Exploring Cancun and Riviera Maya reveals a vibrant blend of natural beauty, rich history, and lively nightlife, offering travelers a multifaceted experience beyond the typical tourist attractions.
From the moment I stepped onto Playa Chac Mool in Cancun, Mexico, I sensed that this destination would be more than just a Spring Break postcard. The ocean shimmered under a golden sky, and the waves ebbed and crashed with a hypnotic rhythm. Warm, salty, and sun-drenched, the Caribbean showcased nature’s boldest displays on Mexico’s eastern edge. While many refer to Cancun as the “Mexican Miami,” this description feels too simplistic for a place so rich in culture and history. Over five days, I immersed myself in the thrills of cenotes, ancient ruins, and vibrant nightlife, all intertwined with the region’s scenic beauty.
Traveling often brings forth two impulses: the desire to lose oneself in a new place and the instinct to delve beneath its surface. In Riviera Maya, I found both aspects beautifully intertwined.
The highlight of my first day unfolded beneath the waves. A short boat ride from Cancun, just off Isla Mujeres, led me to MUSA—Museo Subacuático de Arte, an underwater sculpture park designed to support reef conservation. As I donned my snorkel gear and slipped into the open water, the current tugged at my body with surprising force. My heart raced, not just from the exertion but from the breathtaking sight below.
Dozens of life-sized sculptures rested on the seafloor: figures seated at desks, men caught mid-stride, and children holding hands. Floating above them, I felt a profound connection—human memory surrendering to marine life, coral, and the passage of time. Witnessing nature collaborate with art in such a unique way was exhilarating.
After surfacing near the boat, I was panting but invigorated. This blend of physical effort and wonder is precisely what I seek when I travel—experiences that resonate deeply within the mind.
Later that evening, still buzzing from my underwater adventure, I returned to Playa Chac Mool. The beach had quieted as the sun dissolved into an orange dusk. In the distance, the clubs of the Hotel Zone began to glow, signaling another version of Cancun awakening as day turned to night.
Nightlife in Cancun is a spectacle in itself. I arrived at Coco Bongo around 9 p.m., quickly becoming immersed in the atmosphere. The venue felt less like a nightclub and more like a full assault on the senses. Acrobats flipped overhead, confetti rained down, and the crowd—an eclectic mix of tourists and locals—moved in unison. The music shifted from Michael Jackson to reggaeton to Queen, each track igniting a new spark of energy. Even the bartenders performed, slinging mezcal shots with effortless flair. For a few hours, my world was reduced to motion, music, and light.
As I walked back to my hotel in the early hours, sand still clinging to my feet and music echoing in my ears, I understood why so many flock to this destination—to reconnect with something elemental in life: joy, release, and presence.
No journey through the Yucatán would be complete without experiencing the ancient history of Chichén Itzá. On my second day, I joined a local tour from Cancun, venturing inland away from the beach clubs and resorts. When El Castillo, the prominent pyramid at Chichén Itzá, unfolded before my eyes, I felt a sense of awe that rendered words inadequate. This marvel of ancient technology, carved in stone, expressed rituals, astronomy, and imagination. I recalled the famed equinox phenomenon when the shadow of a serpent appears to slither down its steps.
Having grown up in India, where ancient temples and sacred architecture carry their own cosmic significance, I felt a familiar reverence for El Castillo. It struck me how civilizations separated by oceans often speak in eerily similar ways—ancient lore told through stone, symmetry, and story. Standing there, I felt not only admiration for the Mayan world but also a quiet kinship with it.
Later, seeking respite from the afternoon heat, I slipped into Cenote Selva Mar. Surrounded by limestone and vines, this cenote felt like an emerald sanctuary hidden beneath the earth’s surface. As I swam quietly, the cool water enveloped me like a soothing embrace. Floating on my back, gazing up at the ring of sky, I felt time loosen, my breathing slow, and the day’s chatter recede.
Travel offers many pleasures, but moments like these—when I stop trying to interpret a place and simply let it hold me—stay with me the longest.
A day later, I journeyed south to Tulum, a destination that seamlessly blends yoga retreats, jungle hideaways, and beach parties. The Tulum Ruins, perched dramatically above the Caribbean, provided another encounter with Mayan history, accompanied by the salty wind and stunning views of turquoise waters and sunning iguanas. I wandered slowly, allowing the place to reveal itself in fragments: the sea below, weathered stone walls, and bright sunlight illuminating the cliffs. Here, beauty and ruin coexist without contradiction.
After another refreshing cenote swim, I explored Playa del Carmen. Quinta Avenida, the famous avenue lined with boutiques, bars, and beach clubs, can feel overwhelmed by tourism. Yet, I discovered pockets of intimacy that brought a smile to my face—a quiet café serving rich Chiapas coffee or a mezcal bar offering a mango mezcalita.
That evening, I jotted down in my journal: “The folks here have found the secret to happiness—swim and sail by day, dance and drink by night.”
On my final full day, I boarded an ADO bus to Playa del Carmen and then took a ferry across a rough sea to Cozumel, Cancun’s wilder, reef-ringed counterpart. By the time I arrived, I felt as though I had crossed into a place that demanded more from me.
I joined a glass-bottom boat tour and snorkeled over coral gardens and sunken boats. At El Cielo reef, I spotted giant starfish resting below, and a sea turtle glided past, serene and unhurried, as if belonging to another order of time entirely. Beneath me stretched the living body of the Mesoamerican Reef System, vast and luminous, extending from Isla Mujeres to Cozumel and beyond toward Belize and Honduras.
On my final morning in Cancun, I returned once more to Playa Chac Mool. The beach was nearly empty, and dawn had just broken as I ventured into the waves for one last swim. The waves pushed and pulled against my chest, invigorating and intimate, as if bidding farewell.
Destinations like Cancun and Riviera Maya are often marketed as mere escapes—cocktails, DJs, turquoise waters, and curated hedonism. However, when I swam farther and looked deeper, I discovered a more layered experience. I found a landscape where ancient stories still breathe through stone, where water serves as both playground and shrine, and where celebration and sacredness coexist. Beneath the resorts and revelry, I felt a region alive with memory. I came seeking adventure, but I left with something richer: the understanding that the Yucatán coast moves to multiple rhythms—the beat of nightlife, the hush of cenotes, and the long echo of vanished civilizations.
According to India Currents.
Weehawken, NJ was once host to prominent ancestors, infamous neighbors, and the forefathers’ famous duel of 1804. Now, EnVue hotel rises from the revitalized Hudson River waterfront offering a clean slate for new generations to create their own history. You can gather with friends and family for intimate dinners or large, timeless events at Skyline, their 25,000 sq ft adaptable outdoor terrace encircled by NYC’s horizon. You can also host a meeting for about 800 attendees inside the WorldVue Ballroom, their most expansive venue. And showcase your vision with their state-of-art audiovisual equipment, available in every meeting room. At night sleep well in their well-appointed suites and guest rooms with a host of amenities.
The apex court clarified that the question in connection with the ownership of airport land will remain open. The Kerala government had challenged the Airports Authority of India (AAI) decision to prefer Adani over it for management of the airport. The appeal argued that this decision was not in public interest and granting concession to Adani, who has no previous experience in managing airports, was violative of the provisions of the Airports Authority of India Act.
The report also said the top five states for domestic tourist visits in 2021 were Tamil Nadu (115.33 million), Uttar Pradesh (109.70 million), Andhra Pradesh (93.27 million), Karnataka (81.33 million) and Maharashtra (43.56 million)
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Kerala is ranked ninth in the “World’s Greatest Places 2022” list as an eco-tourism spot. The US magazine wrote that Kerala has spectacular beaches and lush backwaters, temples, and palaces and is known as ‘God’s Own Country’ with good reason.
Titled ‘Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future’, the study measured “the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of the T&T sector, which in turn contributes to the development of a country”.
“If you’ve ever wondered to what extent AAHOA serves its membership, I am a perfect example,” Patel said. “My parents didn’t have the opportunity to have AAHOA as a resource, but thankfully, when I took over the family business, AAHOA was there for me as I navigated the hospitality industry. AAHOA provided me with the educational tools I needed to run a hotel successfully.”
“In order to fulfill this mission, AAHOA created the 12 Points of Fair Franchising Ad Hoc Committee, which was tasked with recommending revisions to the 12 Points of Fair Franchising,” Patel said. “And I’m pleased to announce today that, with the help, support, and input of the 12 Points of Fair Franchising Ad Hoc Committee and the AAHOA Board of Directors, we’re releasing the updated 12 Points of Fair Franchising.”
In fact, the southbound leg of the historic new route will become the fourth-longest flight in the world, with a flight time clocking in at 17 hours and 35 minutes. The route will also be the first-ever nonstop from the 
I am pleased to announce that Justin Knight, CEO of Apple Hospitality REIT, and Jay H. Shah, CEO of Hersha Hospitality Trust, are the guest speakers for the Young Professional Hoteliers Session on Wednesday, April 13 at 
“The hospitality industry has always been one to step up in times of need,” Patel said. “The HospitalityHelps initiative is a true testament to what can be accomplished when we work together to help those who are suffering.” HospitalityHelps is currently connecting families on the run from the war in Ukraine with hotel owners across the world providing free hotel stays. “At the end of the day, people just need to feel safe. They need a roof over their heads and a place to call home while their country is experiencing extreme unrest,” Patel said. “This is the very foundation of the hotel industry and what hotel owners strive to do each and every day: provide solace and peace for those who need rest and a safe place to stay.”
“I have faced more challenges than I care to recount here, and I don’t cite my accomplishments to brag. Instead, they demonstrate the difficulties that many of us have faced on our ascent into leadership.”
“Today is the beginning of a new chapter. The entire nation’s eyes are on us, waiting to see what we will achieve together. To build the airline our country needs, we need to look to the future,” it added. Notably, the purpose of the letter was to welcome the employees into the Tata Group “family”.
For example, in Florida, “you have to own a car. If you are coming from an area where auto usage is uncommon, you are going to have quite a shock. Mass transit is almost unknown,” he says.
As hundreds of woolly black camels trotted through the dusty pastures, necks and humps bobbing, one of the organizers, Mohammed al-Muhari, outlined the platonic ideal.
Planned in collaboration between project’s designer, OCEANIX and the UN Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat), the 
India’s passenger* traffic stood at 115.37 million in FY21. Domestic passenger and international passenger traffic declined at a CAGR of -9.02% and -28.64%, respectively, from FY16 to FY21, owing to COVID-19-related restrictions on flights in FY21. In FY21, airports in India pegged the domestic passenger traffic to be ~105.2 million, a 61.7% YoY decline, and international passenger traffic to be ~10.1 million, an 84.8% YoY decline, over the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. In March 2021, the average daily passenger traffic stood at 546,702.90.
Also, American Airlines’ Bengaluru-Seattle that was supposed to start from January 4, 2022, stands deferred to March-end as corporate travel is yet to pick up and expected to revive till then. The Airline suspended its India flights in 2012 when it terminated its Chicago-New Delhi flight which it started in 2007.
The guidelines released last week had said that travelers coming from a country with which India has reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO-approved Covid-19 vaccines would not have to self-isolate but would have to produce a negative RT-PCR test.
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That means travelers looking to enter the country, whether it’s to reunite with family and friends or as a tourist, will be able to do so again for the first time since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The policy will start November 8, “in alignment with the new international air travel system,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in 
The initial report, unveiled at the 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in Dallas, Texas, revealed that the association’s nearly 20,000 hoteliers own 34,260 hotel properties, which account for 60 percent of the hotels in the United States. These properties have 3.1 million guestrooms and account for 2.2 million direct-impact jobs. The state-level reports highlight key data points such as the annual economic impact that AAHOA Member-owned properties have in each state, labor and job impacts, guest spending, member purchases from other businesses, annual capital investments, and much more.
Tata Group and SpiceJet chairman 
In India, the climb recommenced in June after a huge drop in April-May during the second Covid wave, which made India’s domestic air travel demand take the deepest plunge worldwide. Domestic air travel demand (measured in revenue passenger kilometres: number of kilometres flown by all passengers) was the lowest in May. It fell 71% as compared to the pre-Covid month of May 2019, showed IATA data. Only Japan with a 68.5% drop in demand as compared to May 2019 came close. But India caught up in August: its domestic travel demand rose to almost half of that in pre-Covid August 2019. It had been down 60% in July.
“In a highly unpredictable year, these signings are a testament to Marriott International’s resilience and agility in driving strong growth within a hospitality landscape that continues to evolve,” commented Rajeev Menon — President Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International. “It is a sign of confidence from our owners and franchisees who have been an integral part of our growth journey. We are grateful for their continued support and trust in the power of our brands as we continue to welcome back travellers.”
During his interim period, Greene oversaw the association’s return to in-person events with the 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in Dallas, Texas. The convention, which drew more than 6,000 attendees, was the first such event in the city since the start of the pandemic.