Wellness in the Mexican Caribbean

Harnessing the healing powers of the elements through ancient Mayan rituals, cultural heritage, and mystic charm.

Nestled along the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea, the southeast coast of Mexico has long been a haven for sun-seekers and adventure enthusiasts. But beyond its pristine beaches and ancient Mayan ruins lies a burgeoning wellness scene that’s capturing the attention of health- conscious travelers worldwide. From eco-luxe spa retreats in Tulum to traditional temazcal ceremonies in Cozumel, the Mexican Caribbean is rapidly emerging as a premier destination for those looking to nourish body, mind, and spirit. This unique blend of natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and cutting-edge wellness offerings creates an unparalleled environment for relaxation, rejuvenation, and personal transformation.

The Mexican Caribbean is rapidly emerging as a premier destination for those looking to nourish body, mind, and spirit.

A World Away, Right Next Door

The Mexican Caribbean primarily encompasses the state of Quintana Roo, stretching from Cancun and nearby Isla Mujeres in the north to Chetumal, the capital city of Quintana Roo, in the south. To the north of Cancun is Costa Mujeres. Key areas include the pristine beaches of Cancun; the coastal strip south of Cancun called the Riviera Maya, which includes Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Tulum; the island of Cozumel off the coast near Playa del Carmen; and Grand Costa Maya, the southern portion of the coast, which includes Mahahual, Bacalar, and Chetumal. It also includes the resort- rich area of Mayakoba, home to a spectacular stretch of white-sand beach overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. The second largest barrier reef in the world is just offshore, offering world- renowned scuba diving and snorkeling.

You may have indulged in spa and wellness on the islands of the Caribbean, but the Mexican Caribbean just hits differently. The difference here is a plethora of wellness offerings in four- and five- star resorts with trend-forward spas along with coastal areas of blue waters, sparkling cenotes, lazy palm trees, and walkable towns and villages where tradition and colonial-style charm offer an escape from the ordinary into the extraordinary. The difference is also in the inclusion of Mayan practices into your wellness experience: time-honored and ancient traditions like the famed temazcal ceremony. You’ll also find a fusion of the two such as in the Bee Healing Ritual at the Maroma Spa by Guerlain, the first Guerlain Spa in Latin America at the Belmond Maroma resort. This two-hour, honey-based treatment is renowned for its effective healing powers. It includes facial and body exfoliation, followed by massage with warm herbal pouches and a deeply regenerative scalp treatment.

A unique workshop also featured on property is interacting with rare “stingless” Melipona bees. The Mayans believed bees were the messengers of the gods, and by spending time learning and witnessing the Melipona bees at work in their colony, guests will understand the importance of preserving this magical local species.

Facing the Caribbean Sea, the Mexican Caribbean primarily encompasses the state of Quintana Roo, stretching from Cancun in the north to Chetumal, the capital city of Quintana Roo, in the south.

A Sea of Tranquility

The Mexican Caribbean is also about finding your center—through yoga on the beach, rituals or treatments, or just in listening to the birds floating through the rainforest.

“It’s not only about having a massage. It’s about how you feel overall, how you spend the rest of the day while you are here. Even when you are in your room. It’s about how quiet the hotel is even though we have a large staff,” says Yazmin Alvarado, head of sales and marketing, the Viceroy Riviera Maya. This resort also includes Mayan-inspired rituals and deep dives including a visit to a private cenote a half-hour’s drive from the property where you’ll be able to see why the Mayans believed that these limestone wells were the physical doorway into paradise (the word “cenote” comes from the Mayan word ts'ono'ot, which refers to any location with accessible groundwater). At the Viceroy’s private cenote experience, you’ll be able to swim, snorkel, and relax around this pristine body of water with nothing to interrupt your peace but the echoes of your sighs as all your stress floats away.

Through the resort’s “Inner Path” ritual guided by its personal growth leader Balder, the ceremony mirrors the natural journey of a seed, nurturing the potential within each guest to bloom into their true selves. Just as a seed faces challenges to blossom, human nature thrives when given the space to reconnect, grow, and express its unique essence.

Also based on Mayan healing rituals and wisdom, Palmaïa - The House of AïA is a unique oceanfront wellness resort, surrounded by more than 900 acres of virgin jungle in the Playacar area of the Riviera Maya. The resort’s Atlantis Spa is set deep in the jungle surrounded by rock formations, where treatments are experienced in individual temples integrated into this lush landscape. Here, you can pamper your skin with a body exfoliation using the regenerative and moisturizing properties of cactus, agave, and prickly pear. Delight your senses as you’re surrounded by the aromas, herbs, sounds, and textures that will take you on a journey through the hands of Mexican healers.

From Ritual to the Science and Practice of Wellness

While Mayan rituals of wellness, beauty, and regeneration take pride of place on the Mexican Caribbean coast, there are also centers of healing, holistic beauty, and wellness that are based firmly on the science of nutrition and fitness. SHA Mexico in Costa Mujeres bases its comprehensive programs on owner Alfredo Bataller Parietti’s recovery of his health through integrative medicine and healing nutrition.

St. Regis Kanai Resort, along with its sister property, Edition, is set in a newly developed area known as Kanai. “Kanai” is considered the celestial birthplace of the Mayans and these resorts were carefully designed around this idea. The St. Regis, an elevated resort rising above the mangroves, is designed in a circular formation, with magnificent views of the heavenly night skies, while Edition is designed lower, grounded to the earth. Incorporating Mayan treatments into its spa offerings, the St. Regis Kanai offers a Celestial Energy treatment with an herbal cleanse, hot stone massage, and aromatherapy tied to the lunar cycle. The third resort located in Kanai is the Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection, inviting visitors to partake in a cultural journey at the resort’s spa, SANA, complete with a cenote-inspired pool.

A Holistic Experience

Mayan rituals get holistic treatment at the SE Spa by Grand Velas Riviera Maya. The spa earned a coveted Five-Star accolade from the Forbes Travel Guide, one of six in Mexico, to achieve this award. The spa is now offering a unique Páak’am Treatment. With soothing and healing properties dating back to the Aztec era, the emollient-rich prickly pear cactus native to Mexico results in anti-aging, ultra-hydrating, anti-inflammatory, and skin-firming benefits.

The Páak’am begins with a traditional Mayan blessing honoring the elements—water, wind, fire, and earth. Then, while the nopales paddles are heating, the spa therapist gently exfoliates the body with a cactus and sunflower-based scrub. After a rinse in the in-room shower, the therapist massages the guest with the warm, malleable nopales pads and a light rosemary oil. Only a small amount of the oil is used as the cactus itself releases a liquid rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, that soaks into the skin.

To start off the wellness experience at the spa, guests can partake in the resort’s acclaimed Water Ceremony, a seven-step hydrotherapy journey inclusive of a eucalyptus-scented steam room with chromotherapy, polar pool, sensory shower, orange-scented exfoliate, clay room, mint ice room, sauna and more.

Rituals of Regeneration

Nestled on a 650-foot private beach, 12 miles north of Playa del Carmen, Chablé Maroma bases its spa treatments on the balancing of elements.

All of its spa rituals begin with a purification ceremony for awareness, centering, and focus. Through the hydrotherapy circuit, you’ll experience thermal pools at various temperatures to invigorate your body. After, the herbal workshop is a highly recommended experience, where, with the guidance of its on-site herbalist, you’ll create your own unique herbal blend to make pouches to use for future healing and relaxation.

Spirited Away in Mayakoba

In the expansive Mayakoba complex of resorts, consisting of beautiful lagoons, jungles, and beaches, the Andaz Mayakoba’s Naum Spa offers a beachside shamanic ritual with its onsite Mayan healer, Fernanda Montiel. Through spiritual guidance and wisdom, she’ll work with guests to help them gain inner peace for a more balanced body and mind.

The resort also lets guests explore the deep magic of Mexican chocolate in its Cacao Ceremony, a ritual that involves consuming ceremonial-grade cacao in a group setting to facilitate connection, healing, and self-exploration. The ceremonies offer a range of physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits, making them a popular choice for people seeking personal growth, healing, and connection.

An Eclectic Mix of Mayakoba Experiences

Also in Mayakoba, the Banyan Tree Mayakoba offers a Honey Moisture Massage. Its Rainforest hydrothermal trail features hot and cold thermal cabins offering 10 experiences to soothe and revitalize body and mind.

Perched on its own jungle-fringed island at Rosewood Mayakoba, Sense, a Rosewood Spa offers an array of treatments that harness the natural elements and the unique beauty of the ancient Mayan culture to provide an overall feeling of balance and wellbeing.

The difference here is a plethora of wellness offerings in four- and five-star resorts with trend-forward spas along with coastal areas of blue waters, sparkling cenotes, lazy palm trees, and walkable towns and villages.

Cancun Cool

Located in Cancun, Nizuc Resort houses the first ESPA- branded spa in the Mexican Caribbean. Its Mayan Cacao treatment uses cacao oil during a variable-pressure massage and ends with warm oil poured upon the forehead. The spa also incorporates The Nizuc Thermal Experience, which includes access to an aromatic steam room with a Mayan stone figure centerpiece, the sauna, ice fountain, cold plunge pool, solarium, heated lounge chairs, vitality pool with hydromassage nozzles, and the relaxation lounge with fresh fruit and herbal tea.

The newest luxury resort on the scene in Cancun is AVA, an all-inclusive property with a chic coastal esthetic, paying homage to the natural beauty of the Mexican Caribbean. The spa at AVA offers holistic experiences with customized treatments.

With so many options for an indulgence of wellness and spiritual experience along with the healing powers of the elements, a journey to the Mexican Caribbean is a chance for a sea of change for body, mind, and spirit.