Puerto Morelos

Travel Guide

Puerto Morelos featuring a sandy beach, a coastal town and tropical scenes
Puerto Morelos which includes a bay or harbour and boating
Puerto Morelos
Photo provided by Cancun CVB
Photo provided by Cancun CVB

Discover the natural wonders of the area, both underwater and on land, around this sleepy Caribbean village.

Step away from the busy resorts along the Riviera Maya, and delight in the peaceful atmosphere in this small, beachfront village. The pace of life is very relaxed here and the population is made up of locals, rather than tourists, giving a charming insight into everyday life in this idyllic setting.

The sea is ever-present in Puerto Morelos and is the lifeblood of the community—fishing boats still go out every day and bring their catch into the piers. The beautiful sandy beach is a major attraction, and it is easy to spend a day lounging on it, but what lies beyond is the real reason why so many visitors come here—the Great Maya Reef lies just 500 metres off shore. This is the world’s second largest reef system and stretches for over 1000 kilometres. The section at Puerto Morelos has been declared a national park, to protect the flora and fauna.

The reef can be accessed by swimmers and divers of all abilities, as the coral lies very close to the surface in these shallow waters. Hire a snorkel from one of the village’s many diving shops to experience the vast array of fish species, including eels, nurse sharks and brightly coloured parrot fish, up close. More experienced divers can head to the deeper water, either independently or as part of a tour.

Away from the water, there is much on offer in Puerto Morelos. Shoppers can browse the artisans’ market for handcrafted hats, locally made clothes and wood carvings. Or head out to the leaning lighthouse—this hardy building has survived three hurricanes, but is still standing.

Puerto Morelos also offers some fascinating land-based natural beauty—join an All-Terrain Vehicle tour around the mangrove swamps, which are home to hundreds of species of birds and over a thousand plant species.

This is a very laid-back village with very little nightlife. The handful of cafés, restaurants and bars in Puerto Morelos offer a relaxed way of spending an evening in beautiful surroundings.

Puerto Morelos is the first town along Highway 307, 38 kilometres south of Cancun and 35 kilometres north of Playa del Carmen. Once you get here, park your car and explore on foot, as everything is just a short walk away.

Excellence Riviera Cancun - Adults Only All Inclusive
Excellence Riviera Cancun - Adults Only All Inclusive
5 out of 5
Carr. Federal 307 Chet-Pto. Juarez, Km 324 - 342, Mza. 7, Lt. 1, SM 11, Puerto Morelos, QROO
Stay at this 5-star luxury property in Puerto Morelos. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 6 outdoor pools. Our guests praise the pool and the restaurant in our ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,680 reviews)
"The service"

Reviewed on 28 Jun, 2025

Excellence Riviera Cancun - Adults Only All Inclusive
Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
4.5 out of 5
Carretera Federal Chetumal Puerto Juárez, Km 324-342 Manzana 1, Lote 3, SM 11, Puerto Morelos, QROO
The price is S$428 per night from 5 Aug to 6 Aug
S$428
5 Aug - 6 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury property in Puerto Morelos. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 3 outdoor pools. Our guests praise the pool and the restaurant in ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,252 reviews)
"Amazing time, beautiful resort"

Reviewed on 6 Jul, 2025

Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
Ventus Ha at Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort
Ventus Ha at Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort
4 out of 5
Boulevard El Cid, Unidad 10, Puerto Morelos, QROO
The price is S$471 per night from 13 Jul to 14 Jul
S$471
13 Jul - 14 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Puerto Morelos. Enjoy 2 outdoor pools, a full-service spa, and 2 restaurants. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,014 reviews)
"The room was new and clean. The smell was horrible by the beach. Only time they would come to clean our room was at 9pm. Hard to get dinner reservations. The buffet is way to small for 3 properties to use."

Reviewed on 8 Jul, 2025

Ventus Ha at Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Velas Condos
Velas Condos
3 out of 5
Javier Rojo Gomez SM 2 Mz 13 Lote 2-12, Puerto Morelos, QROO
Stay at this 3-star beach aparthotel in Puerto Morelos. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a beach locale. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the property ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (272 reviews)
"Alba is the absolute best"

Reviewed on 21 May, 2025

Velas Condos
Porto Blu
Porto Blu
3.5 out of 5
701 Rafael E. Melgar, Puerto Morelos, QROO
Stay at this 3.5-star apartment in Puerto Morelos. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a rooftop terrace. Popular attractions Puerto Morelos Town Square and Puerto ...
7.8/10 Good! (7 reviews)
"Porto Blu was a perfect stay. Hosts were incredibly communicative, property is beautiful, rooftop is perfect. Rooms were absolutely gorgeous. Thank you so much!"

Reviewed on 23 Mar, 2025

Porto Blu
Villas Kaàn
Villas Kaàn
4.5 out of 5
SM12 L13 D6 Maria Irene, Puerto Morelos, QROO
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in Puerto Morelos. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 2 outdoor pools. Popular attractions Puerto Morelos Beach and Puerto ...
10/10 Exceptional! (1 review)
Really nice
"Really nice place at the beach. Nice pools and comfortable rooms. Michael really nice host and help with all things. Definetely next time to same place."

Reviewed on 19 Mar, 2025

Villas Kaàn
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Puerto Morelos

4.5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
11
5 - Excellent 61%
4 - Good
6
4 - Good 33%
3 - Okay
0
3 - Okay 0%
2 - Disappointing
1
2 - Disappointing 6%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Lovely quiet fisherman village. It felt very safe and was easy to go on excursions from here

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

On a beautiful part of the Mexican Caribbean coastline.

5/5 - Excellent

Dianne&Rob

Love how safe you feel, lots of families, working folk, children, sporting events. Not noisy like the bigger cities. Close enough to beaches, only a bus ride away. You can also rent bicycles and ride to the beach if you have the energy!