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City in Quintana Roo, Mexico
Photo: Microstar, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cancún is a popular Caribbean tourist destination on the northeast tip of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, in Quintana Roo, which also is called the Mexican Caribbean. In addition to 22 km (14 miles) of beaches, you'll find a wide variety of resorts, spas, golf courses, night clubs, and shopping malls.
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In the middle of the La Isla Shopping Village in the hotel zone, this small, modern aquarium lets you get up close and personal with aquatic life. You can pet rays, nurse sharks, touch starfish, etc. You can pay to swim with captive dolphins in a large pool. There's a Mexican/seafood restaurant above the aquarium, where you can watch dolphin shows (or dolphins playing amongst themselves in between shows) while eating.
Small Maya archaeological site on the south end of the hotel zone. The settlement was at its peak around 250-600 AD. There are 47 structures here as well as a small site museum. Bring mosquito repellant.
Museum about the Maya civilization and its many sites in the Yucatan Peninsula. Large number of artifacts from sites in and around Cancun. Next door is the San Miguelito ruins, which are partially restored and include a small pyramid.
Ruins of a small Maya temple on the grounds of the Westin.
Classic red and white striped tubular lighthouse on the northern tip of the Hotel Zone.
Ruins of a Maya port from about 600 AD. El Castillo is the largest structure at the site, it is a five-level pyramid with a height of 12.5 meters and a temple at the top. A small site museum is available.
80-m tower with a rotating observation deck that takes about 30 minutes for a full revolution.
Urban ecological park with lush junglescapes and roaming wildlife including lots of friendly coatis who will gladly take that leftover burger and fries off your hands. Lots of birds, iguanas and turtles. Playgrounds for kids. Exercise equipment for adults. Hiking trails for all.
City Hall
Modern 2-story public building in a broad pedestrian square with fountains, night lights & tall trees.
Tourist trap wax museum that charges too much for admission then has the audacity to tell visitors they can't take pictures.
Private automobile collection with lots of well-restored muscle cars.
3 turns in an air-conditioned gondola.
Amusement and water park with many attractions.
Shows and dinner on a pirate boat.
A theme park, which is built around the culture of Mexico, food, music and customs in the Mayan jungle. It's on the highway, so easily accessible with a second-class bus or colectivos.
Take a trip out on the calm lagoon on a beautiful boat. Steak and lobster is cooked on the boat.
Yacht rentals for rental tours in all areas of Cancún, snorkeling, diving, swimming the most save water activities in yacht.
Drive your own boat through the lagoon in the Jungle Tour and snorkel on the reef. Diving lessons and dive trips to the best dive spots in Cancún such as underwater museum.
Exciting water tour. Choose either a jet ski or two person jet boat for a trip through the lagoon out to snorkel on the reef. Popular tours are the Jungle Tour and the Sailing Quest (Catamarans).
Off-road ATV adventures.
Private and shared deep-sea fishing trips from Cancun and Isla Mujeres. Includes gear, drinks, licenses, and professional crew.
Charter fishing trips starting at US$680 for 4 hours, including bait, tackle, snacks, drinks.
Shared deep-sea fishing trips (6 hours). Join other travelers and share the cost of the boat. Includes beers, soft drinks, ice, bait, fishing licenses, and professional crew. The dock fee of US$15 per person is not included.
Cancun Country Club
18-hole jungle course that's well maintained and one of the least expensive golf courses in the region. Rental equipment and carts are a bit worn and about due for an upgrade, but for most visitors, this is one of the best options since it requires no special membership or resort affiliation.
Modern seaside 18-hole jungle course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Holes 14 and 15 are played next to the ocean. Putting green, club house and other amenities on-site.
Resort course that's a bit older, but well maintained, though the rental clubs and carts show their age. The clubhouse serves a nice breakfast if you're getting an early start. There are a couple of crocodiles living along the course, but they have eaten very few golfers lately, so leave them alone and they'll return the favor.
Well kept course with a number of water and sand traps. Holes 13 and 14 are adjacent to the ocean and usually have quite a bit of wind to mess with your shots. The best time to golf is early morning when temperatures are still cool, but that's also the most popular time, so you might have to deal with crowds.
Resort golf course with beautiful fairways but some rough conditions on the greens. Course is designed by Greg Norman and has some very difficult holes. Expect to lose lots of balls if you slice into the rough, which is mostly swamp. Good food and drink and friendly service, which includes picking you up at your hotel, if requested.
Natural golf course that's not well manicured with older rental equipment.
Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course with 27 holes featuring jungle and beach settings. Drinks available every 2-3 holes. Manicured fairways and greens.
Wet'n'Wild also offers dolphin experiences. (Beware: no cameras are allowed, they charge for the first photo and a bit less for each subsequent one). Other great places to swim with captive dolphins are Delphinus Dreams and Dolphin Discovery. Some operators offer it in the interactive aquarium of Cancún, others include a trip to Isla Mujeres, where the facilities are.
Scuba dive with a wide catalog of diving programs.
Professional PADI certified scuba diving company provides PADI Diving certifications.
PADI certified scuba instructors. Equipment rentals. Day trips to reefs, sunken ships, and cave diving (cenotes).
PADI certified dive instructors offering a variety of courses including Advanced Open Water and Divemaster as well as day trips to popular dive sites along the Great Mesoamerican Reef, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Cenotes and underwater rivers, etc. Offers snorkeling excursions including snorkeling with whale sharks.
PADI and SDI diving instruction. Reef trips, cenote trips, dive trips to Undersea Museum (MUSE).
Full service dive shop. PADI certified instructors and courses. Trips to MUSA (undersea museum), reefs, etc. Cenote diving available. Equipment included.
A family-owned scuba diving center operating since the early 2000s. PADI-certified instructors lead small groups (maximum 4 divers).
Since 2020, Cancún Fútbol Club, a team in the Expansion League has played professional soccer in this small, 18,800-seat stadium in downtown. The stadium is seldom crowded.
The stadium was named after former MLB and LMB player Beto Avila (known as Bobby Avila in Cleveland, where he played 10 seasons for the Indians). Cancun has had several professional baseball teams over the years, first the Marlins, then the Langosteros, and now the Tigres, who play in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol. The Tigres play a 114-game schedule each year from late April until early September. With just under 10,000 seats and clean sight lines, there's really not a bad seat in the house. With low gate prices and tasty concessions, it's a fun way to spend a summer afternoon or evening.
There is a good variety. The eateries are open from 10:00 and the food stalls from the evening on. All of them close around 00:00. Most places have a big sign showing the food on a picture and the according low price. Tacos as low as 30 MXN each, as of Jan 2025.
They have tasty tortas (sandwich) for M$25 and tacos.
Here you get well tasting tacos with fish (e.g. shrimps) for M$25 or with meat.
Their red pozole and tamales is very tasty. Excellent Guerrero style food. The restaurant looks quite old which is also it’s charme.
Very good taqueria. Authentic Mexican food. Great portion. The waiters are very friendly. Nice atmosphere.
Very good buffet. The food with a homemade touch. Variety of dishes. The attention is very good.
There is a Comida Corrida including a soup, main dish, tortillas and drink for M$60-70. They also serves breakfast starting at M$50.
You get a Chinese dish for M$65-80.
As the name says, here you get quesadillas for M$18 and sopes for M$21.
Serving tortas, a kind of Mexican sandwich.
An extremely good sampling of Mexican food from all around the country. Excellent value. Nothing fancy but a gastronomical delight. Try the "Huevos Motuleños".
Taco restaurant specializing in seafood. Fish tacos cost M$37 (July 2021) and are a few pieces of fried fish with some tortillas. You put your own sauces and condiments.
Really nice and laid back seafood restaurant where everything's deep fried. Try the chiles rellenos, possibly the best ones in Cancún.
La Habichuela is a must-visit with its Mexican cuisine, Mayan setting and Caribbean seafood. This restaurant has been open since 1977 and is a legend in Cancún. The romantic, outside garden is a popular place to dine with the decoration of various native trees and plants that create a beautiful illusion of the Mayan ruins under the night sky. La Habicheula received the National Best Restaurant Award and has been a part of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America Organization since 2001.
Art exhibitions every 15 days. Good baguettes and wine.
Classic Mexican taqueria specializing in tacos al pastor. Very popular with the locals, quite tasty and at a fair price.
This Argentine steakhouse serves up one of the best menus in Cancún. The atmosphere inside the restaurant makes you feel you have travelled an extra 1000 mi. The staff's attention to detail and desire to please make you feel like you're the only one they are serving that night. Great place to have a dinner with the one you love or enjoy the company of friends. The food alone could give this place a 4-star rating, the rest is just an added bonus.
Latin American cuisine.
Japanese and Thai cuisine featuring teppanyaki tables.
Stepped up bar food with all the games on over 40 screens.
Gustino has authentic Italian cuisine using the freshest Mediterranean ingredients.
Señor Frog's is a restaurant by day and a dance club by night, and is one of the most popular spots for vacationers to visit. The restaurant opens up for lunch and serves international types of food such as pasta, chicken and pizza as well as Mexican cuisine all day until midnight. A cover charge of five dollars will get you into the party after 20:00 and includes a souvenir yard glass which you can then pay to get filled with your drink of choice. One of Señor Frog's famous attractions is the water slide that leads from the club out into the lagoon, just for a little bit of fun. As the evening progresses, Señor Frog's becomes less family friendly and more of a party establishment, waitresses will circulate, offering shots of tequila for a price. Waiters are also very "hands on", if you are not traveling in a family group, expect them to try to touch, hug, or kiss the female members of the party.
Dady'O has been known to host some of the world's top DJs, including Red Foo (LMFAO), Apl.De.App and Tiësto, features a casual atmosphere, laser shows, pole dancing go go girls and flashing dance floor opening shows.
A nightclub featuring a show that has been compared with Las Vegas. More than 50 professionals in scenery. Tickets can be bought online for US$75. If you don't mind waiting to get in exchangeable tickets can be bought from Oxxo for M$1000.
Loud, open front party bar in the heart of the Hotel Zone. You can't miss the cow print decor or the booming bass of the non-stop party. Known for innovative drinks and a lively crowd.
Liter-size margaritas, buckets of beer, and spicy micheladas. The house favorite is the Coco Loco, coconut juice and rum served in a coconut shell. Food options include shrimp tacos and coconut shrimp.
Try the live music bar Los 4 Elementos. They open and play live music from 23:00 until the last customer leaves. The music is great and prices are significantly lower than those found in the hotel zone clubs.
Lively club serving beer in buckets (cubetas) with casual food like wings, fries and burgers. Live music with a lot of rock and metal bands played at loud volumes. Fun place.
Lively atmosphere, drag performers, live music and DJs, plus great mixed drinks.
Fun atmosphere, drag queen cabaret with live music or DJs, beers and large mixed drinks.
Super small craft brewery with a range of ales from a light golden ale, a Belgian strong, a brown ale flavored with chilis, and of course, the always ubiquitous IPA. Light food includes seafood, tacos and a nice charcuterie board with sliced sausages and cheese.
In the downtown area near the bus station. Front desk help is very friendly. You can keep your bags at the hotel even after checking out. You can take the Rt. 1 bus to the hotel/beaches district. When booking directly at the hotel it's M$650 for 1 person and M$750 for 2 persons. (April 2022)
This hostel does not fail to live up to its name, and if you are looking to hang out with your fellow party people, you shouldn't be disappointed here, where drinks and revelry flow freely. If you don't like noise, on the other hand, this might not be the most ideal accommodation. But the establishment does provide free breakfast and dinner plus bus trips to the beach and a happy hour every evening.
If you missed the chance to stay at a capsule hotel in Japan, you can do it right here in Cancun. The spaceship-like compartments and interiors are clean, and the complimentary breakfast includes an egg sandwich. Plus, the lodging has airport shuttles and organized tours to places such as Isla Mujeres.
Temptation Resort Cancún
2-3 star with 3 restaurants. Reservations to be made from 10:00-11:00 the previous day. Beach front is calm mainly for boat use.
A/C, cableTV, and internet connection. Swimming pool, fitness room/gym, and a restaurant, bar, and café.
Features a water park for the kids with a pirate ship and 8 water slides, à la carte and buffet dining, adult only areas, mini golf, disco, nightly entertainment.
Resort with a college-aged crowd. The rooms are clean and surprisingly spacious for the price. The pool is generally crowded during peak times but is large and features several swim-up bars. The bad part is that since the Oasis is all-inclusive you basically get what you pay for, the food and drinks are not the best quality. The buffet-style restaurants are bland and the food can get quite repetitive. An exception is the sushi restaurant. All bars also stop serving alcohol at midnight, which is unfortunate, but there is a 24 hr liquor store right across from the resort with prices somewhat expensive for Mexico. They also sell absinthe.
Resort with views of the Caribbean Sea. Several restaurants and bars. Choice of activities and entertainment options, including a sports bar, night club and theatre with theme shows.
All inclusive resort with Mayan-style architecture overlooking the Caribbean. 506 sea view rooms with mini-bar and liquor dispenser. Several restaurants, bars and facilities including 24-hr snacks and beverages. Fun and relaxing atmosphere created by the large swimming pool and spectacular beach.
The Royal Resorts have been around since 1974 and include a string of 4 hotels all in close vicinity of each other. The Royal Mayan, The Royal Caribbean and The Royal Islander are side by side whereas the newest hotel, The Royal Sands, is no more than a five minute ride by bus. The Royal Resorts offer beautiful villas that overlook the Gulf of Mexico. Each villa is equipped with a kitchen, two bathrooms, two bedrooms, one with two double beds, one with a queen-sized bed, a living room with two murphy beds, three televisions, one in each room, and a terrace that overlooks the other two hotels as well as the Caribbean Sea. These hotels include free activities such as snorkeling and sailing in the ocean, tennis, and free beach towels. Also on the premises are a number of different restaurants and bars at which the vacationers may dine.
The Sandos Cancun is called the jewel of the Sandos Resort chain. They are a 4-diamond AAA rated all inclusive resort. The resort is themed and offers unique entertainment called the Rhythm Experience. Sandos has a vacation club called Royal Elite that sells a timeshare-like membership. Membership affords special amenities like private access to bars including top shelf liquors, first access to restaurants and access to the private area on the beach.
The rooms are all air-conditioned. They have cable television, a private toilet and bath, and safe. the rooms are further equipped with an IDD telephone, internet access, and a writing desk and chair. Rates include daily breakfast. Non-smoking rooms are available.
In front of Nichupte Laguna and is within walking distance to sandy beaches and downtown area. Internet and cable TV. Non-smoking rooms can be requested.
GR solaris
GR Caribe by Solaris
Adults-Only All Inclusive Resort.
Family hotel.
418 rooms and 34 suites. Each room has a private balcony with a table and chairs. 3 restaurants on-site, including a steakhouse, a Japanese restaurant and a sports bar. The hotel tends to be priced on the higher side for Cancún, but that also tends to weed out the younger crowd. This resort is adjacent to the JW Marriott Cancún and is directly connected to it through a pathway. There are up-charges for almost everything here, and they will try to sell you timeshares.
29-suite boutique hotel has amenities including an infinity pool with swim up bar, spa, two restaurants and an onsite art gallery. Suites have 32” flat screen satellite TV, minibar and full bathrooms with separate bathtub and shower. Jacuzzi on the terrace/balcony. Airport transportation can be arranged. Rates depend upon room category/season.
An all inclusive resort. A short distance outside the town, at the tip of the bay. The Caribbean Sea is on one side and on the other is a lagoon. Club Med was the first to establish itself here around 30 years ago. Traditional central square, bungalow-haciendas and speciality restaurants.
formerly Dreams Cancún Resort and Spa
Surrounded by the sea on 3 sides. All-inclusive resort catering to families. All rooms have private balcony views of the ocean, beaches, lagoon or gardens. Marble floors, dining area, mini-bar, satellite TV and 24 hr room service. Several have private whirlpools. A pod of 6 dolphins is held in the resorts lagoon. Swims with the captive dolphins programs are available for guests and the general public.
Sea Adventure Resort and Waterpark
Family hotel offers activities for children and events for adults.
AAA 5-diamond resort has 602 rooms. The hotel is outwardly hostile toward same-sex couples. 5 restaurants, one of which is the Le Basilic restaurant is one of only three 5-diamond restaurants found in Mexico. 4 bars, a spa, fitness and business center, a very long swimming pool, and a sun deck.
Well known for its white sandy beach overlooking the Caribbean Sea. 4 pools, specialized à la carte restaurants, and activities program for children and adults. 9 hole, par three golf course, a tennis court, 2 paddle tennis courts and has received an award from The Leading Hotels of the World as a Leading Spa of the World.
The only golf & spa resort on the island is an Iberostar all-inclusive. 426 ocean-view rooms, including 82 villas with a private lounge and executive services; 5 restaurants, including a gourmet-dining beachside grill and swim up bar; 7 infinity pools and the largest beach in Cancún. If you are having trouble with the local food, try the hotel's club sandwich.
formerly Hyatt Cancún Caribe Resort
5-star hotel with 296 rooms and views of the Caribbean.
5-star hotel with a seafront location. 295 rooms.
Adjacent to the CasaMagna Marriott Cancún Resort and has a connected pathway. 448 rooms with private balconies and views of the Caribbean. Mayan-inspired spa, 4 world-class restaurants and over of meeting space. Caters to Mexican weddings, events and conferences.
371 deluxe rooms, including 36 suites. The modern design is stunning. The service is a close second but the rooms are small. 3 restaurants, including one by celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein, 1 by chef Franco Maddalozzo, and a Mexican restaurant. There is also a wine and mescal bar. 8 pools which vary in temperature and 12 spa treatment rooms. The hotel is reserved for adults.
Rooms offer views, custom art and furnishings by artist Yuri Zatarain, monsoon showers and Aveda bath amenities.
5-star resort between the Caribbean and Nichupte Lagoon on Cancún Island. 341 guest rooms and villas with full service spa.
All-inclusive resort stretches along a lush tropical mangrove preserve on a 5,000 ft long Caribbean coastline.
5-star beachfront resort hotel with luxuriously appointed rooms and suites, a large beachfront outdoor swimming pool with available cabanas, 4 on-site restaurants and 2 bars. Spa services available.
372 suites, ocean views, and all-inclusive dining, beverages and entertainment.
90 suites, all have balcony or deck with ocean views, daily serving of champagne and fresh fruit, complimentary unlimited calls worldwide, welcome bottle of tequila and handmade beach bag. Hydrothalasoo pool and aqua gym, spa with private massage cabins and jacuzzi, and chauffeured airport transfer. This property is located in Puerto Morelos, 32-48 km (20-30) miles south of Cancun.
Resort features villas with washer/dryer, dishwasher, full kitchen, living room, dining room, jetted tub. The property has two infinity pools.
Club Solaris Cancun
Family All Inclusive Resort
Family all-inclusive resort.
Mercado 28
This is a tourist-centered market in downtown Cancún, with very many souvenir shops, a central food court, and some larger Mexican restaurants. Cheaper than the hotel zone, but still considered to have 'tourist' prices, and many touts pushing for your attention. A great place if you are interested in shopping downtown and are short on time, but due to its popular and central location, prices have become more expensive than other small independent shops in non-tourist locations. Don't forget to bargain.
Mercado 23
This is more of a 'locals' market as most products offered are like groceries, flowers, supplies, etc. Doesn't have the same range as Market 28, but is worth a visit.
The Plaza de las Americas offers Cinepolis (movie) Theaters, Sears, Chedraui, Liverpool and numerous smaller shops and restaurants in the mall itself and in the immediate surrounding areas not part of the mall.
Plaza La Isla
In the hotel zone. Features hundreds of stores ranging from American brands like Under Armour to Mexican brands like Senor Frogs. There are numerous restaurants including Chili's and McDonald's along with more local Mexican foods.
Another mall down the street from 'La Isla' mall in the hotel zone featuring American and Mexican brand names such as Forever 21, GNC and Señor Frog's among other stores and restaurants.
You are likely to be offered a coupon for free jewelry at this store. Their website also offers a free gift for individuals who book a shuttle through their website. However, if you do not have any evidence of this, the offer will not be honored. A free shuttle service is offered to take you to the store from your hotel. However, the prices in the store are exorbitant (even at the "discounted" rates), and much of the same jewelry is sold by street vendors and hotel gift shops, as well as online. Be sure to investigate other vendors first to get an idea of how much you should pay. One rule of thumb is to buy at 20-30% of the quoted price. The salespeople will insist that it's worth much more, but stand your ground. If a salesperson agrees to your offer too quickly, you're probably paying too much. In addition, a number of people have reported difficulty obtaining refunds.
There is a very large set of formal shops as well as unofficial booths that have opened up on Ave Tulum, covering a large section of the sidewalk on the west side of the road for many blocks. Souvenirs can be found for extremely cheap, and there are no aggressive shop owners hounding you to enter their store or pressuring you into buying something quickly. It would be convenient to bundle a trip here after visiting Parque Las Palapas, as part of these shops are adjacent to the park. There are restaurants and normal types of stores mixed in alongside souvenir shops and all sorts of other stores.
By car
Driving in the Yucatan Peninsula is generally easy and straightforward, though traffic can be slow in the city and hotel zone of Cancun.
By bus
Cancun's bus station is in downtown Cancun, northwest of the roundabout at Av Uxmal and Av Tulum. The station is served by a taxi rank (called a sitio) in front of the station along Pino.
By train
A 1,500-km railway network follows a loop route through the Yucatán Peninsula with a major station at the Cancún International Airport.
Orientation
Addresses in the city center (downtown) are organized by Super Manzanas (SM) or 'Super Blocks' which consists of several blocks called Manzanas (Mz).
By e-hailing
Didi differs from Uber in that you can also request taxis, in addition to normal rideshare rides. You can sometimes get matched with someone far away.
By bus
Buses are cheap and come frequently.
By taxi
Taxis are plentiful, a bit expensive for the hotel zone and airport, but cheap in the downtown area.
By car
Be very careful if you choose to drive in Cancún. Avoid renting a car at the airport car rental agencies; instead, find a local rental agency in town or via your hotel with good reviews.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Cancún · International · CUN
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