Isla Mujeres is a small island about 8 miles off the coast of Cancun — a 20-minute ferry ride that feels like a different world. The pace slows down, the water gets clearer, and the wildlife gets closer. The name translates to “Island of Women,” but the real residents are sea turtles, tropical fish, and the whale sharks that visit every summer.

It’s one of the best day trips from Sandos Cancun, and the Seek & Go desk can set up the ferry and tours from the resort.

Tulum is where the Yucatan jungle runs straight into the Caribbean. The coastline is less developed than Cancun or Playa del Carmen, the cenotes cut deep into the limestone interior, and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve to the south is one of the largest protected areas in Mexico. The result is some of the best wildlife habitat on the entire Riviera Maya.

If you’re staying at Sandos Caracol or Sandos Playacar in Playa del Carmen, Tulum is about 45 minutes south — an easy day trip or a Seek & Go excursion. Combine the Tulum ruins with cenote swimming and you’ll hit multiple ecosystems in a single day.