The Mundo Maya or Mayan World includes the states on the Yucatan Peninsula:  Yucatan and Quintana Roo. This is the land of the Maya Indian and is very different from the rest of Mexico. It is sometimes even thought of as a country within itself. The giant land mass jutting out from between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea is actually a limestone shelf honeycombed with underground rivers, caverns and sinkholes. It is topped with expanses of green jungles, archeological ruins, undisturbed beaches with bleached white sands and aqua waters, and peppered with modern resorts and fishing villages.

Mérida, capital of the state of Yucatan, sits on same land as a Mayan city did 450 years ago. A classic colonial city, it has the unique ability to showcase a rare combination of European style and Mayan tradition. Mérida is the perfect starting place to explore the area’s fantastic archeological sites. Chichén-Itzá is 80 miles east of the city and is the most recognizable of Mexico’s ruins. Said to have been built as early as 600 AD, the six-square-mile site has prominent and well preserved structures including a 272-foot long ball court. Uxmal, with its beautifully carved facades, majestic columns and broad plazas, is only 58 miles south of the city.

Quintana Roo became a state in 1975 and suddenly the Caribbean coast of Mexico was on its way to notoriety. Not only does it boast the red hot resorts of Cancun and Cozumel, but it is also home of between 2,000 and 2,500 Mayan ruins. The state capital, Chetumal is located on the border of Belize and has a strong tourist following in its own right, but it’s the cities to the north that get most of the glory.

It was only 30 years ago that Cancun was simply a sand bar on a gorgeous piece of Caribbean coastline. Today, Cancun hosts over 2 million visitors a year. Cancun’s may be the world’s first totally planned vacation resort, all the way from its basic infrastructure to its superstructures hotels, shopping centers and golf courses. Complete in every sense of the word, and resting solidly on its reputation, Cancun is the number one tourist destination in the country.

Cozumel, an island 30 miles long and 10 miles wide is the original Mexican Caribbean playground. During World War II, the U.S. built an air base on Cozumel for planes hunting U-boats in the mid-Atlantic. The frogmen who trained at the base returned home with stories of crystal water and magnificent underwater vistas. In 1962, oceanographer Jacques Cousteau visited the island and proclaimed it to be one of the finest diving sites in the world. The rest, as they say, is history.

South of these mega resorts is the area now referred to as the Riviera Maya. Here you’ll find plenty of new hotels and countless ecotourism based parks, along with some of the Mayan’s world most fascinating ruins. Tulum is the only walled city the Maya built and the only one on the Caribbean. Cobá, equally impressive yet largely unexcavated, is the largest Mayan city yet discovered containing hundreds of structures and encompassing an area of 10-square miles.

Some of Mexico’s hottest beach resort can be found along the golden shores of the Pacific. Acapulco, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo can all be found in the state of Guerrero. Acapulco is, and will always be, the queen of the Mexican beach resorts. It is here where tequila poppers and swim-up bars were born. The jet set Hollywood crowd put it on the map in the 1950’s and though it has unfairly gotten lost in the shuffle in the past decade, Acapulco is as spectacular as ever. It has a personality all its own, and to know this city is  to love this city.

About four hours by car up the coast, you’ll find the the dynamic duo resort towns of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (see-wa-ta-NEH-ho). Though only miles away, they are worlds apart. Ixtapa is one of Mexico’s manufactured resort communities built specifically for tourism. Looking like a plush golf club, it is one of the most immaculate and pristine resorts in the entire country. World-class hotels share a tree-lined boulevard and a stretch of golden sand beach. Two championship golf courses, shops, restaurants and a new Marina complete the list of amenities. For those wanting the ultimate in Mexico, you won’t be disappointed.

Just down the road a bit, is an even more alluring slice of heave on the shores of the Pacific. Zihuatanejo is like a secret you can’t wait to tell. This is the Mexico that movies are made of.  It is the epitome of charm. It is everything Mexico should be. With a magnificent half-moon shaped beach on a calm bay, swaying tropical palms, a cozy town square, excellent fishing, and the warm, kind smiles of local people, this is one very special place. Relaxed and easy paced, this lovely seaside village will win your heart too.

The state of Oaxaca (wah-HAH-kah) blends natural and cultural beauty with beaches and blue waters. Steeped in tradition, Oaxaca is known to travelers as the place to have that elusive “real Mexico” experience. Oaxaca City sits inland on an arid highland plateau and has a magical and romantic feel. Founded in 1532, it still is true to its traditions. Baroque colonial architecture highlights a splendid church and dozens of museums. Vibrant and colorful, Oaxaca is brings the spirit of old Mexico to life in its markets, festivals and celebrations. Monte Albán is a nearby archeological site that is a must if you visit Oaxaca. Built on a hilltop flattened by the Zapotec Indians over 2,500 years ago, Monte Albán was once a holy city of more than 25,000 inhabitants.

If too much culture and archeology have you itching to hit the beach, the state of Oaxaca has that too. Once an inaccessible and remote piece of Pacific shoreline, the beaches of the state are separated into two resort areas: Puerto Escondido and Huatulco. Puerto Escondido has long been a favorite of the California surf crowd and European backpackers, but things are beginning to change. It’s hardly the glitz and glamour of some of its counterparts, but it is a comfortable, lightly touristed hideaway. Huatulco on the other hand is headed for resort stardom. The Mexican government has joined in the effort and is working diligently to develop the 22-mile beach into its next big hit. New resorts are opening all the time and in several years, it could really be on the map as a hot spot. Until then, it is a good choice for seclusion at the sea.

Chiapas, sitting on the border to Central America, is probably Mexico’s most unknown state in terms of tourism. Unfortunately, some overstated bad press has kept visitors from its shores over the last couple of years, but hopefully travelers will give it a chance. Though it is one of the country’s most impoverished regions, it is extremely rich in other ways. Ethic and cultural diversity and vast wildlife are at their most prolific here. Palenque, arguably the most stunning of all the Mayan ruins is found in this state. Back roads adventure and ecology can be experienced up and down this virtually untouched coastline. Wild rivers and thick rainforest jungles make this Mexico’s final frontier. Six national parks and a patchwork of Indian villages make for fascinating travel. But keep in mind that ground transportation is slow and lodging is not always first class. Nonetheless, it is incredible scenery and worth a try for those who are willing to work a bit for some lasting memories.