THERE’S nothing like throwing open the curtains of your beachside hotel room and gazing at the blue-green Caribbean sea in Mexico.

And  a big plus is that your breakfast – full English with the crispiest, sweetest bacon or healthy fruit and fibre options – is a mere stroll away.

That’s life at the plush Sandos Playacar, an all-inclusive hideaway on Mexico’s Riviera Maya.

Hardly an hour’s drive south of the hustling, bustling city of Cancun, it’s the perfect holiday getaway spot set within a gated development of smart, modern hotels, condos and private villas, with an 18-hole golf course thrown in for good measure.

With breakfast over, it was time to decide what to do on day one of our well-earned break. And after a ten-hour flight from the UK, we were feeling somewhat knackered.

The options are the beach – clean, wide and white as fresh linen – or the pool. There is even an adults’-only pool an arm’s reach from the bar where peace is guaranteed as you cool your toes while dipping into that holiday read.

The beach won, especially as there was a cool breeze wafting among the coconut-matted lounger canopies lined along the shoreline, the peace only mildly distracted by the sound of the surf and the requests from the bar staff as to whether we would like to try the enticingly coloured cocktail of the day, sip a cold beer or cool off with a bottle of ice-cold water.

Yep, it’s hassle, hassle, hassle. Lovely.

Of course, this is all very well for chilling out – but after a few days, the novelty started to wear off and we became twitchy for some action.

Checklist: Shopping – no, too soon to be worrying about getting T-shirts and sombreros for the folks left at home.

Sightseeing – lots of Mayan ruins with a pyramid to scramble up, that should sort out those extra, all-inclusive calories. Or theme park? Handily, one of the best in the region is right next door, Xcaret, a cross between a Latin-fuelled Disney and an eco park.

Despite the heat, we opted for something cultural – the Mayan archaeological extravaganza. Thankfully, the coaches that ferry tourists through the jungle are air-conditioned.

We took the Coba and Tulum tour – two sites that are centred around the history of the people who developed a highly-advanced civilisation. OK, with the occasional human sacrifice thrown in.

Coba was a strangely quiet collection of pyramids, ball parks – where an early form of football was practised, possibly with the heads of losing captains used as the ball – and areas slowly being reclaimed by the jungle set beside a crocodile-infested lake.

Don’t worry, the locals have turned the toothy terrors into a tourist attraction, even building jetties out into the reed-infested waters and charging a couple of dollars to snap back at the crocs with cameras.

From there, we journeyed back to the coast to experience the stunningly beautiful remains of Tulum. A city perched on the cliffs overlooking the Caribbean, it shelters a lovely, secluded beach where weary history-seekers can cool down with a gratifying swim. Unmissable.

We slept well that night, dreaming of the next day when perhaps we wouldn’t stroll far from the beach or pool. And we didn’t.

But Xcaret finally lured us back on to the tourist beat and we were soon eagerly waiting to board one of the multi-coloured fleet of buses ferrying people to and from the huge theme park.

We were advised to get there early for the cave swim, a 45-minute journey through the underground cave system that finally flows into the crystal clear Caribbean.

Swimmers are asked to wear lifejackets, but can hire or take their own snorkelling kit to help them spot the fish along the way. Excitingly eerie, but what a relaxing way to do a theme park – without the usual crowds and noise.

Afterwards, we dried off and padded around to look at the animals. The park is home to panthers, leopards, deer, wild pigs, startlingly coloured tropical birds such as red macaws and gentle, slow-moving manatees, or sea cows.

Whatever you do, though, hold on until the evening for the aptly named Spectacular Night Show.

Held in the 6,000-seater giant auditorium, it features a cast of over 300 telling the story of the Mayans and the arrival of the Spanish through drama, song and dance. Breathtaking. Then, it was on with the shopping. A short taxi ride finds you in Fifth Avenue in the neighbouring town of Playa del Carmen, where visitors  can trot down a seemingly endless row of bars, shops and restaurants.

We saved our final day to hit the beach once more – a last chance to top up the tan and enjoy being pampered in Playacar before flying home.

For more information please visit: www.xcaret.com/indexEn.aspx