Overview

Welcome to Cancun, Mexico’s most famous paradise and the Yucatan Peninsula’s thriving city. Nestled on a 13-mile-long, 0.2-mile-wide L-shaped island off the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Cancun was developed specifically for luxury travel. Once a sleepy Maya fishing village until the 1970s, when the Mexican government decided to chop through the jungle and build a resort. In just a decade, the prime tourist area was transformed into a world-renowned destination. Today, Cancun attracts more than four million tourists annually, drawn by its stunning white-sandy beaches, near-perfect weather, numerous sightseeing opportunities, and a wealth of fascinating attractions.

Beaches

Most of Cancún's top resorts are built with direct access to the beaches, known in Spanish as "playas." Visitors come here to bask in the white-sandy beaches and swim in the turquoise sea. In fact, there are several long sandy beaches, and while regular visitors may have their preferences, it’s certainly hard to go wrong. They’re all beautiful and have something great to offer.

Some of the most popular beaches are listed below (these are just a few amongst the many to choose from):

Playa Chac-mool: Known for its beautiful sand and clear waters, this beach offers a perfect balance of relaxation and water sports. This is a great beach for jet skiing and parasailing.

Playa Delfines: Cancun’s longest and widest beaches. This beach is free of resort, so it’s a peaceful beach for sunbathing. Surfers love the waves here and it’s a great place to go in the morning to watch for wild dolphins that give this beach its name.

Las Perlas Beach: This is the closest public beach to downtown Cancun and a favorite hangout for locals. There are plenty of water sports and the shallow waters are great for families with young children.

Tortugas: This is another beach that attracts many locals, known for its relaxed atmosphere and clean sands. It's an ideal beach to rent water sports equipment, such as jet skis. You can also snorkel or dive here. There are several spots nearby to enjoy a meal or drink while taking in the beautiful views. From here, daily ferries depart from Isla Mujeres.

Play Langosta: Situated on the northern area of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, this beach offers shallow waters making it ideal for swimming and snorkeling. There are public facilities available and you’ll also find several restaurants and bars that line the beach.

Playa Juventud: A hidden gem with calm waters, less known and less crowded.

Puerto Morelos: The northern Caribbean coast’s most pristine section of the Great Mesoamerican Reef rises close to the surface in this small fishing town, giving swimmers and snorkelers excellent views of its sea life. Puerto Morelos is about an hour drive from Cancún.

Things To See & Do

The Hotel Zone is a great place to start your exploration. There are plenty of restaurants, beaches, shops, and nightclubs in the area.

La Isla Mall: An indoor-outdoor mall with canals, palm trees, stone bridges, fountains, live performers, cafes, and shops. It's lively and packed with people with a fun and friendly atmosphere. Some restaurants even have a waterfront view.

Maya Ruins and Archaeological Museum: Located just a few minutes away from the Punta Ninuc end of Cancun are several interesting Mayan ruins known as El Rey. Named after a mask ground here that was believed to be dedicated to the sun of god, the El Rey Ruis include the remains of some 47 buildings along with numerous tombs built by the Mayans from AD 900 onwards.

In the center of Cancun, the city's large convention complex, is home to the Maya Museum an attraction that's certainly worth visiting to learn more about the region's rich history. The largest such museum project since the opening of the Templo Mayor Museum in Mexico City in 1987, this impressive attraction does a great job explaining the ancient roots of the region's Mayan culture, from its founding centuries ago right up to the modern day. Highlights include over 350 artifacts spread across three halls, most from in and around Cancun, including skeletal remains found in Tulum that date back 14,000 years.

Underwater Museum: Set up in 2009 in the wake of storm damage to the Cancun National Marine Park, this seabed-based attraction is dedicated to the "art of conservation" and is a delight for divers to explore. The impressive art collection has more than 500 sculptures spread across two underwater galleries submerged at depths of between three and six meters and encompassing human figures in a variety of poses.

The museum was put together by six artists from Mexico and Britain, the sculptures will ultimately form the basis for new coral reefs. Several guided snorkeling and diving tours are available. The underwater sculptures can also be viewed from the comfort of one of the many glass-bottom tour boats.

Enjoy Marine Life at Cancun's Interactive Aquarium: This is a fun dolphin experience where visitors are free to swim around the facility's enclosures surrounded by several species from stingrays to seahorses and clown fish. The real highlight, however, is the "swimming with dolphins" experience, a fun program that allows you to get up close and personal with these gentle sea creatures. There are other opportunities available like this at Dolphin Discovery and Dolphinaris cancun.

Isla Mujeres: The beautiful Isla Mujeres (the Island of Women) is located 8 miles from the mainland and just a short hydrofoil ride from the pier at the convention center. This long, skinny island (just 4.3 miles long and 0.4 miles wide) is popular among surfers for the larger waves experienced on its east coast, while divers love the marine life surrounding the several coral reefs of Garrafon Natural Reef Park. It's also very popular for beachgoers who are looking for a more peaceful atmosphere; traffic on the island is limited to taxis and buses, all of which are highly outnumbered by golf carts and scooters. Going to Isla Mujeres is a popular day trip for those staying elsewhere on the Riviera May thanks to its many fine restaurants offering excellent views over the water to Cancun.

Mayan Ruins of Chichén Itzá

Located 3 hours west of Cancun, Chichen Itza, a mighty ancient city of the Maya people, is one of Mexico’s largest and best-restored archaeological sites. It was even voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. This is a well worth a visit and a great day trip we highly recommend!

Settled by the Mayans more than 1,000 years ago, this UNESCO World Heritage Site includes many famous Chac-mool statues, along with important buildings such as the 98 ft-tall El Castillo, one of the country’s most famous pyramids.

There are plenty of tours available, and you can also do a self-tour of the site. One interesting tidbit is that Chichen Itza has a blend of Maya and Toltec (a native group from central Mexico) architecture, so some people think the Toltec king, banished from his capital, came and conquered Chichen Itza. There is a restaurant right by the park entrance.

Cuisine & Nightlife

Mexico's cuisine is celebrated as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO, with each region showcasing its unique dishes and flavors. In Cancun, the culinary scene is heavily influenced by pre-Hispanic Mayan traditions, bountiful seafood, and the neighboring Yucatecan cuisine. Built by people from all over Mexico, Cancun offers a wide range of fabulous dishes reflecting its diverse cultural heritage.
B Some local dishes to try include:

Huaraches and Sopes: Traditional dishes enjoyed by Indigenous people for thousands of years. These are fried corn tortillas with various toppings like beans, salsa, and cheese.
Castacan (Fried Pork Belly): A must-try delicacy from the Yucatan peninsula. The pork belly is tender and juicy in the middle with a perfectly crispy coating, making it a great snack or meal.
Tacos: Available in numerous varieties, including fish, beef, and pork.
Tamales: Corn dough filled with meats, cheeses, or vegetables, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves, and steamed.

Cancun's tourist-friendly atmosphere also means you can find many international cuisines, including Italian, Japanese, Thai, and American. The dining options range from casual eateries and street food to fine dining in upscale restaurants, often located in the Hotel Zone.

Cancun’s Vibrant Nightlife
As the party capital of Mexico, Cancun boasts an exciting nightlife, especially in the Hotel Zone. The most popular nightclub is Coco Bongo, known for its acrobats, cover bands, and DJs. Other popular spots include Señor Frogs, Mandala, and La Vaquita.