

Between the animals and the water, this place is a colorful dream

Thanks to its easy-to-reach location on the main highway just fifteen minutes south of Playa del Carmen, this open cenote ranks among the most popular with locals. One half of the clear spring is shallow, with areas for climbing adjacent rocks; other spots are just deep enough for snorkeling. Elsewhere, there are still deeper waters for swimming and cooling off, complete with a sundeck and a small cliff for jumping.

Overview

Overview

Along the shores of the Caribbean against a lush jungle backdrop, a stay at Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya is a serene, immersive experience filled with natural and cultural beauty. Architecture focuses on indoor-outdoor living and evokes the region’s sacred cenotes with circular forms, stone and water, and winding pathways. Inside, resort design integrates an extensive Mexican art collection throughout the modern property. An oasis with 20 treatment rooms and a hydrotherapy circuit, the spa offers experiences influenced by local healing traditions. Guests can also connect more deeply with the destination through dining that draws on Mexican cuisine, part of the property’s diverse mix of restaurants that include international influences.

Montego Bay and the west coast of Jamaica attract first-timers to the island, and it’s easy to see why: white-sand beaches, the most glorious sunsets in Jamaica, plush resorts, a wide variety of restaurants, and a lively music scene. But there’s also plenty to see and do in the west coast interior away from Montego Bay: rivers, cenotes, and waterfalls such as the stunning Mayfield Falls.

Are you kidding me? 150 feet deep AND the opening to miles of underground caverns? And you want me to jump in? If it isn’t the 30 foot drop that gets you, its the inky blackness below or the who-knows-what that’s living down there. You see, the rainbows that shimmer in the water- falls, and the roots and vines that hang like some bridal veil, and the sunlight that flickers about the place are all just trying to pull you in--into the black nothing that lurks beneath. Never-the-less, if you are brave enough to take the plunge, you will be rewarded with velvety sweet water that feels like lotion on your skin and baby catfish that tickle your toes and, best of all, the exhilaration of knowing you swam in the very entrance to Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. So descend into the cavern and climb the chiseled staircase to the dive platform and make sure when you jump, you hold your breath, cause its a long way down.

The Maya name for Laguna Bacalar means the Lake of Seven Colors, and spending a little time here will show you why it’s such an apt moniker: from turquoise to cobalt blue to jade green and everything in between, the colors of this fresh-water lake seem to shift and change against its white-sand bottom. When you’re ready to do something else besides admire the breathtaking view, you can go swimming or kayaking, enjoy spa treatments and yoga, or adventure off to a nearby cenote and fort. And there are plenty of comfortable hotels and good eats in the town of Bacalar. This oasis in the middle of the jungles of Quintana Roo is the perfect off-the-beaten-track destination for travelers ready to escape the touristy Riviera Maya madness. It is also a refreshing rest stop on the way to the ancient Maya ruins of Dzibanché, Kinichná, and Kohunlich.