By: Jim Scherrer

Riviera; the word alone tends to conjure pleasant images of beautiful scenery, of calm serenity or relaxation, even of Paradise. By definition, Riviera is an Italian term originally from the Middle Ages for the coast of Liguria. The two divisions of the original Riviera, both of which border the Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, are the Italian Riviera and the French Riviera. Retirement on either Riviera would be wonderful if you have seriously deep pockets, don’t mind the 10 hour transatlantic flight, and the possible language barrier when you’re there!

Today, the term is more generally applied worldwide to about a dozen warm coastal regions popular with tourists. Mexico is blessed with two such regions; the Riviera Maya and the Mexican Riviera.

The Riviera Maya consists of 80 miles of Caribbean coastline wrapping along the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It includes the resort cities of Isla Mujeres, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Tulum. This region is a terrific area for visiting with its warm weather, sandy beaches, and historic archaeological sites; it may be a different matter when it comes to retirement. The average daily temperature for the “high season” of November through May along the Riviera Maya is 77