Riviera Maya Holidays

The best place to start in Riviera Maya is the beaches. Huge brushstrokes of sand add a belt of dove white to the green and blue coastline, and sunbathers pepper the shore from Cancun right the way down to Tulum. The hotels are all from a high-end mould, and feel more like little villages than just somewhere to catch 40 winks. Take the luxury El Dorado Royale, with its palm-lined pools and open-air bars which hug the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

The to-do list here cherry-picks bits and bobs from across the board. Nature fans can get to grips with the region’s trademark eco parks, where limestone caves, tropical animal habitats and scuba diving trips are brought to the table. The marine life at Xel-Ha makes it stand out from the crowd. Google Map your way along the coastline, and you’ll reach the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum. The huge stone castle's one of the best-preserved sites in Quintana Roo, and the views are pretty tidy, too.

Playa del Carmen’s the wild child in this neck of the woods. By day, the town’s glut of hotel guests shop their way along 5th Avenue or hit the fairways in next-door Playacar. And once the sun’s tucked itself in for the night, the party atmosphere starts to bubble away. It’s not in the same ballpark as the region’s biggest-hitter, Cancun, but delivers a bass-pumping middle ground that more than holds its own.

The islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres go one better than the mainland, by delivering the same white-sand beaches without the accompanying tot of tourists. A huge barrier reef coils its way around the first of the two, so snorkelling’s compulsory when you take a dip. Isla Mujeres, on the other hand, is barely more than a slither of land, but it's been served a decent helping of restaurants and spa resorts. You can bed down on either one of these islands on a First Choice Multi-Destination holiday.