5-Day Cancun & Riviera Maya Itinerary: A Day-by-Day Template
Use Cancun as a launchpad: ruins one day, cenotes the next, an island the day after. The beach fills whatever is left.
Cancun & Riviera Maya · 5 days Mexico
Best time: December to April is dry and perfect.
Arrive and Hotel Zone beachDay 1
🌳12:00 PM
Check in and beach
Playa Delfines is the free public stretch with the CANCUN sign.
🚌 Bus or walk
🌇5:00 PM
Lagoon side sunset
The lagoon bars catch the sunset the beach side misses.
🚌 Bus or walk
📍8:00 PM
Downtown tacos
Parque de las Palapas stalls, where the city actually eats.
Chichen Itza dayDay 2
📍7:00 AM
Early drive to Chichen Itza
Beat the heat and the buses; the equinox serpent shadow is famous for a reason.
🚶 ~39 min · 🚗 ~5 min · 1.5 mi
📍12:30 PM
Cenote Ik Kil swim
Vine-draped sinkhole minutes from the ruins; life jackets included.
🚗 ~83 min · 24 mi
🌆3:00 PM
Valladolid stroll
Pastel colonial streets and marquesitas on the plaza before driving back.
Isla MujeresDay 3
⛴️9:00 AM
Ferry from Puerto Juarez
Twenty minutes across; rent a golf cart on arrival.
🚗 ~23 min · 6.6 mi
📍11:00 AM
Playa Norte
Waist-deep turquoise for hundreds of meters; the best swim beach in the region.
🚗 ~18 min · 5.2 mi
📍3:00 PM
Punta Sur cliffs
Temple ruins and iguanas at the island’s wave-carved tip.
Tulum and cenotesDay 4
📍8:00 AM
Tulum ruins
A walled Maya city on a cliff over the Caribbean; go at opening.
🚗 ~11 min · 3.2 mi
📍11:30 AM
Gran Cenote or Dos Ojos
Snorkel between stalactites; turtles glide under you at Gran.
🚗 ~9 min · 2.4 mi
🍽️3:00 PM
Tulum pueblo lunch
Antojitos in town cost a third of the beach-road prices.
Slow morning and marketDay 5
🌳9:00 AM
Last beach swim
Morning water is calmest; get the swim in before checkout math.
🚌 Bus or walk
📍11:30 AM
Mercado 28 souvenirs
Haggle kindly: start at half, land around two-thirds.
🚗 ~32 min · 9.2 mi
📍2:00 PM
Airport with ceviche first
One last lime-soaked plate before the flight home.
✈ Live flight status🚶 Travel time between stops🌤 Weather each day📎 Passes & receipts🔗 Share with your group
This is how Petrel lays out a trip. Upload your own confirmations and it builds this for your dates: flights and hotels included, with live flight status and the travel time between stops.
The route, mapped
Every stop below, numbered in the order you would do them.
Make this Cancun & Riviera Maya plan yours
Forward your real booking confirmations to Petrel and it builds this exact day-by-day view for you: flights, hotels, reservations, live flight status, and the travel time between stops. Under a minute.
Start your free tripFirst trip free. No account, no credit card.
Best time to goDecember to April is dry and perfect. Sargassum seaweed varies May through October; check trackers before beach days.
Getting aroundADO buses are comfortable and cheap along the coast; rent a car only for cenote-hopping days.
Local tip: Cenotes ask for reef-safe (or no) sunscreen; rinse off before you swim. Bring water shoes and an underwater camera.
Related itineraries
The full plan as text
The same day-by-day plan as text. Times are starting points, not homework.
Day 1: Arrive and Hotel Zone beach
12:00 PM
Check in and beach
Playa Delfines is the free public stretch with the CANCUN sign.
5:00 PM
Lagoon side sunset
The lagoon bars catch the sunset the beach side misses.
8:00 PM
Downtown tacos
Parque de las Palapas stalls, where the city actually eats.
Day 2: Chichen Itza day
7:00 AM
Early drive to Chichen Itza
Beat the heat and the buses; the equinox serpent shadow is famous for a reason.
12:30 PM
Cenote Ik Kil swim
Vine-draped sinkhole minutes from the ruins; life jackets included.
3:00 PM
Valladolid stroll
Pastel colonial streets and marquesitas on the plaza before driving back.
Day 3: Isla Mujeres
9:00 AM
Ferry from Puerto Juarez
Twenty minutes across; rent a golf cart on arrival.
11:00 AM
Playa Norte
Waist-deep turquoise for hundreds of meters; the best swim beach in the region.
3:00 PM
Punta Sur cliffs
Temple ruins and iguanas at the island’s wave-carved tip.
Day 4: Tulum and cenotes
8:00 AM
Tulum ruins
A walled Maya city on a cliff over the Caribbean; go at opening.
11:30 AM
Gran Cenote or Dos Ojos
Snorkel between stalactites; turtles glide under you at Gran.
3:00 PM
Tulum pueblo lunch
Antojitos in town cost a third of the beach-road prices.
Day 5: Slow morning and market
9:00 AM
Last beach swim
Morning water is calmest; get the swim in before checkout math.
11:30 AM
Mercado 28 souvenirs
Haggle kindly: start at half, land around two-thirds.
2:00 PM
Airport with ceviche first
One last lime-soaked plate before the flight home.
Make this Cancun & Riviera Maya plan yours
Forward your real booking confirmations to Petrel and it builds this exact day-by-day view for you: flights, hotels, reservations, live flight status, and the travel time between stops. Under a minute.
Start your free tripFirst trip free. No account, no credit card.