When you hear of Mexico, you most likely think of drugs, gangs, tequila, and sombreros. While all of these things may be prevalent in some parts of the country, unless you plan on traveling to the slums of Mexico City, you are unlikely to encounter any gangs or drug violence. Most tourists tend to travel to Yucatan Peninsula, which is home to some of the most incredible beaches, landscapes, and historical sites in the world. For this reason, my only two Mexican vacations have been to Riviera Maya and Cancun.

Riviera Maya is located a couple hours south of Cancun and is a much more suitable vacation if you are looking for a relaxing, peaceful getaway. Cancun on the other hand, is primarily meant for crazy college students that are looking to party for a week straight. So, as you would expect I visited Riviera Maya a few years ago for a family vacation, while traveling to Cancun with a few friends to celebrate our graduating of high school.

Like Cancun, Riviera Maya still offers some great bars and nightclubs, but overall it is meant for those that simply want to relax on the beach all day and hang around to watch some shows at the resort at night. That being said, Riviera Maya is also much cleaner than Cancun with its turquoise beaches, whiter sand, and nicer resorts (which also makes RM more expensive). The resorts offer an excellent array of food in both the buffets and restaurants, which is included in your stay as long as you stay at an all-inclusive resort. The resorts also plan shows, activities, and games to keep tourists occupied throughout the entire day. But, the convenient thing about Riviera Maya is that even if the hotels and resorts don’t offer enough activities and amenities to keep you entertained, there are so many nearby excursions for those who want to truly experience this unique region of Mexico. For example during my visit, we took about a thirty minute bus ride to Chichen Itza, which contains the extraordinary pyramids and ruins built by the Mayans thousands of years ago. Visiting such a Mayan archaeological site while in Mexico is a must, whether it’s the famous Chichen Itza, or other less-known sites such as Ek Balam or Tulum.

The Riviera Maya area is also perfect for nature lovers, with various excursions available for scuba diving, snorkeling, dolphin swimming, and ziplining. Although I only went snorkeling and ziplining through the Mexican jungle, these were certainly some of the greatest experiences of my life. So, even if you’re not a nature person, make sure to get out of the resort and experience the Yucatan Peninsula’s unique landscapes, sites, and organisms. The Yucatan Peninsula is one of the only places in the world in which you have the chance to walk among wild peacocks and iguanas and swim alongside some of the world’s most amazing creatures.

As I am out of space on this blog post, I will save my Cancun Travel Guide for next week. Be sure to check it out!