Things to Do in Riviera Maya & The Yucatan

The Community Baboon Sanctuary is dedicated to protecting and preserving Belize's black howler monkey population. The 18-square-mile (29-square-kilometer) reserve in the jungle contains about 1,500 monkeys, as well as anteaters, armadillos, iguanas, turtles, deer, and more than 200 different species of birds.

 

The Basics

Sanctuary visitors, including tour groups and independent travelers, are given tours where guides identify the wildlife and vegetation, and explain the local culture. The on-site visitors' center and natural history museum also provide information about the environment, conservation efforts, and the monkeys themselves. Visitors can follow trails through the forest or take canoe rides on the river to spot black howler monkeys (locally called baboons) and other animals.

 

Things to Know Before You Go

The entrance fee includes a guided nature walk; most third-party tours cover the fee.

The sanctuary recommends bringing water, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Several tour options are offered, including a night hike, bird tour, and a river canoe tour.

 

The Community Baboon Sanctuary is located off Boom-Hattieville Road, about 17 miles (27 kilometers) from the village of Hattieville. There are two major buses serving the Belize River Valley area: the McFadzean and Sons Bus leaves from Amara Avenue in Belize City, and the Russells Bus leaves from Euphrates Avenue. Many ours from Belize City include round-trip transportation.

 

The sanctuary is open Monday to Sunday, from 8am to 5pm. The best time to visit Belize is between late November and mid-April, during the country’s dry season. This is also peak season, so expect to encounter more tourists while enjoying the most pleasant weather.

 

The nearby Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best bird-watching spots in Central America. It’s home to native and migratory birds, as well as the elusive Jabiru stork. The sanctuary’s wetlands are filled with a diverse mix of plants and animals that you can discover by boat or on foot.

One of the best attractions in Anton’s Valley (Valle de Antón) is the Chorro el Macho waterfall. This 280-foot (85-meter) waterfall is just a short way north of the town of La Mesa and is one of the most beautiful areas of the valley.

A pleasant half-hour walk through the rain forest on well-marked paths leads you to the waterfall. At the foot sits a large natural pool, and walking paths run through the area for exploration, with suspension bridges running over the river.

For the adventurous, there are also zip lines through the treetops that provide breathtaking aerial views of the Chorro el Macho waterfall. If visiting with a guide, they can point out local animals, birds and butterflies, as well as various points of interest. The falls are most spectacular in the wet season.

This waterfall site has not one but three separate streams to visit—from a 35-foot cascade right as you enter the falls area to two larger waterfalls that require a hike through the forest reserve. The first waterfall is accessible via a paved path with handrails and is worth making the visit to for the sight alone. The natural pools here make for a refreshing swim.

The forests are popular for hiking among large boulders, creeks and trees. The winding path leads through a nutmeg plantation, first visiting the second waterfall named “Au Coin” before finally reaching the farthest waterfall (“Fontainebleu”), which towers 65 feet over the ground below. It takes approximately an hour to reach the final waterfall, and while it is possible to swim in the clear, small pools underneath the falls, visitors are advised to watch the currents.

If you were just walking by Clos Montmartre on a trip to the Sacre-Couer, you might assume it was just a particularly lovely community garden dotted with peach trees and vines. Actually, the Clos is the oldest working vineyard in Paris, and on clear days, from here you can see all the way out to the Eiffel Tower. 

The best time to visit Clos Montmartre is during Fête des Vendanges — the harvest festival — when the grapes from the Clos are taken over to Montmartre town hall to be fermented and turned into around 1,500 bottles of gamay and pinot noir. 

With its castle-like turrets and dramatic riverfront location, La Conciergerie is an imposing sight, stretching along the west side of the Île de la Cité. Once part of the Palais de la Cité, along with the neighboring Palais de Justice and Sainte Chapelle, the former medieval palace is best known for its role in the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror, when it served as a prison. 

An estimated 3,000 prisoners were held at the Conciergerie prior to being taken to the guillotine during the Reign of Terror, among them Charlotte Corday, Madame Élisabeth, poet André Chénier and Marie Antoinette, and it continued to serve as a prison until it was decommissioned in 1914. Today, La Conciergerie is preserved as a National Monument and visitors can discover its dark legacy on a tour of the grounds, including the Prisoners’ Gallery, Marie-Antoinette’s dungeon, the Great Hall and the 14th-century Tour de l’Horloge, the Conciergerie’s 47-meter high Clock Tower, which displays Paris’ oldest clock.

Cinque Terre National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of postcard-worthy landscapes: sweeping sea cliffs dotted with sandy coves, brightly painted villages clinging to steep terraces, and forested plateaus blooming with wildflowers. Stretching some 4,300 acres (1,740 hectares) along northern Italy’s rugged Italian Riviera, the park dazzles visitors with breathtaking views of the Mediterranean coastline.

 

The five centuries-old villages comprising Cinque Terre National Park—Monterosso al Mare, Riomaggiore, Corniglia, Manarola, and Vernazza—are the main draw for travelers. A well-worn footpath links the towns; some portions of the trail are better maintained than others, but all offer stunning views over the Ligurian Sea. Day tours are the most convenient way to visit the coast, running to the Cinque Terre from La Spezia, Siena, Pisa, San Gimignano, and most commonly, Florence. Most day trips squeeze in all five towns plus a stop in nearby Portovenere, but those who want more time in the Cinque Terre can stay overnight or on a multi-day tour to make the most of outdoor activities—such as hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and paragliding—plus the region’s seafood and warm hospitality.

Cinque Terre National Park is two hours from Florence by road, an hour from Pisa, and 20 minutes from La Spezia. Parking is limited in the villages, so unless you are staying in Cinque Terre overnight, ditch the car and join a tour or arrive by train. Trains (year-round) and ferries (mid-April through October) connect the five villages, but the best options for exploring the national park are hiking and mountain biking. 

 

Cinque Terre National Park sees the most visitors (especially day-trippers) and the highest temperatures—upwards of 100°F (40°C)—during summer. Hikers should aim to visit in May or September to avoid the heat, while budget-minded might plan around August, when hotel prices rise. Visiting in winter is possible, but some hiking trails may be inaccessible in rainy weather. 

There are over 75 miles (120 kilometers) of hiking trails in Cinque Terre National Park, some of which were the only connection between the villages and the hinterland for centuries. Today, the most commonly traversed path is the Blue Trail (Sentiero Azzurro), a six-hour coastal trail linking Cinque Terre’s villages and offering spectacular views. For visitors who fancy more of a workout, there are plenty of rugged mountain trails, including the Sciacchetrail, a challenging 29-mile (47-kilometer) route that loops around the entire protected area—and hosts an annual trail-running race.

This massive stone-and-brick structure—built originally as a prison—houses Colombia’s first museum, founded in 1823. The imposing structure is now home to more than 20,000 objects that represent the Colombian experience, displayed in revolving exhibits that fill 17 permanent galleries where there were once only cells.

An excellent exhibit of aesthetically and archaeologically important pre-Colombian artifacts, tells the story of ancient Colombia. But it is the Spanish Colonial collection, featuring everyday objects and impressive works of art, which really dazzles. Oil paintings, beautifully constructed furniture, religious icons and other well-preserved pieces offer insight into a bygone era.

An immense art gallery features the most famous works of Colombian artists past and present, with an emphasis on the experimental and modern. An impressive Afro-Caribbean collection illuminates the culture of Colombia’s coasts. Special exhibitions, musical performances, videos, seminars and other events take place regularly.

Even though it’s less than a mile long, the elevated boardwalk at Cinco Ceibas Rainforest Reserve can take an hour to complete. Here, at Central America’s longest boardwalk, endangered, swooping green macaws can often be spotted in the treetops, and rows of marching leaf-cutter ants parade along vine-covered trunks. Every few steps are worth a stop to marvel at the forest around you—which stretches for over 2,700 acres of pristine Costa Rican countryside. The elevated forest boardwalk aside, Cinco Ceibas Rainforest Reserve is a bright light of conservation in the midst of natural destruction. Here in the province of Sarapiquí to the north of San José, a global demand for Costa Rican pineapples has led to deforestation. Tirelessly working to conserve what they can, Cinco Ceibas set out on a mission to plant half a million trees—including a grove of towering teak that’s been growing for 20 years. Today the teak grove forms the backdrop for eco-tours on horseback, and many of the park’s facilities and buildings were sourced using park-grown materials. Hear the efforts towards conservation while kayaking the Rio Cuarto, a leisurely, slow-moving mountain stream where monkeys, macaws, and red-eyed tree frogs flit across banks and bushes. Best of all, is that despite the park’s remote location and distance from San José, guests are greeted with comfortable facilities and impeccable customer service. It’s the park’s hope, that through education and tourism, that much like the stoic Ceiba trees that have stood for 500 years, the sustainable, natural, conservation practices will help the area keep its forests for at least 500 more.

Once the site of a military port that rescued downed aircrews, Cashboat Beach has since become a favorite ocean-side destination for travelers to northwest Puerto Rico. Clear turquoise waters and calm surf make it an ideal spot for families with small children, but visitors say the picturesque shores of Crashboat are perfect for just about any traveler.

It’s easy to spend a day relaxing on the sands of this quiet beach, with rocky cliffs perfect for jumping into refreshing waters. But visitors agree it’s worth staying until sunset, when the bright red sun tucks behind the deep blue ocean and local vendors come out to prepare traditional food over open fires. Crashboat attracts plenty of out-of-towners on holiday, but it’s the perfect beach for visitors looking to interact with locals and get a taste of contemporary Puerto Rican life, too. 

Locals and foreign visitors alike are thrilled by Versailles' newest attraction, the Court of Scents (Cour des Senteurs). Located just steps away from the main gates of the city's world-famous palace, the Court of Scents opened in 2013 in Saint-Louis, the oldest neighborhood in Versailles.

Inside the courtyard is an immersive experience for the senses. From the orange blossom-perfumed fountain and Maison des Parfums to the garden paths and shopping spots, it's another world entirely. 

While the Court of Scents may seem like a mere oasis for shoppers, it should be noted that it the home of rarities. The Guerlain store here, for example, is the only one in France outside Paris' Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and court's Maison Fabre is the only place in the world to purchase exact replicas of Marie Antoinette's two-toned, perfumed gloves. The Lenôtre combines perfumery and gastronomy for food lovers, and Diptyque, the final shop here, is a uniquely French brand that brings a bit of Versailles home with the visitor.

Held in an intimate underground venue, the Crazy Horse cabaret’s provocative yet sophisticated burlesque-style show celebrates femininity and specializes in the art of seduction, with a series of elaborately choreographed routines performed by highly trained dancers wearing custom-made red-soled Louboutins, bob wigs, bright red lipstick—and often little else. Avant-garde artist Alain Bernardin established the venerated Crazy Horse de Paris in 1951.

During the cabaret’s 90-minute Totally Crazy show, audience members witness some of the troupe’s most classic routines, including the well-known Philippe Decouflé–choreographed Crazy Horse Guards, which sees the Crazy Girls donning bearskin hats and skimpy royal guard uniforms. The venue also hosts newer acts created by the likes of Dita von Teese and Ali Mahdavi. You can book show tickets in advance or upgrade your experience to include VIP extras such as Champagne and appetizers. You can also pair a visit here with a pre- or post-show dinner at the nearby art deco brasserie, Chez Francis.

 

 

The Crazy Horse de Paris venue is on Avenue George V near the Champs-Elysees. Both the bus (lines 42, 63, 72, 80, and 92) and the Metro (line 9) connect to the nearby Alma–Marceau station. Alternatively, take the RER C line to Pont de l’Alma or the RER A line to Charles de Gaulle–Etoile.

 

Shows take place twice a night, at 8:30pm and 11pm, Sunday to Friday; on Saturdays there are three performances, at 7pm, 9:30pm, and midnight. Arrive early to catch the pre-show burlesque act, which begins 30 minutes before the main performance.

 

Paris is home to several legendary cabaret venues, and choosing between the two most renowned—Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse de Paris—can be difficult. If you want Las Vegas–style acts and fanfare—and to see the world-famous cancan—Moulin Rouge is the cabaret for you. Crazy Horse, meanwhile, offers artistic and slightly racier performances in a smaller, more intimate setting.

The Lavender Museum in Coustellet is at the farm where this brilliantly colored, fragrant plant is grown, harvested and processed into all kinds of products. But far from being a factory or simply a museum, it's a family-run business dating back five generations, and the pride in their work is immediately apparent to visitors.

Included in the museum is a large collection of vintage distilling machines and other implements used as far back as the 17th century; this was the hobby of one of the Lincelé sons. There is also a film about the distilling process and guided tours as well. It's a wonderful, in-depth look at how lavender is used, and even better, it's open even when the fields are not in bloom!

From Arawak canoes to sugarcane milling, nautical relics and cannons, the open-air museum overlooking the harbor at Discovery Bay is littered with fascinating artifacts from Jamaica's past.

If you’re looking for an idyllic beach escape while visiting St Maarten, consider chartering a boat and setting sail for nearby Anguilla, where Cove Bay is one of the only beaches without any resort development to mar the picturesque scenery. Some helpful amenities are available in Cove Bay though, including rental sun chairs and umbrellas. Visitors should bring snorkel gear to explore the shallow, rocky reef at the east end of the bay and also be sure to make a stop at Smokey’s at the Cove to sample some of the tastiest island barbecue around.

Lining the Singapore River, the renovated riverside warehouses and “godown” shophouses of historic Clarke Quay comprise one of Singapore’s major wining and dining precincts. Now pedestrianized and home to shops, restaurants, nightclubs, river cruise bumboats, and floating cafés, Clarke Quay is a good place to look for varied cuisines—from Italian to brewhouse to fine French—and relaxed outdoor bars with riverfront views. It’s also where you’ll find Singapore’s wild Reverse Bungy adventure ride.

No trip to Singapore would be complete without a visit to the buzzing riverside neighborhood of Clarke Quay, and its popularity and importance means it’s included on just about every Singapore sightseeing tour. Boat tours along the Singapore River depart from the quay, and it’s one of the best spots in the city for a night out on the town after a long day of sightseeing.

Clarke Quay is centrally located and is within a 10-minute walk of the City Hall, Raffles Place, and Clarke Quay MRT stations. You can also take a river taxi. Singapore’s hop-on hop-off double-decker buses stop here as well.

Much of Singapore’s nightlife is concentrated in Clarke Quay and nearby Boat Quay, making evening the most popular time to visit. Many of Singapore’s historic attractions are nearby, so be sure to visit during the daytime hours as well.

This neighborhood’s heavy concentration of bars and restaurants means there’s quite literally something for everyone. Global cuisine runs the gamut, from wings and New York–style pizza to Cantonese dumplings and Japanese izakaya (gastropub). Those looking for a party have many venues to choose from, including nightlife icons like Attica, Zouk, and Trace Lounge.

Travelers in search of picturesque beaches, iconic balnearios and extraordinary nightlife will find the ultimate tropical trifecta in the coastal commune of Concon. Home to three of the nation’s top beaches—Playa Negra, Amarilla and Boca, Concon has plenty of options for holiday visitors on a quest for sun and sand. 

In addition to idyllic views of the Pacific, travelers will find towering modern buildings alongside old-school concrete apartments lining the streets of Concon. Expansive public gardens, rundown fishing docks and quiet local villages add character and charm to this popular destination. Visitors looking to dance the night away—even long after the sun goes down—can head to Avenida Renaca and Los Pellines—two of the commune’s most lively neighborhoods.

Centered around the 254-meter hill of the same name, the Croix-Rousse district was the heart of Lyon’s 18th-century silk industry, with the influx of workers earning it the nickname ‘the hill that works’, while neighboring Fourvière was dubbed ‘the hill that prays’. The historic district makes a fascinating addition to a walking tour, with its unique traboules - narrow, tunnel-like passageways that served as the setting to the 19th-century silk-workers revolt - snaking between the historic workshops and running down to the riverside. Today, some of the traboules have been restored, most notably the Passage Thiaffait, which is now home to the ‘Village of Creators’ and lined with artist’s galleries, crafts workshops and fashion boutiques.

The lively district retains its village-like atmosphere and is now crammed with bars, restaurants and cafes, many of which offer impressive views along the riverside. Additional highlights include the daily Croix-Rousse Market, the ruins of the Roman Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls, the landmark Gros Caillou (literally, a ‘Big Rock’) and the Croix-Rousse tunnel, a bus, bike and pedestrian route that burrows through the hill and is now the backdrop for a dazzling light and sound show.

Home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, Cloud Forest at Gardens by the Bay offers travelers access to incredible indoor mountains that climb high into veils of cloudy mist. Visitors can explore tropical canopies and rainforest vegetation while wandering along bridges that crisscross through nine vastly different zones. 

Crystal clear glass panes hang high above the forest floor. The start contrast between breathtaking Mother Nature and the city skyline beyond the dome is just one of the reasons a visit to Singapore’s Cloud Forest is not to be missed.