Riviera Maya

The most popular destination in Mexico for international tourists, I myself flew to Cancun on my first trip to Mexico. Its popularity has earned it a bit of a bad reputation for being too commercial and expensive but there are some great places you can visit if you know where they are.

Cancun

Famous for being a popular with Spring Breakers, Cancun is often maligned as trashy and overpriced. However, flights to Cancun are by far the cheapest from international airports and if you want you can take a coach direct to Playa del Carmen or Tulum. The hotel district is where you'll find the fanciest places but budget travellers can find a lot of cheap hostels in the downtown area of the city. From the centre you can take a bus to Playa Delfines and you won't be disappointed: the water is the clearest and bluest you'll ever see. What's more it's totally free!

If you arrived at Cancun airport, take an ADO coach to the city centre. It's waaaay cheaper than taking a taxi and only takes about 30 minutes.

Playa del Carmen

Some visitors prefer to skip Cancun altogether in favour of the slightly quieter Playa Del Carmen. You can still find both luxury hotels and a wide range of hostels to suit any budget. It's good place to go if you want to relax on the beach by day and party by night. You can also take the ferry over to Isla Cozumel for world-class snorkelling, although I hear it's pretty pricey. Unfortunately, in recent years Playa Del Carmen has seen a problem with gang violence related to drug cartels in the area. If you're worried it might be a good idea to head to Tulum instead.

You can take an ADO coach to Playa del Carmen from Cancun Centro or Airport.

Tulum

Tulum has become the trendiest destination in Mexico right now due its wide selection of stylish hotels, bars and restaurants. The fancier accommodation options are located in the Zona Hotelaria while the cheaper hostels are in the town centre. The main attraction are the spectacular Mayan Ruins, dramatically set on a cliff top overlooking the sea. If you plan on visiting the ruins, aim to arrive as early as possible (they open at 8am) to avoid the crowds and secure your space on the beach. Just watch out for mosquitos!

If you're in Playa del Carmen you can get to Tulum by colective Taxi. ADO also travels there but it's a little more expensive. Colectivo taxis run regularly between the city centre and the ruins (ask for 'ruinas').

Akumal

Akumal beach is famous for being a home to giant sea turtles. Bring a snorkel (or rent one there) and you only have to swim out a short distance to see the beautiful shelled creatures gliding through the water. Beware of people who tell you you have to pay to access the beach or snorkel - it's free of charge.

You can take a collective taxi from either Tulum or Playa del Carmen to Akumal and the journey takes around 40 minutes.

Cenotes

If you're in the Rivera Maya area you can't miss a visit to at least one cenote. Cenotes are ancient sink holes, formerly used by the Maya to cool off in the tropical heat. There are several located between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. You can organise a diving trip, rent or snorkel or simply relax in the refreshing water and perhaps get a free pedicure from some of the toe-nibbling fish that reside underwater...

My personal favourite is called Jardin del Eden, but others include Cristalino, Azul and Dos Ojos.

You can access the cenotes by taking one of the colectivo taxis that travel between Playa Del Carmen and Tulum, just tell the driver the name of where you're going when you get on.

What Else

It can get extremely hot in the Riviera Maya, and I'm talking ROASTING.  However, if you go between November and March the climate is usually extremely pleasant. Plus it's quieter and cheaper.