Where the Yucatan Meets the Caribbean
Cancun is a resort city on the north-eastern tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, in the state of Quintana Roo, known for its long white beaches, clear Caribbean water and its position at the gateway to the Riviera Maya. The famous Hotel Zone runs along a narrow barrier island shaped like a number seven, with the open Caribbean on one side and the Nichupte Lagoon on the other. The resort was planned as a purpose-built destination in the 1970s, and it has grown into one of the most recognised beach names in the world.
The setting is unusually generous. Playa Delfines, at the southern end of the Hotel Zone, offers a wide public beach with the Cancun sign and some of the area's most photographed views, while calm sections of the northern shore suit families. Behind the beaches sits the older downtown, where markets, taquerias and local restaurants show a different side of the city. The small Maya sites of El Rey and San Miguelito remind visitors that this coast has been inhabited for centuries.
Reefs, Ruins and Island Day Trips
Cancun is a natural base for exploring. Boats cross to Isla Mujeres in a short ride, and the Museo Subacuatico de Arte, MUSA, places hundreds of sculptures on the seabed for divers and snorkellers. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest reef system in the world, runs along this coast, and from June to September whale sharks gather offshore. Further afield, day trips lead to Isla Holbox and to Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most recognisable Maya monuments.
The restaurant scene has matured. Seafood grills and cevicherias sit alongside chef-led kitchens in the Hotel Zone, and Yucatecan dishes such as cochinita pibil and sopa de lima give a clear taste of the peninsula. For a airline, Cancun's strength is its direct reach: the airport is one of the busiest in Latin America, and a route here opens up the whole Mexican Caribbean, from Costa Mujeres in the north to Tulum in the south.
Read the full Cancún guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitCancun.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.