Mexico’s Caribbean coast, known as the Riviera Maya, is one of the world’s most popular destinations. Known for its stunning white-sand beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and cosmopolitan towns and cities, this 80-mile stretch of coastline attracts millions of visitors each year.
I’ve been tracking the Riviera Maya’s development for two decades now and it’s fair to say that this small finger of land in a remote part of Mexico has evolved into the undisputed leader in Caribbean tourism.
And now, it’s changing once again…
Mexico’s Riviera Maya draws millions from all over the planet thanks to stunning white-sand beaches and glistening Caribbean waters.
As I’ve been sharing in Your Overseas Dream Home recently, the Riviera Maya is in the midst of a new transformation into a fully fledged high-end destination.
Luxury, refinement and sophistication are bywords. Astonishing new residential communities are being rolled out. New resorts too. There’s massive investment in new luxury commercial projects.
This trend is most apparent in destinations like Cancun…in the chic town of Tulum at the southern end of the Riviera Maya…and in Playa del Carmen, the city that’s the beating heart of this coastline.
In Playa del Carmen, for instance, short-term rental demand in the best downtown communities with rooftop amenities is hitting crazy levels. One member of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) is even achieving a 98% rental occupancy rate.
That’s insane! But it spotlights the immense opportunities here.
In mid- to late February, my team were on the ground in the Riviera Maya for The Gathering, the annual meetup of lifetime members of my RETA group. Before and after the event, they fanned out right across this coast, scouting this transformation and digging into the best opportunities.
In the coming days, I’ll be drilling down more on the opportunities in the most famous destinations there—on the high-end luxury market in Cancun…in chic Tulum…and in cosmopolitan Playa del Carmen.
But today, I wanted to explore the smaller towns in between, because even in these lesser-known communities, you can see the transformation that’s taking hold. By way of example, here’s some of the listings my team found, including several they scouted personally…
Puerto Aventuras
Listing Price: $559,000
This condo in Puerto Aventuras has ocean views and access to a private beach. See the listing here.
The community of Puerto Aventuras lies south of Playa del Carmen and north of Tulum. It sits on an attractive stretch of sand and has a deep-water marina catering to yachting enthusiasts.
Last week, the newest member of the RETA team, Geneviève Vienneau, scouted the area. This is what she shared with the wider team: “Puerto Aventuras is an established community that keeps on growing with the demand. There are schools, courses and plenty of activities to do. According to a broker I spoke to, the Bush family used to own a villa here.”
Gen, by the way, is an international real estate investor and an innovator who’s combining family, travel, entrepreneurship and real estate to create the ultimate global lifestyle. She’s also the first and primary guide of the upcoming RETA Academy, an exclusive platform designed to guide you every step of the way as you turn your overseas real estate dreams into a reality. More about this in the days ahead…
First, Gen was in Puerto Aventuras looking for lifestyle and investment opportunities for her and her family. She found this 1,237-square-foot two-bed, two-bath condo. It has direct ocean views from the living room, dining room and balcony, and access to a private beach.
Gen was really impressed by how close to the ocean it is: “When you’re on the balcony you’re almost dipping your toes in the sand.”
This home is on the market for $559,000 and you check it out here.
While in Puerto Aventuras, Gen also toured another stunning luxury property—a 4,600-square-foot, five-bed villa.
This $1.5 million villa in Puerto Aventuras has a pool in the garden and a spiral staircase in the center of the property. Listing here.
The villa has a spiral staircase at its heart, five bathrooms, a small outdoor pool, and a generous, lush garden area.
As with the condo above, the villa has access to numerous high-end amenities in the Puerto Aventuras area, including golf courses, a marina, a dolphinarium, private beaches with crystal-clear waters, and tennis courts.
It’s on the market for $1.5 million. The listing is here.
Puerto Morelos
Listing Price: $799,000
This spacious beachfront home is on the market in the rustic town of Puerto Morelos and comes with a pool. Listing here.
Next we move north of Playa del Carmen to the town of Puerto Morelos…
Puerto Morelos was formerly a quaint fishing village. In recent decades, as Cancun developed, it attracted an expat community looking for a quieter alternative. Today, this town has a stunning beach…a quaint, rustic charm…and it’s beginning to see some more development, including some new upscale condo communities.
Ultimately, though, Puerto Morelos has limitations in how and where it can grow. This is why development leapfrogged it to booming, cosmopolitan Playa del Carmen. It’s also why, though I’ve been looking for years, I haven’t been able to find a RETA-grade deal here (that’s one where we can double our money invested in five years or less).
That said, the high-end boom that’s come to the Riviera Maya can be felt here too in the prices you’ll see. Check out this listing my team found…
Puerto Morelos has a rustic charm and some stunning beaches. But there are limitations on its development.
My team found this large beach house north of Puerto Morelos’ town center. Situated steps from the beach and backed by lush greenery, it’s only 20 minutes from Cancun airport.
Though it has just two bedrooms and two bathrooms, the spacious house spans around 2,800 square feet and sits on a more than 7,000-square-foot lot.
Inside, there’s an open-concept living and dining area and a fully equipped kitchen. The entire second floor is dedicated to the master suite, featuring a high palapa roof, walk-in closet, open-air shower, and a wrap-around terrace with ocean views. Outside, there’s a pool, sunbathing area, and outdoor kitchen. It’s on the market for $799,000. Check the listing here.
Akumal
Listing Price: $895,000
A oceanfront pool sits at the heart of the Akumal community where my team found this three-bed penthouse on the market for $895,000.
Akumal is a small beach town between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. For decades, enthusiasts have gone there to swim with sea turtles. They’re easy to spot in the clear warm waters.
The stunning natural beauty and wildlife deserves preservation. Planning permission is very hard to get. Rightly so. This has kept Akumal slower and sleepier than places like Tulum and Playa del Carmen. Even so, changes are evident here…
A photo my team snapped at the turtle sanctuary in Akumal recently. Here you can have a guide take you to swim with sea turtles. Or simply relax on the glistening sands.
My scout Ciaran Madden was in Akumal during his recent trip to the Riviera Maya. Ciaran says, “The transformation we’re seeing across the Riviera Maya is subtler here, but it’s still evident. In Akumal, it was apparent in the types of people visiting to stay in the resorts and swim with turtles. I spotted not just locals and folks from the U.S. and Canada, but lots of European tourists. There were French couples, German families. People from around the world. And they appeared affluent.”
You’ll find luxury homes in Akumal to serve the affluent set. Here’s one my team found…
Set in the Nikte Ha community, this three-bedroom oceanfront penthouse has direct views of Half Moon Bay. The condo also has a private rooftop garden, and a spacious terrace with an outdoor kitchen and dining area.
Just 10 minutes’ drive to the famed Akumal Beach, the property has also direct access to the beach below in the bay.
It’s on the market for $895,000. Check out the listing here.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. I’m about to launch a brand-new RETA members-only deal on the Riviera Maya…
This is a chance for RETA members to own in a perfect downtown location in booming Playa del Carmen…in an utterly unique best-in-class community with resort-level amenities on a scale unmatched.
- It’s an exclusive deal to own stunning condos in the heart of Playa del Carmen, a short-walk to the beach, the dining, the shows, gyms, stores…
- This community will be next-level, with a half acre rooftop amenity area called The Sky Club.
- I expect gains of $201,600 five years after delivery and red-hot rental income—I’d say an annual gross yield of 13%.
- I expect these 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’ll have more on this in the days ahead. In the meantime, here’s a developer render of this upcoming RETA members-only opportunity (renders shouldn’t be considered final, but can give a good idea)…
A half-acre of resort-level luxury makes The Sky Club at the Landmark utterly unique in Playa del Carmen. Own here at RETA-only pricing and I’d expect gains of $201,600 five years after delivery and conservatively predict gross yields of around 13%. (This deal is exclusive to RETA members. To get access to this and all future RETA deals, join here now.)
P.P.S. If you’re interested in any of these listings above, you should hire an attorney and do your own due diligence. I haven’t visited these properties in person or done any due diligence on them.
