In Tulum,
The sounds of deep, mindful breathing drift through the spacious foyer like a mild ocean breeze, while strength and serenity go toe-to-toe beneath the thatched palapa roof. At a newly tiled counter down the hall, a blender whirs, smashing mango, ginger, and wheatgrass for the heaving, sweaty guests prostrating themselves on the floor. A few choice pieces of driftwood have been casually assembled on the living-room landing, and Tibetan prayer flags hang from the ceiling. Somewhere someone is dozing off while having her feet rubbed.
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The country's easternmost coast, an enviable stretch of powder punctuated by Mayan ruins and sheltering mangroves, is the anti-Cancun-for now.
The Riviera Maya lies on the far edge of Quintana Roo, a state whose physical distance from the country's center makes it a world of its own, and whose Mayan influence has little in common with the estilo tipico of colonial Mexico. There's plenty of recent international influence, too, since it was vacationing Europeans who helped build up Playa del Carmen-although Americans, both as entrepreneurs and visitors, are catching on.
The Mayan mainstay ruins, Tulum and Coba, get hot and crowded by midday, so visit them early. Less popular is Muyil, which was once an active trading post. Its Castillo temple rises above a parklike setting half an hour south of Tulum, on Highway 307. Walk past the main temple to the kiosk for Amigos de Sian Ka'an, a nonprofit organization that helps administer the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve; the $4 entry fee will gain you access to a trail through lush, Jurassic-looking jungle. Climb the wooden tower for a commanding view of the biosphere, or continue walking to a chain of lagoons, hire a guided boat, and watch the colors and vegetation change as you move toward the saltwater Caribbean.
Cenotes are sinkholes that form when a cave collapses. No two are alike (some are spectacular, others dinky), and you'll see countless signs for them. The Cenote Azul, right off Highway 307, south of Puerto Aventuras, is 600 feet across, and you can rent goggles and a breathing tube to explore. Aktun Chen Natural Park has informative tours...
Where: Tulum, Mexico
What it is: Beachside retreat on the Mayan Riviera
What it was: Party house
The story: This 22,000-square-foot mansion and adjacent 15,000-square-foot guest house is where one of the richest men in the world—whom Forbes once declared the seventh richest man in the world—threw parties that drew celebs, beauty queens and heads of states.
It is located on what is now primo beachfront real estate, and is now a yoga and eco-resort / luxury boutique hotel.
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