The marina town of Puerto Aventuras is a perfect spot for families, couples, groups and party boat fans. Located around 20 minutes north of ancient Tulum and 25 south of Playa del Carmen, it’s surrounded by crystalline pools, hidden beach spots and thatched palapas. All-inclusive resorts and vacation homes are aplenty, but there’s also an abundance of boutique hotels and villas. Many of these offer private yachts and bi-lingual captains for your exploration and enjoyment of the surrounding coral reefs.
The main marina is on the east side of the highway, a short distance from town, and offers a variety of restaurants and shops. You’ll find plenty of independently-owned coffee shops and gelato stands, a couple of great Italian eateries, and an excellent pub with live music. Several of the restaurants are right on the dolphin lagoon, giving you a unique view of the yachts, catamarans and fishing boats moored there. You’ll also enjoy the fresh sea breeze while you eat.
There’s a small Maritime Museum above the shopping area, a good place to visit if you want to learn more about the local culture and history of this part of the Riviera Maya. Puerto Aventuras played a key role in the region’s history, from the Mayan era through the days of pirates and explorers. There’s even a small replica of a pirate ship.
For those who like to be under the water, a number of PADI-certified dive shops are in the area. You can do open water diving, cenote (cavern) diving and a wide range of speciality dives.
There are two currency exchange locations and a handful of ATMs in the area, most of them situated around the main marina. Mexican pesos and American dollars are accepted at most of the restaurants, hotels and shops in town.
If you’re staying at a hotel or villa, most of the local restaurants are either all-inclusive or offer meal plans that include a minimum of 4 meals a day. But you’ll find a few independently-owned restaurants as well, including a nice Italian restaurant and a couple of great fish taco places.
The best way to get around Puerto Aventuras is by taxi or shuttle. Most of the hotels and condos in town have their own taxi service, but you can also hire one from the main jetty on the dolphin lagoon. Buses from the Cancun airport, Playa del Carmen and Tulum stop here as well. You can also catch colectivos (shared vans) at the main pier and highway junction. These services leave at various times throughout the day and run until midnight. Puerto Aventuras Yachts