town was purpose-built from scratch around a natural inlet in the coast. It now contains the Riviera’s best-equipped yachting marina, surrounded by a smart holiday village of villas and condo apartments. There’s also a Dolphin Discovery Center, a golf course, tennis center, and several big hotels. Akumal A lovely area that extends through beautiful, sweeping bays of white sands and gentle seas. Some big hotels have opened, but along most of the bays are secluded condo apartments and villas.

that’s now a pretty pleasure port lined with shops and restaurants. The nine-hole golf course is attractive, and the marina is the best-equipped on the whole Riviera, making it a popular base for serious deep-sea fishing enthusiasts. In another part of the harbor you can swim with dolphins (For further details see Dolphin Discovery). Xpu-Ha Along these seven gracefully sweeping bays, 3 km (2 miles) south of Puerto Aventuras, are some of the Riviera’s most idyllic beaches, with exuberantly alive

in touch with. Personal Safety The Yucatán is a fairly tranquil place, but be wary of pickpocketing and other petty crime in Playa del Carmen. Cheaper cabañas on the north beach in Tulum are sometimes subject to break-ins at night. Begging There is a certain amount of street-hassling in Cancún, Playa, and Mérida, generally in the form of trying to sell you hammocks or other cheap craftwork rather than straight begging. Police Stations In most towns, the police station can always be found in

for the Hotel Zone and Ciudad Cancún, makes scams easier. Always agree a price before getting into the cab, and be firm in refusing any outrageous demands. Topes – Speed Bumps The main peculiarity of driving in Mexico is the tope, or speed bump, designed to make the streets safer for pedestrians and children. Very steep, they are usually signposted but can catch drivers unaware and cause damage to vehicles going at any speed above a crawl. Running Low on Gas Fuel stations are few and far

the court. The other form corresponded to much bigger courts, such as at Chichén Itzá, and was played by teams of seven who scored in big rings on either side of the court. In either style players could not touch the ball with hands or feet, but only with shoulders, chest and hips, so scoring was very hard. Games had great ritual significance, and sometimes, but not always, losing players were sacrificed. Top 10 Ancient Mayan Ball Courts Monte Albán, Oaxaca Palenque, Chiapas Toniná, Chiapas