For over 50 years, Cancun has stood out as Mexico’s premier vacation destination. Once an abandoned island surrounded by pristine white-sand beaches, Cancun has transformed into a bustling tourist city where the roots of Mexican culture seamlessly blend to offer visitors and locals a taste of the Yucatan Peninsula’s unique essence.
Cancun is divided into the Urban Zone and the Hotel Zone. Both sides offer countless accommodation options, restaurants, bars, shopping, and family fun all year round.
If you plan to enjoy a relaxing getaway and dive into Mexican culture on your next Cancun visit, I can give you a few reasons why Cancun is Mexico’s most popular vacation spot.
CANCUN: GATEWAY TO THE RIVIERA MAYA AND MEXICO
Today, reaching Cancun International Airport is easier than ever from nearly every major city around the globe, including over 40 cities in the U.S. and more than 20 in Europe. With four national and international flight terminals and a private terminal, CUN features top-notch shopping, impressive duty-free areas, and famous restaurants.
Photo by Reiseuhu
Built back in 1975, Cancun’s airport is now the second largest and busiest in Mexico, only bested by Mexico City’s International Airport, and the most significant in Mexico and Latin America due to its high volume of international passengers, numerous routes, and airlines. By 2021, it ranked among the top 10 busiest airports worldwide, handling 13.2 million travelers. After a severe economic downturn during the pandemic in 2019, which saw over 500,000 jobs lost, Cancun’s tourism and economy bounced back swiftly. By the first quarter of 2022, demand for travel to Cancun had doubled compared to the same period in 2020-2021.
CANCUN CULTURAL SPACES
The Riviera Maya and the Yucatan Peninsula were home to the Maya, one of the world’s most impressive civilizations, leaving behind a rich cultural, religious, and astronomical legacy. Today, Cancun hosts museums, theaters, and various cultural spaces where you can explore this fascinating civilization’s history, art, and heritage.
MUSEUMS
Don’t miss the Museo Maya de Cancun, which features notable exhibits and galleries, including the San Miguelito archaeological zone. Also, check out the Mexican Folk Art Museum at Xcaret Park, where you can find a collection of Mexican folk art that once belonged to a popular and distinguished countryman, whose love for Mexico inspired him to collect a wide number of representative and unique Mexican art pieces, and nowadays put together in one place for art lovers to admire them.
Did you know there is an underwater museum deep in the Mayan Caribbean Sea?
source: Wikipedia commons
KA’YOK’ PLANETARIUM
The Mayans had a deep connection with the cosmos, developing sophisticated astronomical knowledge. They created highly accurate calendars and built impressive structures for their observations. At the Ka’Yok’ Planetarium, you can view the Sun, Moon, nebulae, planets, and more through a 16-inch Meade telescope, or enjoy a 360-degree visual experience in a digital dome featuring various documentary projections. Throughout the year, the planetarium offers workshops for curious minds of all ages.
THEATER AND SHOWS
As one of Mexico’s major tourist cities, Cancun hosts a range of spaces for international artists and performances, such as the Estadio Olímpico Andrés Quintana Roo, with a capacity of up to 25,000 spectators, the Cancun Theater, the Casa de Cultura, and the STOA Auditorium. These venues offer acting, music, and art workshops year-round, featuring local talents like the Municipal Choir, Ballet, and Theater Company. By summer 2024, the new Teatro de la Ciudad de Cancun is set to open as a cultural center, featuring two galleries and four rehearsal rooms, with hopes to host the Cancun Symphony Orchestra and other artists.
Source: stoacancun.mx
SAVOR MEXICAN REGIONAL CUISINE
Each of Mexico’s 32 states has unique traditions and flavors that we can delight in its cuisine. Cancun and the Riviera Maya have become home to many Mexicans from other states who bring their culinary heritage with them. You can find family recipes rich in flavor and tradition at countless local restaurants, markets, and street food stalls throughout Cancun.
Source: Eating With Carmen Food Tours
If the menu overwhelms you, the best way to sample different dishes is with a professional local foodie guide from Eating With Carmen Food Tours. You can enjoy the Cancun Local Experience, visiting different spots like Mercado 28 and Las Palapas, and tasting local delicacies like salbutes or panuchos paired with refreshing chaya water, and maybe some quesadillas and gorditas. This experience is perfect for the whole family!
EXPLORE THE RIVIERA MAYA, YUCATAN, AND BEYOND
Whether your flight to Cancun took a few hours, involved multiple layovers, or started as a casual road trip that ended on Cancun’s shores, your journey doesn’t end here. Cancun is just a small part of what the whole Yucatan Peninsula has to offer.
Photo by The Lazy Artist Gallery
A short drive from Cancun will get you to many charming towns and cities surrounded by stunning beaches, and plenty of Mexican food and culture to explore. To the north, visit the beautiful Isla Mujeres and Holbox (reachable via the port of Chiquila). To the south, discover Puerto Morelos, vibrant Playa del Carmen, and the Island of Cozumel. Further on, you’ll find Tulum, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Akumal, where swimming with turtles is easy, the Seven Colors Lagoon in Bacalar, and Mahahual. A few more hours west, you’ll reach Merida, passing through ancient Yucatecan and Mayan communities like Valladolid, Izamal, and Uxmal, as well as the famous beaches of Progreso and Sisal.
Most of these destinations are accessible via ADO’s bus routes, known for their reasonable prices, comfortable seats, and air conditioning. For a more adventurous option, consider renting a car or van to stop at each town and maybe even visit a Mayan community. For those willing to travel farther, states like Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, San Cristobal de las Casas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz offer additional stunning destinations.
ENDLESS UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
One thing that defines Cancun is its year-round variety of activities and Eco-Friendly experiences for the entire family. Cancun truly never sleeps, wake up early to catch the sunrise on the beach, take a boat trip around the mangroves, enjoy fresh seafood, and sip on a refreshing local beer. Explore the Mayan jungle and admire up close all kinds of birds or a few spider monkeys, take a relaxing horseback ride or an ATV tour, and soar through the sky on long zip lines.
Dive into the crystal-clear, ancient waters of cenotes, visit the lighthouse at Punta Cancun and sail the seven lagoons surrounding Cancun Island, or get up close with coral reefs and marine species through snorkeling, diving, or at the La Isla Aquarium. Channel your inner Indiana Jones and explore all the archaeological zones, not just Cancun’s El Rey and El Alacran, but also Tulum, Uxmal, Coba, and of course, the world wonder Chichen Itza.
Photo by Ali Alcántara
Undoubtedly, Cancun remains one of Mexico’s favorite cities for Mexican and international tourists craving Mexican culture. It’s a modern city with cultural influences from across the country, an experience you should enjoy at least once in your lifetime. But beware, you might fall head over heels in love with this region and never want to leave, and if that happens, don’t worry, you’re welcome to stay.
— Abbey, a Mayan Riviera lover.
