Holidays to Puerto Aventuras

Top attractions

It’s impossible to be bored in Puerto Aventuras! As if the gorgeous beaches and luxurious hotels aren’t enough, there’s also a fantastic choice of activities on offer.

Puerto Aventuras is a superb destination for sports lovers. Get the clubs out and enjoy the excellent golf course, with its scenic surroundings and challenging course. Other options on offer include volleyball, tennis, wind-surfing, jet-skiing and scuba diving! The coral reefs on this stretch of Mexican coastline are considered some of the best spots for diving in the world. Head off on a boat trip to the nearby island of Cozumel and you’ll be treated to a glimpse of the second largest coral reef in the world, with the chance to spot everything from loggerhead turtles to underwater caves. While the sea offers plenty of adventure, it’s also worth exploring inland. Take an excursion to Chichén Itzá to visit the ancient Mayan ruins, one of the seven wonders of the world, or head into the rainforest with a trip to the Katún Chi Eco-park where you can explore natural swimming pools, caves and jungle, full of colourful birds and butterflies.

Beaches

Holidays in Puerto Aventuras revolve around the beautiful beaches. Head down to the beachfront, and you’ll discover miles upon miles of unspoilt tropical beach stretching down to the waves of the sparkling Caribbean. The picture-perfect paradise beaches are everything you’d dream of in a Caribbean break. This stretch of coastline isn’t referred to as the Riviera Maya for nothing! Sunbathe, swim, try some water sports – in Puerto Aventuras you can enjoy being as active (or not) as you like. The waters at Puerto Aventuras are great for swimming in, and the excellent visibility and coral reefs in the area makes this a popular destination for scuba diving. Find one of the local diving schools, and you’ll be able to take a tour deep beneath the waves to spot a wide variety of colourful marine life. For a wild, unspoilt beach experience head to the nearby Xpu-ha Beach, one of the most beautiful in the area.

Eating out

You can eat your way around the globe in cosmopolitan Puerto Aventuras, which has everything from pizzerias and British pub grub to upmarket gourmet dining and traditional Mexican fare. Why not tuck into some local specialities from the Yucatan region, such as the delicious panuchos or salbutes, tasty tortillas liberally filled with a mixture of black beans, meat, veggies and avocado. Or grab some elote – barbecued sweetcorn – on the go! Then there are the tamales, steamed dough parcels stuffed with a choice of meat, cheese, vegetables and chillies, which come wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks. The traditional cuisine of Mexico is so good it’s been given Intangible Cultural Heritage status by UNESCO (see our blog here) – so you shouldn’t miss out!

Nightlife

Puerto Aventuras is a mellow, laid-back destination, and its nightlife oozes a chilled-out Caribbean beach vibe. You’ll still find plenty of atmospheric beach bars, where you can hang out with a margarita or two, and the fancy hotels have some glitzy cocktail bars and pool bars if you’re in the mood to go glam. But if you’re looking for some serious nightlife action, you’ll need to jump in a taxi to Playa del Carmen (about 20 minutes away), the nearest big resort. It’s one of the biggest party hubs on the Riviera Maya, and boasts a huge array of bars and mega clubs where you can dance the whole night away.

Family holidays

Gorgeous beaches, plenty of water sports and other activities, and oodles of laid-back Caribbean charm make Puerto Aventuras a fantastic destination for an unforgettable family holiday. The stunning beaches of white sand are the focus of most holidays in this beautiful part of the world, and most excellent facilities. The best for families is probably Fatima Bay (also known as Omni Beach), which is the resort’s main beach. Its calm, sheltered waters make it particularly good for young children, and older kids will enjoy the opportunities for snorkelling and other water sports. There are dolphin shows at the marina, and kids will love Katún Chi, a Mayan-run eco-park with natural swimming holes, underwater caves to dive in, and some ancient Mayan ruins to explore.

Couples holidays

If you’re looking for a relaxing and romantic holiday with plenty to see and do, then Puerto Aventuras ticks all the boxes. Its stunning, Caribbean beaches are gorgeous sweeps of white sand, and the turquoise waters are perfect for swimming and snorkelling. Among the many activities on offer are plenty of water sports, golf, spas, and the resort boasts enough shops, bars, cafés and restaurants to keep you happily entertained throughout your stay. And, if you’re in the mood to dance all night long, then you can hit the vibrant party resort of Playa del Carmen, just a 20-minute taxi ride away.

Action & Adventure

Scuba diving, snorkelling, wind-surfing, jet-skiing, paddle boarding, kayaking…these are just some of the many water sports available in Puerto Aventura! You’ll find plenty of local suppliers that can arrange courses, rent equipment and provide excursions to some of the best diving sites. These include the beautiful island of Cozumel, which is home to the world’s second largest barrier reef, a mecca for divers of all levels, as well as Xel-Ha, a spectacular lagoon sheltered by a reef which is located about 13 miles south of the resort. On land, you can take your pick from golf, horse-riding and tennis, or head to the Mayan-run Kantún Chi Eco-park to swim in natural swimming pools, or explore underwater caverns.

Culture

The Yucatan peninsula boasts many spectacular Mayan temples and ancient ruins. Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the world, is among the finest and best preserved Mayan cities, and is just a 20-minute drive from Puerto Aventuras. It’s also possible to visit on one of the regular excursions organised through hotels or local suppliers. The archaeological site is dominated by a vast, pyramid-shaped temple, dedicated to the serpent deity Kukulkan. The pyramid was built to include a clever optical effect that occurs only during the spring and autumn equinoxes: the light falls on the stepped exterior, evoking a serpent slithering down the steps. In Puerto Aventuras, the CEDAM Underwater Museum contains a fascinating collection of finds discovered in 18^th-century shipwrecks.