Read this before planning your vacation to Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

One of the most frequently asked questions about the Mexican Caribbean beaches is Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum. My answer is always the same "it depends on what experience you are looking for", because even though they are relatively close to each other, each city has its own "personality".

If you are trying to decide where to go to get away from all this Covid-19 chaos, you have come to the right place, because here we will talk a little more in detail about each city.

Cancun

To begin with, you have to have your facts straight, and Cancun is not part of the Riviera Maya, as the Riviera stretches from Puerto Morelos to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have the most beautiful beaches, as you probably already know, with turquoise blue sea and almost white sand. From there you can also take excursions to Isla Mujeres.

To visit any of these destinations, you will have to arrive first at the Cancun airport, and from there move to wherever you want in this destination.

Cancun is a much more Americanized city where resorts predominate, especially all-inclusive ones. If your only plan is to stay at the hotel, enjoying the pool and the beach, then this is the city for you. In Mexico the beaches are actually public, but unfortunately the hotels "appropriate" them, so practically the beach where the hotel is located will be used by the guests, since there are few public accesses.

The tourist area is modern, its main artery is Kukulcan Blvd., where most of the high-end restaurants -which by the way have beautiful views of the Nichupte Lagoon-, bars and luxury shopping malls are concentrated. This tourist area also has its own center where the handicrafts market and the famous nightclubs are located. Although it is a very popular "spring break" destination for Americans, it should be mentioned that it is also a very familiar destination for the all-inclusive and somewhat high in cost.

Playa del Carmen

Although it does not have the beaches of Cancun or Tulum, "Playa" as everyone calls it, has more atmosphere, more flavor. In my opinion it is a more welcoming city, which is why it has managed to position itself in recent years as one of the favorite destinations for travelers. It also has the perfect location between Cancun and Tulum and in front of the island of Cozumel. It is also close to cenotes and next to most of the Xcaret parks.

The hotels in Playa are more varied, here you will find everything from hostels, boutique hotels, to large luxury chains. The city beaches are accessible to the general public and since they are smaller, they are always more crowded. There are stretches where the water is perhaps not as beautiful as in other parts of the Riviera Maya and where there is not as much space left, as the sea has been taking over territory.

It has the beautiful 5th Avenue, a pedestrian street of just over 2 kilometers, where you find everything: restaurants, bars, boutiques, ice cream parlors, hotels, mariachis, etc.. The best thing is that it is always full of life. Playa del Carmen has more soul and seems to me the most suitable if you are looking for that essence of a Mexican "beach town". A destination with more options for all tastes and budgets.

Tulum

Smaller and more bohemian, but very chic, yes. Tulum is 2 hours from Cancun, has wonderful beaches with calm and crystal clear water and has a jewel in its archaeological zone. There you have the perfect postcard of Quintana Roo: Mayan temples and the turquoise sea as a backdrop.

Tulum is dominated by ecological boutique hotels. Everything is more in harmony with nature: more jungle and less noise. But it is still a destination that pulls more towards luxury and that can be seen in the prices of restaurants, bars and boutiques located in the tourist area near the beach. Although it also has other much more economical options but located on the Federal Highway, which are a little further away from the beach.

Tulum is ideal for romantic trips or trips with friends. Its location is perfect for exploring the nearby cenotes, which in my opinion are not to be missed, and the Sian Ka'an biosphere, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. And it is a little bit closer -than Playa del Carmen- to Akumal, in case you want to go swimming with turtles. Another advantage I would add is that it is very close to the Mayan villages located between Tulum and Cobá where you can buy everything from souvenirs to furniture made by local artisans.

In summary these are the basic points I would question before choosing any of these places:

What budget do I have? Do I want to live in the place or lock myself in an all-inclusive? What kind of atmosphere am I looking for? What kind of experience do I want to have?

Travel tip: three factors you should always keep in mind, regardless of the city you choose:

Hurricane season: the season is from June 1 to November 30 and even if you don't get a hurricane, you are more likely to get rained on between those dates.

Always find out how the sargassum is, as it also varies by season. Although it is a natural phenomenon, you can see how much the hotel is doing to clean the beach and the barriers in that area of the sea to stop it.

With the Covid-19, if you have already decided to travel, make sure that the hotel where you are going complies with all the preventive measures.

Now, prepare for that trip you have been dreaming of. The sun, the smell of suntan lotion, a bucket of ice-cold beer and some shrimp taquitos are waiting for you... all with an ocean view.