Adventure Travel in the Riviera Maya and Cancun, Mexico

If you want to scuba dive or snorkel in a cenote while you are in Cancun or the Riviera Maya, without a doubt you'll have to go diving in Dos Ochos, an underground cave system located on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It is a truly remarkable opportunity that will rank high on any traveler's list of outstanding memories.

The cenotes offer a peaceful respite from the warm temperatures that are common in the area and provide a brief escape from the world overhead. While swimming through the underground river system you'll discover an entirely new world located just beneath the surface. A world that was thought to be sacred and mysterious to the Mayan people that once populated the Yucatan. 

Touring Rio Secreto is a highlight of any trip to the Riviera Maya. Adventurous travelers simply don a helmet –– complete with headlamp –– and a guide takes them underground for a combination walk and swim tour. Such an excursion allows them to experience the wonders of Mexico's longest underground cave system, which remains in largely natural and untouched state. This subterranean adventure is unlike any other, and visitors to the underground soon find themselves hopelessly captivated by the beautiful chambers and passageways that they find themselves passing through. 

While floating downstream in Sian Ka'an, a biosphere reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Mexico, you can't help but think about the Mayans who created these waterways centuries ago. This adventure provides travelers with the opportunity to kayak through lush mangrove trees, motor past dozing crocodiles, and photograph a seemingly endless list of bird species in their natural habitat. Other activities include snorkeling along a pristine reef and fly-fishing in hidden lagoons that are popular with local anglers. 

At Xplor there is an entire world of subterranean adventures to be discovered, including swimming and rafting in underground rivers. But if you're looking for some above ground adventures too, the place has you well covered. Above the earth's crust you'll find a network of zip lines that look like freeways in the sky and a three-mile track where you can drive an amphibious buggy through the jungle, into and out of caves, and across suspension bridges that hang high above the water.

In other words, it is a manmade outdoor playground filled with all kinds of adrenaline inducing thrills. The entire thing is so much fun that you'll forget you aren't out exploring some remote section of the jungle. If you're looking to channel your inner Indiana Jones, this just might be the place for you. 

While riding an "Aero Cycle" through the treetops at Hidden Worlds you'll get the chance to stop and enjoy the scenery or simply sit back and listen to the birds call out all around you. The family-oriented Hidden Worlds adventure park is tucked away in the Mexican jungle, providing a place where travelers can experience any number of exciting adventures. Amongst the top attractions are a zip line ride through the jungle, rappelling into a cenote, and snorkeling through an underground cave system.

The staff at Hidden Worlds is bilingual and the proceeds from this non-profit park go to benefit various causes in the developing world. Additionally, many of the people who work at the park are members of the local Mayan community too, providing a nice level of cultural exposure that you might not necessarily find anywhere else.

This is a particular great place to take the kids who are looking for a little adventure of their own, as it will get the heart pumping, but in a safe and fun manner.