Signature Mexico: Cultural heartlands to Caribbean coast

With water a scarce commodity, the rain god Chac is well represented in the form of grotesque masks, most impressively displayed on the façade of the Governor's Palace. There's also an intriguing nunnery and a large ball court where the Mesoamerican ballgame was played in order to select sacrificial victims.

The immaculately preserved pyramids, courts and temples that make up this 1,500-year-old site are perhaps the most impressive collection of Mayan structures anywhere. Their bas-reliefs and sculptures reveal much of the bloody and ritualistic side of ancient Mesoamerican life, as will your knowledgeable guide who will help to decipher the mysteries of the ancient city.

The imposing pyramid of El Castillo – recently declared one of the new wonders of the world – is the most arresting feature of the site, occupying a vast central plaza where giant iguanas nonchalantly bask beneath the fierce sun. Following in the footsteps of ancient worshippers, modern-day visitors flock here on the spring equinox to watch the shape of a sacred snake appear from the shadows to ascend the stone steps of the pyramid.

Also of great interest is the large ball court where ritual sports were played: you can still see the intact stone rings through which teams had to hit the ball to ensure the rising of the sun. Bas-reliefs of decapitated players suggest the ultimate sacrifice for the losers (or winners, according to some theories).

At the epicentre of a richly indigenous area still deeply in touch with its Mayan roots, the charming highland town of San Cristóbal de las Casas lies swaddled in the blue and green hues of the Chiapas mountains.

The town has been the stage for dramatic and diverse historical events right up to recent times, when it was a stronghold for the Zapatista movement of the 90s which campaigned for land rights for indigenous peoples. You'll learn about the town's past and present on a leisurely walking tour of its pretty, atmospheric streets, bustling with handicraft stalls and galleries.

Perhaps the most magical of all Mayan sites, Palenque lies resplendent in a tranquil clearing in the rainforest-carpeted foothills of the Chiapas mountains. Once the heart of a vast city-state, the settlement was deserted by 1200 AD, succumbing to the irrepressible embrace of jungle foliage, vines and creepers. The towers and pyramids – some of the finest examples of architecture and artistry ever produced by the Mayans – have now re-emerged to enchant visitors.

Nothing quite prepares you for the first sight of the immense temple complex of Teotihuacán, once the largest and most populated city in the New World.

As impressive as their Egyptian counterparts, the pyramids at either axis of the central Avenue of the Dead are awe-inspiring in their scale and grandeur. The larger of the two is the Temple of the Sun, a mystical construction aligned with the sunset and believed by the Toltecs to imbue all who climbed it with its sacred solar energy. You can try it for yourself by ascending the 243 steps – even if you don’t feel a charge you’ll certainly be dazed by the magnificent panorama of the ancient site unfolding before you, crowned by the corresponding Temple of the Moon.

Rather like Swiss cheese, the Yucatán landmass is honeycombed with holes: over 3,000 cenotes, a type of sinkhole characteristic of the peninsula. Formed by underground rivers, these atmospheric limestone grottoes contain clear turquoise water and their walls are often draped with tree roots straining to reach the water below. They are also shrouded in the mysticism of the ancient Maya, who revered them as entrances to the underworld of Xibalba.

The Yucatán's cenotes make for fabulous swimming: with a snorkel you can even observe a wondrous sculptural display of stalactites and stalagmites within their cool depths. There are countless cenotes to visit across the peninsula, but one of our favourite options is to explore the dual pools of the Cenotes de Abala, where you can clamber down into contrasting chambers to swim beneath sheer walls dripping with foliage or surrounded by extraordinary rock formations.

Bookend your bathing experience with visits to haciendas dating back to the colonial era, characterised by grand colonial architecture and reflecting the prosperity engendered by the 19th century sisal boom.

A marriage of art and conservation, this unique and mesmerising underwater sculpture garden features a collection of over 400 clay statues designed to gradually attract the formation of coral, transforming the artwork as it evolves into a new marine habitat.

The stunning Riviera Maya is a true Caribbean idyll of aquamarine seas washing palm-lined, white-sand shores. Turtles, rays and a dazzling variety of tropical fish all form part of a thriving underwater ecosystem centring around a colourful reef system, providing excellent snorkelling opportunities.

With its nostalgic architecture, vibrant arts scene and celebrated regional gastronomy, Oaxaca is without a doubt one of Mexico's most charming towns.

Explore the cobbled colonial streets on foot, visiting the governmental palace, cathedral and Santo Domingo church and the best of the city's many handicrafts shops and galleries.