Caribbean Highlights of the best of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Get to know the best of Cancun. No matter if you want to get to know the city as a tourist or follow the locals, don't miss this outstanding travel feature for your trip.

Caribbean Highlights of the best of Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
See the best of Cancun. Photo by Gerson Repreza / Unsplash

Cancun is recognized worldwide for its spectacular white sand beaches and fascinating turquoise sea, in addition to its excellent air connectivity and first-class infrastructure that place it as the leading tourist destination in Latin America. It is a multifaceted destination for unique experiences, combining glamour, nature, Mayan culture, and world-class services with seductive entertainment offers and an extraordinary gastronomic scene.

Cancun is located in the north of Quintana Roo, a state in southeastern Mexico. Cancun International Airport is approximately 16 km (9.94 miles) from the city and 20 km (12.42 miles) from the hotel zone. It is considered the second most important airport in Mexico, receiving the largest number of international passengers in the country. Cancun weather has an average annual temperature of 80°F / 26°C (80°F / 26°C). The rainy season is from May to October.

The official currency is the Mexican peso, but major credit cards and U.S. dollars are accepted in most tourist establishments. Banks, ATMs, and exchange houses are available in the hotel zone and downtown for currency exchange. Cancun offers a wide variety of lodging options. All with the seal of warmth in service and the renowned Mexican hospitality.

Cancun's accessibility to discover the secrets of the ancient Mayan civilization, which is recognized worldwide for its achievements in art, architecture, and science, is unparalleled. Besides having a privileged location close to the most impressive archaeological sites, both in the neighboring state of Yucatan (Chichen Itza) and within Quintana Roo itself (Tulum and Coba), Cancun also has sites that allow visitors to enter the fascinating world of this ancient culture.

Cancun exhibits in its gastronomy a culinary journey of international aromas and flavors with specialized restaurants, unbeatable service, and beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea and the Nichupté Lagoon. Extraordinary culinary experience through the fusion of the flavors of Mexican cuisine with all its regional variants to the most refined international cuisine that is a delight for the senses.

Throughout the hotel zone and downtown Cancun, you will find restaurants with Italian, Asian, Argentinean, French, fish, and seafood specialties; and of course the exquisite Mexican specialties. Many of the destination's restaurants have been awarded 5 Diamonds by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and by famous travel publications such as the Michelin Guide.

There is an important culinary movement that brings together chefs from all over the world who are in charge of the kitchens of hotels and restaurants presenting attractive gastronomic proposals that invite tourists to venture into new sensations. There are authentic, innovative, elegant, and casual restaurants, as well as picturesque establishments of typical food of the region and palapas with extraordinary ocean views in the area of Puerto Juárez.

All along the hotel zone, there are spectacular beaches with different levels of ocean swell intensity. In addition to having the best beaches in the world, in Cancun, you can enjoy exciting and entertaining water activities both in the sea and in the lagoon. Catamaran rides, snorkeling, windsurfing, speedboat rides through the mangroves, flyboarding, wave runners, paddleboarding, kitesurfing, parasailing, etc.

The turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean Sea are the habitat of a great diversity of fish species such as barracuda, sailfish, marlin, bonito, snapper, tarpon, among many others that will make for an unforgettable fishing experience. The amount of sites and natural wonders to discover in the depths of the Caribbean Sea in Cancun is unmatched anywhere else; whether touring an underwater museum (MUSA), visiting a sunken ship, or simply admiring the beauty in the reefs; the diving experience in the Mexican Caribbean is unique in the world.

In Cancun's golf courses there is a perfect combination of the magic of the natural landscape with the dynamic and modern designs. Cancun has the infrastructure of a modern and consolidated city. For those who come to practice golf, it is important to know that the destination has excellent air connectivity, well-signposted roads, a great variety of lodging options with hotel chains that are among the best in the world, in addition to the fact that transportation to the different courses is easy, comfortable and efficient.

A spa experience in Cancun complements the perfect stay for those seeking a revitalizing vacation. Spectacular spas with exclusive and sophisticated facilities with harmonious environments in harmony with nature and that inspire tranquility to pamper body, mind, and soul. Specialized therapists and innovative techniques combined with Mayan healing and wellness rituals to renew body and mind. Treatments and body wraps, facials, Thalassotherapy, Temazcal, hydrotherapy circuits, and a wide range of massages.

In Cancun and its surroundings, there are wonderful natural attractions such as the majestic mangroves, the lush jungle, and the mystical cenotes where you can enjoy countless adventure and ecotourism activities for the whole family. Activities include whale shark watching and swimming between May and September, bird watching, hiking, zip line tours, swimming and diving in cenotes and caverns, canopy, rappel, cycling tours, 4x4 vehicle tours in the jungle, and nature, theme, and eco-archeological parks.

The entertainment options that Cancun offers to its visitors and that give fame to its incomparable nightlife are very varied. Nightclubs -Coco Bongo, Dady'O, The City, Mandala- with excellent light shows, acrobats, and some of the best DJs in the world. Unique bars with an extensive drink menu and the latest in musical trends are located along the hotel zone, in Puerto Cancun, and some interesting options in downtown Cancun in the area known as "La Ruta Náder". For something quieter and more family-friendly, you can enjoy a fun dinner show aboard a pirate ship, an authentic Mexican party aboard a trajinera in Xoximilco, or the excellent show JOYÁ, by Cirque du Soleil.

The shopping experience in Cancun becomes more sophisticated and cosmopolitan every day thanks to the great variety of existing options; besides being a duty-free zone for a wide range of items such as perfumery and cosmetics, wines, and liquors; among others. Exclusive and modern shopping malls in the hotel zone and downtown Cancun with stores and boutiques allow visitors to find the most exclusive national and international brands of fashion, jewelry, and perfumery. Each mall has a unique architectural style, as well as an attractive range of services and entertainment options for the whole family.

Cancun is the perfect paradise for weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, vow renewals, or simply a romantic getaway with the stunning Caribbean Sea as the main witness. Original locations for dream weddings in Cancun: Beaches, chapels overlooking the sea and lagoon, palapas, natural parks, beach clubs, aboard a boat on the high seas, docks, gazebos, gardens and panoramic terraces overlooking the sea and lagoon; haciendas, in addition to the halls in hotels. Religious, civil, Mayan, underwater, sand, shell, and stone ceremonies. Certified wedding coordinators. Professional caterers, florists, musicians, candy bars, shows, entertainment, haute couture designers, hair and makeup, audiovisual equipment, photography, video and decoration, classic cars. Wedding Planners certified in Southeast Asian Weddings. LGBTQ weddings. Baby Moon. Trash the Dress.

Cancun has the right infrastructure and excellent air connectivity in addition to high standards of service and personalized attention that make it a perfect destination for the organization of large national and international events. More than 50 hotels and resorts with modern facilities and facilities for events and meetings with more than 84,000 m2 (900,000 sq. ft.) of space for groups, conventions, congresses, corporate events, and exhibitions. Zero Value Added Tax (VAT) rate only for congresses, exhibitions, and international conventions. Destination Management Companies DMC's, event production companies, audiovisual, transportation, customs services, professional catering, simultaneous translation, among others.