Go Beach hopping in the Mexican Caribbean this Summer

Beyond the enchanting beach you wake up to every day at Grand Residences and the Puerto Morelos shoreline, you literally have more than 500 miles of beach to explore in the Mexican Caribbean. You can discover a new one every day, so why not plan some beach-hopping on your next visit? Pack your swimsuit, hat and a picnic and go in search of new vistas of paradise: crescents of soft white sand bathed by gentle waves, sheltered bays with palm groves and breezy strands with surf. Here’s a guide to some of our favorite beaches on the Quintana Roo coast and in the neighboring state of Yucatan.

Puerto Morelos

Spend more time exploring the beaches of Puerto Morelos. The shoreline is sheltered by the offshore reefs and the waves are gentle.
Walk along the sand from the iconic leaning lighthouse and enjoy the enchanting views of sparkling water and life in a traditional coastal village.

North of Puerto Morelos

Cancun

Sweeping vistas of Cancun’s powder-white sand and turquoise waters first alerted the world to the beauty of the Mexican Caribbean. Whether it is the open ocean shore of Cancun Island, or the sheltered bay side protected by Isla Mujeres, 22 kilometers of beach await sun worshippers with names such as Playa Las Perlas, Playa Langosta and Tortugas, Playa Gaviota Azul, Marlin, Ballenas, Delfines and Punta Nizuc.
With their gentle surf, the bayside beaches looking out towards Isla Mujeres are ideal for small children and you shouldn’t miss the chance to stroll along the Caribbean shoreline from Punta Cancun to Punta Nizuc.
Some of Cancun’s beaches have the Blue Flag, a seal of approval for cleanliness.

Costa Mujeres

There are more Caribbean beaches to the north of Punta Sam. This shoreline is known as Costa Mujeres and is now home to large resorts, but there are still some stretches of sand where you can spread out a towel and watch kite surfers, kayaks and yachts on the bay.

Riviera Maya

Punta Maroma

This stretch of white sand was once hailed as the world’s most beautiful beach. Wander along the sand and enjoy moments of peace and solitude.

Playa del Carmen

Whether it is for sunbathing, a game of beach volleyball or candlelit parties at chic waterfront bars and clubs, Playa del Carmen’s shoreline has plenty of appeal.

Paamul

South of Playa del Carmen and Xcaret, Paamul is a sheltered bay and popular snorkeling spot.

Puerto Aventuras

The resort community of Puerto Aventuras has more beautiful beaches and offshore reefs, a marina, restaurants, bars and stores.
Visitors can book sport fishing, catamaran and scuba trips at the marina, play golf or tennis, swim with dolphins or manatees or visit a tiny Nautical Museum.

Xpu Ha

Another popular stretch of soft white sand in the Riviera Maya lined with a mix of large resorts, intimate boutique hotels, beach homes and a couple of rustic beach bars.

Akumal

A Riviera Maya favorite, Akumal is a picture-perfect beach lined with palm trees. The bay is protected by offshore reefs and the shallow waters are calm and crystal-clear, making it an ideal spot to take children. When you are ready to cool off, put on your snorkeling gear and head for the water. Colorful fish swim by in the shallows and you may even see one of the turtles that gives Akumal its name. Akumal means “place of the turtles” in the Mayan language.

Xcacel

Located between Akumal and Xel-Ha, the beach at Xcacel is an important nesting site for sea turtles and is a reserve declared by Quintana Roo State government. Access is along a bumpy dirt track, but it is a magical spot, a crescent of powder-white sand backed by a palm grove and dunes covered in native shrubs such as ciricote and sea grape.

Tulum

Simply breathtaking, Maya temples perch on a cliff top overlooking the Caribbean at Tulum and wooden steps lead down to a tiny bay where trading canoes once rocked gently at their moorings more than 1,000 years ago. The views along the coast from such a majestic vantage point are of headlands and white bays stretching as far as the eye can see.
Tulum’s beaches are lined with thatched cabaña resorts, open-air restaurants and bars. With a bohemian vibe, Tulum is a travel hotspot and a favorite with New York designers and models, musicians and Hollywood stars.

Boca Paila

To visit lovely Boca Paila beach, you must venture into the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, one of Mexico’s largest protected areas. Drive along the coast road and across a wooden bridge and beyond that you’ll see a white beach and the Caribbean. “Boca Paila” means the “mouth of the pail “and it is the only place in northern Sian Ka’an where a freshwater canal fed by cenotes and underground rivers flows into the Caribbean and fish from wetland and marine ecosystems move between both worlds.

Costa Maya

Southern Quintana Roo has a chain of beautiful beaches known as the Costa Maya. The fishing village and cruise ship port of Majahual is the gateway to this area, which stretches south to Xcalak and also offers good diving, snorkeling and fishing.

Island beaches

Isla Mujeres

Just a 20-minute boat ride away from Cancun, Isla Mujeres boasts several beautiful beaches with Playa Norte top of the list. This swathe of white sand bathed by impossibly turquoise waters is a magnet for sun lovers who while away the hours on sun beds or at bars under the palm trees. Go snorkeling, watch the yachts sail past and stay on for spectacular sunsets.

Holbox

A 30-minute ferry ride from Chiquila on the north coast of Quintana Roo, Holbox is an island in the Gulf of Mexico. White beaches, aquamarine and green waters and rustic charm are its hallmarks. This is a spot to laze on the beach and watch the fishermen unload the catch of the day, go for long strolls along the shoreline or charter a boat to explore the surrounding wetlands and Yalahau Lagoon, part of the Yum Balam Reserve. During the summer you can go in search of whale sharks, dolphins and manta rays.

Cozumel

A short ferry ride from Playa del Carmen is Cozumel, Mexico’s largest inhabited island. Most visitors make a beeline for Cozumel’s world-famous coral reefs for diving and snorkeling, but it has lovely beaches too. The sheltered palm-lined beaches along the west coast of the island attract most visitors, however, the east coast is also worth exploring. This windswept shoreline are not recommended for swimming due to strong currents and undertow, but there are deserted beaches and bays for walking and taking in the Caribbean views.

Gulf Coast of the Yucatan

From San Felipe and El Cuyo in the east to Dzilam de Bravo, Progreso and Sisal, Yucatan’s Gulf coast beaches also have white sand, endless views of blue-green water and spectacular sunset views. Drive along the shoreline from Dzilam de Bravo via Telchac Puerto and you’ll pass through fishing villages before coming to the port of Progreso with its long pier, cruise ship and cargo terminal, fishing fleet and bustling boardwalk.

All along the coast, the shallow lagoons rimmed by the mangroves are rich in wildlife and you may catch a glimpse of flamingos in the distance foraging for tiny shrimp and other crustaceans.

West of Progreso, just 40 minutes from Merida, is the historic port of Sisal, a Pueblo Mágico. In the late 19th century and early years of the 20th century, bales of henequen were shipped to international markets from this harbor. Sisal, which means deep water in Maya, gave its name to the tough fiber harvested from the henequen agave which was used to make rope.

On the west coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Celestun is famous for a biosphere reserve protecting dense mangrove forest, wetlands and lagoons that are home to flamingos. It also has a stretch of white shell-strewn beach with rustic seafood restaurants.