My husband and love to travel, so it was only natural that we started thinking about a destination wedding back when we got engaged in 2004.  We researched a lot of places and decided on the Mayan Riviera.  It sounded like a beautiful location with plenty to do – and we were right!

Our wedding was in November 2004, and we stayed at one of the Palace Resorts on the Mayan Riviera.  The hotel was absolutely beautiful and we knew as soon as we arrived, that we would have an amazing time. (Aventura Spa Palace is now the Hard Rock Hotel).

Mexico

The day of our wedding, we made our way down to the waterfront. We said our vows in a gazebo overlooking the beach and ocean.  It truly was a perfect day!

Mexico
Mexico

For the rest of our honeymoon, we explored a lot of places on the Mayan Riviera.  There are so many things to do, that we had to pick and choose what to do during our 10 day stay.

There are many Mayan ruins in the area, and we visited several, including Tulum and Chichen-Itza.  There is so much interesting culture to see and learn about, and the ruins are quite impressive.

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We went into Playa del Carmen a few times.  This is a fun place to walk around especially in the evening when it is cooler and there are plenty of places to eat and shop.  It is nice to stroll along the pedestrian street.

Mexico

There is an abundance of places to swim, from lagoons to the beach, as well as cenotes.

This was our first trip to Yal Ku Lagoon.

Mexico

We later returned in 2021 with the kids!

Yal Ku Lagoon Akumal Mexico
Yal Ku Lagoon Akumal Mexico

Cenotes are places where the bedrock has collapsed to expose the groundwater underneath, making for beautiful swimming areas. We had a great time snorkeling in several cenotes, and my husband has also gone scuba diving in some as well.

Mexico

We also explored beaches, from Cozumel all the way down to the border of Belize.  I loved snorkeling with beautiful fish and exploring the coral reefs.  As we traveled southward, we had luck finding “sea beans”, large seeds that washed up on shore, which is a really cool item to find and collect.

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Between relaxing on the beach, eating amazing food, and checking out local attractions, our honeymoon was amazing!

We loved the Mayan Riviera so much that we returned for our 1-year anniversary, and did a road trip through the Yucatan.  We traveled down to the coast to the border of Belize and back up to the west coast, the large city of Merida, and much more.

We returned to the Mayan Riviera in November 2017 and July 2021 with our whole family.  We are excited to celebrate our wedding anniversary there and explore Mexico with the kids!

Marysa

About the Author: Marysa

Busy blogger and mom of two girls! We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure!