Cancun and the Riviera Maya in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic have been setting trends among travelers.
The Caribbean is one of the most chosen places in the world to spend a dream summer vacation. The region rebounded after the pandemic and at the end of 2022 recorded historic numbers of international visitors.
Mexico, with Cancun and the Riviera Maya leading the way, is the most visited destination. The state of Quintana Roo registered a record of more than 30 million arrivals at the Cancun airport, according to state government data.
The other destination that has been experiencing a record tourism recovery is the Dominican Republic. According to official data from the Ministry of Tourism, the country registered 7.1 million tourists by air and 1.3 million by cruise ships, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
What can you do in these destinations and why are they the most chosen?
CANCUN
In addition to its wonderful beaches and shopping malls, Cancun is the ideal place to visit Chitzen Itza, the most important Mayan site in Mexico and one of the seven wonders of the world.
The recommendation is to arrive early (it opens at 8 am) to avoid encountering many tourists and the worst time of the sun. It takes at least three hours to visit all its most interesting points. The visit can be completed with the spectacular Il Kil cenote.
To get to Chichen Itza you can rent a car or take a bus from the ADO station in Cancun, located on Calle Pino Lote 1 and 2, which takes a little over 3 hours.
RIVIERA MAYA
The Riviera Maya is home to a large number of cenotes, one of the most popular tourist attractions among tourists. They are truly spectacular places and considered sacred by the Mayas. Cenotes are deep water wells that, depending on their exposure to the outside, can be open, semi-open or closed.
The Mayas believed that they were a place of connection with the spiritual world and that is why they performed different ceremonies around them. Today, many of them are open to visit and swim in at any time of the year.
Some that are well worth visiting are: El Gran Cenote, near the archaeological zone of Tulum; the cenotes of Cobá (Choo-Ha, Tamcach-Ha and Multum-Ha); Xcacelito, near Xcacel beach; and Dos Ojos, which has several underwater caverns.
PUNTA CANA
The excursion to Saona Island is one of the must-do activities in Punta Cana, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Here you can observe a sanctuary of starfish in the middle of the sea, stop on a sandbank in the middle of the water, snorkel in a beautiful coral reef and enjoy beaches of coconut trees and crystal clear waters.
To visit it, you must go to the coastal town of Bayahibe, located one hour by road from Punta Cana, from where public and private boats leave to take you to the island in less than an hour.
Another option also very amusing is a tour in buggy by Punta Cana, crossing the landscapes of beaches, jungle and coffee plantations that surround it.
In view of the tourism boom in these Caribbean destinations, some hotels are offering good promotions to enjoy a family vacation.
One of the most popular chains is Hard Rock Hotels – An All Inclusive Experience, which has hotels in these three destinations, being the one in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, the one with the largest casino in the region and a water park for all ages.
In this destination, as well as in the brand’s hotels located in Cancun and Riviera Maya, children between the ages of 4 and 17 stay free of charge until December 2023 to promote family vacations.
These destinations became the most chosen of the last time thanks to its paradisiacal beaches and the tourist public can enjoy the most exclusive hotels as a family, couple or with groups of friends, having options for all tastes.
Source: Latitud2000.com
