Travel Guides > Cancun, Mexico

Cancun Travel

The story goes that in the mid-1970s, the government of Mexico was hoping to find a good way to boost the tourist economy of the country. The old standard vacation resorts of Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta still attracted plenty of snowbirds each year, but officials suspected there was something else they could do to give tourism a shot in the arm.

Thus Cancun was born when these same individuals identified a nearly-deserted sand spot on the Yucatan Peninsula as Mexico's next great vacation destination. Today, Cancun is indeed the most visited place in this country, attracting about two-and-a-half million visitors each year. Some come by plane while others arrive by cruise ship, but all continue to sing the praises of this stunning resort long after they've left.

Cancun boasts two sections; the Hotel Zone, and the downtown area or "Centro", a place well worth a visit in order to soak up some real "local" atmosphere.

Unless you don't want to stay at the beach, you'll no doubt find your accommodations in the Hotel Zone, an island joined to the mainland by two bridges.

This is where all the mega-resorts are located and you'll be awed by the size of some of these immense hotels. Even more awesome, however, is the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean and the warm, white sand beaches that beckon you to stretch out and stay awhile.

Watersports are king in Cancun and the city is a virtual playground for water enthusiasts. You could choose a different activity for each day of your stay and never do the same thing twice! Scuba diving in Cancun is quite enticing as the furthest reaches of the largest reef in the Western Hemisphere extend up to Cancun. Most hotels offer scuba courses for learning the basics.

Hop a Jungle Cruise via jet ski for a look at the mangrove estuaries of Cancun. Most tours of this genre also offer a chance to get off the waverunner and do a little snorkeling in the shallow reefs.

Guests can also rent a boat for a leisurely sail, enjoy deep-sea fishing, or swim with the dolphins during their trip to Cancun.

If you're an eco-tourist, the Cancun area has plenty to offer you. Take a 30-minute drive to the Eden Ecological Reserve, where you'll travel deep into the jungle to experience a huge amount of bio-diverse regions, including rainforest, savannas, and marine grasslands. On this overnight trip (there's a lodge at the reserve), you may see more than 200 species of animals as well as some interesting archaeological sites, including Mayan ruins.

Kids will enjoy Tres Rios, dubbed an eco-adventure park, where visitors can go canoeing or kayaking, horseback ride, snorkel, or go cycling on the jungle trails. You could spend a whole day here and the entrance fee is quite reasonable.

If you were hoping to see the best of the Yucatan Peninsula's Mayan ruins, you won't be disappointed. Most can be viewed via a day trip if you don't mind taking some time away from the beach. Tulum, Coba, and Chichen Itza are home to the most spectacular of the Yucatan's archaeological sites, like pyramids and temples, and are well worth the time it takes to get there.