Home to Cancun, Quintana Roo only became a state in 1974. Its sandy beaches and translucent Caribbean waters attract cruise ships as well as travelers who remember it fondly from less sophisticated times. Still, there are beaches to be explored, seafood to eat, and for those who love Maya lore, lots of archaeological ruins to explore. Playa del Carmen has a growing number of restaurants, hotels and clubs, while vast Sian Kaán Biosphere Reserve protects a vast swath of beaches, marshes, and saltwater lagoons.