The Beaches of Cancun and the Mayan Riviera

From Kelly McLaughlin

A small island off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, Isla Holbox is a mostly undiscovered treasure. Three hours from Cancun and one ferry ride and you find yourself stepping back in time. No sprawling resorts, no banks or ATM's or shopping, just a tiny village of fishermen and small palapa-roofed hotels. The beaches are unparalleled, stretches of fine white sand as far as the eye can see.

The island is a hot spot for people looking for the experience of a lifetime: a swim with the whale sharks who make the area their home for a few months a year. Holbox is also a bird watcher's paradise, with over 100 different species nesting or passing through, including great flocks of flamingos. The hotels are all small and range from rustic palapas where you can hang your hammock to luxury "eco-rustic" boutiques that will take care of your every need. The Gulf of Mexico water is more green than the blues of the Caribbean side of the peninsula, but it is warm and calm, the beach is soft with very few shells or rocks and you can float all day in the gentle surf.

More about Isla Holbox.

The Yucatan Peninsula awaits, with the gift of sun and sand for every type of traveler. Families, honeymooners, old and young alike, give yourself the beach break you deserve in the Mexican Caribbean.