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Cancun
Trip Planning & Itineraries
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Back in the 1970s, Mexico's ambitious tourism planners decided to outdo Acapulco with a brand-new, world-class resort in the Yucatán Peninsula. The place they chose was a deserted sand spit offshore from the little fishing village of Puerto Juárez. Its name was Cancun.
In the last two decades Cancun has grown into one of the world's best-known holiday resorts. Unabashed and unapologetic, Cancun is a party city that just won't give up. Top that off with a great beach and you have one of the Western Hemisphere's biggest tourist draws, bringing in as many as four million visitors (mostly from the US) each year.
Best of Cancun: Top 3 Must-Do Experiences
Best of Cancun Suggested Itineraries
You're brilliantly positioned to hit the water at Cancun. Jump in with a Jungle Speedboat Tour across lagoons and coral reefs, with time to stop for a snorkel adventure to explore the magical underwater world. Or trade adrenaline for adorable with a Cancun Dolphin Encounter or an amazing swim with the dolphins experience you'll never forget. Mexico's other gentle sea creatures are the whale sharks, the world's largest fish. A whale shark snorkel adventure takes you swimming underwater with these gentle giants of the Caribbean. For a water tour with a difference, go horseback riding by the beach and through jungle, with the option to take Trigger for a swim in the ocean or go for a canter along the sands.
Budding pirates and romantics alike will love the Captain Hook Cruise aboard a Spanish galleon, complete with all the theatrical sword play of a pirate attack, plus a surf 'n turf dinner! Or join in the Caribbean Carnival on Isla Mujeres - after an early-evening cruise to the island, enjoy a buffet dinner and take in a Caribbean show. For a more laid-back evening, take the Lobster Dinner Cruise on the calm Nichupte Lagoon. The pace hots up after dinner, with games, a live band, entertainment and dancing. And for you party animals, the Cancun Bar Hopping Tour takes you to the most happening bars in the Spring Break capital.
Chichen Itza isn't the only day-trip destination from Cancun, though those Mayan archaeological ruins are mighty popular. The Chichen Itza Light & Sound Tour lingers until after nightfall for a spectacular audio-visual show. The abandoned Mayan city of Tulum is another must-see, especially combined with a swim in the Xel-Ha Aquarium. Mexico's eco attractions come together at Xcaret, including an aquarium, inlet lagoon, pools and beaches, Mayan Village and an underground river. Eco adventures go underwater at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, with wetlands kayaking and snorkeling underwater caves.
Best of Cancun: Top Hotels
You, you, you is the philosophy at this uber-modern, expressionist-inspired hotel. If you prefer clean lines over your standard Cancun baroque, then Me is the place for you. Go for a room with ocean views, and dive into a sensory paradise of art, design, music and cuisine, where individualized service includes tailor-made pools, water rituals and the Maxim beach club.
Mayan-style architecture and furnishings, thatched pool cabanas, golf, spa, restaurants - this is only a taste of the services and amenities offered at this sleek, seductive and luxurious, five-star resort paradise. The perfect option for a pampering stay in Cancun.
With its beachfront accommodation surrounded by garden and sea views, it's no wonder CasaMagna is the wedding location of choice in Cancun. There's a kids club to keep youngsters entertained while parents relax by the turquoise waters of the pool or Caribbean, or dine at one of four multicultural restaurants.
Best of Cancun: Top Restaurants
The super-fresh seafood served here is complemented by the lovely views of Nichupte Lagoon from the elegant terrace. The long menu includes oodles of shrimp and fillet-of-fish dishes, with crab and lobster priced by the pound.
Shrimp and lobster are the specialty at this elegant restaurant with a lovely courtyard dining area, though almost anything on the menu is delicious. After entering through the gorgeous aquarium in the lobby, go for the seafood ceviche and lime sorbet splashed with Xtabentun, a Yucatecan anise-flavored liqueur.
For the best Mexican food in Cancun, head to La Parilla, dating all the way back to 1975. This traditional Mexican restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike, and serves a varied menu from all over Mexico, with Yucatan specialties thrown in for good measure. If you're lucky, your waiter will serve your beer balanced on his head from the bar to your table!
Suggested Itineraries: Cancun
Cancun treats every day as a holiday, but also plans a few organized events throughout the year. The biggest event is Carnaval, a joyous, usually drunken celebration held in February right before Lent's period of fasting and penitence. Inmaculada Concepcion is a religious festival held on Isla Mujeres in December. The athletically inclined might consider running Cancun's International Marathon right before the mad Christmas tourist rush.
- Plan Cancun vacations on Yahoo! Travel
- Cancun hotels, Mexico from PlanetWare
- Cancun hotels from HotelsCombined.com
- Cancun trip planner & travel guide from NileGuide
