Cancun

Cancun Travel Wiki

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Travel to Cancun

Cancun is a resort community that offers almost every way to relax that one can imagine. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, the emerald waters of the Caribbean Sea, clean white sand beaches, and your favorite cocktails are all within easy reach.

A sleepy island area in the 1970s, Cancun has been transformed into a mega tourist destination and make no mistake, Cancun is a very tourist friendly destination. Located on the Caribbean side of Mexico, this resort area has something for everyone. Unlike any other city in Mexico, Cancun truly offers the best of both worlds. No other city can claim the unique distinction of being a glamorous, modern resort destination right in the middle of the ancient Mayan kingdom and vibrant nature of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Cancun proper is actually two distinct areas. Cancun City is located on the mainland and Cancun Island is just off the coast. The island is the stuff of legend. Cancun Island the classic example of Caribbean beach paradise. Incredibly blue water laps slowly onto insanely white beaches. Light breezes roll in off the water as you lounge on a beach chair and contemplate important things like what you will eat for lunch.

Cancun may be a resort community that promotes waterside relaxation, but there is plenty of adventure to be found here as well. You’re within easy walking distance of some small Mayan village ruins with your visit here, including El Rey, which is found within the Hotel Zone. If you want to explore a substantial site, El Meco is just outside of the city limits.

Several other sites with varying degrees of challenge to reach them are also available, most with guided tour opportunities.

When you get outside of the island tourist zone, you’ll find that Cancun has a unique setup. Each block offers a central garden park or some other attraction, such as a library or a football field, that is used. This makes every city block its own type of public square. The structure of the city makes Cancun very friendly to those who love a good cycling adventure as well.

Cancun’s folk art museum, known locally as Museo de Arte Popular Mexicano is located on the second floor of El Embarcadero Marina in Cancun’s Hotel Zone, the folk art museum showcases everything from traditional Mexican masks and costumes to religious artifacts and handmade toys. With nearly 15,000 square feet of exhibition space, the museum is able to tell many stories about both the local culture and the history of the Mexican people. Besides all of the artistic objects on display, the onsite gift shop is also a great place to shop for locally made oddities.

If you enjoy a little shopping with your vacation, then the La Isla Shopping Village will be your destination of choice. You’ll find luxury goods and numerous fine dining opportunities to enjoy. There’s an interactive aquarium there when you can schedule time to swim with local dolphin pods as well.

Cancun offers relaxation opportunities to intrigue anyone, which is why it is a destination of choice for everyone who wants to experience the best of what Mexico can offer. Plan your stay today and you will have an incredible experience.

Travel and vacation in Cancun, Mexico

Here you can find information about travel and holiday trips to Mexico. You will find travel deals as well as general travel information, guides, “good to know” and facts about Mexico. We try to find the best travel video about the city and its surroundings and we write about the best sights, shopping and things to do. You will also find updated current weather and forecasts. The current exchange rates are also updated many times a day.

Best sights in Cancun

Ruinas de Coba

A great way to start a day in Cancun is with a trip to the historic Ruinas de Coba. Between 400 and 1100 A.D., this sprawling Mayan city boasted a population of over 100,000. Though Coba is known to have been a center of commerce in the Mayan Kingdom, much of city’s history, including its eventual fall, remain shrouded in mystery. Located between the equally entrancing sites of Chichen Itza and Tulum, Coba offers the most tropical experience of any Mayan site.

Tours of the ruins are available through many of the major resorts and generally disembark from the Hotel Zone early in the morning. As you arrive you might see spider monkeys frolicking on the steps of the pyramids and tropical birds drifting overhead. You can ride a bicycle along the paths of this massive city or climb the Nohoch Mul, the tallest pyramid in the Mayan kingdom, for a breathtaking view of the adjacent lakes and surrounding forest. With more than 6,500 total structures, most dating between 500 and 900 A.D, there is certainly plenty to explore.

Isla Contoy

Another great activity just outside of Cancun is the picturesque Isla Contoy. Beyond serving as the Yucatan Peninsula’s most valuable ornithological preserve, this small island is also one of Mexico’s most pristine national parks. Located off the eastern-most point of the Yucatan Peninsula, the prevailing currents support incredible marine life and the preservation of coral reefs. To maintain the island’s diverse ecosystem, only 200 visitors are allowed at the site each day. As a result, the four-hour tours offered by official guides are known for their intimacy and wealth of information.

In addition to bird watching and simple enjoyment of tropical splendor, visitors can view a number of exhibits about the area’s plant and animal life in the visitor center. To conclude your visit to Isla Contoy, climb the visitor center’s open-air observation tower for a magnificent view of the park and an always-pleasant sea breeze.

Big time shopping in Cancun

The Plaza Caracol, the largest of the shopping centers, houses over 200 boutiques and galleries with everything from the finest European fashion to unique local art and jewelry. After browsing the racks at Ralph Lauren and Gucci, you can even settle down in one of the complex’s many elegant cafes.

Plaza Kukulkán. Cancun’s most luxurious shopping center is the 500,000 square-foot Plaza Kukulkán. In addition to all types of great local products, all the best stores like Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo and Rolex are located within these walls. The plaza even features a scuba diving center where shoppers can hop in water for a lesson or two.

The best selection of both commercial art galleries and individual vendors is at the Plaza Kukulcan. In the common areas of the shopping center, local artists are allowed to display their work and sell directly to the public every day. On any given day, you will be able to find artists selling everything from handmade jewelry and crafts to pottery and oil paintings.

Plaza Kukulcan is also the place to find the work of renowned local artist Sergio Bustamante. Represented in Cancun by the Xaman-Ek Galleries, Bustamante’s uniquely surrealistic work is collected worldwide. Though he trained as an architect in Mexico, Bustamante has spent years combining his Chinese and Indian influences with the Mexican art tradition. The result is a body of sculpture and ceramics exhibiting a distinctive sense of humor, spiritually guided realism and superior workmanship.

Visit Isla Mujeres

hop the ferry across the bay to the small finger-shaped Isla Mujeres. The name means “Island of Women” and there are a number of theories as to how the name came to be but it’s not because of the topless beach. The important thing is that it’s a great place to vacation in the sun. On Isla Mujeres the atmosphere is much more relaxed and relatively quiet compared to Cancun or Cozumel. The number of tourists is much less than on the mainland.

The city is only about 10 blocks long and five blocks wide so don’t expect a whole lot besides the supermarket and cinema. But the natural sights are what you came for anyway. There are accommodations to fit all budgets. Most are downtown and near the oceanfront.

The outlying reefs are great for diving and snorkeling. The windward side is best but only when the seas are calm. The coral rocks are quite dangerous when the water is rough. Local dive shops provide day trips out to the farther reefs for snorkeling and diving.

Hanal Pixan – Mexican Halloween

Hanal Pixan – the Mayan ritual of the dead. Both in Cancun and at most of the Mayan sites outside the city, candlelight prayer services are held on October 31 to commemorate the deceased. After this period of reflection, Hanal Pixan quickly transforms into a friendly meal shared by hundreds. Tamales are often baked in an underground pit and served to both the living and the dead, as it is believed that the deceased absorb the essence of the food placed at their graves. Handmade wines and candies are also passed around for all to enjoy, but Hanal Pixan marks only the beginning of this amazing holiday.

October 31 is also marks the beginning of a three day culinary feast in Cancun, taking place both in the streets and all the best restaurants. At the city’s gastronomy festival, visitors can sample local delicacies and gourmet international cuisine prepared by Mexico’s best chefs. Held outdoors along the Caribbean waterfront, this festival is anything but a sober Day of the Dead ritual, as guests are invited to eat and drink as much as they like. If you dine in any of Cancun’s restaurants throughout the three day holiday, you will be treated special local recipes reserved for Day of the Dead. At night, many visitors move from the restaurants to the bars and dance clubs where special events such as costume parties have become the norm.

One of the most fascinating traditions associated with the Day of the Dead is the creation of colorful altars – known in Mexico as ofrendas – to honor deceased loved ones. Anywhere you travel in the city, you will pass numerous altars containing all kinds of offerings. Set on tables with white cloth, the altars of Cancun display everything from fresh flowers and chocolate skulls to wooden crosses, personal mementos and photographs. Though the tradition of honoring the deceased might seem solemn, the positive atmosphere of the holiday extends to these personalized displays, as awards are handed out for the most elaborate and beautifully decorated altars.