A Weekend in Riviera Maya
One resort offers a water park, a pristine beach, and a Cirque du Soleil dinner show (complete with dinosaur)
I’m going to date myself here, but the first time I visited Riviera Maya there were still jaguars roaming the area. I was in college and, hellbent on never being a millionaire, studied writing with a minor in archaeology (I guess I fangirled out too much on Indiana Jones). So, while my friends were getting wasted on tequila poppers in Cancun, I decided to take a trip to Riviera Maya to visit the Mayan ruins in Tulum, Coba, and Chichen Itza.
Now, Riviera Maya — the 80-mile stretch of land that runs south of Cancun from Puerto Morelos to Felipe Carrillo Puerto — is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations offering everything from yoga retreats to five-star resorts.
Where to Stay
Vidanta Riviera Maya is actually a series of hotels and condos located all within a massive complex just about a half hour from Cancun International Airport.
I stayed at a one-bedroom condo at the Grand Luxxe. The apartment was equipped with a Nespresso machine, L’Occitane bath products, and a most welcome surprise — a do-it-yourself margarita kit complete with a small bottle of tequila, fresh lime juice, orange liqueur, agave, salt, a shaker, and two glasses. After traveling for several hours, a freshly shaken margarita enjoyed on the swing chair on the patio was the perfect way to relax before dinner.
What to Eat and Drink
The resort is about a half hour from Playa del Carmen, so you’ll have most meals on site. Thankfully, there are plenty of options ranging from grab-and-go to fine dining. At the breakfast buffet, there were both American and Mexican dishes as well as the usual omelet station. Strangely, at breakfast, there was a man and a falcon on stage, with the man tossing the falcon food and the falcon flying to it. No explanation — just a flying falcon.
Lunchtime at all seaside resorts tends to be casual. One day we had tacos at Salum, the resort’s little village of shops and eateries. Another day, we had lunch at the waterpark.
Other restaurants include Gong (Asian), Quinto (steaks and grilled meats), Tramonto (Italian), and La Cantina (Mexican), where cocktails are made to order from a rolling bar cart.
Be sure to sign up for a cocktail-making class with mixologist Rene Ramos and his team of bartenders. We made some interesting drinks, including one made with Pox (pronounced 'Poshe'), a liquor used for Mayan ceremonial purposes.
Get your fix of sports at the bar at Salum, where you’ll find a good selection of local craft beers.
What to Do
Here’s where Vidanta Riviera Maya really shines. As I mentioned before, the property is massive and most people get around by golf carts and trams provided by the property. If you’re like me, skip those and travel via the network of walkways. Most of them are at tree level (and underutilized by most visitors), so I was treated to sightings of birds and many coati families. There’s signage to tell you where you’re going, and the resort has an app (and WiFi throughout the property).
Vidanta Riviera Maya also has a flock of flamingos and some crocodiles. The property also has a sea turtle conservation area, open on a reservation basis. The property monitors sea turtles coming ashore to lay eggs and transfers them to a safe haven where they are released once hatched.
Jungala is a giant waterpark on the property that offers more than just the longest lazy river in Latin America, a wave pool, and water slides. This water park also offers cabana rentals so, if you’re like me, you can lounge with a drink while everyone is on the lazy river.
You can also practice your swing at a Nicklaus-designed golf course or take a walk along the pristine sands that, at least when I was there, seemed practically empty save for a few people. Of course, there are also a host of pool areas — with some designates solely for the particular resort you’re staying at (for instance, the Grand Luxxe had its own pool and beach area, in addition to allowing access to the Beach Club and main pool areas.
Finally, Vidanta Riviera Maya boasts its own Cirque du Soleil theater and show. The Joya Theater lies just outside the property (of course, trams take you to the show). It’s a gorgeous building that resembles both a giant wicker hamper and a rooster at sort of the same time. And Joya boasts something that no other Cirque du Soleil show offers — dinner. Hey Las Vegas — Joya says “hold my champagne”. VIP dinner and show ticketholders are ushered into a special pre-show lounge where performers whip up a special brew for guests along with some magic. Dinner is served before the show starts, with guests offered a choice of options: meteor (beef), pirate (seafood), or terra (vegetarian). Why meteor? Well, your beef comes in a glowing meteor, which is opened to reveal a giant dinosaur bone filled with beef tenderloins. The other options are equally dramatic: the pirate is presented in a treasure chest and the terra is its own jungle scene. As befitting a Cirque du Soleil-themed dinner, there are several surprises in-store and the meal is accompanied by the Cirque band playing music.
The show, itself, has a time theme, so cue everything from a doting grandfather and grandaughter duo to a T-Rex, to a roving band of pirates. Honestly, I’ve seen a bunch of Cirque shows and usually fail to get the plotline, but there was a dinosaur and some incredible talent, so it’s best to not overanalyze and go with it. After the show, guests are invited to have cocktails in the outdoor lounge, complete with live music.
When I travel, I’m usually the person who likes to walk the streets of a city, duck into a tiny bar, and wander into local shops. This was one of my first resort vacations where I didn’t leave the property. I was there for three nights and, honestly, I didn’t get to do half of what I could have.
If you’re into sun and sand with a touch of luxury (and a Cirque show with a dinosaur), Vidanta Riviera Maya might be a good choice for you.