area information
Mayan Riviera Sightseeing and Activities
Casa Rosa adjoins some of the region's most spectacular sights. Just 10 minutes to the south are the historic Tulum Ruins. These are among the most accessible and impressive Mayan ruins, and are the only major beachfront Mayan settlement. They are a most worthwhile half day trip. After the ruins, stop by the Tulum beaches for an incredible several mile long, hundred foot wide picture perfect beach afternoon.
Thirty minutes from Casa Rosa are the Mayan Ruins of Coba. This mysterious, lakefront city is a delightful find, and you can rent bicycles to ride around for extra fun! For the slightly more adventurous, a three hour journey takes you to the crown-jewel of the Mayan culture, Chichen Itza. A long day trip, or a wonderful overnight trip, you will forever remember your time at this UNESCO World Heritage marvel.
Closer to home, in fact directly across the highway, is the Hidden Worlds Cenote. Site of the IMAX film of the same name, you will have a surprisingly chilly, amazing experience swimming in fresh water, stalagmite-laden caves. There are many other cenotes in the area, so bring your snorkel and fins and a good travel guide, and you'll be exploring this region for years.
For those who love the open waters, fishing, snorkeling and diving experiences abound. In our bay, you can hire the Tankah Inn Dive Shop to take you past the reef break to further explore the local waters. In both Akumal and Tulum, you can rent fishing boats, take scuba lessons, and explore shipwrecks with expert divers.
If you love golf, you will be delighted by the wide range of options available. There are 13 existing courses between Cancun and Tulum, and a dozen layouts bearing the names of famous designers are either under construction or are planned. Nearby there is a 9-hole course is located north of Akumal at the Puerto Aventuras Golf & Tennis. Further north is the more established Playacar Golf Club, sporting a Robert Von Hagge designed 18 hole, 72 par championship golf course with a distance of 7144 yards. Junior fees, twilight fees and club rental available. A bit further to the north is the PGA-embraced Mayakoba course, El Camaleon, which offers an unparalleled golfing experience, and is on the caliber with the best courses in the world.
Local Organizations
We are proud to support three excellent local organizations and encourage you to drop by and visit them during your time in the area and also consider an online donation to these worthy causes supporting them as well. The first is the Hekab Be Library, an inspiring youth educational and literacy program in Akumal. Vist their website here. They are doing vital work for the youth in the area and if you were to make just one donation, your donation will have the greatest impact with the Hekab Be Library.
The second group we support is the Centro Ecological Akumal. They have been working for years to protect the region's turtles and the local ecology. They are located on the beach in Akumal and you can visit their educational center to learn about their sustainability and ecosystem management issues that are helping to save the reefs and turtles throughout the region. Visit their website here.
The Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental, AC (CEMDA) is a non-governmental, apolitical and non-profit organization that for 25 years has worked for the defense of the environment and natural resources. They are one of the main organizations of the environmental civil society in Mexico whose fundamental axis of work is the strengthening, consolidation, harmonization, application and effective compliance of the current legal-environmental system. Visit their website here.
Please consider making an online donation to the Hekab Be Library or CEA or CEMDA to create an enduring positive legacy from your time in the Mayan Riviera.
Grocery Shopping
The town of Tulum, just 10 minutes south, has everything you need to make your stay pleasant and comfortable, including grocery, fruit and liquor stores, gas stations, banks, ATM's, money exchanges, fax and internet shops, bakeries, doctors' offices and 24-hour pharmacies. One of the larger grocery stores in Tulum is San Francisco de Assisi. They are open late and sell all the basics, including liquor, plus, they have a deli counter with roasted chickens, tamales, tortillas, rice, beans, and plantains, just to name a few, and they take credit cards!
Just 10 minutes to the north is the town of Akumal, where there are several well stocked bodegas - perfect for a late night stop on your drive south to Casa Rosa. Finally, there's big box shopping in Playa del Carmen at Chedraui, Mega, Office Depot, Sam's Club and Wall-Mart, most of which are located on Highway 307 on your way south from the airport to Casa Rosa. Costco is in Cancun, not too far from the airport, if you really want to stock up!
Restaurants
There are a wide variety of restaurants in the vicinity, as nearby as 300 meters away in Tankah Bay or a 5 minute drive to Tulum. Tulum hosts dozens of excellent restaurants, from Italian, Thai, French crepes, and lots of gelato! One bay directly to the north of us is Solimon Bay where picturesque Oscar Y Lalo's restaurant (you'll recognize it from the Corona Beer ad) became famous for its fresh-Mex seafood. A further 10 minute drive to the north is the wonderful beach town of Akumal, which also hosts several very delicious restaurants, including the popular brunch spots, Turtle Bay Bakery and La Buena Vida, a fun bar and restaurant on the sandy Half Moon Bay beachfront. Tulum is also an incredible resource for a wide range of world class restaurants as well as super cool local bars and nightclubs. Some are on the expansive beaches of Tulum, while many others are in the Tulum Pueblo, both are just minutes away via a short taxi ride or your own transportation.
Please Note our Local Partners :
We are very proud to partner with the Hekab Be Library de Akumal and encourage you to do so as well. Hekab Be means “Open Road” in Maya, and that is what they we strive to provide … an open road to learning, discovery, and better futures. Thanks to the generosity and bigheartedness of library friends, the dream to keep the road to learning open remains alive. They do so by providing a free after school program for local children. They also provide free classes in English, Music, Art, Mayan Culture and Language, Environmental Education, Organic Gardening as well as homework help. They keep children excited about learning and allow them to experience the richness of opportunities available to them so that they will stay in school and open more possibilities for their future.
Supporting the Local Jewel Because we love the natural beauty of Akumal and especially its turtles, we support the work of the Centro Ecologico Akumal, a non-profit organization which is protecting the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System through environmental education and research. Check out their website and stop by and meet them when you are in Akumal. We encourage you to support their hard work in any way you can!
The Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental, AC (CEMDA) is a non-governmental, apolitical and non-profit organization that for 25 years has worked for the defense of the environment and natural resources. They are one of the main organizations of the environmental civil society in Mexico whose fundamental axis of work is the strengthening, consolidation, harmonization, application and effective compliance of the current legal-environmental system. Check out their website.
A Luxurious Vacation Home for Mayan Riviera Explorations! Disclaimer: Although we've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person resulting from information published on this site. Please verify any critical information with the relevant authorities before you travel. This includes information on visa requirements, doctors, insurance, health and safety, customs and transportation.