Small resort, clean, quiet, not too crowded.
I loved that we were able to access a nice variety of juices, smoothies and waters any time without waiting in line. I also like that we were able to get in the buffet and go sit wherever we want without waiting for a hostess.
The pools stay open until 8pm so we can still swim part of the evening.
I LOVED the variety of watersports accessible. Among the included were catamaran rides (30 min once/day), windsurf group lesson & practice from 10am-11am (excellent instructors), kayaks, paddle boards although those seem to be rarely used because the current is a bit too strong for that.
Available at extra cost were jetskis 75$ US for 30 min for 2 people or 65$ for 1 person, parasail 75$ US per person for about 10 min in the air (they ride you on a jetski to get to the boat to harnest), banana boat ride 35$ US per person.
All the staff were very friendly and easy going. The dancers/acrobats in the evening shows were incredibly talented.
There are bicycles available to use from 8am - 5pm for a maximum of 3 hours but they can only be used inside Playacar zone. There is a security gate between Playa del Carmen & Playacar. You can bring a lock from home to lock the bike at the security gate & walk the rest when going to Playa del Carmen. It takes about 10 min by bike to reach the security gate from Viva Maya or 25 - 30 min walk. Close to there is the famous 5a Ave where you can spend hours looking around & shopping.