Cancun Travel Guide

Cancun, Mexico, is wrapped in crystal clear water and brilliant sunshine, so it's no wonder the shoreline gets top billing. Government developers, looking for a way to eradicate the poverty of the region, created this comfortable resort area on the Mexican Caribbean from the sand up to take advantage of the gorgeous aquamarine water and temperate climate. Cancun is the top resort in Mexico.

Cancun either reassures visitors or annoys them. Travelers who enjoy the feel of Old Mexico will never find Cancun to be as colorful or as spontaneous. With more than 30,000 hotel rooms, it's not the place for isolated sun worship, either. The resort facilities have overgrown the original plans for the town, making the layout of hotels and shops somewhat cramped.

But those hankering for a no-hassle beach vacation can fly in and soak up the sun without speaking a word of Spanish (or exchanging U.S. dollars). And those interested in learning about the ancient Maya civilization can visit several exceptional archaeological sites on day trips.

Also within reach is the island of Cozumel, a havenRead More ... for divers and snorkelers. Playa del Carmen, once an oasis of rustic, laid-back charm, is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, with a great variety of restaurants, bars, shops and entertainment. It is also the hub of a growing ecotourism movement. And Isla Mujeres, the closest island to Cancun, is still famous for snorkeling and never lost its friendly, fishing village allure.

Did you know?

Cancun is in Mexico, but at certain times during the year it's so crowded with U.S. teenagers and twentysomethings (particularly during spring break) that you could easily mistake it for a Florida beach resort.

If you want to see the first light of day strike Mexican soil, spend the night at Isla Mujeres, to the north of Cancun. It's the easternmost point of Mexico.

Before it became a resort, the area where Cancun now sits was inhabited by a dozen poor Maya fishing families.

The City disco with its spectacular shows is the largest in Mexico, hosting 5,000 partygoers at a time.

Cancun and the surrounding islands of Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Playa del Carmen account for one-third of all foreign tourists visiting Mexico.

There's a gravestone for the pirate Fermin Mundaca in the small cemetery on Isla Mujeres. Mundaca designed it himself. However, he died in Merida and is buried there.

One of Cortes' lieutenants, Francisco de Montejo, was in charge of subduing the natives of the Yucatan, but the fighting was so fierce that it took him 27 years to conquer them. Meanwhile, Cortes wiped out the Aztec empire in two years.

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