Tucked between Playa del Carmen and Belize, Costa Maya's brilliant Caribbean seas, silky sand beaches and verdant jungle appear to be unchanged since ruled by the vast Mayan empire more than 1,000 years ago. The only break in the emerald horizon is the occasional beach hut. Secluded jungle settings lend an air of mystery. Wild twining orchids, bougainvillea and stately ceiba trees abound. Don't miss the 8-foot-high stucco faces at Kohunlich's Temple of the Masks or the Grand Pyramids at Chacchoben.