By Ronan McMahon
“Naked hippies frolicking in the waves…”
It was in the late 1970s my friend Bill Bonner visited Tulum. He flew to Mérida—the colonial town on the other side of the Yucatan Peninsula—because either there were no flights to Cancún, or no road from Cancún to Tulum, he can’t remember which.
In Mérida he rented a Volkswagen Beetle and drove the six or so hours across the Yucatán. (Today that journey takes a little over three hours thanks to road improvements.)
Why did he do it? Curiosity I guess.
Tulum had spectacular Maya ruins overlooking the Caribbean. It had a pristine beach…mile-upon-mile.
That was pretty much it. And enough of a reason to go.
In Bill’s words, he found little else but “naked hippies frolicking in the waves…”
Last year over 30 million people passed through Cancún airport. In 2000 that was around 7 million…in 1990 around 5 million…and before 1975 the number was zero. Growth has been explosive.
“The only thing holding it back was the accessibility,” Bill told me.
You don’t need to be a real estate investor to appreciate the importance of accessibility, of a path of progress…
But it helps.
A new road, a new airport…
And the path of progress along Mexico’s Riviera Maya has been one of the world’s most impressive and rapid. (A path of progress is anything that makes a place easier to get to or more desirable, like a new road or bridge, or a 5-star resort in a place that previously only had basic hostels.)
Of course, there needs to be good reason for people to arrive in the new airports and drive along those smooth new highways. And what better reason than amazing weather, stunning beaches, azure Caribbean water, ancient jungle ruins, fresh-water cenotes…
Billions of dollars have poured into a stretch of Mexico’s Caribbean coastline known as the Riviera Maya.
Mexico’s Riviera Maya is the 80-mile stretch of Caribbean coast running from just south of Cancún all the way to Tulum where it ends in over 2,000 square miles of protect biosphere.
I’ve been a real estate scout and investor for more than two decades. Today, I have a team of scouts, analysts and accountants to help me. We spent more than a million dollars a year on travel and research as we explore the world, hunting for opportunities.
I first scouted for real estate on this riviera in 2004. (I visited as a college student in 1996 but the less said about that the better!)
I flew into Cancún and focused my scouting trip on the area from Playa del Carmen to Tulum.
I found a Playa del Carmen in the early days of a huge transformation. What is today one of the world’s great walking streets—5th Avenue—was nowhere near its three miles in length. Since my first visit in 2004 this pedestrian main drag has extended 32 blocks or more. And the city has expanded in all directions now extending well beyond the main highway with no sign of stopping.
The population of Playa del Carmen was 80,000 in 2004.
Today over 300,000 call the city home.
In 2004 Tulum was still just a dirt road with some ramshackle buildings. Today it’s a booming town with a brand-new airport of its own.
Tulum’s new international airport began operations in December 2023 and saw over a million passengers. This is a classic path of progress event.
A coastline of sleepy fishing villages is now home to some of the fastest-growing cities and towns on earth.
More people pass through Cancún airport than the entire rest of the Caribbean region. Over 30 million. (Second place goes to the Dominican Republic with 10 million.)
What this means for anyone interested in real estate is obvious…
The Riviera Maya is a place that offers an incredible lifestyle…and where the right investment, in the right location, at the right time, can generate extraordinary returns.
I’ve spent years tracking this path of progress, getting ahead of the transformation, forging relationships with top developers, and securing exclusive deals before the mainstream market catches on.
From Cancún to Playa del Carmen and Tulum, the momentum is undeniable. Billion-dollar infrastructure projects, a booming international population, and surging global demand for tropical lifestyle destinations are reshaping the region.
But this is more than just an investment story—it’s about a magnetic way of life that keeps people coming back, or staying for good…
The Riviera Maya isn’t just attracting vacationers looking for sugar-white beaches and turquoise waters; it’s drawing in remote workers, digital nomads, retirees, and global citizens looking for sun, freedom, and a high-quality lifestyle. European snowbirds, American and Canadian expats, upper-middle class South Americans, and wellness-seekers from all over the world are setting down roots here, driving unprecedented demand up.
I’ve been scouting the Riviera Maya since 2004 and now my team and I are seeing a huge and exciting phase of transformation as things hit a higher level of luxury across the region.
This report is for you if you want to capitalize on this epic path of progress transformation.
You’ll discover how Cancún’s meteoric rise set the stage, why Playa del Carmen became the chic beating heart of the Riviera Maya, and how Tulum evolved into a boutique destination, a favorite of the world’s fashion set.
I’ll pinpoint where the next opportunities are emerging—so you can get in before the crowd.
The opportunities today are different from those of the past.
Where once you might have bought virgin land in Tulum and hung out with the hippies waiting for the road to be paved and the airport to be built, today the best deals are only found by having the very best connections to the insiders, the landbankers of old, the most established developers…
That’s why my team and I spend more time scouting the Riviera Maya than anywhere else. And we’re now seeing a huge and exciting shift to ever higher-level luxury as things go upmarket across the region.
It’s yet another moment of transition and change…a moment for us to act.
And it all started more than 50 years ago with AI…
What the Computer Told the Bankers
“We knew exactly what we wanted to build—a resort that would attract a massive flow of tourists from the United States.”
So spoke the man behind the creation of Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
It was 1972. Bulldozers were already at work in a remote corner of the Mexican Caribbean. Cancún was only just beginning to transform from coconut plantation to resort metropolis.
Sensing the beginning of a big transformation, a New York Times reporter had flown south to Mexico City in search of the story.
On the top floor of the Bank of Mexico just off Alameda Square, he found the modest mastermind…a banker.
Puerto Cancún, an upscale 800-acre development next to the ocean and Cancún’s hotel zone, where real estate sells in the millions of dollars.
At 40 years of age, Antonio Enriquez Savignac was a graduate of Harvard. A diligent official with a belief in the power of computers.
Charged by the Mexican government to find and build a money-making resort destination, Enriquez and his colleagues gathered every data point they could find…
They wanted a place with perfect weather year-round.
Eternal blue skies. Warm turquoise seas.
White-sand beaches lined with palms.
The beaches of the Riviera Maya are easily among the best in the world and fringe the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, ideal for snorkeling, fishing, or just bathing in the warmth of the Caribbean.
The place needed a supply of drinking water, a supply of local labor. No snakes and not a lot of mosquitoes please. Oh, as few sharks as possible…
The bankers used statistics from successful resorts from the Caribbean to Honolulu. They looked at Miami Beach, Acapulco…
Into the computer they stuffed data from all over the world.
Average temperatures and rainfall, the incidence of hurricanes…the number of tourists and hotel rooms…
Then the bankers got their swim shorts and hit the beaches. They personally checked out all the sites the computer suggested around Mexico’s 6,000-mile coastline.
This is how a small finger of land in a remote part of Mexico’s Caribbean came to become the undisputed leader in Caribbean tourism.
This was the birth of the Riviera Maya.
The bankers chose Cancún and from there things took on a life of their own. I have been following this transformation in person with boots on the ground for over two decades. Throughout that time, I’ve found incredible opportunities for members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group to buy ahead of the millions of people coming. (More on this later…)
I guess the computer got it right…with the help of the banker’s data and research.
The airport was the key to Cancún’s success…
Cancún airport—with flights to more than 40 cities in the United States and over 20 cities in Europe—sees over 30 million passengers a year. Cancún has grown from coconut plantation with three caretakers to a city of over a million people, and from there development has shot straight down the coast to Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
It’s easy today to take international travel for granted. You can book a flight from your phone and shop around to get lower-cost flights online. In the early 1970s, air travel was for the mega-rich only—people with money to spend. But the middle classes were starting to follow their lead. More and more people were looking to vacation abroad.
In the late 1970s, the U.S. Airline Deregulation Act led to increased competition, allowing new airlines to enter the market. Budget airlines like Southwest Airlines and EasyJet emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, offering cheaper, no-frills flights. The result was lower ticket prices and air travel becoming more accessible.
Cancún: From Coconuts to World-Class Luxury
Cancún’s international airport opened in 1974. It opened up Cancún to a new market of North American vacationers. And their numbers grew rapidly year-on-year.
The first four hotels were completed in 1974. By 1975, Cancún had already welcomed almost 100,000 guests.
Cancún is a classic “path of progress” story.
As I say, a path of progress is anything that improves the accessibility of a piece of real estate and increases its value. Infrastructure like roads, bridges, airports, air, and rail routes. Anything that improves amenities in an area will have the same effect, too.
Cancún’s growth from the mid-1980s to 2022. It’s gone through many stages of development and today it’s a city of over 1 million people with a beachfront that has quietly evolved from mass-market to high-end luxury residences, 5-star resorts, and a magnificent master-planned marina and golf community called Puerto Cancún.
These days, Cancún’s international airport has four terminals, and its 66 carriers operate over 500 flights per day. You can travel to more than 40 cities in the United States and over 20 cities in Europe.
Cancún is a tourism powerhouse. Hotel occupancy rates are among the best in the country. The Riviera Maya generally saw average hotel occupancy of 75.4% in 2024. That’s huge! In Cancún it’s 74.1%.
Cancún’s Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera) is a world-renowned, 14-mile stretch of luxury resorts, white-sand beaches, shopping, and vibrant nightlife. Built on a narrow barrier island, it offers stunning ocean views on one side and the tranquil Nichupté Lagoon on the other.
Now, Cancún experiencing a second wave of transformation…
Long known as a mid-market destination, it’s increasingly attracting some of the world’s wealthiest folks, with stunning new resorts and ultra-high-end residential communities…
Cancún’s Hotel Zone is now world-renowned. Some of the world’s most prestigious hotel chains are moving in here as this destination becomes increasingly upmarket.
To see how upmarket Cancún is becoming, you need only look to Puerto Cancún…
Puerto Cancún is 800 acres of private, master-planned luxury community located just north of the Hotel Zone.
Real estate prices here can run to $5 million or more. You can buy a Rolex in the mall, keep your yacht outside your home, dine in a fine restaurant and play golf on an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf course. There’s a 270-acre ecological reserve, a full-service marina, a club house with a spa, family areas, adult and children’s pools, and full beach access…
One of the most iconic communities in Puerto Cancún is Shark Tower. Here’s a photo my scout Eoin Bassett snapped of it when he was there…
My scout, Eoin Bassett, snapped this photo of the Shark Tower, one of the most iconic luxury communities in Puerto Cancún. In the past few years, Cancún has quietly emerged as a much higher-end destination than in the past.
The Cancún lifestyle is seductive for the ultra-rich…
Picture it…waking in your oceanfront suite at the NIZUC Resort & Spa, stepping onto your private terrace to take in the Caribbean sunrise. A butler delivers your avocado toast with smoked salmon, and after a leisurely meal, you head to your private poolside cabana for an indulgent spa treatment.
By midday, your private chauffeur takes you to Rosa Negra, where you sip mezcal cocktails and enjoy fish tacos with ocean views. In the afternoon, you set sail on a private yacht to Isla Mujeres, snorkeling in crystal-clear waters before a gourmet sunset dinner on deck.
In the evening, you soak up a VIP lounge experience at Taboo Beach Club. As you sip Champagne under the stars, you realize—this is Cancún at its most refined…
In the last few years Cancún has had a re-invention, a transformation. And this transformation has not been limited to the northern end of the Riviera Maya…
The same trends are now playing out in Playa del Carmen, the city at the center of the Riviera Maya .
So, let’s skip down the coast…just 45 minutes or so from Cancún airport to the beating heart of the Riviera Maya…
Playa del Carmen: The Heart of the Riviera Maya
For many decades, Playa del Carmen was mostly known as the place to catch the ferry to Cozumel, an island 45 minutes offshore that’s long been popular with scuba divers and snorkelers.
The town of Playa del Carmen itself was little more than a few dusty dirt roads, with rustic accommodations and eateries by the ferry terminal for the few people who decided to stay the night.
Think thatch palapas. and hens and pigs roaming around. It was, as one visitor commented, a “one burro (donkey) town.”
But Playa has innate appeal. It boasts glorious white-sand beaches…stunning azure Pacific waters…perfect weather…
The government built a new highway in the early 1990s that linked Cancún with Playa and Tulum. This improved access triggered a wave of development.
Playa del Carmen has become a city…fast. Today it’s growing north across the main highway and the downtown is getting rebranded and gentrified. Land prices are soaring, especially as you get closer to the beach and the main walking street of 5th Avenue, where—if you can get the right deal—you’ll own something very special.
Services and little businesses began to crop up. A restaurant here…a little tienda there. Playa del Carmen began to transform. Mexicans from other parts of the country and expats from farther afield started to visit and to move here.
Over time, the sandy streets gradually got paved. Small boutique hotels opened, as did trendy restaurants and organic cafés. Development spread quickly along 5th Avenue, which today is the city’s main drag, a miles-long pedestrian street lined with cafés, stores, restaurants, bars, nightclubs…
Like Cancún before it, this sleepy seaside village was transformed into a world-class tourist destination in a matter of decades. But it also followed a different path than Cancún…
Walk around Playa del Carmen and you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to fine dining and shopping…enjoy sophisticated artisan food stores, wine bars, and premium Cuban cigars.
Central Playa is walkable, the type of place where you can grab an espresso and croissant at a co-working café in the morning…enjoy a lunch of fresh seafood on the beach with your toes in the sand…and have your choice of any number of gourmet options for dinner…with shopping for high-end fashions and artisan creations mixed in—not to mention relaxing spa treatments.
The breathtaking white-sand beaches of Playa del Carmen draw millions of visitors from around the world every year.
Playa is a favorite of Americans, Canadians, and Europeans, not to mention Latin Americans as well as Mexicans from other parts of the country. And it has an enduring appeal to diverse markets, from vacationing families and couples of all ages, to groups of friends, snowbirds spending the winter season south of the border, expats, remote workers…
As I say, there’s so much more than the beach to this city. Playa del Carmen is rich in art, history, culture, nightlife…everything you’d expect of a booming, cosmopolitan destination.
Xcaret is an incredible place to interact with dolphins…and a sign of Playa’s power to attract tourists…
A 15-minute drive south of the city is Xcaret.
Originally a sacred Maya trading port, Xcaret is the Riviera Maya’s premier attraction. Ancient ruins dot the grounds.
Visitors can float through crystal-clear underground rivers, snorkel in natural pools, and swim with dolphins. At Xcaret’s petting zoo, visitors can get up close with native Mexican wildlife. And each evening a spectacular show brings Maya culture to life through traditional dance and ritual performances.
It can cost $950 per night to stay at the Hotel Xcaret, on the grounds of the ancient Maya trading port.
Playa is hip and chic. And we’re seeing it maturing into a sophisticated, upscale destination increasingly drawing a well-heeled clientele with money to spend.
Prices now to stay in the top resorts around Playa can be eye-watering…even thousands of dollars per night.
Located 15 minutes’ drive north of Playa, the Grand Velas resort is an eye-wateringly expensive all-inclusive resort.
In the city and its surrounds, we’re seeing exactly the same trends here that we saw in Cancún…
The ultra-rich and the big luxury resorts have arrived, following the massive influx of folks who want to experience everything Playa has to offer.
Vacation rentals are in demand much year-round. As my contacts on the ground have told me: “There just doesn’t seem to be a true low season anymore.”
In fact, in the city’s best-in-class communities I’m hearing of incredible annual occupancy rates of 75%…80%…even 98%…
98%…I know, hard to believe but that comes from a highly credible and seasoned member of my Real Estate Trend Alert group. (You can watch his interview here.)
Playa’s 5th Avenue is about three miles long, a walking street of restaurants, cafés, bars, venues and stores a few blocks back from the Caribbean. The vibe is increasingly upmarket, with fine dining and high-end international cuisine.
Today, Playa is what I call an “internationalized place.” A destination that’s inherently desirable, a place people want to be in good times and bad. A place to escape for vacation or to just escape full stop. It’s easy to reach thanks to the international airports in Tulum and Cancún.
In fact, it’s the heart of the Riviera Maya and a big rebranding and re-invention by the local authorities is underway to make the most of this.
A condo in Playa is accessible for a weekend from much of the U.S. and Canada. You can leave New York or Toronto or Houston in the morning and be on the beach that afternoon.
You also have great weather year-round…a big mix of people from around the world…lots of fun things to do…good food…a stunning white-sand beach.
This is all ideal for rental income. And it makes for a fun social and night life if you want to spend time here.
With warm waters, tropical weather and powder-sand beaches, Playa is a beach-lover’s paradise.
As I say, the city is taking on a new shape and character.
It’s now entering a new phase, going more upmarket…higher end.
Look at The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya (a 23-minute drive north of downtown Playa del Carmen). When my team checked its rates, the cheapest room available cost $1,106 per night…
Visible from the St. Regis is the Etéreo, an Aurberge hotel that opened in 2022, Their prices start at $1,179 for an 875-square-foot room…it comes with a plunge pool and a view of lush mangroves, extending out into the pristine waters of the Caribbean…There was only one of these rooms left when my team checked…
The Ritz-Carlton Riviera Maya hotel is also coming to the region in November 2026…as is Ritz-Carlton Residences (a three-level, five-bed villa here is on the market for $9.98 million).
The resort is a 15-minute drive from Tulum and Playa del Carmen as well as Puerto Aventuras, currently the only marina in the Riviera Maya. The ideal spot to park your yacht.
And there’s a new luxury development by Archipelago Residences at Playa Mamitas. It will be a mixed-use development with a luxury hotel and residential suites.
5-Star Luxury Down 5th Avenue
Playa is home to the near 500-acre master-planned community of Corasol. It’s home to a well-regarded 18-hole Nick Price golf course, a secluded beach that is only easily accessible to residents, and a beach club, among many other next-level amenities.
Costa Residences is a new ultra-luxury preconstruction project in Corasol comprising vast condos that are frontline to the beach. Prices in Costa Residences start at $1.5 million. At the higher-end, they reach $4.2 million.
Palm Villas is another community of large luxury homes very close to our opportunity in Punta Laguna. There’s almost nothing listed and prices start around $1.5 million for the few that are on the market.
The new Costa Residences project in Corasol. Penthouses here are listing for more than $4 million.
Seventeen years ago, I founded a group called Real Estate Trend Alert, bringing together like-minded buyer and investors who recognize the incredible opportunities in international real estate.
Using our vast network of contacts, and our group-buying power, I’m able to negotiate incredible off-market deals for our group.
These deals are hush-hush. Exclusive to RETA. You won’t find them listed anywhere.
It’s a win-win for us and the developer we work with it.
For a developer, selling even best-in-class real estate takes a lot of time and money. But by coming to our group, they can sell a chunk of their inventory quickly and discreetly. In return, they give us an off-market price that ordinary investors never see.
I’ve brought RETA members several off-market deals in Corasol…
For instance, in March 2022, RETA members could own two-bed, two-bath condos in a community there called The Village from $258,600. The same condos RETA members could buy from $258,600 now start at $351,961—an uplift of $93,361.
The Village at Corasol. RETA members have seen uplifts of $93,361.
In November 2022, RETA members could own two-bed, two-bath condos in the Punta Laguna community in Corasol. Members-only pricing started at $228,600.
Two-bed condos that RETA members could get from just $242,400 now start from $307,009…an uplift of $64,609. A three-bed condo available to RETA members from $338,400 was now priced from $487,205… an uplift of $148,805.
Everyone is coming to Playa…
In the first half of 2024 Playa del Carmen had an average hotel occupancy rate of 89%.
All this translates to one of the strongest markets on my global beat for short-term rentals. You can rent by the night, by the week, by the month. Peak season is getting longer and longer as more tourists visit from across the globe.
That’s why…on the right type of condo in the right location in Playa del Carmen…you can get fantastic rental returns.
Your renters might be young hipsters or older retirees.
They’ll lounge on Playa’s stunning beaches and swim in the warm Caribbean Sea.
They’ll eat out, spoiled for choice with Playa’s dining options that run from simple local-style fare through to world-class gourmet food.
They’ll sample Playa’s fun nightlife…beach bars, nightclubs, live jazz or comedy…just as you can whenever you want if you own here…
Millions of tourists come to Playa del Carmen from right across the world. They want to be close to the beach…and all the action on 5th Avenue and nearby.
Then there’s longer-term renting…
The massive transformation in how people work since the pandemic is a gift for opportunity-focused folks like us.
Mobile professionals have been flooding into the Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen since COVID. The market of longer-term stays has exploded.
The different rental markets—along with the path of progress and the connections of my RETA group—is what makes Playa del Carmen such fertile ground for deals..
My long-standing connections with the most established and innovative developers means it’s possible to do the kinds of off-market deals that supercharge gains and rental yields.
A few more quick examples…
In 2017 in Playa del Carmen I brought RETA members a deal in Siempre Playa, close to 5th Avenue and the beach. A two-bed condo available to RETA members for $264,400, was listed in 2023 for $523,933. That’s a price uplift of $259,533.
Siempre Playa has stunning rooftop amenities, including pool, bars, and breathtaking views. And its convenience is hard to beat…
The incredible rooftop pool area at Siempre Playa. RETA members had the chance to buy a two-bed condo here for $264,400.
There was another RETA deal in a stunning community called Singular Dream at the heart of Playa del Carmen in 2021. The RETA price was from $265,304. In early 2024, two-bed condos were listing there for as much as $574,322. That’s $309,018 more!
Singular Dream enjoys stunning rooftop amenities as well as incredible views. And the RETA-only price was insane value…
One of the keys to the success of these deals was the rooftop amenities. This is what the wealthy folks flocking to Playa want…
The incredible rooftops, private and secluded, with incredible Caribbean views. The Miami lifestyle…and it’s here on the ground in Playa.
Now, I’m about to bring a new deal in Playa, in the perfect location at incredible RETA-only pricing.
It’s set to be utterly unique with resort-level amenities on a scale unmatched…set on a half-acre of private rooftop.
I expect gains of $201,600 just five years after delivery and red-hot rental income if you choose to tap into the booming rental market in Playa.
Remember, this is a place that doesn’t seem to have a low season anymore…
To get this kind of deal in Playa del Carmen is only possible because of years of networking, knowing who to deal with…and knowing where, when, and how to use RETA group buying power to get the best deal.
Let’s continue following the Path of Progress south from Playa del Carmen to the town of Tulum, known for its ancient Mayan ruins, pristine beaches, and upmarket resorts…
Tulum: From Dropout Spot to World-Renowned Beach Town
I first scouted Tulum way back in 2004. Back then, this small beach town on Mexico’s Caribbean coast was barely on the map. The road into town had potholes as big as cars. There was only one ATM (and it was regularly out of order). But what Tulum lacked in amenities it made up for in astonishing natural beauty…
Incredible turquoise Caribbean waters…miles of deserted, palm tree-fringed coastline…pristine white-sand beaches…
I knew this was a special place. And I knew the opportunity would be incredible as it was discovered…
In 2024, Tulum Beach beat out others in the Seychelles, Greece, and the Bahamas to take the accolade for whitest-sand beach in the world.
Tulum started out as a stop on the backpacker trail. Back in the 1970s and ’80s, it was a favorite of hippies and the like. This was a place to “drop out.”
By the early 2000s, when I first arrived here, Tulum was attracting hipsters and fashionistas from Manhattan and elsewhere who wanted to lounge in a beach bed all day, maybe do a bit of yoga, dance the night away at parties in the jungle…and get up and do it all again the next day.
In 2004, The New York Times declared Tulum a “counterculture haven” in a story about a pioneering San Diego resident who opened a yoga retreat center here.
Word was getting out about Tulum.
Once-sleepy Tulum, at the south end of the Riviera Maya, is now a magnet for the ultra-wealthy jet set, who are willing to spend thousands of dollars per night to stay at high-end resorts.
The 2000s marked a period of significant growth, with the town attracting more and more visitors seeking eco-friendly retreats and cultural experiences. Boutique hotels and wellness centers began to emerge at pace, capitalizing on the area’s natural beauty and Mayan heritage.
Visitor numbers exploded, the town grew, and that change continues today at a furious pace.
As time has gone on, Tulum has grown more and more popular. Today, it has entered the mainstream. It’s well-known to all sorts of people, from all walks of life. Couples young and old, retirees, snowbirds, families, remote workers…they are all coming to Tulum.
Around 1.36 million people passed through the archaeological site of Tulum in 2022. And although this statistic deals with only the ruins, this is a good indicator of Tulum’s popularity as a destination in general.
Another good indicator: The town’s population grew from 28,000 in 2010 to 46,000 in 2020, according to the most recent census data. The number now is likely higher still. The majority of that growth is made up of people coming to work in the booming tourist trade.
Then there is the infrastructure…
The first major project in in the early 1990s was the four-lane highway from Cancún airport to Tulum, with a bypass that avoids traffic in Playa del Carmen. It now takes about one hour and 40 minutes to get to Tulum from Cancún.
In recent years, an array of new infrastructure developments have further boosted Tulum’s accessibility and appeal.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening here today…
- Tulum International Airport
A brand-new international airport opened in Tulum in November 2023, and it has far exceeded expectations. Initial projections of 700,000 annual passengers were dramatically revised upward. The airport handled 1.23 million passengers by the end of 2024.
- Tulum’s New Jaguar Park
The newly established Jaguar Park is a vast 7,000-acre reserve, combining two protected areas: Tulum National Park and the Protection of Flora and Fauna Jaguar Preserve. This parkland encompasses the area’s iconic Mayan ruins and beachfront, with plans underway for enhanced beach access, jungle hiking trails, and improved visitor facilities.
- The Maya Train
The plan is for nearly 1,000 miles of rail across southern Mexico connecting five states: Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. That latter state is where you’ll find the Riviera Maya. The first phase of the train network is now operational, with services running since December 2023. A station has already opened in Tulum, connecting the town with Playa del Carmen and Cancún. Trains are running. My scouts visited the station this month and it looks amazing. There wasn’t even track laid here 14 months ago.
Trains are now serving the brand-new Maya Tren station in Tulum.
As you can see, Tulum is on a trajectory to becoming a true city.
And it’s an internationalized place, with a global brand attracting some of the world’s wealthiest folks.
It’s a destination that’s splashed on the pages of the New York Times and Forbes as a hipster paradise. Stars like Leonardo di Caprio and Demi Moore have been pictured on the beach.
But it’s not just the beach that brings people here…what makes Tulum—and the Riviera Maya more broadly—special is its unique combination of features: ancient Mayan ruins, stunning cenotes, jungles full of exotic wildlife, plus sophisticated gastronomy and upmarket shopping…
And there’s Xel-Há… a stunning natural water park located along Mexico’s Riviera Maya, near Tulum.
Known as the “largest natural aquarium in the world,” Xel-Há is a protected inlet and eco-park where fresh and saltwater meet, creating a unique marine ecosystem. Visitors can enjoy snorkeling among tropical fish, swimming in cenotes, tubing down the river, and cliff jumping. The park also features lush jungle trails, zip lines, and underwater caves, offering an immersive eco-adventure experience.
You’ll find cenotes up and down this coast, including in Playa del Carmen.
Another important point about Tulum…
Tulum is the end of the line for the Path of Progress. Development can’t push north because of the ruins of the neighboring ancient Mayan city. And it can’t push south because of the 1,000-square mile Sian Ka’an Biosphere. There are also restrictions on building on the beach!
Within the available land, Tulum is developing quickly, however. New hotels, new boutiques, new cafés, new luxury resorts…
Tulum is in a constant state of evolution…each time moving higher end. Where I used to get my beachfront massages from a friendly local husband and wife team is now a super trendy beach club.
Tulum town has been transformed, unrecognizable from what I encountered when I first explored the area. And its transformation into a true city continues to accelerate.
I’ve brought RETA members some incredible deals here. A few examples…
In 2019, I brought RETA members a deal in a community called Gran Tulum. Members could own two-bed condos here from just $175,000.
Earlier this month, the developer showed my team a new price list. A two-bed condo RETA members could own at launch for $214,600 is now listing at retail for $475,092. That’s $260,492 more!
One of the rooftop pools in the community of Gran Tulum. RETA members have seen six-figure uplifts from our deal here.
In October 2021, RETA members could buy luxury two-bed condos in a stunning, best-in-class called Samsara from $198,600. In July 2022 the remaining units went retail. A mezzanine unit that RETA members could buy for $212,300 was listed at $298,200…$85,900 more. In October 2022, two-bed mezzanine condos that RETA members could buy for $232,400 were listing retail at $332,800, a $100,400 uplift.
The stunning amenities in Samsara include two lagoon-style pools on the ground level with a palapa lounge in between.
The Future of the Riviera Maya
The Riviera Maya—the 80-mile stretch of coast south from Cancún—is today a global destination. It has all the elements…it’s desirable…it’s accessible…it’s easy to do business and live there…
Today we’re a long way from the early ’70s when a few bankers frolicked in the waves on a research mission and chatted to local fishermen about their idea for a global tourism destination.
It’s not just an idea anymore…
Cancún is a city.
Playa del Carmen is now a city.
Tulum is becoming a city.
Playa and Tulum are increasingly upmarket and internationalized. The big money of luxury development has poured into the Riviera Maya.
In Playa you’ll find all the comforts of home—big box stores, familiar brands—along with everything that draws millions of vacationers each year. In Tulum on every visit I see big new infrastructure…a clinic…a road…an airport.
The challenge for real estate investors is getting in on the action…
And here is where the power of my RETA group comes to the fore.
Playa del Carmen has grown from a village to a booming beachfront city in a few decades. Real estate prices have soared—especially on premium property close to the Caribbean and the walking street, 5th Avenue. To have a deal like this is truly a testament to the power of my RETA club.
We have decades of boots on the ground experience in the Riviera Maya…we’ve forged the contacts and connections with the best developers and the key insiders…and we have our highly coveted group-buying power.
This is the RETA edge. Now, it’s unlocked an incredible new deal in Playa del Carmen…
- It’s a RETA deal that gets you a luxurious condo at the heart of Playa del Carmen, a short walk to the beach, the dining, the shows, gyms, stores…
- It’s set to be utterly unique with resort-level amenities on a scale unmatched…So close to the Caribbean Sea…so ideally located in Playa del Carmen…and with a half-acre of luxurious amenities on a lushly landscaped rooftop, complete with Caribbean views.
- It’s a RETA-only deal I believe will see gains of $201,600 five years after delivery and red-hot rental income if you rent.
- I expect your condo will be an absolute money-machine as a rental and a stunning personal retreat in one of the world’s coolest beach cities. I conservatively predict gross yields of over 13% and that’s allowing for personal use.
It’s a phenomenal testament to the deep connections on the Rivera Maya of my RETA club that we have this opportunity…
But I know the developer well. The developer has 35 years of experience and is behind incredible communities including Samsara in Tulum—an hour south of Playa del Carmen— where RETA members had an incredible deal on condos fronting the national park.
This developer patiently grinded away for years to get an extraordinary deal on the perfect location in Playa.
And we’re doing the perfect RETA deal with him to own in an extraordinary community…
There is nothing like this in Playa…nothing. And at our RETA-only price? A deal to blow minds.
Stay tuned. I’ll be sending you more on this opportunity, and many others, in Your Overseas Dream Home.
I Bought in a RETA Deal in Playa Del Carmen…Here’s What Happened Next”
By Steve Garfink
In September 2022, my wife and I flew to the Riviera Maya, Mexico’s Caribbean coast, to take delivery of a brand-new one-bed condo we’d bought there. We purchased it through a Real Estate Trend Alert members-only deal with the intention of using it solely for investment purposes.
Our idea was to use the condo to create another income stream for our retirement. But then we saw the condo and spent a night in it, and our plans changed…
Our condo is in a community called Singular Dream in Playa del Carmen. When we flew down to take delivery of our condo in 2022, we were taken on a detailed walkthrough of the property. And we had a chance to inspect the furniture pack that came included with the purchase price of the condo. We then signed off on the final paperwork, received the keys, and moved in for the remaining couple of days of our visit to Playa. This gave us a chance to explore the community and the neighborhood…
Singular Dream is one short block from the beach. Our unit is on the south side, and we have roomy balconies running alongside the bedroom and living room offering sweeping views of the Caribbean.
The view from Steve’s balcony in the best-in-class Singular Dream community in Playa del Carmen…
On the rooftop of Singular Dream is a community amenity area with a lap pool, lounge pool, gym, spa, and bar/restaurant. From the rooftop, you have breathtaking panoramic sea vistas. It’s as inviting a pool area as we’ve ever experienced.
Then there’s the surrounding neighborhood. We’re just a couple of blocks from Fifth Avenue. While farther south Fifth Avenue has a bustling nightlife scene, at our end it’s delightfully peaceful, yet boasts a wide variety of top-class restaurants.
It took about one day living in our well-appointed condo, and spending time in the neighborhood, before we realized: “Wow, this is pretty cool—we can see ourselves spending some time here and sharing it with family and friends.” We promptly extended our stay for another week!
Our guests so far have been thrilled to stay in the condo. And it’s just so gratifying to be able to offer it out to friends and family and to see how much they love it. And of course, my wife and I are always eagerly looking forward to our next visit.
While we are surprised and delighted to find how much we enjoy the condo and its location, we still think of it as an investment. So let’s dig into some of the numbers…
We purchased the unit, fully furnished, for about $220,000. Over the following 15 months, we made a series of payments that added up to 50% of the purchase price by the time we took delivery in September 2022. Since then, we’re paying the remainder through a developer financing plan over five years. (Access to developer financing is one of the great benefits of buying through a RETA deal. Outside of RETA deals, this financing can be very hard to find.)
We started steadily receiving income beginning in January 2023 and since then we’ve seen the numbers grow and grow…
Our first quarter gross revenue for 2024 was up 27% compared with our first year. And I expect it to continue growing. At the moment, our rental pricing on the condo is below normal market rates. That’s standard when you’re starting out, as you need to gradually build up your reviews and rental history. I expect we’ll continue to see rapid revenue growth as the condo rises to full market rates for comparable properties in the online rankings.
For this year, if we realize a 27% revenue increase across the whole year, our gross yield will be about 12%. And that’s with us using it or sharing it with friends part of the time. Moreover, the net cashflow we receive monthly has covered almost all our payments so far this year. And that’s with the added expense of using a rental manager.
Our original plan with our condo was to buy and hold for the income. Now we have a new plan…hold for the income and the personal enjoyment. So far, we’re delighted with our investment in this RETA deal.
