Yucatan for Two: Mayan Cities, Jungle & Caribbean Coast

There is a relaxed atmosphere on the Riviera Maya and numerous salubrious spots to while away a lazy afternoon. Offshore islands fringed by coral reefs are also on offer for any diving fanatics, as well as introductory classes. At the end of the day, enjoy a traditional Mexican feast along one of the coast’s many seafront restaurants.

Pick up your hire car and drive to Valladolid, in the heart of the Yucatan peninsula. Stay in its historic centre and spend your day touring the city’s sights, including the church of San Cervacio o Gervasio, Francisco Canton Rosado park and the Zaci cenote, a signature natural wonder of the Yucatan region.

Take the short drive from Valladolid to Chichen Itza. Take the time to get acquainted with one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; and if you want to head further afield, enjoy a private tour of the Río Lagartos peninsula, just over 100 miles north of Valladolid.

Head to Chichen Itza at sunrise, where you’ll get a crowd-free, front row seat to the largest and most famous archaeological site on the Yucatan Peninsula, as well as Kukulkan's magnificent pyramid, El Castillo – one of Mexico's best-known and most recognised archaeological sites. Located here due to the region’s number of natural wells - the cenotes - it was the groundwater springs that gave the area its name: Chi Chen ('near the well'). This sacred city was one of the largest Mayan centres in the region. The imprints left by the Mayans and Toltecs are what make it one of the most wonderful attractions to this day. In the afternoon, continue westward to Tixkokob, in the Merida region, where you’ll stop off for two nights at a hacienda in the middle of the jungle.

Tixkokob is an excellent spot for some real R&R. Spend your day watching weavers make hammocks, visit the Celestun bird sanctuary and Izamal, a small colonial gem, as well as the Ake, an archaeological site of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization, which is known for its unique sacbeo'ob or road system. In the evening, enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner.

Drive to the small village of Chiquila, where you can then take a ferry ride to reach the paradise Isla Holbox. While here, stay in a quiet hotel just off the beach.

Holbox isn’t just a bohemian beauty, filled with sandy streets, colourful Caribbean buildings and lazing sun-drunk locals, it is actually one of the most eco-friendly islands around. Belonging to the Yum Balam Ecological Reserve, it is forward thinking when it comes to sustainable tourism and isn’t short of adventure. Spend two days bird watching (flamingos and pelicans are always on the lagoon) and spotting crocodiles and whale sharks. Take a boat trip to Yalahau lagoon or Isla Pajaros for a dose of deserted beach and one of the best birding spots in the area. And for any adrenaline junkies, the conditions are almost always perfect for kiteboarding, fishing and diving.