The Riviera Maya is all about the sun, sand, and sea. You'll find just about everything you ever wanted to do.

Beach It

Beautiful white powdery beaches are the Riviera Maya's chief attraction. Bathed by warm sunshine and gentle sea breezes, miles of uncrowded talcum-like sandy beaches backed by palm trees await you. Here, you'll find peace and relaxation, along with enough activities to keep your family from becoming bored.

Playa Paamul, Playa Tankah, and Playa Xcalacoco offer gentle sloping sands that the Maya used as embarkation points to nearby islands. All are places to relax in the sun, dive, or snorkel over the nearby reef. From May to July, turtles come ashore at night to lay their eggs. If you like interacting with nature, you just might want to stay in one of the rustic cabins nestled between the turquoise sea and the jungle.

The focus along the Riviera Maya is ecology. While huge resorts have sprung up along the coast in recent years, there seems to be an effort to preserve the beauty of this area, to separate it ideologically from overdeveloped Cancún. Punta Allen makes an ideal place to admire Mother Nature's gifts. Here, you can observe crocodiles in the lagoons or manatees below the water's surface. Herons and other water birds flock to estuaries within the Sian Ka'an Biosphere. Another idyllic spot in the biosphere is Playa Boca Paila. This secluded beach, far from the developed areas, is the best place to fish.

There are several lesser-known beaches in the area that are worth a visit. Powder-soft sand and turquoise sea with swaying palm trees characterize Playa Chemuyil. A reef just offshore brings the waters to a quiet calm by the time they meet the shoreline, making for excellent swimming conditions. The beaches at Xcacel are no less spectacular. Turtles prefer this strand for its calm waters. Any number of privately owned seaside bungalows offer you a place to stay close to nature.

Boat It

Kayak tours of the coastline are a great way to experience the coral reefs. Sailing the calm clear waters is a favorite pastime along the Riviera Maya. You can hop aboard a thirty-six-foot catamaran for a fishing trip or just a sailing excursion with Kantaris Catamaran at the Akumal Dive Shop on the beach in Akumal (984-875-9032).

Snorkel, Scuba, Fish

With a cenote water temperature of about 76ºF and an off-shore water temperature ranging from 78ºF in January to 84ºF in August, it's no wonder that the coast of Quintana Roo is a favorite of snorkelers and divers alike.

But one place that stands out is Xel-Ha, a natural aquarium just below Akumal, considered to be one of the biggest in the world. Ten acres of stunning lagoons, coves and inlets naturally carved into the area's soft limestone terrain are home to countless species of tropical fish. Xel-Ha offers you a chance to explore underwater caves, cenotes (sinkholes), and a partially submerged Mayan ruin. You can rent snorkel gear and underwater cameras. Or you may prefer to motor to the far side of the lagoon by glass-bottomed boat. The park includes a maritime museum and a seafood restaurant. Admission is about $35 per adult and $25 per child. You can rent snorkeling equipment for $10, towels for $3. (Open 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. daily, 984-884-9422.)

Although there's good diving up and down the coast, you'll find the best in the clear waters off Akumal, especially drift diving on the reef. Cenote and cave diving are also popular. Dive shops in Playa, Puerto Morelos, and Akumal offer a variety of snorkeling and scuba excursions, equipment rental, and PADI instruction. With nearly 100 miles of coastline, the Riviera Maya offers excellent deep-sea fishing, including big-game fish, barracuda, dorado, snook, wahoo, and tuna. Fly fishing, especially for bonefish, is excellent at Ascension Bay. Bonefish and tarpon jump from August through December. Here are some fishing companies that offer full-day tours with pickup at your hotel:

• Community Tours Sian Ka'an (984-114-0750, www.siankaantours.org)

• Pesca Maya (998-883-4204, www.pescamaya.com)

• Cuzan Guest House, Punta Allen (983-834-0358, www.flyfishmx.com)

Jungle Tours

Experience the jungle riding an ATV at Punta Venado Eco Park just outside Playa del Carmen (998-898-1331, www.puntavenado.com). If you'd rather ride a more traditional mount, you can ride through the-jungle on horseback with Rancho Loma Bonita (998-887-5423).

Golf

If you like to golf while on vacation, you'll currently find five courses along the Riviera Maya to test your skills, with more to come. Each is a different design by a top designer, so you'll find challenges on every green:

• Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club: An eighteen-hole course, located thirty minutes south of Cancún. Facilities include clubhouse with changing rooms and showers, putting green, lighted driving range, nine-hole chip-and-putt course for families, and full-service pro shop where you can rent equipment (984-877-2800, www.iberostar.com.mx).

• El Camaleon Mayakobá Golf Club: Located forty miles south of Cancún within the luxury resort development of Mayakobá, this eighteen-hole course includes a driving range and full-service clubhouse and pro shop with all amenities (www.cancun.com/Tours/Golf_Camaleon_Mayakoba).

• Mayan Palace Riviera Maya Golf Club: This challenging eighteen-hole course features a putting green, driving range, and clubhouse with pro shop and equipment rental (984-206-4043 or 800-506-8171 (U.S.), www.mayanresortsgolf.com).

• Playacar Golf Club: A magnificent eighteen-hole championship course, includes a putting green and driving range, plus a full service clubhouse and pro shop (984-873-0624, www.palaceresorts.com/PlayaCarGolfindex.asp)

• Puerto Aventuras Resort Golf Club: This nine-hole resort course is perfect if you're a golfing novice. Facilities include a putting green (984-473-5109, www.puertoaventuras.com).