Tulum · With kids

A flat circuit of Maya ruins on a low cliff, thick with iguanas. Shade is thin — go at opening. Ages 4+.

Shallow ledges, clear water, life jackets included and small turtles cruising the edges. Boardwalks make it easy with non-swimmers. Ages 5+.

Twenty minutes north, a sheltered bay where green turtles graze the seagrass; snorkelling is guided and numbers are capped. Ages 7+.

The calmest swimmable stretch of the beach road, with a gentle shelf and beach clubs that will sell you a lounger for the day.

The beach road has no pavement and deep sand at the edges — a carrier beats a stroller. Keep the middle of the day indoors.