Puerto Morelos Centro

The main beach of Puerto Morelos, a laid-back fishing town midway between Cancún and Playa del Carmen that has resisted the mega-resorts of its neighbours.

Life centres on the main square and the pier, beside the town's landmark Leaning Lighthouse, tilted by Hurricane Beulah in 1967 and left standing ever since.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef lies about 500 metres offshore inside a protected National Reef Park, sheltering the shallow water and making this one of the Riviera Maya's most accessible spots for snorkelling and diving.