Punta Venado, Mexico

Punta Venado is a beach focussed town on the Yucatán Peninsula south of Cancun and Playa del Carmen in Mexico.

Stretching nearly 2,000 acres (800 hectares), encompassing lush Mayan jungle, over 2 miles of unspoiled sparkling white sand beaches and some of the bluest water you've ever seen, Punta Venado is truly a paradise found.

Located just 10 minutes south of Playa del Carmen, Punta Venado offers horseback riding tours, snorkeling tours, ATV tours and a very exciting jet skiing experience. There are also wonderful caves to explore. The reefs here are excellent and offer diving and snorkeling close by. Look for rays, moray eels, sea turtles and a huge variety of corals. The lavender sea fans make for very picturesque vistas.

With daily cruise ship visitors coming into Playa del Carmen which is so close by, Punta Venado is starting to become a mass tourism destination. However, one does not need to go very far to catch glimpses of the non-touristic side of things either, like exploring the incredible nearby Mayan sites and wandering through the colourful local markets.

For those wanting a totally relaxing holiday though, Punta Venado is a place where you can enjoy the beach club all day long, including the restaurant and bar, swimming and lazing in the sun under a gazebo.

This is a year round destination blessed by balmy weather, though August and September can be hotter and more humid. Some cruise lines have ships based here all year while others base ships here for the September to April period before moving them to Alaska or Europe. Temperatures remain balmy (mid 20s Celsius) most of the year. August and September are hotter, with temperatures in the 30s and coupled with humidity, that can make shore excursions a bit unpleasant.

General Information:

Language: Spanish
Currency: Mexian Peso
Time Zone: UTC/GMT -5 hours
Dial Code: +52