Riviera Maya car hire

Full-size (Nissan X-Trail or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Riviera Maya.

Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

Hiring a car is one of the best ways to explore this beautiful region packed with popular tourist destinations. It's just south of Cancún, one of Mexico's biggest tourist hotspots, and it's the home of the beautiful Playa Del Carmen. You'll often otherwise need to use tour buses or local buses that will generally be much more restricted in terms of your schedule and destinations. You can get from Playa del Carmen to Tulum in around 50 minutes by car, and there aren't usually regular bus departures between the two cities.

Driving in Riviera Maya is usually a pleasant experience. You will likely need to use occasional toll roads (make sure to have change on hand). The 307 highway that takes you from Cancún and Tulum is known to become tricky to drive on during and after rain. There isn't much run off, so puddles can form and leave the road wet. Slow down where necessary and apply the same principle on rural roads throughout the region.

International car hire companies that have offices in Riviera Maya will often hire cars to drivers over the age of 21, though they will generally charge an extra fee for drivers between 21 and 25. Local companies will often have stricter restrictions, requiring all drivers of the vehicle be at least 25 years old. You can generally use your normal UK driving licence to hire a car and drive in Riviera Maya.