Cancun

From MaxTravelz

Cancun (Spanish: Cancún) is a planned tourist city on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. It is a popular vacation spot on the Caribbean coast. There is much to do in the city, and if you're willing to take an hour or two bus trip, there is more to explore than you could possibly fit into a single vacation.

One word of warning, late June is especially hot, so come prepared or try the off season. Hurricanes are also a major threat in the summer and early fall.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Buy 7 Eat 8 Drink 9 Sleep 10 Get out 10.1 Trips from Cancun

Understand

Cancun itself was built on a site selected by computer (yes, really) as the ideal spot for a new tourist development by the Mexican government. The state of Quintana Roo was still a territory and this area had few inhabitants when Cancun was built. Cancun and the surrounding area is almost entirely built around the tourist industry. It abounds with all-inclusive resort hotels. Stay here only if you don't mind spending your vacation with many other tourists.

Those mostly seeking beach, scuba diving, or who are a bit adventurous can easily find rooms on equally beautiful and less crowded beaches somewhere an hour or two drive south along the coast for much less than the cost of major Cancun hotels. Some Spanish language skills may aid in finding better deals. You can rent a car, or take the bus to Puerto Morelos (about 20 minutes) or Tulum (1 hour). Playa del Carmen (45 minutes, MXN$65) is between the two, but caters to the all-inclusive crowd. Taxis are also available.

Those looking for a base of operations who want good or luxury hotels and the advantages of urban life but prefer more local flavor may wish to stay in the Yucatan's main city of Mérida; many international flights in to Cancun continue on after a stop to Mérida's international airport.

Get in

The hardest part of the journey to Cancun (aside from your inital airport checkin) is getting from the luggage carousel to your tansportation. Make sure you know who your transport is and find them on the outside, that is where they will be! Unless you are looking for a timeshare, free meal or looking to burn time and money on your vacation don't stop to chit-chat about booking tours and such. There is plenty of time for that after you get settled in.

Get around

Cancun is very easy to navigate. To the South is the airport, to the North is the city and in between are all the hotels, beaches and bars. Buses head up and down the main thoroughfare (Blvd Kukulcan (from the Mayan Kukul/Bird - Can/Snake "The Feather Serpent - The Main Deity of the Mesoamericans) constantly and are cheap, but be prepared for a cramped and rough ride. Taxis are plentiful, but a bit expensive.

Be very careful if you choose to drive in Cancun. The police seem to pull tourists over at the drop of a hat. At night it looks like Christmas with all the red, blue, and yellow flashing lights. When you pick up a rental check that all the lights work! Also when you are pulled over for a light violation do not be surprised if the police holds out an open palmed hand, while holding your drivers license hostage in the other.

See

• Xcaret. A nice nature preserve park with some good swimming / snorkeling opportunities. One of the highlights of this location is Xcaret de Noche (Xcaret at Night) a wonderfully produced song and dance show detailing the history of Mexico. http://www.xcaret.com/

• Interactive Aquarium. Right in the middle of the hotel zone, this small but modern aquarium lets you get up close and personal with aquatic life. You can pet rays, nurse sharks, starfish, etc. There is also a chance to swim with dolphins in a large pool.

• Isla Mujeres. A great break from the Cancun tourist traps. This small island is just a 20 minute ferry ride from the hotel zone. Rent a scouter to get around the island fast and cheap.

Do

• The Ocean and Beaches. For the more advanced swimmers, the edge of the open ocean can make for a challenging and fun swimming experience. For less advanced swimmers, or those with little ones, pick a resort facing Isla Mujeres for a gentle and relaxing aquatic experience. The sand found here is ground up coral and doesn't get hot like you might expect.

• Jeep Adventures. Your self-drive Jeep Adventure will take you on an amazing journey around Cancun and the surrounding areas and give you the chance to see parts of Mexico you wouldn't be able to see on your own. During your Jeep Adventure you will get to: Explore Mayan Ruins, visit a private jungle reserve, swim/snorkel in an underground cenote, experience an amazing interactive zoo, visit an authentic Mexican town, enjoy a buffet lunch on the beach, and many other activities all while under the guidance of a friendly, knowledgeable and humorous guide. http://www.jeepadventures.com.mx

• Aqua Tours. Exciting water tour! Choose either a Jetski or two person Jetboat for a trip through the lagoon out to snorkle on the reef.

• Lobster Dinner Cruise. Romantic night out. Both the guys and gals will enjoy this trip. Take a trip out on the calm lagoon on a beautiful boat with friends you have not meet yet. The staff allow you to take part in the fun or settle back and watch the sunset. Steak and Lobster is cooked on the boat and tastes so much better away from the city sounds.

• Nightlife.

Cancun's nightlife is unlike any other destination on Earth! For some a day in Cancun doesn't start until tasks like an 11AM breakfast, nap on the beach and siesta are arduously completed. This is your place to shine.

Make sure to check out Senor Frogs, Carlos and Charlies and Coronaville. Don't be suprised to find yourself dancing in a conga line, laughing your cares away and speaking whatever espanol you managed to pickup. A must for the first timers, and always good fun next too.

For some deeper nightlife The City, O Ultra Lounge and La Boom are excellent. The City is a huge venue and gets top entertainers and DJs. Don't be suprised to see Vegas like shows spontaneously errupt while you are sipping your pina colada. O' Ultra Lounge is a very sleek NYC type club and can take some time getting in and out of, but has had some great acts like "Infected Mushroom" rock the crowd till the wee hours. La Boom has different events each night of the week, so if your looking to party like it is the last night at 54, check out the schedule.

Buy

• The markets. Bring your haggling skills and get ready for a vast shopping experience in any of the city markets. Great buys can be found, but you need the nerve to get the price right.

• La Isla. La Isla is a huge outside shopping mall in Cancun right near many of the local hotels. It features hundreds of stores from Polo (which is more American) to Gasolina (which is more Mexican). There are numerous restaurants including Chili's and McDonalds along with of course more local Mexican foods.

Eat

• Tacos Dos and Don'ts

Do: El Tizoncito: many outlets scattered throughout Downtown El Tacotorro: Excellent service, inexpensive, and great taste. Av. Kohunlich in Downtown (any cab can take you) Les Bons: Grill tacos, at Mercado 28 La Parrilla: Expensive but tasty/

For vegetarians there is 100% Natural, which serves delicious vegetarian food and claims to be, as its name suggest, 100% natural and organic. Even for non-vegetarians, this is a great restaurant with excellent prices and a nice open atmosphere. A very large dinner with a fresh fruit smoothie is about $6, and highly recommended if you want to be feeling your best for a hard night clubbing.

Don't: Tacolote La Placita Los Arcos

---

• Restaurant Recommendations:

Cambalache: This Argentine Steakhouse serves up one of the best menus in cancun. The atmosphere inside the restaurant makes you feel you have travelled an extra 1000 miles. The staffs attention to detail and desire to please make you feel like your the only one they are serving that night. All this without being under your folk the entire time. 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, they rest is gravy. ( No pun intended, but left for affect )

Laguna Grill: Fodor’s Guide Favorite Restaurant 2005. The architectural concept that surrounds the restaurant, coupled with its gastronomic-fusion cuisine, makes Laguna Grill a truly unique restaurant. The lush tropical garden at the entrance, the intricate handmade tile work on the floor and walls, the small flowing creek that traverses the restaurant, and the elegantly-finished tables hewn from trunks of tropical trees create the almost-mystical atmosphere one experiences at Laguna Grill. The large terrace is right on the water’s edge, where the spectacularly-romantic sunsets are surpassed only by the gastronomic experience that includes seafood, steak, and pasta with a contemporary flair. Elegant and comfortable, the next-door Lounge Bar Trágara offers a wide variety of wines and liquors, while you listen to soft background music and enjoy the charm of the lagoon. http://www.lagunagrill.com.mx

Drink

Sleep

• Open hotels after Wilma Hurricane: See the Cancun Visitor's Bureau site for up-to-date listings of hotel openings http://www.cancun.info

Get out

The best feature of the city is undoubtedly its transport links, with extremely cheap charter flight deals available to the UK (from around £100) and elsewhere, including the USA and Cuba.

Beware leaving Mexico without enough money. The Mexican Government charges a travel tax of around 500 pesos/46 U.S. Dollars to leave the country from airport.

Trips from Cancun

There are bus services to the coastal ruins of Tulum (2 hrs, 60 pesos), which are literally on the water, well excavated, and framed by powder white beaches.

The large ruins of Chichen Itza are often visited on a day trip from Cancun, but are rather distant and only a small portion of the site and attractions can be seen this way. If you find the ancient Maya of interest, spend a night at one of the hotels at Chichen so you needn't have a rushed incomplete visit.

The ruins of Tulum are another relatively nearby extraction. They are similar to Chichen Itza but are built beside a beautiful beach. Unlike Chichen Itza, you are not allowed to go inside or climb on the pyramids. Of the two sites, most people tend to prefer Chichen Itza.

Distant places include Palenque (14hrs approx, 450 pesos) and San Cristobal de las Casas (a nasty 17hrs, 500 pesos, well worth the journey); these are better visited using somewhere else much closer as a base.

This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is very little information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!