ALONG THE RIVIERA MAYA

In the early 1980s, the pristine, beach-girdled Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula was marked by little more than a few fishing villages. There was a hotel here and a hammock there, but not much of an effort to identify their position, nor much infrastructure to support them.

But just as it did for Cancún in the early 1970s, Mexico's government tourism development agency decided to put a name to this beautiful face, and the Riviera Maya was born. And soon enough, a highway was built parallel to the coast, linking these sun-drenched towns and villages to the Cancún airport.

Sure, the name rings of romanticized marketing conceit, but Riviera Maya is indeed an ideal description of the magic carpet of sand that unrolls virtually unbroken for 81 miles south of Cancún.

Better still is the breadth of vacation options: From elegant hideaway resorts to wallet-conscious all-inclusives, from lively beach bars to candlelit gourmet repasts -- Riviera Maya delivers. But since the region's developed areas have sprung up in recent months, you are excused for not knowing the difference between Xpu-Ha and Esencia, Maroma and Mayakoba.

In fact, many travelers assume the Riviera Maya is merely an extension of Cancún (probably in part because they share an airport). It's not. With more than 37,000 hotel rooms of its own -- a number projected to double by 2025 -- and almost 3 million visitors annually, Riviera Maya is a fierce competitor to its more famous neighbor. But whereas Cancún is a busy resort city, down south the visitors are spread out over a much larger area and resorts tend to be more intimate.

So, pack up your rental car at the airport and head south along Hwy. 307.

Northern star The Riviera Maya starts in Puerto Morelos, one of the coast's last genuine fishing villages, 12 miles south of the airport. The beach here is not as impressive as those deeper into the region -- the salt-and-pepper shoreline doesn't glisten quite as brightly, and less-than translucent seas have a blanket of turtle grass underfoot.

But there are advantages to being based in Puerto Morelos. Your airport transfer is barely 20 minutes, and the proximity to Cancún makes an evening out on the town a realistic option. Nightlife in laid-back Puerto Morelos may be a tad scruffy, but it's fun for an evening or two. Better still, the barrier reef -- the world's second-longest -- lies less than a mile offshore and it's a designated marine reserve along this section of Riviera Maya. The beaches are quiet and uncrowded.

Where to stay: The 496-room Paradisus Riviera Cancún is an all-suite, all-inclusive resort that lines the most favorable stretch of beachfront just north of Puerto Morelos. Amenities include 24-hour room service, a pillow menu and AAA four-diamond restaurant, plus an adults-only wing heralding butler service. * Doubles are priced from $350 all-inclusive ($478 high season); 1-888-741-5600; paradisus.com.

Luxe landings Eighteen miles south of the Cancún airport begins Riviera Maya's gold coast. Ask locals where their favorite beach sits and watch their eyes go dreamy as they slowly mouth, "Maroma."

Virtually untouched by developers until recently, Maroma is where talcum-soft sand and tranquil waters meet to comprise what is arguably the region's finest beach, first inhabited by the classy Maroma hotel, a Mayan-Moorish honeymoon oasis. There's no town here: The jungle behind the beach is thick and daunting, while the sand is the color of alabaster.

Just south is Mayakoba, a 593-acre development shared by three hotels hugging a milelong stretch of coast. Most of the rooms and facilities are situated half a mile inland to accommodate an undeveloped mangrove lagoon that sits just behind the beach dune, leaving Mayakoba feeling like it's on the edge of encroaching jungle, with cormorants and egrets fishing and preening in the morning sun. A 7,000-yard Greg Norman golf course borders the property.

Where to stay: The strikingly modern 128-room Rosewood Mayakoba makes the most of its constrained beach frontage with a series of channels that allow every room to face a waterway (a few beachfront rooms are extravagantly priced). The first-rate spa overlooks a cenote, a natural reservoir. From $590 ($790 high season); 1-888-767-3966; rosewoodhotels.com.

Beach town The de facto hub of the Riviera Maya and Mexico's fastest-growing city, Playa del Carmen is not exactly a place for seclusion and quiet, but it's also not a high-rise jungle. Often known simply as "Playa," the beach is surprisingly broad and relatively clean -- especially north of main drag Constituyentes -- and resort and dining prices are the region's most competitive. Years ago, city officials had the prescience to designate Fifth Avenue -- one block from the beach -- as a pedestrian-only street, with restaurants and shops that percolate cheerfully each evening.

Despite 180,000-plus residents, Playa is an ideal location for car-free visitors. The town beach is lively, especially around Mamita's, a hip beach club with a pageant of white beds, loungers and umbrellas for rent.

Within walking distance just south of town is the Playacar complex, with hundreds of condos, a golf course and a collection of low- and mid-priced all-inclusive resorts. Intensive building close to the shoreline has taken its toll on the slender beach here; some hotels have planted immense sandbags that look like beached whales in the water to hold the sand. You'll find good hotel deals here, but if you're staying elsewhere it's not a beach worth a detour.

Where to stay: Most hotels are a block or two from the beach. A perennial favorite is La Tortuga, a 51-room hotel with a pool and lush gardens. It's a subdued but sexy hideaway just off Fifth Avenue. From $114 ($160 high season); hotellatortuga.com.

Sacred strands Southbound traffic thins out after you pass Playa, and 4 miles beyond the aquatic theme park Xcaret lies Paamul, a throwback to the Riviera Maya of a couple decades ago when ramshackle fishing hamlets ran on generator power. There's no real village in Paamul, just a bare-bones hotel and trailer park, plus a modest restaurant overlooking the innocent crescent cove. It's worth a margarita stop.

Just south is Puerto Aventuras, which is short on sand and most of its beaches are manmade.

Two miles south is Xpu-Ha, where the beaches don't get any dreamier. All-inclusive resorts anchor both ends of the beach, but to access the choicest, broadest slice of silica, watch for the sign for Al Cielo restaurant, where the Mediterranean menu is strong on delicious seafood.

Where to stay: One of Mexico's top hotels is the 29-room Escencia, the 50-acre Xpu-Ha estate of Rosa, Italian duchess of Ferrari. The elegant hotel delivers a fabulously intimate experience akin to a big house party, and includes an earthy spa specializing in indigenous treatments. From $459, including breakfast ($545 high season); 1-877-528-3490; hotelesencia.com.

Turtle turf Located 53 miles south of the airport, Akumal's beaches are not grand, yet it's beloved by snorkelers who are often accompanied by sea turtles that frequent its reefs. In fact, Akumal translates to "place of the turtles," and nighttime nestings and hatchings on the beach are a regular event June through September.

The north end of Akumal is Half Moon Bay, the main turtle nesting area, which is lined with rental condos (many of them owned by American ex-pats). Akumal Bay is a small, sometimes busy beach that fronts the central business area where there are restaurants, bars and watersports options. South of Akumal the shore becomes Jade Beach, with some rockier points of entry into the water, and then improves at South Akumal.

Where to stay: Hotel Akumal Caribe is a 61-room resort with oversized garden bungalows, along with hotel rooms in a three-story building overlooking the sea. All have air conditioning and a mini-fridge, making it a good spot for families. From $89; ($119 high season); (011-52) 984-875-9010 or 1-800-351-1622; hotelakumalcaribe.com.

Ruin with a view Seventy miles south of the airport is one of Mexico's most important archaeological sites, Tulúm, the only Mayan city built on the sea. It's also home to a dizzying array of small inns and some of Riviera Maya's finest beaches. Tulúm is also coping with a decade's worth of poorly regulated development and as many as a dozen hotels built close to the ruins may be torn down for encroaching on national park land. Still, Tulúm boasts off-the-grid chic that lures a young and international crowd for simple cabana comforts and Buddha Bar aesthetics.

The ruin itself is perched on a rocky bluff and is one of the few places along the Yucatan coast with any topographical character. Small coves are tucked into the rocks immediately below El Castillo, and a milelong stretch of excellent beach that extends south to another series of rocky bluffs is directly in line with the town, which sits a mile inland. This stretch draws locals, and the ambience can be festive. Follow the coastal road just beyond the well-liked restaurant Zamas Que Fresco, and the sand continues -- unbroken, unnamed -- for miles. Most beach access is from the paved road and in many areas requires walking through one of the many small, casual hotels.

Development ends at the 1.5-million-acre Sian Ka'an Biosphere, a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the park is focused on jungle walks, mangrove lagoons and unexcavated ruins, the 22-mile Boca Paila peninsula is fronted by a ribbon of fine white sand that will indulge your most escapist Robinson Crusoe fantasies. Beware the road heading south, the worst of which is best left to all-wheel-drive vehicles.

Where to stay: Accommodations in Tulúm range from high-style roughing-it to dank hovels. Expect little in the way of air conditioning, phones or TVs, and be prepared for occasional mosquito invasions. Charming Piedra Escondida is an eight-room inn of two-story palapas overlooking a placid cove raked clean each morning. Hammocks sway on the porches; a small restaurant serves inexpensive meals. From $105, including tax and breakfast ($165 high season); (011-52) 984-100-1512; piedraescondida.com.

*Unless otherwise noted, all nightly rates are per room, double-occupancy, and do not include meals or taxes.

San Diego-based David Swanson is a contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler and writes the "Affordable Caribbean" column for Caribbean Travel & Life magazine.