RIVIERA MAYA SHOPPING

No holidays can be complete without at least a shopping session. The Riviera Maya offers the visitor an enormous variety of items to choose from. The crafts of the region are famous anywhere in the world because of their detailed and colorful finish.

There is a souvenir store in all hotels, where you will be able to let loose and follow your impulses with an ample range of possibilities, because the products offered there usually come from all the regions of the country. However, if you prefer not to limit yourself to the options provided by your hotel, in the outside, you will find a wonderful world of crafts and souvenirs from which you can make your selection.

Riviera Maya is distinguished by the creativity and vibrancy of its crafts. The famous hand-woven hammock is very appreciated by the tourism worldwide, since it makes a beautiful souvenir of your visit, as much as a wonderful gift to take to those who stayed at home. The hay hat is also popular and besides being a nice present, it has a practical use, particularly for those long walks in the outdoors.

The craftsmen of the Riviera Maya can be described with two words: creative and skilled. Both qualities can be clearly observed in their embroidered items, because the delicate work can be appreciated in the beautiful flower designs of vivid colors and shades.

The jewelry of Riviera Maya will also take your breath away with its original designs. Step in a jewelry shop and you will not be able to resist the beauty of the mysterious turquoise, the shining onyx, the ethereal lapis lazuli and the omnipresent opal. The Mexican silver has been famous for centuries, and the quality of metals as well as the perfection of the shapes in bracelets, earrings and necklaces with semiprecious stone incrustations turns each jewelry shop into a chest full of treasures.

The “guayabera”, a typical shirt of the region, is another one of the wares offered in the Riviera Maya. It has become very popular among the visitors, because besides being very appropriate for the warm climate of the region, its complex embroidered designs make it suitable for any occasion.

Xtabentun is the liquor that is made with the honey of the flower of the same name. The liquor has been prepared in the region since the times of the Maya, and there is even a beautiful legend concerning the flower that shares the name with the drink. This delicious liquor conserves the scent of the typical herbs of this land and its sweet taste with aniseed flavor makes it a much appreciated digestive.

The colorful “pareo” (Polynesian word for beach wrap) constitutes an indispensable part of the beach outfit. A great variety of pareos, as well as beach clothes and bathing suits, are easy to find all along the Riviera Maya. For souvenirs there is a vast amount of statues in wood or stone and articles made with shells or sand. You will also come upon pens, key rings and objects of ceramic or “talavera” (famous pottery originally from the city Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico)

Although each town throughout the Riviera Maya has stores where you can buy various crafts and souvenirs, the biggest concentration of stores takes place in Playa del Carmen, specifically along the Fifth Avenue.

In Puerto Aventuras you can go shopping in the corridor located beside the marina. If you visit Tulum you can stop by the avenue of the same name and take a look at the multitude of articles displayed there. In Puerto Morelos the right place to acquire crafts and souvenirs is the center of the town.

Whatever your idea of the perfect souvenir is, try not to forget that in most of the cases, it is essential to haggle. Render yourself to the negotiating game and witness how good prices you can obtain. Remember that this practice is not advisable in the stores of the hotels.

No matter what your budget is or your preferences are, the Riviera Maya caters a suitable option to everyone. From small souvenirs that fit in your pocket, to spectacular hats that will not fit in your suitcase, shopping in the Riviera Maya is always an unforgettable adventure.