How far is the Riviera Maya from Cancun? The distance from downtown Cancun to the Riviera Maya is 78.2 kilometers and a trip of approximately 1 hour and the distance from the Cancun Airport to the Riviera Maya is 67.9 kilometers and an approximate time of 45 minutes.
Table of Contents
All right, we know now what the distance is from the Cancun airport or from downtown Cancun to the Riviera Maya, but there are some things we have to mention in this post and now let’s get to know them
What is the Riviera Maya?
The Riviera Maya is the name given to the coastal area of the Mexican Caribbean and GEOGRAPHICALLY, it starts from Isla Blanca to Punta Allén covering a length of 130 kilometers
The Riviera Maya is characterized by its beautiful beaches, its islands (Isla Mujeres and Cozumel Island), its archaeological zones such as Coba and Chichen Itza, its subway rivers, its cenotes, its flora, its fauna, among many other characteristics.
All this makes the Riviera Maya an ideal place to vacation and spend an incredible vacation among adventure, culture and history,
Where does the Riviera Maya start?
The Riviera Maya has its initial point of origin from the municipality of Isla Blanca. A small island that is part of the Municipality of Isla Mujeres. Isla Mujeres is also part of the Riviera Maya and is followed by the coastal areas of Puerto Morelos, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Aventura, Tulum, Sian Ka’an Biosphere and Punta Allen.
Mahahual and Bacalar, remain outside of what would be part of the Riviera Maya, however, and speaking from a tourist point, they are part of the region. Another detail, is that many tourists and blogs, cite Puerto Morelos, as the beginning of the Riviera Maya, while other websites, list Playa del Carmen as the beginning of the Riviera Maya.
This means that every person (visitor) in the city has his or her own idea about the starting point of the Riviera Maya, however, it is more common to think of it as starting in Puerto Morelos or Playa del Carmen.
If for you the Riviera Maya starts in Isla BlancaPuerto Morelos or Playa del Carmen, the answer to the question: how far is the Riviera Maya from Cancun, radically changes.
If for you the Riviera Maya starts in Puerto Morelos, the distance from downtown Cancun to the Riviera Maya then is 38.4 kilometers and 25.6 kilometers from the Airport.
If for you the beginning of the Riviera Maya is from Playa del Carmen the distance from downtown Cancun is 78.2 kilometers and the distance from Cancun Airport is 67.9 kilometers. So, it all depends on where you think the Riviera Maya starts from, but the most important thing is to enjoy your time here.
This is not Cancun
A little above we clarify the starting point of the Riviera Maya and the ending point, also we mention that some people believe that the Riviera Maya starts in Puerto Morelos and others in Playa del Carmen. All this leaves us with our next question: Is Cancun part of the Riviera Maya? The answer is NO.
The city of Cancun has a small coast that briefly passes through the path of the Riviera Maya, however it is not part of it and another detail to consider is that many people believe that the Riviera Maya, along with the cities and attractions are part of Cancun.
This is a very common mistake and now we will tell you what things are not Cancun.
- Isla Mujeres is not Cancun, it is just a nearby municipality
- Isla Blanca is not Cancun, it is part of Isla Mujeres.
- Puerto Morelos is a sister municipality to Cancun, but it is not Cancun.
- Playa del Carmen is a sister city to Cancun, but it is not Cancun and not part of it.
- Xcaret, Xel Ha, Xplor, Xenses is located between Playa el Carmen and Tulum and is not part of Cancun.
- Coba and Chichen Itza, are part of the Riviera Maya, but not part of Cancun.
We hope that this list will help you understand better that if it is Cancun that it is not Cancun, so you can choose the best place to stay and spend your vacation.
The best transportation from Cancun airport to the Riviera Maya
So far we know that it is not Cancun, from where the Riviera Maya begins, where many people think it begins and the distance from both places. Well, another very common question is what is the best transportation service from Cancun to the Riviera Maya?
Cancun Transfer Airport is the best private transportation company from downtown Cancun or from Cancun airport to the Riviera Maya (Isla blanca, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos,Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Punta allen).
This is one of the best companies and has an excellent relationship between cost and benefit, because it is very economical and offers vehicles in excellent condition, clean, safe and with fully trained drivers.
Conclusion
Now that we know how far it is from Cancun and the Riviera Maya, as well as where it starts, where it ends and what the best transportation service is, we just have to tell you that YOU ENJOY TO THE MAXIMUM your stay in Cancun and the Riviera Ma