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Ordinary Traveler / Blog / Mexico / Travel to Riviera Maya, Mexico is Safe and Should be on Your Bucket List

Travel to Riviera Maya, Mexico is Safe and Should be on Your Bucket List

By Christy Woodrow, Last Modified: September 9, 2019

Travel to Riviera Maya is Safe and Should be on Your Bucket List

“You are going to Cancun?” I hear the security checkpoint officer inquire after I hand him my passport and boarding pass.

“Yes, I’ll be staying in Riviera Maya, but I stop in Phoenix first. It’s the boarding pass on top.”

“You are going alone?” He asks in a concerned tone.

“Yes, I travel to Mexico alone quite often.”

The man still seemed a little uneasy, so I felt the need to tell him I would be meeting people there. This being my first time to Cancun, I began to wonder what was the cause for concern. I didn’t get into more details since all I wanted to do was get through security and catch my 6:30AM flight departure.

My guess is that his worry was not for a woman traveling solo to Cancun, (although in Cancun my biggest problem would most likely be the drunk Americans) but travel to Mexico as a whole. I found it hard to believe airport personnel would give into the media hype and instill fear into passengers about the safety of the entire country of Mexico.

Frequent travelers to Mexico know the truth, but it still often shocks me every time I hear people say that all areas of Mexico are unsafe. Even though this was my first time to Riviera Maya, the possibility of it not being safe for travelers didn’t even cross my mind.

Riviera Maya did surprise me though.

Travel to Riviera Maya is Safe and Should be on Your Bucket List

I arrived here thinking that Riviera Maya and Playa Del Carmen was a destination with beautiful beaches, ancient ruins and exciting nightlife. Although I did find all of this to be true, I was also introduced to a few of the more unique things about the area.

I found underground rivers, floating down a lazy river with jaw-dropping scenery, riding in fast cars, and the eclectic cuisine were actually my highlights of the trip. In the coming weeks, I will share some of my favorite things to do in Riviera Maya with no shortage of photos like these.

Travel to Riviera Maya is Safe and Should be on Your Bucket List
Sian Ka’an Biosphere

Travel to Riviera Maya is Safe and Should be on Your Bucket List
Mussel Appetizer at Le Reve Hotel

 

Plan Your Trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico!

After traveling consistently for over 10 years, we’ve come to trust and rely on a few websites to help us find the best deals on flights and accommodation.

Flights: Momondo is the first place we check when searching for cheap flights. It searches hundreds of sites for the best fare and includes both standard and budget airlines. The price calendar feature shows the cheapest days to fly in your preferred month of travel.

Accommodation: Booking.com offers savings on hotels, apartments, and villas in 80,000 destinations worldwide. You can browse hotel reviews and find the guaranteed best price on hotels for all budgets.

Travel Insurance: We never travel out of the country without a travel insurance policy because it’s not worth the risk! We use and trust World Nomads, which we’ve used for the past 8 years.

 

 
For More Mexico Travel Resources, Visit These Pages:
 
10 Bucket List Adventures to Take in 2018
 
Villa Del Palmar, Loreto: A Quiet Getaway on the Sea of Cortez
 
8 Reasons to Visit Mexico’s Riviera Maya
 
Island Hopping in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico
 
Cancun, Mexico Travel Guide
 
Staying at The Royal Suites Yucatán by Palladium
 
 

About Christy Woodrow

Christy Woodrow is a travel photographer and professional blogger based in San Diego. She has been traveling around the world with her partner, Scott, since 2006. Join them in their quest to find off-the-beaten-path destinations by signing up for weekly emails. You can read more about her on our about page.

Filed Under: Mexico

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ayngelina says

    I flew in here to start my RTW and I was alone and spoke to Spanish. I never had even a hint of a problem and wouldn`t hesitate to recommend it to others.

    Reply
  2. Kally says

    New reader, can’t wait to see more! We’ve been to tons of supposedly unsafe places outside of the US and I’ve never felt too uneasy. My one trip to Mexico however was scary as hell. I’m dying to get over that and see more of a country that is so close to home.

    Reply
  3. marchos says

    i was next door in bed while my 2 teens were partying in our resort ,safe i thought from harm.meanwhile the ianero’s(you remember them) were getting their throats slit in their bathtub by the head of security for a few grand!we never heard about it til we were on the plane 3 days later!
    the little town (pop 13,000)4 miles east has a murder every single day on average but the victims are usually the locals and they keep it out of the newspapers.safe? really! don’t be naive,the guards with the sub machine guns in front of the atm’s should be one tip off as to how desperate some of the locals can be.our last trip was to costa rica and panama,never felt more welcome.never felt threatened.prices were lower than mexico,cleaner…..

    Reply
  4. Marcela Garza says

    The only places that are a little unsafe (if you aren’t vigilant) are the border towns, like Ciudad Juarez, Reynosa, and Matamoros. Once you go a good 50 to 100 miles into Mexico its the same as if though you were traveling in the US. Just gotta be careful and keep an eye out. It’s the same everywhere.

    Reply
  5. Ali says

    My one time in Mexico was an hour or two across the border from El Paso, which happens to be Juarez and absolutely is unsafe. But I didn’t know better, I was just on a road trip and wanted to pop over to Mexico. But now I’d love to go see parts of the country I keep hearing about from so many people who love Mexico. It’s ridiculous to think an entire country is unsafe unless there’s an active war going on at the time, like in Syria right now unfortunately. Always good to read more positive things about Mexico!

    Reply
  6. Raymond @ Man On The Lam says

    I just spent a month in the Riviera Maya and felt safer than I do in parts of Calgary.

    Reply
  7. Laurence says

    Nice looking car!

    Reply
  8. Rease Kirchner says

    Ugh I get that attitude all the time when I am traveling to Mexico. Last time I came back the guy was extra suspicious because of all my Argentina and Uruguay stamps. I told him I lived in Argentina for a while and he looked mortified!

    Reply
  9. Quirky Travel Guy says

    I spent a week in a Cancun resort years ago, but I need to go back for more of an authentic experience. Consider it bucket-listed.

    Reply
  10. PediatricDentist says

    Looks great. I’d love to try it soon! How long were you there?

    Reply
  11. baseballmh1012 says

    If you go, be sure to do the “Tulum Extreme” trip. Ziplines, repelling and snorkeling in a cave, plus a tour of Tulum. Great experience!!!

    Reply

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Welcome to our adventure travel blog! We are Christy and Scott and we've been traveling the world together since 2006. Our goal is to inspire others to live an adventurous life, as well as provide trip ideas and helpful travel tips for people with limited vacation time.
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